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health & wellness.Spring CleansingbodiesinbalanceBy Tracy Erfling, N.D.Memory...of the WayWe Used to Be...word and wisdomBy Tobi NasonSpring is here!?! So I thoughtit time to revisit the idea ofcleansing, a must for me thistime of year, hope you willconsider it for your health too.Spring is a time of change andtransition. The ground is warming,new green growth is emergingand the winds are gentlyturning over wintered waters…so it is in the body as well. Theforces of nature are at work inus too, and the body needs ourhelp to clean the waterways ofthe blood. So let’s talk aboutcleansing, as it is a fundamentalof health and naturopathy.There are many words todescribe what I am talkingabout…detoxification, purification,cleansing, and there is alsofasting so let’s clarify. Cleansing,detoxification and purificationare all focusing on clearing certainorgan systems of toxins inorder to help them function better…kindof like changing theoil, cleaning out the junk draweror sweeping the chimney.Ideally the major organs of detoxificationare supported: liver,kidneys, lungs, colon, and skin.Cleansing commonly involvesherbal or nutritional productsto promote the pathways ofdetoxification along with dietaryrestrictions. Fasting has someof the same ideas in mind butis most commonly focused onfood restriction. Water or juicefasts can give the body a neededrest from digestion, thereforelowering the demand for thosefunctions for a finite period oftime. Either system can tune upyour body but some methodsare likely a better fit than othersdepending on the individual…so seek guidance from a knowledgeablehealth care practitionerbefore launching into yourprogram.Who might need to cleanse?Well frankly we all do. If youlive in a city, eat packaged food,drink alcohol, coffee or tap water,smoke, are around chemicals,car exhaust, the list is sadly endless;then you are a candidate.Some of the signs from the bodythat the detox pathways areoverworked and undernourishedare fatigue, poor sleep, digestiveproblems, foggy thinking…sounding familiar? Even if youlive as pure as you possibly can,Dr. Tracy Erfling is anaturopath physician in theLower Columbia Region.Questions?erflingnd@hotmail.comI would guess that your bodywould still reap some benefitsfrom a cleanse.So what are some elementsto a cleanse? Let’s start withthe food component. Whilecleansing it is ideal to break frompackaged/processed foods…thiswould include most grains, dairy,soy, corn, sugar, alcohol, caffeine,and processed, highly preservedmeats.What does that leave? Thebasics, vegetables and fruits, asingle serving of a whole graindaily, legumes (that’s beans),clean (organic, free-range, grassfedwhatever this may mean toyou) lean (fish, poultry and eggs)meats if you desire more protein,otherwise vegetables and fruitsonly are fine. Watch condiments,sauces and dressings asthey commonly contain someunwanted additions.I would also recommend ameal replacement mix, as wholefood based as possible, andwithout any of the aforementionedno-nos. Fiber is a must;bowels should be regular if notincreased during a cleanse…thismeans going daily or more thanonce a day. Antioxidants are alsoa must, as the body needs thatextra help to neutralize toxinsas they are cleared. Filtered orpurified water, at least half yourbody weight in ounces. Lastly begentle with yourself, don’t plana cleanse during a high stressevent, vacation, or importantholiday.Make sure your exercise isgentle and supportive, spark upthe sauna for a low temperaturesweat or fill the tub for some Epsomsalt and baking soda baths.I also encourage cleansers toset up some regular massage oracupuncture to promote goodlymphatic flow throughout thebody.The lungs are yet anotherorgan of elimination anddeserve some attention here aswell. Breathing is a mindless actwe perform 24/7 but the ironyis that despite the fact that wedon’t have to think about breathing…westill don’t do it right.We tend to be shallow breathersonly using the upper lobesof the lungs. So here’s a deepbreathing exercise that I encourageyou to introduce into yourdaily routine, especially duringthis cleansing time. While lying,place your hands over your lowerabdomen (around the belly button).Take a deep complete inhalationinto your belly so that youfeel your hands rise, exhale andfeel your hands descend. Countas you inhale (1,2,3,4)and exhale (1,2,3,4) andwork towards havingthe same number foreach. After you canachieve that worktowards increasing thatnumber, and then beginto focus on the transitionbetween in and outbreaths. I recommendtrying this when lyingin bed; do at least 5-10repetitions and let yourthoughts focus entirelyon the breath.This exercise will not onlycleanse the lungs but themind; setting aside time to beintrospective is a key element toinvolve mind and spirit!These are the basics of theprogram I recommend (althoughthere are many others out there),even though it may sound complex;it’s all about simplifying.Each time I cleanse I learn aboutmy world, and myself so I encourageyou all to do the same.I can think of no better way tocelebrate spring, the naturalworld, and your health.DO something you love, BE withsomeone you love, EAT yourvegetables, DRINK clean water,BREATHE deeply and MOVE yourbody EVERYDAY!“The purpose of memory is not to rememberaccurately - it is to envision and plan the future.” Thisquote is from “Bozo Sapiens- (Why to Err is Human)”and also states on the next page, that we should notfear the loss of memory, but the loss of its purpose- which is to engage in new experiences. We need,according to this book, we need to put ourselvesin new situations, ones where new responses arerequired. Travel, new people, volunteering - all aresuggested to keep our memory cells purposeful andexercised.In short - try those things that will force you torespond creatively. We all knew that on some level,didn’t we?As I write this, I write as if you, the reader, and allthe other readers, have similar mindsets as me. I assumewe share some common ground. I assume weshare a certain collective sensibility.Memory is two-fold: Collective and personal. Asa citizen of the U.S. we have a shared history. As aresident of Manzanita, certain events from the pastare part of our Manzanita memory bank. And then,there is the personal. The stuff that differentiatesme from the next person, you from the crowd. Themoments from childhood that signal the end of lifeas you knew it are yours alone. The moment youknew you were heading towards divorce is probablyspecific and unique. Our memories are selective.So over time, certain memories get simplified andsmoothed over, like pebbles in a stream.We hang onto our memories as if we ARE ourmemories. We worry about losing our memories,especially as we age. Our memories are formedimperfectly and our memories are selective. Siblingswill argue over the details of any one event and havevastly different memories of the same event.We live a fine line between being “one of thecrowd” and a “nice-enough oddball.”Its the tensionbetween wanting to be known and loved and theother - not really a part of the immediate society.We fear being alone and we fear standing out in acrowd. Memories remind us of who we are, or rather,who we think we are.New experiences, people. New experiences willcontinue to redefine the you that is the personal you.Get out there and do stuff. Try things. Be silly. Bebrave. Be you.Your memory bank will thank you one day.Tobi Nason is a counselor and lives in Manzanita.VickiMcAfeeClinical HerbalistCertified NutritionistA Gypsy’s Whimsy herbal apothecary1139 Commercial St. ~ Astoria“Our ancestors used theherbs that grew all aroundthem. Let me share withyou what they knew thatkept them in health.Today more thanever we need herbs andnutrition for obtainingand maintainingoptimum health.Allow me to guide you.”Available forprivate consultationsliding scale fee503-338-4871ANGELA’SAPOTHECARYAngela SidloReflexologistHolistic AromatherapistReiki Master/Teacher• Aromatherapy blending bar• Nutrition consultant• Traditional Usui ReikiNOW OPEN 10am-5pmFriday & Saturday1004 Marine Dr., Ste.7Astoria, OR 97103The Lower Columbia ClinicThomas S. Duncan, M.D. • Susan L Skinner, CNM, CFNP595 18th, Astoria • 503-325-9131may11 hipfishmonthly.com28