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Time for a Gentle Springtime Detox

Easy Ways to Reset Your Liver & Your Body

Bethel Wagner
March – April 2023 • Vol 4, No 3

As we head into spring, it’s worth reflecting on what shifts we need to make to be in rhythm with the natural world. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) considers winter a time to find stillness, reflect inwardly, and deeply nourish ourselves. On the other hand, spring is a time for growth, renewal, and detoxification. Spring is associated with the wood element, the color green, the liver, and the gallbladder.

Spring is an excellent time to focus on gentle detoxification. The body detoxifies through the liver, digestive system, kidneys, lymph, skin, and lungs. It is helpful to focus on supporting the liver during the spring months. There are many ways to do so, but here are a few of my favorites:

  • Focus on eating lots of leafy greens and cruciferous veggies. Try lettuces, arugula, kale, broccoli sprouts, etc. Greens with a more bitter-flavor profile help to stimulate digestive juices.
  • Include as many colorful veggies, fruits, and berries as possible. These foods provide the phytonutrients and tools your liver needs to clean house and detoxify.
  • Remember to eat clean protein. Protein provides the liver with the building blocks needed to package waste and toxins and safely remove them from the body. Beans, lentils, salmon, organic poultry, and wild game are all excellent options to include.
  • Warm lemon water in the morning can help to stimulate and flush out the liver. Evidence suggests that lemon may even help the liver heal itself.
  • Dandelion root, milk thistle, and schisandra berry help support and detoxify the liver. Try them as a tea or in tincture form.
  • Ditch the caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine and alcohol are both liver loaders. If you are serious about repairing your liver, remove them for 2–3 weeks.
  • Don’t overeat. The liver is like a pantry. It stores any extra sugars, fats, or nutrients we don’t need immediately. If there is a constant excess, the liver starts storing those nutrients as fat, which can lead to the development of fatty liver. Once the liver is full, fat is deposited in other locations around the body. A clogged liver is often the culprit when people have difficulty losing weight.
  • Avoid exposure to synthetic chemicals and toxins as much as possible. The liver is responsible for filtering out toxins, but in our modern world, sometimes there are just too many to keep up with. Give your liver some love by switching to non-toxic personal care and cleaning products. Make an effort to thoroughly wash your produce, or buy organic to avoid exposure to glyphosate and other insecticides.
  • Weed out any unnecessary supplements. Supplements can be helpful, but taking too many or the wrong ones places an additional burden on the liver. We like to use our biofeedback system to identify which supplements are working and which ones aren’t to assist in this process. Do not stop taking any prescription medications without the supervision of your doctor.
  • Include gentle movement. Activities like walking, stretching, or yoga encourage regular elimination. They also help build and maintain lean muscle, which helps to burn fat.
  • Intentionally reduce your stress levels. Stress causes the liver to convert glycogen into glucose and pump it back into the bloodstream, leading to high or erratic blood sugar levels. Breathwork, meditation or prayer, yoga, and time in nature all help relieve stress. Biofeedback, reiki, and massage are helpful too.
  • Doing a cleanse of at least ten days without sugar, dairy, caffeine, alcohol, gluten, corn, or soy is also a great way to reset the liver and the body.

If you feel your body is ready for a spring cleaning, contact us today! We are offering our 28-Day Reset starting March 20th. It will be available in person as well as online. Mention that you read the NLN article to receive a 10% discount.

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2023-02-27T10:15:11-07:00Fitness & Nutrition|

The Mighty Lemon

For Better Digestion & Liver Support—Even Cleaning!

Maria Low
March – April 2023 • Vol 4, No 3

Valued for centuries all over the world, the small but mighty lemon, in water first thing in the morning, or in these clean and potent products, can get rid of phlegm, ease asthma, promote heart health, alkalinize your pH, normalize blood sugar, help digestion & more.

The small but mighty lemon has a rich history all over the world! The lemon is believed to have originated from Northeastern India. In addition, the ancient Egyptians ate lemons to protect themselves from several forms of poison. Later, the Americas were introduced to lemons in 1493 when Christopher Columbus brought lemon seeds over the Atlantic Ocean.

In the mid-1700s, the Scottish doctor James Lind discovered that sailors could be cured of scurvy with lemons. At that time, vitamin C had not yet been discovered. Historically, lemon juice was the sole source of citric acid used as a preserving agent in food production.

