A 5 day Cleanse: By Janella Purcell
Detox, liver cleansing, fasting, green smoothie’s and wellbeing are words and phrases being thrown a lot these days. What I’m hearing though is that many people don’t know what they hell any of it means.
[private]Up until recently many natural health practitioners would have put their patients on a strict ‘detox’ and this usually meant pain. The technical term is a ‘healing crisis’. This meant your body was releasing toxins at a rapid rate, and man, did you feel that. Nausea, headaches, fatigue, irritability, gut pain, acne, anger are some of the commonly experienced symptoms. Let’s not forget that according to TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), anger, resentment, frustration and a sense of being held back are the emotions stored in the liver, and the GB – the liver’s partner, stores indecision. So what you got from your detox’ was a whole lotta pain, and really, it’s unrealistic to expect someone who has a fairly acidic diet and lifestyle and therefore likely to be quite toxic -to stop coffee, alcohol, animal products, sugar, chemicals and gluten all at the same time – and did I mention potentially doing more harm than good?
Those with an iron will, or seriously ill and desperate, could be put on this detox’ from anywhere from a week to months, and stick to it. But for the rest of us, I guess we’d last a few days and then a crash would hit, usually on day 3. Yes the dreaded ‘healing crisis’, and sometimes again on day 5. Most people do this whilst they carry on with their normal, daily lives. This is not a good idea.
If you’ve never done a cleanse or a more intense fast, then you need to go slowly at first, ease yourself into it. Because you know what usually happens after day 3? You binge, then the guilt kicks in, then the anger about how you did so well for 3 days then you let yourself down, and it was all for nothing; then self loathing follows and resignation that you’re hopeless and you’ll never get well, or loose weight, have clear skin, less pain, sleep better – or whatever was your intention when you started. Let’s try to avoid this horrible scenario.
So what’s the difference between a fast and a cleanse? Well a fast is literally just that – abstaining from food. And there are levels to this. When I do my annual 10 days in Bali, it’s a fast, and it’s pretty tough. I have a glass of coconut water in the early morning with some water with lemon juice, maybe a veggie juice at lunchtime, and a clear broth in the evening – that’s it. This is a hard-core fast – and not recommended for an inexperienced faster. This type of fast is much more than a physical experience, it’s also a mental exercise in discipline and allowing healing on a spiritual level. Yeah this is intense. And I love it. I am alone, on the ocean, with no contact with the outside world. It really is difficult to ignore your ‘baggage’ during these 10 days. It’s a perfect time to unpack that shit you’ve been carrying around too long, and throw it out to the ocean.
Dreams are lucid when you do a fast like this, and sleep is deep. At least it is for me. I have a lot of energy during these times and feel very inspired and clear, but I’m used to it. I am taking quite a lot of ‘supplements’ during the day like, psyllium husks, bentonite clay, spirulina (which is a complete food on its own) vitamin C and B, having my pH and blood pressure tested daily. For a more detailed explanation of this fast check out my Blog – ‘My Circuit Breaker’
There’s a current trend with the 5/2 diet to reduce calories 2 days a week, which is a good idea. It’s not really a ‘fast’ however – although it probably feels like it – but still, a good way to give your body a little break yet still carry on with your normal life. My concern is the feedback I get from some people who follow this diet, is that they tend to binge on the other 5 days. This defeats the purpose.
Why Cleanse
Basically to give your body a rest – not just your digestive tract, but all of you. It will help reduce candida overgrowth, treat IBS and other digestive issues, and skin problems, increase energy, deal with migraines, allergies, hormonal issues, parasites, insomnia, cholesterol and heart health in general. It’ll also help to reduce mild anxiety and depression, and so much more.
Spring is the perfect time to do this, as it’s the season when our liver is the most sensitive, so it’s ready and (the most willing) for a clean out!
Hippocates, the Father of modern medicine tells us that most disease begins in the gut – so let’s get this system working more efficiently.
The Basics
– Eat very slowly. Chew! Practice ‘Mindful Eating! Do nothing else whilst eating apart form eat. No reading, phone, computer, writing, running around – nothing. Sit at the table and chew each mouthful until it is almost liquid, then swallow.
– Leave 5 hours between meals. No snacking, (apart from the below broth).
– Make a vegie broth to sip on in between meals if you’re hungry. Either buy an organic stock cube, or make your own using organic veggies and water.
