From intriguing treatments to novel workout routines, wellness advice is everywhere. However, the common phrase “You are what you eat,” couldn’t be more important. The truth is, if you really want to exude wellness in body and mind, you’ve got to start with what you eat.

Here’s a handful of healthy foods you should eat for detox.

Avocados

As great to look at as they are to taste, avocados are an antioxidant-rich fruit, fully fit to lower cholesterol and provide loads of protein. Eating avocados is commonly associated with a better quality of diet and nutrient intake. Lower intake of added sugars, lower body weight, as well as lower metabolic syndrome risk are some additional pros.

Blueberries

Few people would argue the deliciousness of blueberries. But in addition to their tasty reputation, blueberries are packed with features that are ready to fight for your wellness. Did you know that blueberries are able to help ward off a variety of viruses? And they’re packed with powerful phytonutrients fit to rid the body of harmful toxins.

On top of that, this hearty berry aids in doing away with tissue-damage due to perpetual inflammation, and at the same time, it’s also able to act as a pain reliever. Paranoid about DNA damage? Just 300 grams per week can help to keep your double helix fully intact. Intense stuff, huh?

Cilantro

Great in a taco or on top of an omelet, cilantro is a king among antioxidant foods. This green, leafy plant pushes mercury and similarly harmful toxins out of the body, attaching them to other compounds so that they may be excreted from the body. Cilantro also contains an antibacterial compounds, which actually outperform some antibiotic drugs at killing Salmonella.

Dandelions

You might be wondering whether or not Dandelions are really edible, and the answer is: absolutely. Dandelion root is particularly known to have a strong positive impact on the liver and pancreas by filtering toxins from the bloodstream. Like blueberries, dandelions too are a great source of phytonutrients, and beyond that, they’re a food that’ll reliably cleanse your digestive tract.

Garlic

Garlic seems to be in most cuisines these days, and although it leaves people with a less than attractive breath odor, it’s a food with some truly powerful wellness properties. For instance, raw garlic is known to elevate your immune system like few other foods. One of the best parts is that your body isn’t going to be particularly sensitive if you eat a lot of it, either. That’s because sulfur is found in large quantities of garlic, and that’s a well-known antibiotic.

Studies have shown that garlic is 100 times more powerful than synthetic antibiotics, and go into action in less time, too. In short, your body welcomes all the detoxifying elements of garlic, with open arms.

Check out our organic food diet guide for healthy foods that can help you detox. Contact us today at our Palos Verdes location for more information or to book an appointment.

Wellness treatments are plentiful these days, and sifting through them can be a bit daunting. Not to fear, though. Here are a few of the most popular detox treatments, including what they do and how they’ll better your being.

Colon Hydrotherapy

This age-old detox technique uses a tube to gently infuse water into the colon, flushing it of the countless impurities that make their home there. Over time, waste naturally builds up on colon walls, and if not cleansed, this accumulation may cause constipation, lethargy and general uneasiness.

By regularly cleansing the colon, the various parasites that reside in your waste don’t have a chance to accumulate and wreak havoc on your immune system. People since Ancient Egyptian times have reported feeling a wonderful, euphoric state of well-being, post colonic.

Lymphatic massage

Lymphatic massage, using as little as a half an ounce of pressure per square inch, aids in lymph flow in the lymphatic system. The lymph system is a vital part of your lymphatic system, which is ultimately essential for ridding the body of toxins and impurities of all kinds.

Lymph is a clear fluid that circulates through your body, and along the way it snatches many of the things that end up making you sick. Unfortunately, this fluid is known to swell from time to time. When this happens, it doesn’t flow as freely as it should. What lymphatic massage does is break up this swelling — encouraging the lymph to do its thing.

Lymph massage is known to be a great treatment for lymphedema, edema, post-surgery swelling and more minor things such as stress and fatigue.

Far infrared sauna

While most saunas pretty much consist of a heated room, which then heats your body, far infrared saunas use infrared light which goes straight to your body – cutting out the middle-man. What this does is warm your body at lower, less humid temperatures, more efficiently. To many people, the overall experience is a more comfortable one than a standard sauna.

Saunas aren’t only about feeling good, though. One of the main purposes of a sauna is detoxification — getting benefits similar to having just exercised. The truth is, far infrared saunas may bring on up to two to three times the volume of perspiration brought on by standard sauna, doing away with more toxins, calories, and stress.

For more info on detox programs and holistic health alternatives, call us today at our Palos Verdes location.

