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Cleanse Your Lymph with Cranberries

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Raw Food Spotlight on Cranberries

by Christie Fischer

Your lymphatic system is a key part of your immune system. It includes lymph vessels and nodes, thymus gland, tonsils, spleen and appendix. Picture it like a network of tubing that drains nasty waste products from your tissues – ridding the body of toxic wastes, bacteria, dead cells, trapped protein and fat globules – carrying them all to your elimination organs for final farewells.

To top it off, your lymphatic system also transports your immune cells throughout your body producing disease-fighting white blood cells (lymphocytes) and antibodies.

But how would you know your “tubing” isn’t in tip top shape?

Cellulite, skin problems such as acne or eczema, edema (swelling), allergies, fatigue, weight gain, headaches, excessive sweating, a weakened immune system, depression, infections, even poor memory… just to name a few!

Ok now what? Enter Cranberry. Yep plain and simple. The benefits these little gems have on detoxifying and cleansing the lymph is nothing short of amazing.

Cleansing Benefits of Cranberry Juice

In Flush for Life, nutrition expert Ann Louise Gittleman suggests adding cranberry juice to your daily regimen for a multitude of reasons. Cranberry juice:

  • Can rid the lymphatic system, the bowels and the kidneys of various kinds of harmful toxins

  • Contains multiple compounds which serve to remove fat from the lymphatic system
  • Contains antioxidants to help cleanse and flush out the kidneys (and additionally keep those nasty free radicals from hanging around)
  • Contains bacteria anti-adhesion properties… um say what? So these guys stop bacteria from hanging around, and as bacteria overgrowth can cause toxic overload to the body and stop your body’s natural cleansing system from working properly – yay for the anti-adhesion thingys

Cranberry Health Benefits

  • rich in vitamin C
  • antioxidants
  • good source of vitamin K
  • dietary fibre
  • manganese
  • potassium
  • vitamin A

When buying look for unsweetened, pure, organic juice. You can buy fresh pressed and flash pasteurised cranberry juice here in both Australia and the US; Lakewood Organic Juice is a great one.

As for the munching variety; unfortunately fresh cranberries are not available in Australia; they are generally grown in the northern hemisphere, particularly in the US and Canada.  However, you can either thaw frozen cranberries, or reconstitute dried cranberries if you feel the hankering for their juicy goodness.

So what are you waiting for? I think it’s time for a glass of cranberry juice don’t you?

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