Nutritional Properties of Lemon
Lemons are “anionic,” which means they have more electrons (negatively charged ions) of energy in their atomic structure. Most foods are cations (positively charged ions). The lemon is one of the only foods on the planet that has more “anions” than “cations” in its atomic structure. Saliva, hydrochloric acid, bile, and the stomachs’ digestive juices are all anionic.

Fresh squeezed lemon juice helps to remove toxins from the digestive tract. Support your liver first thing in the morning by drinking a big glass of water with the juice of half a lemon. One lemon contains 50% of your recommended daily vitamin C. Lemons contain not only vitamin C, but also potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Lemons are higher in potassium than apples or grapes!

Lemons at Home
Did you know that lemon juice is naturally antibacterial? Do you have a dirty dishwasher? Add lemon juice to the rinse cycle to clean. Dirty roasting pans? A teaspoon of lemon juice will cut grease. Hard water spots on faucets? Cover the area with lemon juice, wait 15 minutes, then wipe clean.

Smelly onions or garlic? Cut a lemon in half and rub the cut end over the cutting board. This will remove any scent from your cutting board. Or spruce up ugly grout by spraying lemon juice, allowing it to stand for ten minutes, then scrubbing off.

Young Living Essential Oils is fortunate to have an abundance of citrus oils from its own farms that comply with the Seed to Seal Standard. One hundred percent pure Lemon Essential Oil is available for purchase, as well as other incredible lemon products from the new line called Lushious Lemon.

Lushious Lemon Hand Soap & Lotion
Young Living’s unique supply of citrus trees inspired the first formula of Lushious Lemon Foaming Hand Soap. The hand soap has plant-based ingredients for cleansing, along with natural antibacterial qualities. The lemon trees are grown at the Young Living farms in South Africa, the United States, and Argentina.

The science department at Young Living began formulating and testing citrus combinations to make a rich cream that also had anti-toxic components. The product created from this testing is called Lushious Lemon Lotion. The beautiful scent and qualities of Lemon Myrtle from Australia enhances the healing qualities of the lotion.

After applying Lushious Lemon Lotion on your hands, your skin will feel soft and smooth. The lotion can also help to moisturize your feet. If you put on cotton socks after applying the lotion, the oils will continue to work on your feet as you walk around. The lotion coats the skin; however, it still allows the skin to breathe. This is a vegan formula, free from chemicals and synthetics. What makes this formula even more unique is the oil from water-melon seeds that absorb quickly and protects against aging of the skin.

Lushious Lemon Essential Oil Blend
As the experimentation continued, what evolved next was the Lushious Lemon Essential Oil Blend. The essential oils added to this blend provide optimal health support. The blend includes Myrtle essential oil, long known for cleansing and healing the skin. Other oils that amplify the blend’s strength include: Ylang Ylang, Spearmint, and Eucalyptus. The formula is powerful yet provides a beautiful, clean scent.

The Lushious Lemon blend is not only used on location straight or mixed with a carrier oil, but it can be used in a diffuser to purify the air and lift the spirits. Lushious Lemon is a lovely blend that should not be overlooked. Rather than using each of the oils individually, this blend has the right amount of each oil to create a powerful, synergistic effect. Perfect as a gift, anytime of the year!

Make inquiries and learn more from Young Members who make essential oils a part of their lifestyle:
Maria Low • Member #10279 • yleo.aspirations@gmail.com
Kathleen Karlsen, • Member #1043288 • kathleenkarlsen@msn.com
Kasondra Grillo • Member #29010370 • kasondra95@gmail.com

Websites: EssentialOilsKitchen.com • EssentialDropsOfJoy.com

References: Beddoe, Alexander F., Biological Ionization in Human Nutrition. 6th Edition, Whitman Publications, 2002.

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2023-02-27T10:15:12-07:00Fitness & Nutrition, Natural Therapies/Remedies|

Just Ask Dr. Ma—Wet Your Whistle!

The Importance of Hydration, Especially in Winter!

Marlenea La Shomb, N.D., LMT, P.Tr.
January – February 2023 • Vol 4, No 2

Dear Dr. Ma,
In the summer, I get hot and sweaty and feel like I’m always thirsty. Yet, in the winter, I’m hungry, not thirsty, but my lips and hands are very chapped. Why is that?
— Charlie

Dear Charlie,

Chapped lips and dry skin are the body’s way of saying you are very dehydrated. In fact, dehydration puts our nervous systems into fight-or-flight mode, whereby our brain combines the hunger and thirst signals into one message that appears as hunger. Drink until hydrated, and you will regain both signals and be thirsty again. This is only one example of how the brain/body shuts down when you need water.

