As I write this post, I’m on day 2 of a cleanse, and am already feeling better. People “cleanse” or “detox” to combat fatigue, pain, and inflammation, to improve circulation, increase metabolism, enhance quality of sleep, reduce tension, and for a general sense of well-being and health. Unfortunately, toxins contaminate our systems on a daily basis. They are unavoidable. They exist in our water, our air, our food, and our surroundings, no matter who we are or where we live. But how do we maintain the benefits from a diet-based detox, or what if you need a diet-free detox solution? Aside from choosing organic, whole foods, and avoiding nasties like cigarettes, alcohol, and caffeine, there are a lot of products on the market that can assist you in a natural body detox. One that is rapidly gaining a reputation as a convenient, superior detox product is detox foot pads. 
You simply place the white sticky-backed pads onto the sole of your feet before you go to bed, and in the morning you will find they have turned a dark brown or black color due to all of the toxins absorbed from your body. There are many brands available, some with a lot of filler ingredients and hokey animal-based extracts like chitosan, and a few of truly high quality. Do a little homework by reading the ingredients before you buy!
How do they work? The abbreviated explanation is that properly refined wood vinegar (or bamboo vinegar in some of the lesser quality brands) absorbs and “draws out” heavy metals and other toxic substances from our bodies through channels in the soles of our feet. If you are familiar with Chinese medicine, then you know that our bodies are a highway of energy-filled meridians that connect our organs and tissues. Even if you subscribe to western medicine, you can see for yourself how points in our feet directly connect to other areas of the body. If you are not allergic to garlic, cut a clove in half and rub the fresh garlic side on the sole of your foot (for approximately 45 seconds). Within a few minutes, you will be able to detect a garlic taste in your mouth! If you’re still skeptical, manufacturers offer lab reports which show the following substances in the used pads: benzene, isopropyl alcohol, methyl alcohol, aluminum, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, thallium, arsenic, asbestos, DAB dye, fast green dye, sudan black dye and PCB (plastic byproduct). That’s a lot of toxins! Many users report feeling drastically better after just one night’s use, so if you’re still not sure if detox foot pads work, just one set may be able to show you their rapid detox abilities. Additionally, one manufacturer, BodyPure, offers free used pad testing when you buy 3 or more boxes so that you will know exactly what toxins were absorbed. There is further information on how these detox pads work, which includes far infared emittance, measurement of alpha brain waves, and a “minus ion effect”; all of which are too far reaching for this article, but are available online.
Which brand do we recommend? The BodyPure+ pads (NOT the original BodyPlus formulation) contain quality ingredients, but the Yuan Qi foot pads appear to be the most superior pads on the market right now. Now only do they contain just 3 ingredients, but their triple-distilled wood vinegar is created from annual prunings rather than by the exploitation and destruction of healthy trees, which means they are produced in a sustainable, eco-friendly way. For more information on their production and benefits check out this PDF file.
At the end of my current cleanse I plan on testing them myself and detailing my results on Mable’s Blog. Until then, happy detoxing everyone!
There’s no denying the simple attraction to hammocks. They are so comfortable looking and give you a sense of floating on air; how can you resist not wanting to relax in one? I personally can’t resist feeling a little kid-ish every time I see one and get that urge to call dibs and jump in it before anyone else can steal the best seat. So treat yourself or a special someone with the gift of a hammock swing, or traditional hammock (with optional tent). Both hammock styles can be hung outdoors, but the hammock swing is also appropriate indoors as well.
These hammocks are available at Magic Cabin and handcrafted by fair trade artisans in Columbia. They are made of sturdy hand-woven cotton and are machine washable as well. Magic Cabin gives the option of purchasing mounting hardware and accessories like a matching tent for the regular hammock. I can see kids having more fun with a tent on their hammock, while also providing shade on the extra hot days for the rest of us. Give the gift of comfort and relaxation with a handcrafted hammock from Magic Cabin.
Posted by Sean in Fun,Outdoors on July 29, 2006
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