You’ve probably heard that high fructose corn syrup isn’t good for you, but maybe you don’t know exactly why. Basically, it increases fat. And, the more high fructose corn syrup consumed … you guessed it, the fatter people tend to get.

A recent study gave people with normal lipid (molecules in your body that includes fat) profiles, drinks containing different concentrations of high fructose corn syrup. The ones who consumed more highly concentrated drinks, ended up with a higher lipid count.

Fat levels aren’t the only thing impacted by high fructose corn syrup, though. The study showed increased cholesterol levels and heart disease risk, too. For those trying a detox program — colon hydrotherapy or lymphatic massage, for instance — it goes without saying that you ought to stay away from the substance.

Here are a few more reasons to steer clear of high fructose corn syrup.

Just too much sugar

For our hunter-gatherer ancestors, sugar was rare in nature — they didn’t come across it very often. Today, our bodies haven’t yet adapted to the large amounts of sugar we’ve decided to consume, especially in high fructose corn syrup. Think about it, in your average soft drink there’s about nine teaspoons of sugar! Would you willingly put that much in your coffee?

Get back to your roots by checking out our Organic Food Diet Guide. Follow the guidelines and your sure to improve your health.

It’s not natural 

You’re not going to find a “high fructose corn syrup plant” growing on the ground. Cane sugar (natural) and high fructose corn syrup (synthetic) are not biologically identical, and so they’re not processed the same way by your body. Regular cane sugar contains two sugar molecules tightly bound together, in equal amounts, while the sugar molecules in HFCS have an uneven ratio. The more promient molecule in this ratio is difficult for the body to absorb, often resulting in weight gain.

Contains mercury

You don’t need to be told that mercury isn’t something you should be consuming, but there it is, in most of the high-fructose-based foods you eat. This isn’t the most comforting thought, considering that these foods make up about a quarter of the average American’s diet.

What now?

If you’re really trying to rid your body of the various toxins brought on by high fructose corn syrup, consider high-effective therapies like colon hydrotherapy or lymphatic massage. These time-honored wellness therapies have worked wonders for countless people looking to detox their bodies and minds.

Call us at our Palos Verdes spa location for further information on high fructose corn syrup and detoxification.

Colonic irrigation is an extraordinary way to cleanse your body. It’ll leave you feeling light, refreshed, and revitalized. The only downside is that it’s not free. Surprisingly though, there are countless ways to detox your body for absolutely nothing.

People are often convinced that in order to see tangible results, they’re going to have to shell out some amount of money. But the truth is, getting in the routine of simply living healthy can go a long way when it comes to ridding your body of toxins.

Drink plenty of water

You’ve heard it countless times before, but perhaps you’ve never fully taken the advice. Although the views on “how much” water to drink per day, are mixed, most experts advise about 8, 8-ounce glasses.

Then again, this depends a lot on your age, sex, weight, fat/muscle ratio, etc. Needless to say, drinking enough H20 on a daily basis is crucial for keeping your body toxin-free.

(Check out our Organic Food Diet Guide for more information on how to stay property hydrated.)

Stay active

That 9 t0 5 desk job isn’t doing anything to help you in the detoxification process. The more you remain stationary, the more toxins and pollutants have the opportunity to dwell in your body, doing a number on your immune system.

If you do work at a computer most of the day, try standing, taking breaks and moving your legs. Perpetual motion is the key here. If you can take a half-hour run after work, do it. Raising your heart rate for about 30 minutes a day can help.

Get lots of sleep

Many people are under the impression that sleep just isn’t that important. Sure, it’s something we all like to do, but if you don’t have time for it, you don’t have time for it. Mounting research says that this is not a healthy way to look at the matter. In our fast-paced society, people need to make sleep an absolute priority.

While young adults need about 9 hours of sleep per night, older adults might be able to get by on a solid 6.

Meditate 

Meditation is a practice that’s gaining a lot of traction in the health world — especially in the wellness community — and for good reason. Many neuroscientific studies have shown that meditating daily can lower stress, increase focus, and in doing so, rid the body of all sorts of impurities.

Meditation doesn’t have to be looked at as a “magical” thing “Mindfulness” is a popular style of meditation in which the practitioner simply sits quietly and pays close attention to their moment-to-moment experience, not getting lost in thought, or holding on to particular thoughts for too long. It’s just a way of centering yourself, really.

Want to learn more about detox? Call us at our Palos Verdes location today.

Out of all the detox programs available, there’s one natural method that can deliver exceptional results — sleep.

You may not think of sleep as an activity you do to get healthy — it’s just something your body needs. But, science is now confirming the idea that there is “good sleep” and “bad sleep.”

