Cleansing is an ongoing process – we all need to periodically ‘clean-house’ as our bodies and diets change throughout the year. Just as we wash the outsides of our bodies, internal cleansing is an integral part of achieving and maintaining health. Shedding accumulated toxins seasonally is in harmony with the cycles of the season and our bodies’ needs. Being in harmony with the seasons affords us good health and mental well being. Following the path of least resistance means that we allow our bodies to work and flow with the change in seasons to cleanse and rebuild.
Winter Cleansing and Kidney Health
In natural traditions of healing, the eliminative organs are thought to innately let go of their toxins most easily in certain seasons. Winter is thought to most impact the functioning of the kidneys because of the cold and precipitation. This means that if there are existing imbalances in the kidneys, they will be exacerbated by the weather. Symptoms of kidney imbalance include poor clearance of toxins through the kidneys, water retention, urinary tract infections, mucous accumulations, coldness, rheumatic complaints, tiredness and dizziness. In the case of kidney imbalance, this translates into cleansing the kidneys, which includes modifying the diet according to seasonal availability and adding mild herbs supporting kidney function to your regime.
Winter Cleansing Diet
Eating in harmony with the season means using foods that come to market from your local region or from other similar climate zones at he same latitude. These foods tend to support the body’s needs in dealing with the weather of that season and the challenge it brings. For the Temperate Zones, these foods include cauliflower, potatoes, burdock, fennel, carrots, turnips, rutabagas, beets, hard squashes and beans, onions, leeks, garlic, pears, apples, nuts, seeds, grains and dried mushrooms. Eating within the season at your latitude also means keeping foods from the tropics or those normally available only in the summer in our region to a minimum. It also means shifting our food preparation s to include baked or sautéed dishes and cooking with moderately pungent herbs and spices like garlic, thyme, savory, bay leaves, cumin, coriander nutmeg and fennel seeds.
In many health systems, our elimination is thought to slow down during winter, including the kidneys, and the resulting load of toxins overtaxes our immune systems. This makes us even more vulnerable to infections, which the body has more difficulty fighting in colder temperatures. Foods which are particularly valued for supporting this definition of kidney functioning are red, purple and black beans (especially adzuki beans), mushrooms, buckwheat, beets, burdock, chestnuts, sesame, mussels, oysters, scallops, duck, miso, tofu and tempeh. It is vitally important to maintain an ideal balance of proteins to carbohydrates and acid to alkaline foods to reduce the tendency of increased acidity to increase mucous accumulations. Remember your acid/alkaline balanceJ!
Kidney Cleansing
Cleansing a particular organ system is thought to be most effective when undertaken just in advance of the change in season with which it is associated. However, cleansing can be performed at any time during the season as it will always help to reduce the burden on the organ system. In terms of western herbs, this means using herbs with mild to strong diuretic (urine promoting) actions to help remove toxin accumulations from the nodules and fatty tissues of the kidneys, thus promoting blood cleansing as well. These herbs include dandelion rot, parsley root, gravel root, hydrangea, cleavers, couch grass and uva ursi. Cleansing should NOT be performed haphazardly, if you have questions on what to do please consult us for guidelines.
Here is a simple kidney cleanse anyone can use:
Renagen DTX – take 1 capsule 2x/day for 1 bottle; begin 1-2 weeks before your Watermelon Flush.
Focusing Within
Combining kidney supportive herbs with seasonal eating strategies gives us an excellent foundation for winter health, which we can supplement with immune strengtheners as needed. It is important to also pay attention to the notion of being more inward and contemplative during the winter season. Rejuvenating our forces should be our main emphasis for this time. The psyche is a major force in our physiological health and if it is going against the trend of the season and of our other health practices, we will not get the results we desire. This means being aware of how much energy we are directing outwards, keeping the balance in favor of gathering energy into the deepest parts of ourselves. This is the spiritual analogue to what occurs in nature during this season.
Cleansing with the Seasons
Following the seasons is as natural as passing time. Our ancestors knew instinctively to do this, as they modified their diet and lifestyle with the changing seasons. We can dramatically improve our health by learning from them and listening to the natural cycles that all life follows. Therapeutic cleanses can and should be initiated anytime throughout the year based on an individuals needs. However, everyone can benefit from the natural cycles our bodies go through by preparing for the change of seasons with the appropriate cleanses. Just ask one of our staff how you can benefit from these systemic cleanses and get on your way to feeling and being healthier! To learn more, click here.