– Drink lots of clean water to help flush out the toxins, that will be on the move. Try for 2-3 litres of room temperature water a day. Alkaline water is preferable but other filtered waters are also good. Nothing in a plastic bottle of course.
– Mineral water is a good thing to have in the afternoon
– Have as much herbal tea as you like – turmeric, ginger, rooibos, dandelion root or leaf, green, lemongrass, or blends like a detox’, digestive and/or sleep, will also be helpful.
– Try to get a lot more sleep than usual. Go to bed early.
– No fruit if you’re very sensitive to fructose
– Avoid raw foods
– Your bowls will be moving a lot more than usual, and depending on what level cleanse you’re doing – they’re likely to be loose. If you still have to leave the house in the morning, then don’t do the Epsom salts.
– Do things that bring you joy, not cause you stress.
– If you’re doing level 2, then you should have all the nutrients you need in each ‘smooth’ meal – either the soup or the smoothie, whichever you prefer.
Extra things you can do to enhance detoxification
– Only use natural skin, body and hair care, including toothpaste. B=Naturally, it’s best not to re-tox’, whilst you are de-toxing’.
– Use natural cleaning products.
– Dry skin brushing. Get a soft bristled brush and gently brush it over your skin before you bathe. This will remove some of the dead skin cells preventing you from releasing toxins through your skin.
– Do a face mask 1-2 times during your cleanse/fast.
– If you can manage, a sauna or steam is fantastic. Sweating helps eliminate toxins.
– A lymphatic massage will be the best type of massage to have now.
– Salt baths or foot baths will help to remove the toxins that will now be trying to get out of your body. www.byronbayhalthysaltcomompany have a lovely range.
– It’s advisable to clear out your bowel before you embark on a detox, so either get a colonic from a skilled practitioner (check out on line and do our research well. Or get a referral from a friend). Or take 1 tsp Epsom salts in ½ glass of water for 3 days before you start.
What you need
– A micro green powder like Lifestream’s ‘Essential Greens’, spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass.
– Liver herbs are helpful, and again practtioner only but over the counter wile b ok also. Take alone or a formula of Dandelion root, schisandra, burdock.
– Vitamin C is a great detoxifier, so consider taking as a powder or tablet during this time. Take 2 grams 3 x a day, but work up to this. Start on half a gram 3 x a day and if you’re bowels are becoming loose then slowly increase to full dose. You can do this before you start the cleanse or fast.
– A broad- spectrum probiotic. Go to your health food store and try to get one that is ‘practitioner-only’. These are generally stronger. You’ll need to be building up the good bacteria whilst the bad guys are dying. ‘.
– Unrefined oil for the ‘morning ‘Oil Pulling’. You can use olive, flax, hemp, chia or sesame, either alone or in a combination. Optional – to 100 mls of oil add in one drop of tea tree oil for it’s anti-septic and ant-fungal properties.
– The organic veggies, protein and ‘superfoods’ you’ll need for the 5 days.
– Unrefined oils for you meals. Same as above for the ‘oil pulling’.
– Pysyllium huks
Morning ritual
1.Oil Pulling: Before you put anything in your mouth, out 1 tsp or the oil (above) in your mouth and swish it all around for about 5 minutes. It’s a bit weird at first but you’ll get used to it. This is to remove the toxic build up that accumulated in your mouth overnight. Your whole mouth will feel wonderful after.
2. Epsom salts: 1 tsp in half a glass of clean water. Do this only if you’re staying home, as this will help to clean out your bowels, so you’ll want to be near a toile you like and know.
3. Squeeze half a lemon in half a glass of warm water. You can use apple cider vinegar instead of the lemon juice if you like. Either will help to alkaline your system and the lemon will help get the liver going. Warm water stimulates digestion. You can also add some sliced or grated ginger if you like.
Mid morning, afternoon and before bed
Mix 1 tsp psyllium husks with 1 glass of clean water and drink. Do this 3 times a day. It’ll help keep you feeling full (kind of), your blood sugar stable and also clan out your bowels.
Here’s What You Do.
You have 2 choices. You can choose to keep eating 3 meals a day, yet eliminate the more acidic foods. So cut out red meat and chicken, dairy, grains and quinoa, coffee, booze and sugar. Keep in unrefined oils though, as these help with digestion. Like me, this is how some of you already eat so you may want to choose level 2.
