Detox Tips

Seven tips you can do at home

The Pros Share their Secrets for Detox -- By Healing Retreats & Spas E-newsletter

1. Avoid junk (food) and chemicals and eat wholesome food that is organically grown when possible. Also take a break from the SNACCs—Sugar, Nicotine, Alcohol, Caffeine, and Chemicals. —Dr. Elson Haas, Founder & director, Preventive Medical Center of Marin, Integrated Physician, and author of The New Detox Diet

2. Drink organic low-glycemic green juices for seven days. —Dr. Gabriel Cousens, M.D., M.D.H, author of upcoming book Spiritual Fasting and founder of the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center.

3. Start your day with a glass of warm water—on an empty stomach; it aids your body in releasing toxins.—Teresa Long, Ayurvedic nutritionist at the Chopra Center

4. A weekly 24-hour fast (drinking 8–10 glasses of purified water) cleanses, renews, and rejuvenates! Our bodies have a naturalself-cleansing [mechanism] for maintaining a clean healthy body. —Dr. Patricia Bragg, Author of the book The Miracles of Fasting and owner of Bragg Health Products & Books

5. You can give your gut a chance to refresh itself with a 2–3 day simple, easy-to-digest diet of fresh organic raw foods and juice, along with rest, mild exercise, and some time in the sauna. I recommend that my patients participate in this detox twice a year and maintain gut health in between by eating unprocessed organic food, avoiding antibiotics as much as possible, reducing sugar intake, and supplementing with a digestive enzyme to help with food break down and probiotics to help with assimilation of nutrients. —Dr. Joseph Brasco, Gastroenterologist, author, and medical consultant for Garden of Life

6. Our skin is our largest organ in the body and is highly efficient at eliminating toxins. Daily dry brushing of your entire body before showering will help exfoliate excess dry skin and stimulate your lymphatic system to help in additional detoxing. —Amy McDonald, VP of Living Spas, a company committed to offering green solutions for creating financial, environmental, and social sustainability to the hospitality industry.

7. A“whole juice” blend throughout your day. (visit www.stoweflake.com/ —Recipe from Kat James, author of The Truth About Beauty

Kat’s Beauty Detox Elixir (makes 2 10-oz. Servings)

A tasty “whole juice” blend for cleansing, circulation, and vibrant skin, consisting of dark, bitter greens (arugula, parsley, watercress), cabbage, a bit of beet and carrot, lots of ginger and lemon, fresh herbs, a touch of cayenne and stevia and organic aloe juice. This detox elixir, featured in The Truth About Beauty, if prepared in a Vita-Mix rather than a juicer, does not present the hard labor of juicing, the cost of a ton of produce, or the potential blood sugar spike juicing might cause. So instead of juicing about ten times the quantity of produce that you’d ever eat and discarding all the mineral-rich fiber (which is needed to keep the glycemic index of the elixir low), the total amount of produce you’ll use will amount to about one big salad, which saves a lot of money while creating a healthier elixir.

1 cup cold water or aloe juice (use aloe juice for added digestive healing and regularity)

1/3 cup of fresh parsley (alkalizing and removes heavy metals)

1/2 cup of fresh dark greens such as arugula, kale, or watercress (rich in detoxifying chlorophyll and enzymes)

1” piece of ginger, peeled (great for circulation and digestion)

1/2 lemon, scrubbed but not peeled (peel is rich in bioflavanoids which make the vitamin C work better; lemon is alkalizing and tastes great)

1/2 small beet (great blood cleanser)

Pinch of cayenne or 1/4” slice of small jalapeno pepper (digestive aid that tastes great; cayenne heals the stomach and reduces pain)

2 tsp. xylitol or stevia to taste (a natural sweetener, it smoothes out the taste and has many health benefits)

Bonus: a sprig of fresh herbs, such as thyme, tarragon, or basil

Put all ingredients into the Vita-Mix. Run the machine on speed #10 for 15 seconds, and then on high for another 15 seconds. Taste and then add any needed water, ice, or sweetener to taste and run on high again. Make it pretty thin, as it will thicken quickly as the soluble fiber absorbs the liquid. If you have leftover, you can use it up to half an hour later by refreshing it with cold ice and a little water.

 

Spa Tips

Create the Spa Experience at Home!

Try these simple home spa tips to help create mind and body relaxation and rejuvenation.  These tips will help stimulate all five senses promoting wellness and healthy self-image.

1. Slice an English Cucumber into 6-8 small discs (skin on). Place them in a pitcher of bottled or filtered water.  This is a refreshing, nourishing and healthy beverage that is as easy to make as it is to drink.

2. Light an aromatherapy candle (Lavender to promote relaxation and Rosemary Mint or Citrus to invigorate) and turn on your favorite relaxing music to create a tranquil and stress free environment.    

3. Turn your shower on "hot" with the bathroom door closed and the fan "off" to create steam in the room.  Fill a medium size bowl 1/3 with cold water, drip 7-10 drops of eucalyptus oil in the water and place two rolled wash cloths in the bowl to soak.  Place ice cubes over the wash cloths to chill them.  Enter the steamy shower letting the hot water flow down your back with the wash cloth draped on your chest or over your face.  Take deep breaths to enjoy an opening up of your breathing passages.  Your pores will also release toxins as you steam.

You have stimulated your sense of hearing, smell, taste and sight. Complete the home spa experience with these easy to make home spa treatments to exfoliate, moisturize and refresh your skin and face! 

Home Spa Recipes

Maple Sugar Body Polish

Spa at Stoweflake's most popular treatment!
Yields enough for a full body scrub. 

1 1/2 cups of raw sugar
1/3 cup Grade "A" Pure Vermont Maple Syrup
1/3 cup Olive oil or Safflower oil
20 drops Orange Essential Oil

Mix oil with syrup and essential oil.
Mix well into sugar.  Apply in circular scrub motion to wet skin.  Rinse well.  Enjoy soft and nourished skin!

Papaya Home Facial Mask Recipe
A hydrating home facial mask that will soften the skin and ease the mind.

Mash a papaya with a small amount of honey and add small packet gelatin. Refrigerate until it thickens. Wash your face with any
cleanser you have at home and put 5 drops of JURLIQUE AROMATIC HYDRATING CONCENTRATE in a bowl or basin with hot water.

Immerse wash cloth, wring out excess water and press over face and neck.  Repeat 3 to 5 times.  This will hydrate the skin and soften the dead skin cells.
 
Apply the papaya mask and leave on for 15-20 minutes. Papaya contains enzymes that remove dead skin cells leaving you feeling wonderfully soft and refreshed.

Let us Help You!
Visit the Spa at Stoweflake and let our experts help!