The truth is, there are ways of sleeping that help your body detox, aiding in your overall wellness. And there are also ways of sleeping that might not be doing you much good.

Here are a few sleeping methods your body will thank you for.

Develop a sleep routine

With your busy schedule and the unpredictability of everyday life, it might be tough to wake up and tuck in at set times, but this regular sleep rhythm is just what your body needs for detoxification.

If you find that you’re not tired when you first lay down for bed, don’t force it. Anxiety about falling asleep can keep your brain in a highly aware state, which is obviously not what you want. Try reading a book or a magazine while sitting up, and when you feel yourself nodding off, hit the lights and call it a night.

Leave technology outside the bedroom

Scrolling through a Facebook feed is how most of us unwind before bed these days, but a great deal of research says that it’s not good for you. Studies suggest that illuminated screens on laptops, tablets, and smart phones, might be interrupting healthy sleep patterns.

As rule of thumb, set your smart devices aside, 45 minutes before you decide to hit the hay.

Be aware of you eat and drink

Avoid eating or drinking things before bed that will prevent you from getting some solid shut-eye.

For instance, steer clear of lots of liquid, as it’ll cause you the urge for urination. Similarly, eating spicy foods prior to sleep, can cause you to wake up with “night sweats,” let alone another urge to use the bathroom.

It’s long been known that caffeine ought to be avoided pre-bedtime, as the effects can take hours to wear off. And, alcohol might help you fall asleep, but it too can interrupt regular sleep cycles.

What you eat and drink during the day can also have an impact on your sleep. Check out our Organic Diet Guide to restore your health.

Make an extra effort for comfort

Sure, sleeping itself doesn’t cost you anything, but if you’re going to cleanse your body with sleep, you have to make sure you do it right.

Whether it’s purchasing a down comforter, getting an extra fan, or investing in a whole new mattress, you should be willing to part with a few extra dollars in order to gain some extra long-term health benefits.

Want a few more tips on improving sleep quality or detoxification? Give us a call at our Palos Verdes Spa location.

If you’re not fond of using allergy meds or other over-the-counter sinus remedies, there’s a natural detox program for your sinuses. The neti pot has been used for thousands of years in the Hatha yoga tradition in India. And it rinses out the sinus cavity, riding it of bacteria, dust, mold and other built-up allergens.

This is a tool to use when you’re sick or have sinus congestion and a drippy nose.

“I find it to be the first line of defense in dealing with complicated sinus problems and allergy problems,” Evangeline Lausier, MD, assistant clinical professor of medicine and director of clinical services at Duke University’s department of integrative medicine, tells WebMD.

Some of the pros:

• Nasal irrigation helps to thin out mucus.
• It improves the coordination of the cilia to remove bacteria and other irritants.
• It can relieve sinus symptoms.
• It can complement sinus medications.

The cons:

• It’s not an everyday long-term solution. In fact, a 2009 showed that it could be counterproductive when used over the long-term.
• It could remove natural antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral agents.
• A small percentage of users experience mild side effects such as minor nasal irritation.

Tips for using a neti-pot:

Choose your type

Neti pots come in all shapes in sizes – ceramic, plastic, big and small. But whatever size you choose, you may want to consider a pot made out of ceramic. It’s generally easier to clean and they’re a little sturdier than plastic versions. They’ll also last longer.

Use distilled or sterile water

It’s best to use distilled or sterile water. Rarely, Naegleria foweri infections have been reported when people submerge their heads or irrigate their sinuses using tap water.

In order to lower that risk, you can purchase distilled or sterile water, boil water, use a filter or disinfect your water.

Use a saline solution

Make sure your pot also comes with neti pot salt, or purchase some non-iodized sea salt and baking soda. Pour in the sea salt and baking soda into the pot and let it dissolve in the water, which will help draw fluid across the sinus membranes.

Gently blow your nose after

The key word here is “gently.” It’s important to blow your nose and get rid of excess fluid after you’ve used your neti pot, but it should be done without much effort.

Additional tips

• Make sure the pot is clean before using it.
• Stop using it if it makes your sinuses worse.
• Don’t use it if you have a high fever or severe sinus infection.

Want more information on the neti pot and detox programs? Contact us at our Palos Verdes spa today.

Detoxing with a program suited to your particular body and conditions is vital. Unfortunately, not all of us have the time or money to have a professional create a personalized detox program.

But there are three simple changes you can make to your daily routine that can put you on a path to better overall health and wellness.

These tips may seem too easy, but they work.