The below recipes are just a guide, or stick to these only – it’s up to you. Many of my recipes will keep you within the guidelines above – just be sure to eat small portions, mindfully. Use my recipe books, my website or Google to find my recipes.
If you’re a vego’ or vegan, then instead of the seafood, include organic soy products, nuts, hemp or legumes/lentils as your protein, and vise versa. And use any nut or seed if you don’t like or haven’t got the one I have suggested.
Level 1
Breakfast
1.Smoothie
– A base of rice milk or coconut water
– 1 tsp each of hemp and chia seeds; flax meal or LSA; raw cacao powder; Essntial greens or whatever green powder your using; psyllium husks; ¼ avocado, ½ cup fruit like rockmelon, pear, berries, mango, paw pawand an organic date or honey if you want it sweeter and you’re not fructose intolerant
Optional – 1 tsp of maca powder or acai powder; a few mint leaves; 1 tbls aloe vera juice; 1 tsp any unrefined oil
OR
2. Tempeh, 2-3 slices pan-fried in coconut, olive, macadamia or avocado oil with ¼ medium sized avocado and one of my ‘Seed Crackers’ about the size of your palm. Sprinkle with chopped, fresh herbs.
https://www.facebook.com/JanellaPurcell/photos/a.271154879661749.56276.258525250924712/583118988465335/?type=1
Seed Crackers – http://janellapurcell.com/2014/04/my-hemp-crackers-use-any-seeds-you-like-j/
OR
3. One egg omelette cooked in 1 tsp unrefined oil, with ½ cup sprouts, 1/3 cup coconut yogurt and 1 tsp each of hemp and chia seeds and/or LSA.
OR
4. Chocolate Chia Pudding. 1½ cup coconut milk, 2 tbsp chia seeds, 1 tbsp roasted almonds, 2 tsp hemp seeds, 1 tsp raw cacao, ½ cup fruit. Put in a jar with a lid and shake well for 30 seconds then leave in the fridge overnight. Sweeten if you want with organic honey, rice malt, maple syrup.
OR
5. My ‘Seed Crackers’ (one) with 1 tbsp macadamia butter, ‘Chocolate and Coconut Butter’, or Chia Jam. (All available from health food stores, or make your own with one of my recipes.)
Seed Crackers – http://janellapurcell.com/2014/04/my-hemp-crackers-use-any-seeds-you-like-j/
Lunch
1. Stir fry Vegies with fish, tempeh or tofu or cashews. 2-3 cups in total. Top with 1 tbsp hemp seeds. Use any unrefined oil, garlic, ginger, turmeric and herbs and/or spices to make.
OR
2. Legume salad with veggies, nuts and seeds. Use either steamed, stir-fried or baked veggies. 2-3 cups in total.
http://www.goodchefbadchef.com.au/recipes/424
OR
3. My ‘Seed Crackers’ (2) with 100g wild Alaskan salmon (tinned – Fish 4 Ever or John West), 1 tsp organic miso paste or mustard, handful of sprouts and 1 cup any cooked veg’ – up to you.
OR
4. Roasted Veggies with 100g protein and 2 tbsp pickled beetroot or another fermented veggie.
OR
5. Veggie Patties with mashed tofu, legumes or a nut meal – pan-fried or baked, served with sprouts and 2 tbsp sauerkraut.
https://www.facebook.com/JanellaPurcell/photos/a.271154879661749.56276.258525250924712/510151445762090/?type=1
Dinner
1. Lean Green Soup – www.janellapurcell.com/
OR
2. Steamed fish with shitake and broccolini. http://www.goodchefbadchef.com.au/recipes/345
(Leave out the rice)
OR
3. Miso soup with veggies
http://www.goodchefbadchef.com.au/recipes/377
OR
4. Fish or tofu skewers with a mash of sweet potato or potato. Use coconut, hemp or olive oil in the mash with a lime wedge
http://www.goodchefbadchef.com.au/recipes/426
OR
6. Spinach, Lentil and lemon Soup
https://www.facebook.com/JanellaPurcell/posts/438742549589413
Dessert
A piece of vegan raw dark chocolate like Loving earth or Panna
½ cup Chocolate and Avocado Mousse. Blend ½ avocado, ½ tbsp raw cacao powder and 1 tsp maple syrup or raw honey. This is only if you’re reallyyyyy want something sweet at night.
