Love Your Body: Detoxing Naturally
The silly season has been and gone, and 2016 is well underway. So why not give yourself the best start possible? Regardless of whether you were on the naughty or nice nutritional list this Christmas (and we’re not judging either way), a detox could do wonders for your body.
Unfortunately, these days we are exposed to a lot of toxins without knowing it. From the food we eat, to the cosmetics we use, to the very air we breathe – there are toxins lurking in the most unsuspecting places. The result is that our detoxification organs (your liver, kidneys, lymphatic system, skin and bowels) are often over-worked and under-resourced. The good news is there is plenty you can do to cleanse yourself for a fresh start.
Detoxification can be traced back to ancient Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, where herbs, vitamins and minerals were used to eliminate toxins from the inside out. Modern juice cleanses and other “detox diets” can be beneficial, but history shows that you can also help to detoxify your body by making a few, simple lifestyle changes…
Increase Your Fibre Intake
Fibre acts like a brush, sweeping through the digestive system, removing toxins and build up. Legumes, flaxseeds and whole grains are all excellent sources of fibre; adding these to your diet will help to support and maintain regular bowel movements. Eating fruit and vegetables will also help to boost your fibre levels, particularly broccoli, spinach, kale, bok choy, watercress, radish, cauliflower, beetroot and artichoke.
Eat Organic
A lot of non-organic produce still contains traces of pesticides and sprays. Eating organic (where possible) ensures you get all the benefits of your fruit and vegetables without any of the lingering nasties.
Eat Quality Protein
Protein provides important amino acids that are vital for detoxifying your liver, so make sure your body is getting enough by eating foods like fish, organic eggs and chicken.
Use Quality Fats
Your body needs fats to function optimally; it’s making sure that you’re incorporating
the right fats into your diet that’s important. Avoid animal fats and processed vegetable oils and opt for cold pressed flaxseed oil, olive oil, avocado oil, nuts and seeds instead.
Drink Plenty of Water
The more water you drink, the more toxins will be eliminated from your body. The average person needs at least two litres of water a day. If you’re not getting enough water, the toxins will stay in your body, circulating around it through the blood stream, causing all sorts of potential issues.
Avoid Nasties
Ideally avoid or at the very least reduce your intake of alcohol, coffee, non-essential drugs, fried foods, refined sugars, saturated fats, packaged foods, artificial sweeteners, additives, preservatives and artificial colouring. The rule of thumb is to eat as much “real food” as possible and avoid all the stuff that has numbers on the back of the packet. Fresh produce, good fats, home-made meals – that’s what you’re aiming for.
Top Tip: Lighten the load before beginning your detox. Try to cut down on or eliminate the above list of “nasites” before you even begin – it will make the whole process easier on your body if there are less toxins to begin with.
Get Friendly With Fermentation
Renowned for their amazing health benefits, fermented foods help to ensure a positive balance of healthy gut flora, and eliminate damaging bacteria. Incorporating yoghurt, kefir, kombucha drinks, kimchi, sauerkraut, pickled vegetables and miso into your diet while detoxing will improve your absorption of nutrients from your other healthy food choices.
Up Your Vitamin C
Increasing your Vitamin C intake through foods and supplements helps your body to produce glutathione, an antioxidant that is essential for detoxification.
Go to a Sauna
Sometimes it’s good to sweat out the toxins and a regular sauna is a great way to do it. They also have the added bonus of being extremely relaxing.
Remember: After you have had a sauna it is important to drink plenty of water to make up for the loss of fluid from sweating.
Eliminate Stress
Stress wreaks havoc on your body so eliminating stressful factors or finding ways of coping with them will go a long way on your detox journey.
Look After Your Liver
Of all your organs, your liver will be one of the hardest working during your detox. Help support it with milk thistle, burdock, dandelion root, schisandra, globe artichoke, green tea or chlorella.
Embarking on a detox can be daunting. There’s a lot of information to digest, and it can be difficult to know where to begin, so we’ve covered off the most common detox questions here.
It can also help to break down your goals into something that feels more achievable; we particularly like Dr Libby’s strategy, Stop // Keep // Start. Rather than trying to do a complete 180 on your lifestyle, pick something you’re going to stop doing, something you’re going to keep doing and something you’re going to start doing.
Detoxing doesn’t need to be a big, scary undertaking. With a few natural lifestyle adjustments, you could increase your energy levels and improve mental clarity, skin issues, allergies, menstrual symptoms and digestion problems. Start the year cleansed and renewed, from the inside out.
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