Here are three simple ways you can start detoxing without a program.

Limit the sugar

This doesn’t need to be an all-or-nothing kind of thing. The biggest thing is to reduce the consumption of sugar and sugary foods. Be mindful of what you’re eating.

According to a study recently published in Jama Internal Medicine, Americans who consume the most sugar, which is about 25 percent of their daily caloric intake, were twice as likely to die from heart disease as those who limited sugar to 7 percent of their total daily calories.

Based on a 2,000 calorie diet, those eating the most sugar were consuming about 500 calories of sugar per day, or 31 teaspoons, notes NPR. Those who ate just 140 calories of sugar a day – 7 percent of their daily intake – were much better off, eating just about 10 teaspoons per day.

What’s average?

“The average American is consuming 22 teaspoons a day. That’s about three times what’s recommended,” Laura Schmidt of the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, told NPR.

To be clear, we’re just talking about added sugar here, not the naturally occurring sugar found in fruit and milk.

Cut processed foods

Packaged lunches. Canned juices. Powered cheese. Processed foods simply aren’t healthy for you. In fact, they could make you overweight and sick, notes Mercola.com.

These foods are not only high in sugar and high fructose corn syrup, they’re designed to make you overeat.

Dr. Mercola, of Mercola.com, recommends spending 90 percent of your food budget on whole foods, and only 10 percent on processed foods, in order to stay optimally healthy. We think that’s a pretty good tip.

Check out our organic food diet for more info on organic, whole foods.

Increase your H2O intake

This is, by far, the easiest way to improve your overall health and wellness. Drink more water. Of course, you may need exactly eight glasses a day – that’s just a guideline. The amount of water you require depends on your body, your activity level, where you live and other variables. You may need more or less than the person next to you.

Keep in mind, your body is composed of about 60 percent water.

“Think of water as a nutrient your body needs that is present in liquids, plain water, and foods. All of these are essential daily to replace the large amounts of water lost each day,” Joan Koelemay, RD, dietitian for the Beverage Institute, an industry group, tells WebMD.com.

Drinking water helps maintain the balance of your body fluids, it helps control calories, it energizes muscles, it helps you skin look good and it boost kidney and bowel function.

For more information about detox, health and wellness, contact us at our Palos Verdes spa.

If you’re not already using coffee enemas to detox, you may want to add it into your program. Coffee enemas can play a vital role in any detox program.

This detoxification method has been used as part of the famous Gerson Therapy by the Gerson Institute since the 1930s. In fact, it’s the therapy’s primary method of detoxification of the tissues in the blood, and cancer patients on the therapy have up to five coffee enemas per day.

“The moment a patient is put on the full therapy, the combined effect of the food, the juices and the medication causes the immune system to attack and kill tumor tissue, besides working to flush out accumulated toxins from the body tissues. This great clearing-out procedure carries the risk of overburdening and poisoning the liver—the all-important organ of detoxification, which, in a cancer patient, is bound to be already damaged and debilitated,” said Max Gerson about the therapy, according to the Gerson Institute.

The coffee enema does is a crucial component of what Gerson is talking about, cleansing the liver and eliminating toxins.

But how does it help?

Here are three ways coffee enemas can help you detox:

Removes toxins

In a general way, the liver is like the vacuum cleaner of the bloodstream. It filters out toxins in the blood, collecting everything that doesn’t belong. But those toxins can build up, wreaking havoc on the system. Coffee enemas help remove the toxins that have accumulated in the liver.

The Gerson Institute notes that way back in the 1920s, a study found that caffeine in rats helped open up bile ducts, releasing bile, increasing bile flow and eliminating toxins from the body.

Kills free radicals

“Free radicals” are cells within the body that are damaged. Missing a molecule, they rob other molecules in the body to make up for their missing part. But they injure other cells in the process, creating a breeding ground for disease.

Detox programs that include a coffee enema help to prevent that process. Doctors at the University of Minnesota found that free radicals are destroyed in the bloodstream when a patient receives a coffee enema. “The enema acts as a form of dialysis of the blood across the gut wall,” according to the Gerson Institute.

Stimulates peristalsis

Not only does this detox method rid toxins and free radicals, it boost the natural peristalsis of the gut. Peristalsis is the wave of contraction and relaxation of the tubular muscular system. It’s how food is moved through the digestive system, how urine is passed from the kidney to the bladder and how bile is passed from the gallbladder to small intestine.

Overall, coffee enemas can increase cell production, boost tissue health, improve blood flow and assist the immune system.

For more detox information, call us at our Palos Verdes spa location today.