Level 2
Eat, or I should say drink as much as you like of these. Fill up a flask, either to keep cool or hot, and keep it by your desk or your body. Have some whenever you feel hungry in between meal times. Expect to feel a bit hungry for the first few days. You can alternate the days with soup or a smoothie, but I don’t. I like stick to one. Make the smoothie to last you a few days, and same goes for the soup – make enough for the week and freeze half.
Smoothie
– As for level 1 OR alternate days
Soup
– Place everything apart from the miso paste in a pot. Simmer for aout 20 minutes and then blitz until smooth. Add the miso paste at them end, if using. If not, then add some unrefined salt– not too much though. You don’t nd to take skin off or seeds out of veggies of you hive a high powdered blender, otherwise yes.
Pumpkin, carrot, potato, ginger, garlic, turmeric, coriander or basil, water or veggie stock, miso paste, seaweed like dulse flakes, powdered nori or arame.
Post Cleanse Behaviour
– Don’t go crazy and overeat
– Keep as many of the good habits you’ve created throughout your cleanse
– Avoid grains and animal products in the same meal for a couple of weeks
– Coffee may bee need be eased back in
All the best for a happy cleanse. After the first detox’, which you’ll be very happy you’ve done, you’ll be looking forward to the next one. Which, btw, could happen at the beginning of each season.
In love and Wellbeing,
Janella[/private]
To enjoy a 15% Janella discount on your @TheHerbFarmskincare order, use this code JANELLA15 and watch your skin take a deep sigh of relief.
Antioxidants are a generic term that describes the mopping up of free radicals (the bad guys) in your body – by increasing oxygenation.
Modern food far from existing in its original state, the stress of living in today’s world, strenuous exercise, sun exposure, pollution, chemicals used to grow our food and make our cosmetics, computers, TV’s and carpets, smoking, and bacterial infections can all cause a rise in free radicals to dangerous levels. This results in damage at a cellular level resulting in premature ageing like wrinkles, bad skin, black rings under the eyes and sometimes, serious illnesses such as cancer.
Many antioxidants are vitamins like C and E, but Carotenoids are the most powerful anti oxidants known. Along with chlorophyll, carotenoids are what give plants their colour. The most powerful carotenoid is Astaxanthin (blue-green algae), and the next is Beta Carotene, of which Spirulina is the richest known natural source. There are other foods high in different antioxidants. This is where you’ll find lots of them –
Astaxanthin
This little known carotenoid is now believed to be the most powerful antioxidant by far. There are only two natural sources of natural astaxanthin—the micro-algae that produce it, and the sea creatures that consume the algae (such as salmon, shellfish, and krill). Astaxanthin is 65 times more powerful than vitamin C, 54 times more powerful than beta-carotene, 550 times more powerful than Vitamin E. No adverse reactions at all have been found for people taking Astaxanthin. It’s perfectly safe. You’ll find astaxanthin in supplement form on line.
You may have heard of astaxanthin before. The synthetic version made in a laboratory is commonly used worldwide to give farmed fish, especially salmon, its pinkish red colour. You really do want to avoid man-made astaxanthin as it’s made from petrochemicals, which makes it a toxic hormone disruptor.
Cacao
According to a study in the “Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry” published in 2003, researchers compared the antioxidant capacity of black tea, green tea, red wine and cocoa, concluding that cocoa has the highest antioxidant activity among the four products and the greatest potential for health benefits.
Garlic and its juice
Garlic is one of the best medicines in the world. It has natural ‘germanium’ and is anti-fungal and antibacterial (just to name a few of its actions). If you’re cooking your garlic, crush it up and let it sit for ten minutes before adding it to your recipe. It has to sit so that the enzymes can create the healing phyto-chemicals we need.
Dried Fruit
Goji berries have an enormous amount of antioxidants, yet dried Pomegranate seeds, (also expensive) have almost double the amount. And then comes dried Indian Gooseberries that have around 10 times more than Goji berries.
Green Super-Foods
Spirulina, chlorella and barley grass are chock full of minerals and enzymes. The enzymes are both anti-mycotoxin (mycotoxins are released by yeast/fungal infections) and antioxidants.
Matcha
This premium green tea powder from Japan is used for drinking as tea, or to use as a vibrant, green ingredient in recipes. Other green teas are grown throughout the world, but Matcha is unique to Japan. One cup of Matcha contains as much as 10 times the antioxidants of one cups of brewed green tea.
