Healthy New Year!

I thought this was an especially good summary. I received this from an online newsletter from a realtor in Bozeman, Montana, of all sources! I haven't arrived at any New Years resolutions yet, but these fit the bill for the one aspect of the Mind-Body-Spirit triangle.

During winter, when you're more housebound and sedentary, many kinds of health–damaging toxins collect in your blood, tissues and organs.

When you're eating well and exercising frequently, toxins are removed efficiently by well–functioning organs, including your liver, kidneys and skin. But if you've been eating a lot of junk food and spending too much time in front of the television, toxins build up.

To help your body flush out toxins, here are some things you can do to "spring clean" your system. You may feel so much better with this cleansing program that you'll decide to make permanent changes in your lifestyle.

Help your liver – The liver is your body's primary detoxifying organ. It filters waste products from your bloodstream, producing a substance called bile that carries toxins away from the liver.

You can help the liver with its detoxification work by eating foods that enhance bile flow, such as beets, radishes, artichoke leaves, garlic, onions, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, red and yellow peppers, and most citrus fruits. Try to have at least one serving at two meals each day.

Also recommended are fresh juices from beets, artichoke leaves, burdock root and carrots. Wheatgrass and barley grass juices are excellent for cleansing the liver as well as the kidneys.

Kidney cleaning – Your kidneys filter out waste products, such as urea and sodium chloride, that are excreted in the urine. A number of foods significantly improve kidney function, including celery, parsley and asparagus.

Sweating out toxins – Your skin has sweat glands in the outermost layers and also has cells that help filter out toxins. When you're sweating profusely, the whole detoxification process goes more rapidly.

You can "untrap" toxins if you work up a good sweat by exercising vigorously or taking a hot sauna. Because you'll be sweating a lot, drink plenty of water.

Detox your lymph system – The lymphatic system is a disease–fighting network spread throughout the body. It produces and delivers a waste–clearing fluid called lymph.

As lymph circulates, it helps eliminate toxic waste, including harmful bacteria and viruses. A swollen lymph node can be a response to an infection or the filtering of a toxin.

Unlike the circulatory system, the lymphatic system doesn't have a single pump that is equivalent to the heart. Instead, regular physical activity causes muscle contractions that move lymph from place to place.

Another excellent way to improve lymphatic detoxification is with a full–body massage. When a masseur or masseuse presses on muscles and connective tissue, lymphatic flow is greatly enhanced.

The two–week spring cleaning – Here's a two–week detoxifying regimen that can raise your energy level, improve mental clarity and enhance skin tone. It even might help you lose weight!

Drink eight ounces of warm water each morning, with some fresh–squeezed lemon juice to promote bowel regularity and detoxification. Other good cleansing drinks include green tea, white tea and herbal teas, such as dandelion or chamomile.

Drink six to eight eight–ounce glasses of filtered water a day, in addition to other low–sugar liquids. Avoid coffee and other sources of caffeine, such as soda. Even decaf coffee can contain toxins so, if possible, avoid it as well. These beverages tax the liver.

Avoid all packaged foods that have artificial colorings, flavorings, preservatives and other chemicals. Prepare your own fresh food as often as possible.

Choose quality carbohydrates, such as whole–grain bread, brown rice, buckwheat, oatmeal and quinoa.

Consume a variety of protein sources, including fish (such as sardines, salmon and trout, which are less likely to be contaminated with chemicals), eggs, almonds, walnuts and legumes. You can eat organic red meat and poultry, but limit it to one serving a day.

Use olive oil in salad dressing.

Eat a variety of organic fresh fruits and vegetables. Consume at least two half–cup servings of fruit and five half–cup servings of vegetables daily.

End the day with a light dinner. Homemade soups and stews are especially good. They are easy to digest, which means that your digestive system and detoxification organs don't need to work as hard overnight.

Get 30 minutes of exercise five times a week. Any activity (preferably one you enjoy) that works up a sweat is good. If you like to dance, go online and you'll find a slew of vigorous dance programs that are fun and get the job done. Saunas are also a good way to work up a sweat, but they should not take the place of your exercise program.

Supplements – Supplements such as multivitamins and mineral supplements can enhance your spring cleaning program. It's best to consult your doctor for the best ones to take.