Loving-3-phase-detox for Spring rejuvenation

There needs to be a balance in everything and that includes a detox programme.

Our body is so intelligent it detoxes anyway, daily and seasonally, better still if we give it a helping hand.

There are many obvious reasons for doing a periodic detox: the pollution we are surrounded by, including industrialised food, the medicines we take (including vaccines), the endogenous substances our bodies produce under stress which interrupt smooth elimination and the little physical exercise we do to oxygenate the body, are just a few examples.

No doubt, every now and then, our body requires our loving attention. In fact, the intention of a detox should be the desire to give our body some loving attention. Hence, the loving-3-phase-detox is designed to be gentle on your systems, yet effective. Having convinced you as to "why", let me explain "when" and "how" to detox.

---

---

When? There are only two times of the year when the energy is propense to detox: one is in Spring and the other is in Autumn. Spring is when the activity of Liver is at its peak, Autumn when the Colon helps us to eliminate (especially the parasites). Still the Spring time has no equals for the all-around detox. The energies in our bodies are rising and moving, which aids in the clearing out process.

How? The key words are: in a loving, gentle and phased approach. According to the Chinese Medicine, the first, most external way to eliminate is via the Bladder, the water system. Starting from the water soluble toxins we skim the first layer of debris, eliminate toxic heat, acute inflammations but at the same time warm up and sustain the body in preparation for the next stage: transforming the phlegm. During the second stage we transform the more dense body fluids which form humidity and phlegm (giving the rise to chronic illnesses). We also prepare the intestines, ensuring their proper movement and elimination, setting up the ground for lipid soluble elimination that comes from the Liver filtering in the third stage.

Whereas we could do all of this at the same time, phasing out in three stages, ideally spread over 6 weeks, gives our body time to deal with each stage in turn. You could assign 10 days or minimum 7 days, for each phase.

Another important principle is to gradually eliminate foods that inhibit detoxification and include those that aid each stage of the detox. The gradual elimination is more gentle and the body does not go into the "deprivation" mode. What's more, I suggest when you eliminate a certain food, you replace it with a substitute, at least initially, for your body not to feel the lack, which may make it go into "storage mode" rather than elimination. So, for example a substitute for a coffee could be cacao (100% dark chocolate or hot cacao in the morning with honey to get a boost); a substitute for wine could be apple juice or apple cider vinegar diluted in water. Watch this space #loving3phasedetox for more substitute ideas to come on Facebook or Instagram.

It is important to highlight that the foods eliminated in the phase one and two are not included until the end of the detox programme. Even then, I recommend you to include coffee, alcohol, sugar, gluten, diary and meats as gradually as they were eliminated, one food at the time. As a matter of fact, you are likely to feel so good at the end of the programme you will feel more loving towards your body anyway.

I have created the loving-3-phase-detox with the following balancing principles in mind:

1. flowing with the seasonal cycle of the Nature to start in early Spring;

2. whilst eliminating certain foods from your diet you substitute with others for gentle effects;

3. gradual inclusion of clearing out foods, herbs and/or supplements;

4. gradual increase of physical activity as the Spring energy rises;

5. phased progression including one system at the time: urinary/blood (Kidneys), thick liquids (Spleen & Intestines) and lipids (Liver).
   

Below you find a summary table to aid you in designing your ingredients of the loving-3-phase-detox. Apart from the foods to eliminate, you have the suggestions of the substitutes, as well as foods, herbs and supplements to include in each phase, which help with that particular system involved. The final part of the table suggests routines you will benefit from in particular.

---

	Phase I week 1 & 2	Phase II week 3 & 4	Phase III week 5 & 6
System / Organs involved	Urinary and Blood Kidneys & Bladder	Denser body fluids Spleen & Intestines	Blood and lipids Liver & Gallbladder
Elimination	Water	Phlegm	Lipids
Energetic	Warming up	Transforming	Moving
Foods to eliminate	coffee, alcohol	sugar and gluten	meat, diary
Foods as substitutes	barley coffee, cacao, green tea, apple juice, apple cider vinegar in water	some dry fruits and honey, gluten free grains (rice, buckwheat)	pulses, chickpeas, small fish and sweet water fish, eggs, tofu, nuts
Foods to include	algae, alfalfa sprouts, parsley, eggs	millet, linseed, kefir, apples, goji berry	cruciferous veggies, green vegetables, garlic, onion, ginger, whole cereal grains
Herbs to include	cleavers, nettles, horsetail, burdock root, birch sap	cinnamon, cloves, aloe juice, red clover	milk thistle, dandelion, artichoke,
Supplements to include	adaptogens, vit.C, magnesium, spirulina/algae	probiotics, chrome, magnesium, psyllium	magnesium, vit.B complex, Vit.A, omega 3-6-9
In the morning	warm water with lemon, ginger and honey	warm water with bentonite clay or zeolite, oats with cinnamon & cloves	half a grapefruit
In the evening	turmeric milk	miso soup, activated charcoal,	malic acid or apple juice with warm water
Physical activity	min 20min walk a day, thermal or epsom baths 2-3 times a week, a massage or acupuncture detox	min. 30min walk a day + Qi Gong, Yoga or other excercise 30min a day	min. 30min walk a day + 30 min of daily exercise + 2-3x a week one hour of aerobic activity

