Natural detoxification: not just bland. At this time of year, there is a lot of media attention on detoxification, and most of it is negative. The word has become associated with fad diets, strict juice cleanses, and general deprivation. However, it could actually be argued that your overall health may be largely determined by your body’s ability to detoxify.
Dry, blotchy, spotty skin, headaches, fatigue, stubborn weight, allergies, digestive issues, and generally bad weather are all signs that your organs involved in the elimination process are struggling to keep up with your toxic load. Proper and natural detoxification involves nourishing your body with clean foods. Give your digestion a break and stimulate the parts of your body responsible for cleansing and elimination. Below I’ve selected my favorite and most effective strategies to help rid your body of toxins on a daily basis.
1. Opt for a diet rich in whole foods, without additives or preservatives
Whole foods include unprocessed fruits and vegetables, whole grains (millet, brown rice, oats, rye, whole wheat, buckwheat, quinoa and cornmeal), beans and legumes (including lentils, chickpeas and kidney beans), as well as nuts and seeds. Whole animal foods include eggs, small whole fish, seafood (including shellfish), poultry, and red meats like beef, lamb, pork, and veal. Eating foods that haven’t been processed ensures that you’re getting the most nutrients in the right proportions.
When people start a diet or embark on a health journey, they often turn to “diet foods” – those that are low in fat, low in calories, or packaged for your convenience. However, packaged foods are usually loaded with additives and preservatives. So even if you eat fewer calories and fat, the synthetic ingredients are wreaking havoc on your body. As such, try to get rid of foods with ingredients you can’t pronounce and you will immediately begin to cleanse your body.
2. Turn to organic foods when possible
Eating non-organic plant foods exposes us to petrochemical residues from agricultural practices like fertilization. Non-organic plants after harvest are often treated with toxic chemicals to fumigate, sterilize and prevent germination of the produce, and these are usually absorbed by the plants. Non-organic animal products contain residues of antibiotics, hormones and growth promoters commonly used in modern agriculture. Uurrgh! Organic foods, on the other hand, are richer in nutrients and are free from genetic modification and irradiation. Purchasing organic products is undeniably more expensive and should therefore be considered a long-term investment in your health.
The dirty dozen and the clean fortnight refer respectively to the fruits and vegetables most and least contaminated by the use of pesticides. You can download a printable copy from my website. Generally speaking, the rule of thumb states that if you are eating the skin or exterior of the fruit or vegetable, then you really should go organic. Strawberries, apples, and tomatoes are good examples of the types of foods where organic is really important.
3. Replace one meal every day with a detoxifying smoothie
When it comes to naturally cleansing the body, a good step can be to replace one meal per day with a smoothie. Smoothies are a great way to get a massive dose of nutrients to supercharge your cleanse. A good recipe incorporates natural, healthy ingredients that will aid digestion, introduce fiber, and help you cleanse regularly and naturally. This will not only help with weight loss but will also allow the digestive system to work as it should. Make sure your smoothies are vegetable-based and contain no more than two fruits per serving. Feel free to load them up with nutrient-rich superfood powders, like baobab and moringa, to further support your cleanse.
4. Cut out simple carbs, white sugar, flour and all fried foods
Did you know that starchy dinner sides, like white rice or pasta, are just as bad for your waistline and health as the more extreme donuts, cakes, and cookies you might enjoy? Refined carbohydrates mainly include sugars and processed grains; These are empty calories and cause rapid increases in blood sugar and insulin levels. So make the effort to move towards consuming complex carbohydrates, which are better for your digestion. You won’t regret it – I promise!
5. Eat more fiber in its most natural form
Over time, toxins and preservatives in the foods we eat can build up in our digestive tract, causing us to feel bloated, heavy and tired. Introducing additional fiber into our diet helps remove this unwanted buildup, making us feel healthier and our digestive process working as intended. There are excellent fiber supplements available, but you should try to eat them in their natural form whenever possible. Fresh fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, and whole grains are all excellent sources of fiber. Start slowly to avoid side effects. You will find that your bowel movements will become more regular, which is a promising sign that your body’s natural cleansing is improving.
6. Drink more water
You can go without food for days, weeks, or even months, but going without water for just one day can negatively impact your health. Many people don’t realize how important water is. The human body is 66 percent water and when a small amount is lost through sweating and elimination, and we do not replenish the lost fluid, our health immediately begins to suffer. Most of us don’t drink enough water for proper hydration and, as a result, live with borderline chronic dehydration. Thus, we suffer from poor detoxification and various global health problems.
When you drink enough water throughout the day, you nourish your body’s tissues and cells, which moves the enzyme system, which removes fatty toxins from your body! Isn’t that good news? Rehydrating the body with water jumpstarts your metabolism and prevents it from becoming sluggish and sluggish, which is a cause of weight gain.
7. Turn to probiotics to get rid of bad bacteria and welcome the good ones
Probiotics are healthy bacteria that can help restore balance to your gut. New studies indicate that taking probiotics can help your body detoxify and promote weight loss by improving your metabolic rate. Certain strains of probiotics have also been shown to reduce levels of certain heavy metals in humans.
8. Replace morning coffee with green tea
A little caffeine is fine, but you need to be careful about how much you consume in a day or week. You also need to be careful about where your caffeine comes from and how much you consume at any given time. Although an occasional cup of coffee is generally an acceptable treat, if you want to detoxify your body, you may want to consider switching to green tea. Green tea offers important antioxidants that fight inflammation in our body. It also offers a slight caffeine boost that can help energize you in the morning, just like coffee, but with much greater health benefits.
9. Get more sleep every night
You may view sleep as a luxury, but it’s an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Without good sleep, you’ll lack natural energy and experience weight gain over time because you won’t have the drive to make healthy lifestyle choices. Sleep deprivation is unfortunately all too common because we prioritize rest above other aspects of our lives. After a while, chronic lack of sleep will catch up with you due to a weakened immune system, which means you’ll get sick more easily.
Try to get seven to eight hours of sleep each night to give your body a chance to rest and recover. If you want your body to rebuild and prepare for the next day’s activities, you should really view sleep as an essential, not a luxury.