In the winter, we think it’s cold, so we don’t need to drink, but the heaters in our homes, cars, and workplaces are also very dehydrating. The nose, the lungs and the eyes can all appear dry.

Our bodies are made up of the water of life—muscle, blood, lymph, brain, and spinal fluids, just to name a few. Blood is 90% water, so it’s no surprise that staying well hydrated year-round keeps all the body’s systems balanced and running smoothly. It’s a primary reason for unexplained fatigue, high blood sugar, low blood pressure, constipation, lack of urination, and mood/hormone swings—all leading to a toxic “inner landfill,” creating an environment of dis-ease and inflammation in our bodies.

So, what’s in your morning cup? Is it drying you out, like caffeine drinks? These are all diuretics that force water out of the body that was needed for a specific job that day. They leave you high and dry, so you’ll need to drink even more water.

Whether it’s water, herb teas, juice, broths, or anything in between, everything you drink has an effect on you “for better or worse!” Just like food, what you drink fuels the whole body. So, wet your whistle often to stay hydrated and healthy!
— Dr. Ma

Send your questions to Dr. Ma La Shomb, N.D., LMT, P.Tr., by text, along with your name & phone number, to (406) 224-5425. Email to jumpstartyourhealth@gmail.com. Marlenea passionately works as a health coach and writer for all who are ready to find harmony and balance in body, mind, and soul through natural therapies and education.

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2023-02-01T13:39:00-07:00Fitness & Nutrition|

Seasonal Eating Habits

Your Body May Be Asking for Something… Different

Marlenea La Shomb
November – December 2022 • Vol 4, No 1

Dear Dr. Ma,
Every year at this time, I get tired of eating salads and I want something… different. It always happens in Autumn, but I know salads are supposed to be good for me. What do you suggest? — Janet

Dear Janet,
Have you ever considered that your body is asking for something different… because its needs are different? Yep, that’s right. It’s telling you in the only way it can. The leaves are falling (or have fallen). With the changing of the season, so does your daily routine, including your intake of food and drink. All animals adjust their seasonal eating based on what’s available in their environment, and we are no different. This is normal.

Always eating the same foods year-round, just out of habit, or maybe because they’re your favorites, isn’t always the best for you. It’s to your benefit to consume produce that’s grown in your area (climate zone), and change it up as the weather changes.

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2022-10-29T11:49:30-06:00Fitness & Nutrition|

The Miracle of Balanced pH

The Secrets of pH Balance Should Be Shouted from the Housetops!

Maria Low
September – October 2022 • Vol 3, No 123

I first became aware of pH many years ago when I worked as a hair designer. In order to design haircuts optimally, I used products with formulas that had a similar pH to hair. This made a dramatic improvement in my work and in the appearance of my clients. I made many changes in my business based on this understanding of acid and alkaline.

What is pH?
A pH of 7.0 at 25C is defined as neutral because the concentration of H30+ (hydronium ions) equals the concentration of 0H- (hydroxide anions) in pure water. The measurement runs on a scale from 0 to 14. Acidity is on the lower end of the scale from 0 to 7. Alkalinity is the upper end of the scale from 7 to 14. Acidity creates an expanding energy whereas alkalinity creates a contracting energy.

The Danish chemist Søren P. L. Sørensen invented the pH scale in 1909. His original work was with beer. He learned how to prevent mold while fermenting beer by controlling the acidity and alkalinity.

Henry John Heinz, founder of the Heinz Ketchup company, ran similar experiments. He encountered mold problems while making tomato sauce to bottle and sell. When he made changes to make the sauce more acidic, the mold problem was solved. He created a product that made him a millionaire at the turn of the 20th century!

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2022-09-14T09:39:41-06:00Fitness & Nutrition, Natural Therapies/Remedies|

The Flow-Through Diet

It’s WAY Better than the “Sticky Diet”!

