Love your liver

 

 

All organs, glands and tissue of the body functions make a harmonious whole, and the liver plays a major role. The Chinese call it “The Father of all organs”.

The liver has many functions, but its main job is to detoxify the body. We live in a toxic world these days. Chemicals used in farming, food additives, pharmaceutical drugs, chlorination and fluoridation of water, car exhaust and indoor pollutants from chemical cleaners, paint and carpets are all some of the major substances contributing to  our general body toxicity.

A bad diet from processed and denatured foods and alcohol put extra stress on the liver. It has to work constantly to get rid of toxins through the lungs, skin, kidneys and bowels so that they don’t get into the bloodstream. So if you are having a number of health issues such as high cholesterol, irritable bowel, high blood sugar, asthma, skin rashes or hormonal problems, to mention a few, the real problem could stem from your liver.

The body also needs more fiber and water to absorb toxins and flush them out.  Whether you eat 3 large or 6 small meals a day, make sure all foods are nutritious, chew well and get at least one to two bowel movements per day.

Vegetables are both cleansing and building to the liver, and they are easiest to digest in the form of fresh juices, preferably organic. Drink at least 8oz. of freshly pressed juice daily. It is beneficial to “chew” your vegetable juice to stimulate the salivary glands and start the digestive process.

Carrot, beet, spinach, celery, kale and cucumber all juice well. Be creative and mix two or more of these vegetables and add lemon juice or ginger for extra flavor. Try to start the day with a glass of water with a teaspoon of lemon juice in it. Your liver loves this!

Whenever you feel sluggish, tired or achy in the morning, or have done some overeating/overdrinking the night before, use some liver-loving herbs as part of your diet. Milk thistle, dandelion, nettle and black radish juices are all good liver tonics. Artichoke, a member of the thistle family, stimulates the production and flow of bile and aids in the process of detoxification.

When you rejuvenate your liver, you eliminate toxins, overcome tiredness and feel more energetic. Remember that it takes at least 21 days to change a habit. Good luck!

February

This month has a number of mixed feelings for me. Valentine's Day was cute when the children were very young and we bought or created some heart shaped cards to share at school. It was all about sharing the love with everybody in class, not just the favorite classmates. The teacher was also included, and there was an abundance of chocolate or candy hearts shared, even with me.
This year, one of my daughters had a big dark chocolate heart as an unexpected surprise, my sister called and a friend dropped by after not being able to visit with me for a long time.
When I grew up in Switzerland, we didn't even celebrate it! For the past 8 years, Valentine's Day means a sad time:  I lost my dad and my kids lost their dad, just within a few hours of each other.
Those memories stay forever, even if the pain
gets a little weaker with every passing year.
Its a reminder that we should live and celebrate
more like the people who live in the Now: Do
random acts of kindness and treat everyone the
way we would like to be treated - on a daily basis.
I appreciate the longer days and start planning for
the garden and maybe some short trips. 
Born in the Spring, I have always enjoyed nature and
its flowers, herbs, grasses and trees.
I intend to spend more time gardening once
the raised beds are built, and I'm not even
complaining about the weather this month!
One new development in my MS life with all the
muscle pains in my legs: coconut oil. If I take it
daily at a dose of at least 2-3 tablespoons, the pain
goes away! Keeping track of every single item I
eat will help to narrow down the culprits for my
digestive system. Coconut Oil is known to be
antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and antimicrobial.
"Let the food be thy medicine, and the medicine be
thy food." Our bodies are smart, but we have to
listen to them, despite our busy lives!

