Spring Herbal Cleansing
By Simone Gabbay
If the warmer days of spring find us feeling unusually tired and sluggish, we might be tempted to pop a few vitamin pills in hopes of overcoming our energy slump. But the Cayce readings tell us that vitamins are ineffective until we get our eliminations working properly and that supplementation will "Be more beneficial after there has been the cleansing of the system." (307-19)

Photo: hickerphoto.com
Is it time for a spring cleanse, then? Perhaps so. An overburdened elimination system is a common cause of ill health and chronic ailments that are erroneously believed to be a natural part of aging. Research has identified links between degenerative conditions such as arthritis and certain gastrointestinal disorders.
Although the body performs internal cleansing on a daily, moment-to-moment basis, the normal channels of detoxification can become overwhelmed by toxins created through incomplete digestion, nutritional deficiencies, pharmaceutical drugs, and pesticides and preservatives in the food supply. Chronic stress, whether physical, mental, or emotional, also contributes to the accumulation of toxic substances in the system.
Any attempt to rid the body of poisons must first remove the most common cause of toxicity: constipation. The brisk sales of over-the-counter laxatives leave no doubt as to how widespread this condition is. Most pharmaceutical laxatives, though temporarily effective, can irritate the colon, and habitual use often creates a dependence. For the support of regular bowel function and the long-term prevention of constipation, it is preferable to increase dietary fiber and ensure adequate liquid intake on a regular basis.
As part of a cleansing program and whenever there is need, the husk of psyllium seeds, available in natural food stores, is a gentle yet highly effective intestinal bulking agent which naturally stimulates a lazy colon into action. Edgar Cayce recommended psyllium on several occasions, often suggesting that it be taken with meals and allowed to gel before being ingested. For maximal effectiveness, plenty of liquid must be taken with the psyllium, which is highly absorbent.
Innerclean, a herbal laxative compound occasionally recommended by Cayce, also contains psyllium, along with the herbs senna and buckthorn, which synergistically support the action of psyllium. Other natural digestive aids recommended in the readings include American saffron (prepared as a tea), Fletcher's Castoria, ragweed, Coca-Cola syrup in plain water, syrup of figs, and elm water (prepared by adding a pinch of powdered slippery elm bark herb to a glass of water). These remedies are not merely to be regarded as elements, but as regulating agents which stimulate and coordinate the action of the liver, kidneys, and intestines, thus promoting optimal digestion and assimilation.
Spring might also be a good time to give the Cayce apple diet a try. This three-day cleansing regimen, during which nothing is taken except raw apples, along with water and the occasional cup of herbal tea, coffee, or grain coffee, was recommended by Cayce as an effective way to "cleanse all toxic forces from any system!" (820-2) On the evening of the third day, the apple diet is concluded by drinking half a cup of olive oil. For best results, the apples should be organically grown and the olive oil labeled "extra virgin."
Another approach to cleansing that works well for many is a short juice fast, drinking only freshly pressed fruit and vegetable juices, along with purified or distilled water. Edgar Cayce cautioned against indiscriminate fasting, but "liquid diets" of maximally three days are well tolerated by most individuals who are generally healthy. Remember, however, Cayce's suggestion that even liquids should be well salivated and chewed before swallowing to ensure optimal assimilation of nutrients.
In reading 545-03, Cayce recommended an herbal formula which was said to be "good for everyone as a spring tonic." This formula contains several cleansing and tonifying herbs, including sarsaparilla root, wild cherry bark, dog fennel, yellow dock root, dogwood bark, and prickly ash bark. To be taken by the half-teaspoonful four times a day, before meals and before retiring, this tonic was said to "assist in clarifying the whole system." Formula 545 is such a tonic.
Colonic irrigations, castor oil packs, massage, and exerCcise can support the nutritional spring cleansing program by stimulating lymphatic function and detoxification through the colon, hepatic system, skin, and lungs.
Only when toxic wastes are removed and the pathways of elimination restored can the body effectively assimilate energy from foods and supplements. A few days of spring cleansing can help get us into shape for a healthy summer. May yours be blessed with lots of sunshine.
Simone Gabbay is a nutritional consultant, writer, and A.R.E. member in Toronto.
Labels: cleansing program, Herbal Cleansing
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