We are entering “itch season” for both humans and our four legged friends. In humans, it is commonly known in natural medicine that if you have an itch, the cause is related to your liver. Clean the liver and the problem should clear up. Sounds simple enough but we probably need to give you a bit more information.
The liver is a tremendously hard working and important organ in the body. In fact, if the liver stops working, the heart and brain are not far behind because they count on the liver to filter toxins and manufacture enzymes, both of which are important for every organ and function in the body. It has many more functions but we will focus on these for now.
They say use a filter or be a filter, meaning that if you do not take in pure ingredients, your body will filter them out. Hopefully it can then get rid of the toxins without having to store them, but first of all, the channels of elimination must be clear and secondly, if the body is overwhelmed with toxins (yes, read: poisons) they either keep circulating or get stuck somewhere in the hopes that it can be found when the work load lets up a bit. Whew, that is one hard-working organ!
So, back to itching, eh? Remember those paths of elimination we just mentioned? Well, the largest eliminative organ in the body is the skin. We release up to 2 pounds of toxins daily through the skin but in cold weather, when we cover up, we are not likely to sweat those toxins out. Okay, let’s just say it is summer time and you are one of those “lucky” people who just does not sweat much. Oops – that is 2 pounds of toxic waste you just decided to keep.
Even when you CAN eliminate through the skin properly, some of those toxins can be downright irritating. Inorganic iodine like the kind they add to Morton’s Salt, for example, is very hard and irritating to tender skin. It is indicated as the cause of many cases of cystic acne. Other chemicals and toxins can be just as irritating, another good case for eating real food instead of manufactured products. You just don’t know what is in them!
When you improve your diet, like switching to the Paleo Diet, you might notice a surge of itchy conditions due to the fact that as you decrease fat stored on the body, these dying fat cells release those stored toxins. This is when you can even have a recurrence of shingles or other hidden viruses that have been keeping a low profile, tucked away deep in a fat cell. Prepare in advance if you have a history of recurring viruses by taking VS-C while dieting. It’s time to remember, “Better Out Than In”
Allergies also begin in the liver. Hay fever, sinusitis, even food allergies, result from the fact that the liver is responsible for protein synthesis and the protein component of pollen, foods, even yeast and bacteria can cause irritation if not broken down completely. This relies on the enzymes produced by the liver. Free floating proteins are viewed as invaders and the body goes on high alert using all methods to either contain or eliminate the intruder.
Swelling both contains the culprit and stimulates the circulation to try to flush it out. Mucus is sticky so it can gather the invader and again, sneeze or cough it out. The colon also is a mucous membrane and constant alerts here can lead to digestive disorders from gas, reflux, bloating, IBS and even Colitis.
Allergies, hives, acne, shingles often show up in early Spring or Fall just as the skin is either Springing into action or Falling behind in its eliminative duties. The real key is to cleanse the liver so the toxins are broken down and filtered naturally without storage fees! I love the fact that we have a product called Liver Cleanse. The name says it all, right?
But remember, cleansing has to take place in a particular order to make sure you don’t run into any road blocks. So let’s cleanse the colon first, then you can go ahead with a liver cleanse. And Spring and Fall are great times to do these cleanses and help the body through these transitional times.
And not to forget our sweet pets, make sure they don’t suffer from itchy conditions this season. Juniper helps to relieve itching and Garlic helps keep pets from getting fleas. Email Lahni for a pdf on Herbal Remedies for Pet Health!
Happy Spring!
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