Quercetin
An antioxidant belonging to a class of water-soluble plant substances called flavonoids. Some research has shown quercetin-rich foods, such as apples, berries, red grapes, red onions, capers and black tea, are ‘natural antihistamines’ as they prevent histamine release. Quercetin is also available in supplement form.
Selenium
Sources include wheat germ, garlic, Brazil nuts, eggs and brown rice. Brazil nuts are perhaps the best source of this important mineral, and eating just 3-4 Brazil nuts per day may provide adequate intake for most people to maintain levels. Although, a supplement may be necessary if levels are low.
Vitamin A
Is found in dark green leafy veggies such as kale, rocket, baby spinach and all your Asian greens and any fruit or veg’ that is green, yellow, red or green in colour – so pumpkin, carrots, capsicum and broccoli, and spirulina has an enormous amount.
Vitamin C
This vitamin has long been known to battle the effects of ageing and disease. Like Vitamin E, Vitamin C is an effective antioxidant so it will help to reduce free radicals. Most fruits especially guava and paw paw are good sources of Vitamin C as are vegetables like kale, broccoli, cauliflower, tomato, Brussels’ sprouts and cucumber. Goji berries, Gubinge and Camu Camu have more Vitamin C per weight than most other foods on earth.
Vitamin D
Different from other vitamins because our bodies can make most of what we need with exposure to sunlight, unlike having to get it from our diet. In fact most foods aren’t great sources of vitamin D, and there are only a small amount to choose from. The best sources are cod liver oil, sardines, wild Alaskan salmon, mackerel and mushrooms. Sunlight is the best way to get your Vitamin D as it promotes this vitamin’s synthesis from cholesterol in the skin.10-15 minutes a day is enough, and allowing the sun to shine on as much of you body as you can is the way to go.
Vitamin E
Found in olives, nuts and seeds oils, wheat germ and leafy greens.
Zinc
Good sources are oysters, organic red meat, wheat germ, miso, pumpkin seeds, alfalfa, sardines, legumes, mushrooms, pecans, organic soybeans, sunflower seeds and whole grains.
Herbs + Spices
Extremely high in antioxidants, in fact at least 10 times higher than the foods above per weight, and the herbs and spices below are in a class of their own when it comes to antioxidants. Add these foods to your meals but you can also use them as essential oils and some of them as herbal tinctures. Look for 100 percent pure (therapeutic grade) oils, which are highest in antioxidants, and organic or at least wild-crafted herbal medicine. From the highest are cloves, cinnamon, rosemary, oregano, turmeric, cumin, parsley (dried), basil, ginger and thyme
Many of us are now aware that some things are better for our microbiota than others, and to varying degrees. Antibiotics and laxatives, as well as medications against fever and pain, contraceptive hormones (The Pill), or those to alleviate menopausal symptoms all negatively affect gut flora composition. Antibiotics when prescribed responsibly are obviously life saving. They have saved countless lives and wiped out many diseases. But, there’s a price to pay for everything, and in this case the over- use of antibiotics has gotten us into some serious strife.
These days however, it’s pretty hard to avoid them. Even if you’re a raw food vegan who’s never sick, you’re still likely to be exposed to antibiotics. 80% of the antibiotics manufactured world wide are for animals for food, so we’re constantly being exposed to antibiotics, every time we eat or drink, as the manure your veggies are grown with comes from animals that have been fed antibiotics. Antibiotics are in our food and in our water.
Studies are showing that small amounts of antibiotics given regularly, is a whole lot worse than one big hit when you’re sick and you actually need them. Antibiotics are not meant for prevention, but it is a billion dollar industry, so making changes to the system is, well, tricky.
It’s encouraging to see that more and more conscious farmers are using herbs and essential oils like oregano oil to replace expensive and damaging antibiotics that are so commonly and mindlessly used in commercial farming. The over-use of antibiotics both for us and in our food is destroying our gut flora, reduces immunity, increases anxiety and depression and keeps us susceptible to everything. Not to mention the damage they’re doing to our animals and our planet.