My Childhood

There is not one negative memory about my childhood
 in Switzerland. Even though my
parents were not the average rich Swiss folks,
they made their wishes come true with hard work
and persistence in all their tasks.
Dad instilled his love for gardening, nature and
music in me. I remember the family Sunday walks
and how he made us guess the name of a certain
tree or bush to win one Swiss Franc! He constantly
reminded us to breathe in and out deeply, especially
when we were outside in the woods.
Both mom and dad had a true love for music, and
this included singing for mom and accordeon playing
for dad.
I sang songs walking around the newly built house as
early as 2 years old, then played the recorder, the
piano, and much later, the guitar and harmonica.
We were three kids, and I was the  oldest. We didn't
own a television for the first few years of my life,
but we listened to the radio and the records a lot.
Doing chores on Saturdays was a routine, whether
it was helping in the garden or cleaning a small
corner of the house,  or simply caring for our new
bicycles to keep them shiny and nice looking.
Mom influenced me with her joy of photography,
and she enjoyed singing while doing housework.
Hiking was our favorite pastime activity, and a few
times, we went on holidays in the mountains that
gave us unforgettable memories!
My younger brother and sister played hide and seek
with me and a few neighborhood kids outside.
We had cats, parrots and rabbits as pets.
Its the smells and sounds that I miss the most from
my childhood. The church bells ringing and the
fragrant flowers of dad's garden. I sometimes wonder,
if I would have an MS diagnosis, if I stayed in
Switzerland.....

An Attitude of Gratitude :)

I have many blessings in my life, despite the challenging pain
and inflammation that comes with Multiple Sclerosis.
I am grateful for my family, my extended family members, as
well as my friends and relatives.
On a daily basis, its those little things that make my day brighter,
even though happiness is an attitude, a choice that comes from
within.
A sunny day, a tiny baby, two elderly people holding hands as
they go for a walk, a peak at the mountains, a drive by a lake,
a friend (or daughter) bringing me something unexpected, such
as chocolate, duck eggs or flowers. Just having a good day
without leg pain is a blessing! The nights give me no problems
with sleeping, especially since I started using the Young Living
Essential Oils of Lavender as well as Peace and Calm.
Then there are the pets in the house! All three of them, a dog
and two cats, are special and healing. I grew up with cats and
had many pets all my life.
Then there is music! My Swiss family wasn't very sporty, other
than hiking, but very musical indeed.
This brings my grateful memories back to childhood and my
upbringing in Switzerland, to which I am forever thankful for
to my beautiful parents. I will chat more about my Swiss
childhood next time. For now, I am off to work for only three
hours and picking up that highly absorbable form of magnesium.

CATS AND DOGS

Loveable and cuddly
with lots of hair
Nose-art on the window
Come clean it if you dare
They chase and tease each other
and often get along
But if we treat them special
they know where they belong
Purring and wagging
to confirm what they like
Good food and fresh water
some treats and a hike
They know every language
no matter how strange
And if you're sad or shy
they stay close to you
and never ask why

Groundhog Day, February 2, 2013

Its a nice feeling to wake up before the alarm rings. I did the
routine of stretching and shaking with deep breathing and
heard on the morning news that Balzac Billy predicted an
early Spring. Lets hope he is right, because this is what I
have wished for!
In the sunny kitchen, I had a glass of filtered water with
lemon juice and a gluten free Greens powder (Enerex),
followed by some blueberries and gluten free rice crackers.
I am determined to find out why my legs get sore after I eat.
My diet can't get much cleaner, I only need some improvement
in the physical exercise department, which is a double challenge
with the MS pain and/or fatigue. I have a couple of MS girlfriends
who have inspired me to move those muscles or lose them.
I am considering a coach to help me, or just somebody to come
to my house and "kick butt", and I will also sign up for more
physiotherapy for my bad balance. Ever since I broke my left
ankle, my physical condition worsened. It is almost a full time
job to cover all health areas of one's life, but I have no excuse,
since I'm not working very much these days.
This week, I also learned about some extensively researched
products, namely the Nordic Naturals Fish Oil and the Life-Choice
brand vitamins and herbs. There are too many choices out there
for us all, and other than good, organic food, we need to make
sure that our supplements are helping us, not harming us!
Well, my next stop will be the shower! My circulation is another
issue to work on, and it helps to alternate hot, warm and cold water
in the shower, and always ending with cold. If I can do this, so can you.
Happy Groundhog Day!