New Year’s Day! The old year is over but the new one not yet created. Psychologically speaking, letting go can make us completely happy – but it can also make us fearful. On the physiological level, by contrast, unwanted substances are continually released and excreted in every single cell, making it the most natural thing in the world.
Big Ben has rung in the New Year. Nevertheless, the feasting of the festive season and the excessive consumption of alcohol on New Year's Eve are still fresh in people’s minds – and thus the desire to just leave behind the physical legacies of the past year. But the question is, how?
From liver to kidney and beyond: The body’s central excretory organs
Basically, our body cleanses itself all the time and independently: the liver, kidneys, gall bladder, intestines and lungs are our central excretory organs and able to dispose of unwanted metabolites autonomously. They also simply neutralise foreign substances and toxins as well as excess acids that enter our body through our food and environment before releasing them via the toilet or through the breathing air we exhale.
But it is indisputable that we have come to expect more and more from our cleansing and regulation systems. In addition to a poor diet, our time is mainly characterised by stress and harmful environmental influences – such as polluted air, toxic cleaning agents, drugs, increasing plastic pollution and a variety of chemicals. All of these factors not only put stress on the detoxification process, but also on our antioxidant protection system and acid-base balance. It is therefore all the more important to relieve these systems.**
7 ways to let go with ease
To enjoy a liberated start to the New Year, there are a few steps all of us can take with little effort in the short term – or better still, permanently!
- Top up your bases. Keeping the acid-base balance stable is a daily balancing act for our body. Especially after the holidays, during which we tend to consume a meat-rich, high-sugar diet, the body will benefit from alkaline, antioxidant-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, algae and herbs. Dietary supplements can also support the acid-base balance with valuable base compounds. Animal protein, sugar, white flour and high-fat foods should be greatly reduced and convenience products dispensed with due to the additives they contain.**
- Keep your gut happy. As many of today's unwanted substances enter the body through our mouth, out gut is an important cleansing tool. Certain fibre-rich plant fibres, such as psyllium and linseed, contribute to normal bowel transit times and regular bowel movements, thus helping the excretory organ perform its daily work. In addition, a lot of liquid should be consumed, ideally in the form of water or unsweetened organic herbal teas.
- Strengthen your liver and biliary system. To get rid of residual waste, the targeted supply of selected plant substances is useful for supporting and relieving the excretory organs. Plants that are rich in bitter substances, in particular, have a liver-supporting effect. These include, for example, the milk thistle. Artichokes can also stimulate the liver and biliary system.
- Boost your intestinal flora. Our intestinal flora is as unique as a fingerprint. It is estimated that between 1,800 and 36,000 types of bacteria colonise our intestines, forming an important protective barrier against potentially pathogenic germs and substances. Stress, age, diet, drugs and other lifestyle factors can affect the composition of our intestinal flora. However, certain fibre types, such as acacia fibres, amylopectin or citrus pectin, feed the beneficial intestinal bacteria, causing them to ‘bloom’.**
- Take a deep breath. Gaseous pollutants can be exhaled via the lungs. In addition to alcohol, the body also excretes other unwanted substances, such as carbonic acid and aldehydes. It doesn’t matter if you take a brisk walk through a wintry forest, swim laps in a pool or dance until the room is spinning – the faster and deeper breathing caused by intense movement can, in the truest sense of the word, have a liberating effect.
- Keep pollutants at bay. It’s obviously ideal to keep unwanted pollutants out of the body or to minimise them as much as possible. All fruits or vegetables, for example, whether organic or not, should be washed before consumption. Daily airing reduces pollutant levels in living spaces. Wherever possible, household cleaners and cosmetics should be replaced by natural alternatives.
- Free your mind. For a holistic cleanse, you should not only give your body enough space to let go, but also your mind and soul. To keep stress hormones in check, you should take at least 5 minutes a day for yourself – and really only for yourself! Nature walks, yoga exercises and conscious deep abdominal breathing can all contribute to increased peace of mind. Incidentally, mobile phones, tablets and laptops should be put aside for a change!
**These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
