Stepping into the center is in itself a calming experience. The atmosphere is a respite form the bustle of Braddock Ave. I leave with a peaceful outlook and a healthier body.
Set aside some time for yourself this Spring to clean house. We're all familiar with the tradition- and inspiration we feel- to freshen up our dwellings. We open the windows to welcome in fresh air, shake the dirt out of the rugs and clean out all the dust and clutter accumulated after the long cooped up months of winter. It feels great to "lighten up" our personal environments as Spring unfurls, fresh and green, in the world outside.
But what about a spring cleansing of our most intimate of environments.. our bodies?
By cleansing I mean detoxifying your body.
We are constantly exposed to a wide variety of toxins that may be stored in our bodies, including herbicides, pesticides, food additives, air pollution, household chemicals, and pharmaceuticals. If our body’s natural filtration system is overloaded or sluggish, these chemicals can remain in the body for years, altering our metabolism, causing enzyme dysfunction and nutritional deficiencies, creating hormonal imbalances and lowering our threshold of resistance to chronic disease.
Diet and exercise- two of the best boosters to our body’s natural cleansing system- tend to suffer greatly during the long, cold winter months. Days are shorter and we get out and move around less, we eat heavier foods and bigger portions, perhaps drink more alcohol, we sleep more and fight off the myriad of seasonal bugs that come our way, maybe we've gained a few pounds... A detox is an excellent way to refresh, renew and rejuvenate our sluggish filtration systems. The benefits are many but include, pain relief, increased alertness and energy, weight loss, lustrous skin and eyes and enhanced immunity.
You don’t need to do an extensive fast or take a bunch of supplements (although with proper knowledge these can be helpful) to detox your body. Here's a suggestion for a simple 3 day cleanse anyone can follow.
1. Choose at least 3 of the following culprits from your diet for the duration of the three days:
* Caffeine
* Sugar
* Alcohol
* Refined flours
* dairy
* meat
Try removing as many as you can!
2. Eat an abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
3. Drink plenty of water!
4. Begin each morning with at least 10 minutes of gentle stretching to get your blood flowing and your mind focused.
It makes for a smoother transition into and out of the fast if you go a little easy on the "culprits" for a day or two before and after the cleanse.
A fantastic alternative or big boost to a dietary cleanse such as above is our Detox Steamy Wonder Treatment.
How Steam Helps You Detoxify
Heat experienced during a Steamy Wonder™ treatment speeds up the chemical processes in the body, making it one of the most simple and comfortable ways to rid the body of accumulated toxins. As the pores open up and the million of sweat glands start to excrete, the body rids itself of metabolic and other waste products. Sweat contains almost the same elements of urine, for this reason the skin is sometimes called the third kidney.
Regular sweating can help detoxify your body as it rids itself of an accumulation of carcinogenic metals (lead, mercury, zinc, nickel and cadmium) as well as alcohol, nicotine, sodium, sulfuric acid and cholesterol.
Sweating is such an effective de-toxifier that some physicians recommend home saunas to supplement kidney machines. Sweat also draws out lactic acid which causes stiff muscles and contributes to general fatigue.
A series of three consecutive Steamy Wonder treatments is recommended for optimal results. We are currently offering this series for $300











Comments
heather (not verified) says:
May 3rd, 2011 at 11:06am
great post! such wise wisdom. wanted to put my two cents in favor of sweating! five years ago, after a successful removal of a tumor in my colon (chose no chemo) i invested in an FIR sauna.
i am totally addicted, in the best sense of the word. i sweat every night, replace my minerals, sleep like a baby and have really lovely skin (if i do say so myself).
i think so many ailments would benefit from sweating, i just cannot say enough about it's merits.
be so well!
Ashlee says:
February 17th, 2013 at 12:44pm
Thanks for commenting!
Yoga Instructor, Front Desk Coordinator & Spa Concierge
Angharradh Vesta (not verified) says:
April 21st, 2011 at 8:46pm
Fantastic advice! Seasonal bugs don't get me quite so much as herpetological myths about worms in my gut, but your cleanse sounds like a great start to any program of healing. Simple, no nonsense, three days of purging the villains from my diet. Sweating out the toxins is probably what I should do; there's nothing I love like purification. Thanks for your encouragement.
Ashlee says:
February 17th, 2013 at 12:39pm
Thanks for reading!
Yoga Instructor, Front Desk Coordinator & Spa Concierge
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