So far, western medicine’s answer has been to prescribe yet more drugs, so that now we have arrived in a scary place called ‘antibiotic resistant’. This is now at crisis levels, meaning some infections are becoming untreatable. What we’ve basically done is coat our world in a bubble of antibiotics by our overuse and inappropriate use of them. And antibiotic use is in Australia, which directly affects the development of antibiotic resistance.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is a type of staph’ that has developed resistance to a family of antibiotics similar to penicillin. When we take an antibiotic, the drug kills many bacteria, but a few survive. These surviving bacteria are now resistant to that antibiotic, and then they multiply. What this means is, every time a patient takes an antibiotic, he or she is creating more drug-resistant bacteria. The growing number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria poses a very serious and immediate threat to our health as a species. In 1974, MRSA infections accounted for 2% of the total number of staph infections; in 1995 it was 22%; in 2004 it was 63%. These bacteria were once mainly found in hospitals, doctor’s surgeries and nursing homes, but recently they’ve been showing up in gyms, schools, sports clubs, and other places where people are in close contact.
Two-thirds of the children today have already taken a course of antibiotics by the time they are 12 months old. Antibiotics have been shown to affect the childhood microbiome causing changes associated with allergies, obesity and autism – three of the biggest childhood issues in developed countries. This means long-term health implications for these children. While this link is still being researched, the evidence is mounting.
Bacterial infections need antibiotics, as the infection will only get worse, if it’s not treated. Examples of serious infections that arguably need antibiotics under one year of age are meningitis, whooping cough, pneumonia, infection in the blood and urinary infections. Antibiotics are ineffective for common viral infections however, so treating these with antibiotics results in none of the benefits and all of the disadvantages. These include most respiratory infections – for example of the ear, throat and chest, yet we are still constantly being prescribed antibiotics for these conditions. There are many effective alternatives to synthetic antibiotics. Herbal medicine and essential oils have both undergone much research and the results are exciting.
A recent British report estimated that antibiotic and microbial resistance could kill an extra 10 million people a year and cost up to $100 trillion USD by 2050 if it is not brought under control, and soon.
Btw, scientists often modify seeds using antibiotic-resistant genes in the genetic engineering process. Some people wonder if there’s a link between these GM Frankenfoods and the ever increasing rates of antibiotic resistant bacteria.
Castor Oil – coming from the seeds (or beans) of the Ricinus communis plant, is an oil rich in antioxidants and Ricinoleic Acid (RA) and also contains small amounts of linoleic, oleic and stearic acid. The healthiest and safest version of castor oil comes from de-hulling the bean, then cold-pressing the seeds to produce the rich and viscous oil.
Castor oil packs have been used by healers to help reduce a variety of health conditions for many generations. Placed over your abdomen or liver, these packs are used to improve liver detoxification, breakdown kidney stones, reduce period pain, reduce symptoms of autoimmunity, support uterine and ovarian health, improve lymphatic circulation and reduce inflammation.
To DIY: Mix two to four drops of an essential oil – depending on what you’re treating – with enough warm castor oil to lightly soak a piece of cloth, (either a lightweight tea towel, or a piece of linen, or even a face washer). Castor oil has a rather strong smell, so be ready.
Btw, you can buy packs that include a piece of flannel cloth and a pack, with straps – so you’re all sorted. Just Google ‘castor oil packs’. (See images.)
Wring out the cloth to remove any excess oil, then place it over your abdomen or liver for at least 30 minutes, with a heat source like a wheat pack or hot water bottle over the top of it. This helps to stimulate lymph and liver function. Lie flat in bed, and perhaps cover your eyes with an eye pillow and use this time of quiet relaxation to go within.
Placing the pack on the right side of the abdomen or the whole abdomen will help support the liver and digestive systems, as well as reproductive and colon health. These packs are used also to relieve pain. Aim to do it 3 times a week, and relax.
Castor oil packs can be a bit messy, so I wrap mine in a plastic-free cover like a bees wax wrap, or an apron. Be aware of any skin sensitivities, so avoid applying the oils directly to your skin.
Side note – I was once at a sanitarium (health retreat/hospital) in Austria, and part of the program was a daily liver pack, such as this one above. Instead of the oil-soaked cloth though, they used flaked pieces of dried burdock root (a great liver herb) that had been warmed and stuffed in a plastic zip lock bag. It was delivered to my room like this, so all I had to do was lay down on my bed, put a light towel over my abdomen and then the compress over the top. Gawd it was nice. And I really did feel the benefits. Gut and reproductive pain, as well as pent up anger and resentment – all but disappeared using these packs daily for the 5 days I was there.
Either way you decide to do it – it’s going to help.
