A Spring Clean For Your Body

by Dr. Christoph Streicher

Spring is the time to clean not only our homes, but also our bodies. Just as dirt accumulates in our house, so it does on our body. Daily cleansing of our bodies only removes the outside surface dirt. It doesn’t affect the “toxins” which accumulate inside our bodies, in our joints and so on.

People can feel the build-up of toxins in various parts of the body, such as in their joints, sometimes in the form of arthritis, below the surface of the skin as cellulitis or in the lymph glands. Massaging yourself with essential oil blends can help to remove these toxins from the body.

REMOVING TOXINS FROM THE JOINTS

Celery Essential Oil has powerful antioxidants and is considered a traditional cleansing tonic for the organs. It is said to release toxic buildup in the joints that can cause pain while also flushing out the liver and cleansing the blood. To detoxify the body, dilute Celery Essential Oil to 1-2% in any carrier oil (5 to 10 drops of essential oil to a tablespoon of carrier oil). Use it for a whole body massage.

The best essential oils for removing toxins which show up as arthritic conditions:

• Black Pepper – dilute to 1 to 2% in a carrier oil (5 to 10 drops per tablespoon)
• Cypress – dilute to 2% in a carrier oil (10 drops per tablespoon) and apply to the affected area once a day. It is nontoxic and non-sensitizing. If you find Juniper irritating, try this instead. Avoid during the first five months of pregnancy.

REMOVING TOXINS THAT ACCUMULATE BELOW THE SKIN

You can use essential oils to help remove toxins that have accumulated just below the skin’s surface, which can cause issues such as cellulitis (bacterial infection). The best essential oils for this are:

• Black Pepper – dilute to 1 to 2% in a carrier oil (5 to 10 drops per tablespoon) and apply to the affected area.
• Juniper Berry or Juniper Alpine (which is easier on the kidneys) – dilute to 2% in a carrier oil (10 drops per tablespoon) and apply to the affected area once a day. Although it is generally nontoxic and non-sensitizing, some may find it slightly irritating. Avoid using it during pregnancy.
• Cypress – dilute to 2% in a carrier oil (10 drops per tablespoon) and apply to the affected area. It is nontoxic and non-sensitizing. If you find Juniper irritating, try this instead. Avoid during the first five months of pregnancy.

REMOVING TOXINS FROM THE LYMPH GLANDS

The best essential oils to remove toxins from the lymph glands are:

• Bay Laurel – dilute to 3 to 5% (15 to 25 drops per tablespoon of carrier oil)
• Lemon – dilute to 3 to 5% (15 to 25 drops per tablespoon of carrier oil)
• Mastic – dilute to 3 to 5% (15 to 25 drops per tablespoon of carrier oil).

Note: If you blend the oils, make sure the total concentration of the essential oils is not more than 3 to 5% (15 to 25 drops per tablespoon of carrier oil).

The effects of most of these essential oils are yet to be scientifically tested. However, research ¹ on Mastic Essential Oil on rats showed that it helped to mitigate the detrimental effects to the liver of arsenic poisoning. This preliminary research confirms that it may help strengthen the liver, which in turn helps the elimination of toxins from the body.

So, at springtime (or at any time), if you would like to help your body to remove toxins, you may like to consider massaging yourself with essential oil blends.

Sources:

1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25946016

Disclaimer: The statements made on this page have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They are not intended to diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. If a condition persists, please contact your physician or healthcare provider. The information provided is not a substitute for a face-to-face consultation with a healthcare provider, and should not be construed as medical advice.

Original Published: 2016-05-29 / Last Modified: 2021-10-11