Christmas and New Year is here again and we all know what that usually means?
A time of over indulgence, lots of parties, celebrations, food and drink! How can we avoid putting on extra weight, feeling toxic and still have a great time? Well you can. We have listed a few helpful tips to get you through the festive season so that you can still feel and look great:
1. Drink plenty of water, at least 2 litres a day to keep the body hydrated and help flush toxins out of the body.

2. If drinking alcohol be sure to drink a glass of water in between each alcoholic drink and before going to bed drink at least 3 large glasses of water

3. Be moderate in alcohol and food intake as overindulgence is harmful to the body

4. Take the focus off food and alcohol. Focus more on joining and connecting with your loved ones

5. A large glass of warm water with a squeeze of lemon first thing in the morning will help support the liver, improve digestion and hydrate the system

6. Multivitamin and B complex provide energy and support the liver and nervous system because alcohol depletes B vitamins.
7. St Mary’s Milk Thistle silybum marianum is the number one herb for the liver. It protects, detoxifies and restores the liver.

8. Replace coffee with dandelion coffee or tea. Dandelion, taraxacum officinale is a herb that removes toxins from the organs and blood.

9. Reduce caffeine intake because it dehydrates your system and puts extra stress on the adrenal glands.

10. Drink fresh vegetable juice daily to provide living phytonutrients for greater vitality and nutritional support.

11. Apples, pears, fennel, and peppermint provide a calming effect on the stomach and digestive system.

12. Slippery Elm provides relief to any heartburn or over acidity of the stomach.

13. Hangover Fix: Banana smoothie with protein powder, spirulina, linseeds, frozen mixed berries, rice milk or water, blend and drink

14. Add liquid Chlorophyll to your water. It has the power to regenerate our bodies and is known to help cleanse and alkalise the body.

15. Probiotic supplement and ½ cup yoghurt daily to maintain the friendly gut microflora and to keep the immune system strong.

16. Homoeopathic remedy: Nux Vomica 30c is a brilliant remedy for treating hangovers, nausea, indigestion and general overindulgence.

17. Be sure to get enough sleep and rest and take that afternoon nap if needed. Adequate sleep reduces stress and cortisol levels leading to healthier eating habits and reduces sugar and stimulant cravings.

18. Don’t go to a party hungry. Eat a wholesome meal before you go to avoid overindulging in the wrong foods.

19. Don’t deny yourself 100% of the Christmas goodies. Enjoy a small amount as a treat and know when to stop.

20. Know that you don’t need to partake in all that is offered and it is ok to say no. Test and trust your willpower and self discipline.

21. Organise some fun after lunch physical activities with the family and friends whether it be a stroll together, swim at the beach or a game of cricket.

22. Dedicate half an hour a day for some time to yourself. Take a walk in the park or beach, meditate, sit in the garden, read a book or get a massage. Keep the peace and connection with self within the busy season.

“Unless you live an ascetic life far from civilization and avoid all dietary folly, your blood and other tissues are bound to accumulate toxins and gradually lose their functional vitality. If you dont purge yourself of these toxins on a regular basis, toxemia gets worse and worse, until the body cannot stand it any longer and either purges itself spontaneously in the form of acne, boils, liver spots, skin conditions, foul perspiration, bad breath and so forth, or else it simply gives up the battle and succumbs to cancer and other fatal conditions” Daniel Reid, The Tao of Health, Sex and Longevity

Prevention is better than Cure, so detox now to prevent the onset of any  chronic dis-ease at our health retreat or clinic.

Not only can toxins from our external world cause harm, but negative emotions coming from within us can cause toxic stress. This occurs when these emotions are suppressed, rejected, judged or lied about. If you allow these toxic emotions to accumulate and they are not dealt with in the right way, the emotional toxicity ultimately leads to physical toxicity. If these negative emotions are left unchecked and accumulate they may drain your energy, sabotage happiness and   manifest as dis-ease in the body.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine particular emotions are known to be related to specific organs of the body which may have a physiological effect on this organ if in excess. For example  anger is related to the liver, worry and fear to the kidneys and grief to the lungs. Therefore if there is an excess in these emotions it will ultimately create disharmony/imbalance of this organ.

