It's my birthday in a few weeks and really the only ones who are genuinely excited are my children who have already put in requests as to what kind of cake we should have that day. But the truth is getting older doesn't make detoxing a straightforward task. And one of the major reasons for this is because our digestive fire (which in science geek-speak is called Hydrochloric Acid) gets weaker & less efficient as we get older.
In fact, by the time we are 40 yrs old, we are producing 40-60% less Hydrochloric Acid than we did when we were in our teens.
No wonder even a little indulgence can make us pack on weight in a matter of days!!!
No wonder we can't bounce back from a big night out!!!
No wonder it gets harder to eliminate the toxins that build up and make our eyes puffy, our skin dull and our legs dimpled with cellulite!!
A weak digestive system is at the root of every toxic build up.
But I have a secret weapon that I'd like to share with you today.
DIGESTIVE BITTERS
(No...I did not say Digestive Biscuits. That's the Sugar Beast talking...)
Bitter herbs are the corner stone of herbal medicine. The taste of bitter herbs stimulate your body to produce more:
- saliva to digest carbohydrates;
- hydrochloric acid to digest protein; and
- bile flow to digest fats.
All these digestive juices aid in digestion, absorption and assimilation of foods and nutrients. AND, by promoting the flow of bile, bitters assists the liver in its detoxifying capacity.
Bitters are particularly helpful for those of you out there who:
- would like to try a natural replacement to antacids;
- have had their gallbladder removed; or
- have digestive troubles in general.
Hong Kong friends, click here to find out where I buy my bitters.
Canadian friends, you have the advantage of being able to buy St. Francis bitters available at your local health food store or online.
Happy digesting everyone! Next time, we'll talk about how to detox your largest detoxing organ.
Thrive Nutrition Practice launches in one week!