For any doubts, questions or clarifications contact me here.

For any suggestions, comments or experiences to share, please go to my Facebook or Instagram page and search for #loving3phasedetox.

Autumn - Body, Mind, Spirit clear-out

One starts sensing the arrival of Autumn after 20th September. The first signs are the insects, which feeling the cold nights, march inside the house. Before the leaves start dropping down, as trees withdraw their photosynthetic activity, you yourself may notice the difference in temperature between day and night and may even catch a cold.

This year I have also noticed the arrival of Autumn has brought a great need to clear out my body, my house and my life of what is no longer needed. For Autumn is the season of great preparations for the downtime in Winter. We can utilise this energy for our health and wellbeing if we align with the season's energy.

Body Focus: clearing out your gutters

This month I start from the physical aspects of the seasonal energy. Autumn is associated with Large Intestine (Colon) and Lungs, both being the Metal element in the Five Elements of the Chinese Medicine. The two organs are the mechanics of "out with the impure and in with the clean". Most of what goes through the Colon gets eliminated and most of what is inspired into the Lungs is absorbed into our bodies. When the Lungs struggle to absorb (or accept) we cough it out. When the Colon struggles to eliminate we feel clogged with impurities, which often show on the skin, our third lung.

If you have problems emptying your intestine, you should try waking up at 6am, which is the peak time for Colon activity; get moving around or better do some exercise, drink a glass of warm water and you will ensure emptying of the bowels. If it does not help, you may have an energy block stopping your Intestines from working efficiently. In such case book yourself for an acupuncture session right this month of October, when the Colon's activity is at its best. Click on the contact below to book.

To everyone of you, even who is emptying regularly every day, I suggest to take advantage of the seasonal energy and detox your body. The season of the Metal element resonates best with a heavy metal cleanse and/or a parasite cleanse. It is a good practice to do both at least once a year and I strongly suggest you do it in Autumn. Some examples of effective heavy metal cleanse supplements are alghe, zeolite or tourmaline water. For more information on how to use any of these supplements, please contact me by clicking below.

Sulfur is known to eliminate heavy metals, especially aluminum, and it is found, among other in cruciferous vegetables, allium vegetables (onion, leek and garlic, which are all related to the Metal element), green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds and eggs.

All these vegetables add fibre to your diet which additionally improves intestinal movement. One more essential addition to the healthy intestinal clearing are microorganisms. You can take home made probiotics such as fermented vegetables or fermented diary products or for adding more variety of probiotic strains to your intestines, you may consider supplementing with probiotics.

The Classical Chinese Medicine does not promote colonics for generally healthy persons as these deprive the Colon of good as well as the bad bacteria. It is preferable to save colonics for when one really needs them, analogically to antibiotics, they should be used sparingly.

Mind focus: declutter your thoughts

How often in the recent couple of weeks (since the start of Autumn) have you managed to have your mind clear of thoughts and see the life through a clean lens?

Do you encounter difficulty in falling asleep as your head runs through the chores? Do you wake up at 3am or 5am in the morning and find yourself with the same thoughts you had when were falling asleep? Do you find it hard to focus during the day as your mind repeatedly side tracks from what you are focusing on?

These are some of the signs that you need a mental decluttering.

One of the best way to declutter your mind is through meditation. If you wish to get started join me in a weekly on-line, live-streamed meditations, each Tuesdays at 7.00am CET at the FB page https://www.facebook.com/DoroTao.ClassicalChineseMedicine.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Spirit focus: devoid your personal space of futile distractions

Clearing your personal space I mean leaving the space for yourself to be in. In another words, pay attention to distractions. A lot is always going on around you and in life in general. Deciding to let lots of it in, by giving it always attention, is your responsibility. The Metal element in this season, is helping you cut out most unnecessary distractions to create space, emptiness, vacuum, void. A vacuum by definition is already devoid of impurities. In such a state it is easier to reflect on what is truly inside of you, and that is the divinity.

