Overcoming the Holiday Sludge
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Byron Richards, CCN
As the holiday festivities wind down what is typically left over is a physical feeling of sludge. Extra holiday consumption of food, sugar, and alcohol can leave you feeling energetically off and headed in the direction of significant winter weight gain, compromised immunity, and the mental doldrums.
I coined the term “holiday sludge” to denote a certain set of symptoms I hear over and over again, year after year. Your head is tired and somewhat dull, energy is reduced – it is harder to productively get going and keep going, cravings for junky foods are in high gear, there is a concurrent increase in flatulence or other digestive distress, your mood may be struggling, you may feel on the verge of getting sick (or may have become sick), and one look in the mirror tells you something is not right.
Never fear – call your local Roto-Rooter man and whisk the sludge away – before it settles in and you have to do something to correct every single symptom. That’s right, the feeling of holiday sludge is mostly a plumbing problem and if you do something to change it relatively fast then you can quickly avert getting stuck in a clogged rut the rest of the winter. Once your system is unclogged you will feel a lot better.
The key here is to increase your fiber intake, the ultimate sludge mop. I designed Fiber Helper without any sweeteners yet it is easy to mix and use. I suggest 1 heaping tablespoon of Fiber Helper before breakfast and dinner until you feel completely de-sludged (usually two to three weeks). Take this extra fiber regardless of how much fiber is already in your diet. If you are prone to constipation then taking Turkey Rhubarb every day (1-4 at bed) will keep your colon moving along, and the combination of extra Fiber Helper and Turkey Rhubarb is a great colon cleanse routine for anyone.*
As part of sludge removal it is vital to keep your liver and lymph moving, otherwise your blood stream carries too much waste and you will feel tired, irritable, and have dark or puffy circles under your eyes. Daily Balancer is the best product for liver support and natural blood cleaning (take 3-6 a day to desludge) and Immune Plus is the best single product for moving the lymph system (shoulder pressure, extra mucous or congestion, head pressures/aches).* To help clean out take 1 heaping tsp of Immune Plus at breakfast, lunch, and bed. Immune Plus also helps support your immune system.*
These higher amounts of nutrients can be maintained indefinitely, if needed, to keep yourself on track. However, most people just do this for a couple of weeks to recover from a period of time of getting off a better diet – which is common during the holidays. Then you can use any of the products in smaller amounts, or as needed if you start to slip again.
Winter poses many challenges for health. You have many options to naturally boost your mood, support your thyroid, tackle weight management, and strengthen immunity. Keep in mind that any specific health topic is made worse if you have backed up plumbing and too much sludge.
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Byron J. Richards, Founder/Director of Wellness Resources, Inc., is a Board-Certified Clinical Nutritionist and has been a charter professional member of the International and American Associations of Clinical Nutritionists (IAACN) since 1991. His professional experience with nutrition, thyroid, and weight issues dates back to 1985 when he began working as the nutritionist for one of our nation’s leading thyroid doctors, Keith W. Sehnert, MD. Time Magazine considered Dr. Sehnert the “George Washington of medical self-care.” He was one of the founding fathers of alternative health and sadly passed away in 1999. Together they were true pioneers in the area of thyroid health, hypothyroidism, and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis…
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