Marlenea La Shomb, ND, LMT
September – October 2022 • Vol 3, No 123

Dear Dr. Ma,
My name is Shawn. I’m in my mid-thirties and I wake up with stiffness, even pain, in my hands. I work as a carpenter and handyman. What can I do for this?
— Shawn

Dear Shawn,

What we fuel our bodies with on a daily basis affects the repair/ rebuild/repeat process of our cells while we sleep at night, so as to be able to work in our waking hours. By the time we hit our thirties, these processes slow down with the accumulation of waste from the years gone by. Simply put, a change in your eating and drinking habits is necessary.

Look at it this way: a flow-through eating system moves everything along—blood, lymph, and the food in your gut. A sticky diet clogs everything up. (Constipation is one sign that you’re clogged up!) Roger Bezanis coined the above terms (and drew up these illustrations) to make it easier for people to understand.

Flow-through means whole foods: raw, fresh fruits, veggies, greens—anything out of the garden and orchard, that is unprocessed by heat—whereby the blood platelets/cells are free-flowing and can do their job well. With a sticky diet, the blood cells start sticking together, causing inflammation and a toxic build-up in and around the cells and creating an environment that is a “garbage landfill” of pain, sickness, and dis-ease.

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2022-09-14T09:39:41-06:00Fitness & Nutrition|

Finding Solutions for the Food Vitality Problem

Using Essential Oils in Food and Beverages

Maria Low
July – August 2022 • Vol 3, No 122

When shopping for fruits and vegetables, have you ever been disappointed with the taste? Have you ever wondered what happened to the delicious taste that you remember from days in the past of a cucumber, a zucchini or tomato?

THE IMPACT OF FARMING ON FOOD

The organic farmers can tell you why things have changed. For commercially raised food, natural principles of soil restoration are not followed.

If the soil is in an area where certain nutrients are not in the soil, it takes a lot of labor to improve the soil with compost. The essential pH and nutrients are needed to create the most wonderful alchemy to provide a vital plant and subsequent food vitality. If crops are not rested or rotated, the earth is not restored for the following seasons.

We need the various vitamins, minerals, major, minor and trace compounds and essential oils that are found in root vegetables, leafy greens, herbs, fruits, sea vegetables and seeds that are grown in rich, fertile soils. However, depleted soil is not the only way plants are depleted in the modern world. Improper cooking techniques, high temperatures, microwaves, and not chewing properly also cause deficiencies in the human body.

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2022-09-14T09:39:44-06:00Fitness & Nutrition|

Longevity and Your Liver!

Be Creatively Colorful and Simply Enjoy

Marlenea La Shomb, N.D., LMT
May – June 2022 • Vol 3, No 121

Dear Dr. Ma,
How do I help myself to have a healthy liver?
— Debbie
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Dear Debbie,

Like all our organs, we need our livers to be healthy, to function properly, and to work well for our whole lifetime. The best way to do this is to give them a time of rest! Then they can repair, rebuild, and repeat this process on a regular basis.

Your liver has many functions. One primary function has to do with digestion. This tells you that if you’re always eating and digesting food (without a rest), you are working your liver to death!

Many people give their liver a rest during springtime by fasting or cleansing it. I say, better yet, do this daily instead of once or twice a year. Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, Dr. David Sinclair, agrees. His lifelong work is in the science of aging at all stages of life. He is co-director of the Center for the Biology of Aging, which maximizes wellness and longevity. Dr. Sinclair developed what he now calls “Time-Restricted Feeding.”

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2022-09-14T09:39:47-06:00Fitness & Nutrition, Natural Therapies/Remedies|

Eat the Colors of the Rainbow!

Be Creatively Colorful and Simply Enjoy

Marlenea La Shomb, N.D., LMT
Mar – Apr 2022 • Vol 3, No 120

Dear Dr. Ma,
I am so confused about what to eat or what NOT to eat. Please help!
— Kathy

Dear Kathy,
Keep it simple! Eat the colors of the rainbow. Each color has something unique to feed your body, mentally and emotionally, as well as physically. What this looks like is all your whole-food fruits and vegetables and all the greens, with nuts, seeds and legumes (if your body can handle them).

Fresh is best. Dried is great. You can just rehydrate them to put the water back in. Frozen works. You can use any process without heat to seasonally preserve your food for year-round use. If it comes out of your garden, or can be sprouted on your windowsill, or comes from your neighbor’s bush or tree, it’s real food.

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2022-09-14T09:39:50-06:00Fitness & Nutrition, Natural Therapies/Remedies|