It is therefore important to be able to release and detoxify your emotions.

7 steps to dealing with toxic emotions

1. Identify the emotion
2. Observe the emotion and allow yourself to feel the emotion wherever it may express itself within the body
3. Take responsibility of your feelings without feeling guilty and know you have the power to release this emotion
4. Express your emotion to yourself whether it be by writing it down or audibly to yourself
5. Release the emotion through physical ritual e.g meditate, write, massage, exercise, laugh, cry, nature or breathe
6. Share the emotion
7. Celebrate the detox process and nourish/reward yourself for letting go

Detoxing the emotions is just as important as cleansing your body and will allow you to feel light, clear and energized.

1. Exposure to heavy metals like mercury, lead, aluminium, cadmium from the human-made environment
2. Pesticides and herbicides used in agriculture
3. Our nutrient poor, calorie dense diet
4. Highly processed foods with preservatives and added artificial chemicals and additives
5. Genetically modified and engineered foods
6. Damage from alcohol, cigarettes, recreational drugs and pharmaceutical medications
7. Synthetic hormones and antibiotics consumed via food
8. Poor water supply
9. Polluted air we breathe
10. High stress levels leading to excessive internal stress hormone production
11. Electromagnetic radiation exposure
12. Exposure to chemicals used in housing, construction, domestic cleaning, cosmetics and personal care products

We can not escape these toxic terrors and they accumulate in our body resulting in stress and dis-ease. It is vital to undergo a detox once a year to eliminate these toxins from our system and to support our bodies to function more efficiently and effectively. Escape to one of our Byron Bay Detox Health Retreats where you can take that toxic load off and achieve the optimal health that your deserve.

A heavy metal is any metallic element that has a relatively high density. Some of the 23 known heavy metals like selenium, copper, manganese and zinc, are are nutritional minerals needed in small quantities to maintain health  but in large amounts can be toxic.

Other heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, mercury, arsenic and lead are toxic even in small amounts. Once toxic metals have accumulated in the body they are not easily flushed or removed from the body. These toxic metals store themselves in the tissues of the body contributing to nutritional deficiencies and can cause serious health issues.

Toxic heavy metals affect  the nervous system,  immune system, the brain, kidneys and reproductive system where they can disrupt normal functioning. Heavy metal toxicity can produce a wide range of symptoms such as

• Depression
• Numbness, tingling in the hands and feet
• Irritability
• Chronic fatigue
• Insomnia
• Frequent urination
• Poor memory
• Kidney/Liver damage
• Constipation
• Joint pain
• Skin rashes
• Tinnitus
• Impaired immunity
• Metallic taste in mouth
• Leg cramps

Toxic Metals Damage Our Bodies in the following ways:

1. Take the place of nutritive minerals and interfere with our mineral balance in the body
2. Destroy beneficial bacteria leading to lowered immunity
3. Disrupt normal metabolic processes
4. Heavy metals can bind to the bodys protein and may trigger an autoimmune response when the body is unable to recognise its own protein
5. Block detoxification pathways
6. Initiate free radical damage to cells
7. Affect the genetic material RNA and can lead to cell mutations, birth defects and cancer
8. Mercury fillings can create a “battery effect” with saliva in the mouth causing corrosion and damaging the body

We are exposed to heavy metals every day as they are used in industry, food processing and agriculture. Some of thje places where they are found is in personal care products, auto exhaust fumes, batteries, cooking utensils, insecticides, toys, carpets and some pharmaceutical drugs.

Therefore we can see there is no escaping heavy metals in the current world we live in. Heavy metal testing can be done through your naturopath or doctor and there is many treatments available according to the level of toxicity. Treatments may include starting from a gentler approach of chlorella, coriander, zeolite and to a more intense method of chelation therapy.

However with any heavy metal detox it is important to incorporate this in a detoxification protocol where all organs of elimination are supported to minimise any adverse effects or symptoms as the heavy metals are released for excretion. Our Byron Bay Detox Health Retreat assists many clients through heavy metal detoxification in a safe environment with expertise knowledge and experience.