So, it is a profound month for self-exploration and connection to the Divine, provided you take time to clear your body, declutter you mind and your personal space beforehand.

Contact me for questions and appointments

---

Autumn Forest, Metal Element

March - the courage to change

“Master, I am afraid of change. How do I welcome him?”

“There is a person who can show you the way. Go to the blacksmith and stop and observe his work!"

“What can a blacksmith teach me?”

“The art of transformation. He uses fire to shape metals. He shapes them according to his will. He is the father of creation. Like the blacksmith, you too can shape your life, give your days the shape you want. You are the father of change. How can you be afraid of your creation?”

“I'm afraid of the change that comes from outside…”

“If you are afraid of fire, you burn yourself. If you learn to dominate it, you become the creator of wonderful masterpieces. Just like the blacksmith who with his millenary art manages to melt metal and bind it to give life to a new object, you too grasp the change that comes from outside, burn it with your inner fire and bring out new life, new ideas, new thoughts.”

“I'm not sure I can…”

“Your problem is not the fear of change but of the fire that is inside you. It's burning a lot, at very high temperatures, because it wants to accomplish its assignment. But you are turning it off. With fear, worry, fatigue. Don't be afraid of seeing new parts of you born: the blacksmith is an artist and what he creates is only a work of art."

Elena Bernabè

Spirit Focus: grasp the change

From the Classical Chinese Medical point of view, the above story talks about three Elements: Fire, Water and Wood. The Fire and Water elements are the heat and cold used by an iron maker to melt and solidify but his hammer is a vector of creation, that is the Wood element - the element of Spring. Whereas the Fire and Water elements are the basis for any existence, they also maintain each other in equilibrium by their interplay. The Wood element is the courage with which the iron maker raises his hammer and decides on his next move in accordance with his vision of what he intends to create.

The passion of Fire although essential for creating, is not enough without an act of doing. Spring is just about that: taking the steps, raise your hammer and change the shape according to your vision. Those who burn inside but do not apply the hammer (here meaning: direction, decisions, moving ahead, etc) will produce certain psycho-somatic symptoms, especially so in Spring.

Mind Focus: resistance is in the mind

The Nature does not resists that which is inevitable. The realisation of self is a natural result of us being born and alive. Not accomplishing our destiny (called Ming by cinese) is when the disease sets in. The only obstacle on your way is your mind, precisely the resistances you have created in your mind.

What are your beliefs about not doing, having or being who you burn inside to be? There isn't a better month in a year than March to challenge what you think about yourself and the world. The winds of change blowing in Spring will help you be more creative and flexible with your thoughts.

The resistance is also in our daily habits, daily actions we take to go about accomplishing tasks. We are still at the beginning of Spring feeling so much potential ahead. It is a perfect time to address all your self-sabotaging behaviours, be it health-wise, relationship-wise or work-wise.

Body Focus: Marching like the Liver

There are two seasons in the year when the energy helps us to detox: the Autumn and the Spring. In Autumn we let go to create space. In Spring the release happens as the byproduct of the propelling force which must move ahead and leaves behind the unnecessary. It is thanks to Liver, known as the General of our body.

Liver is so strongly energised in Spring that even slightest support you give it, will help it cleanse your body of the Winter accumulations. If you followed my February advice to start gently on detox (https://www.dorotao.com/post/february-sprouting-time), this month you can boldly get into it.

Continue, if you have not done it yet, withdrawing heavier foods from your diet (check out my February blog) and add lighter foods instead. This month add daily one of these seasonal liver "friendly" vegetables:

- chicories

- artichokes

- red beets (root and leaves)

- radishes

- wild greens (dandelion leaves, nettle leaves, foraging greens).

As a supplement, I have prepared and used daily a hydro-alcoholic extract of Milk Thistle seeds. If there is one Liver herb I would use this month it is Milk Thistle. Apart from its known function in western herbalism of protecting and tonifying the Liver; in Chinese herbal medicine it moves the stagnation of Qi and Blood - aiding that propelling force of Liver to move ahead. Additionally, it helps removing the toxins out of the body via urine and intestines.

Exercise wise, this month you are bound to feel like doing much more than just gentle stretches suggested the past month. Do get out and walk to stretch your ligaments and include some exercises to strengthen your muscles. Otherwise, how are you going to sustain this month's work of forging the iron?

If there are any symptoms that arise at this season or get worse in Spring, do contact me for a thorough personal diagnosis.

Contact for diagnosis

---

Spring Creation