In today’s environment, toxicity has become a grave concern. We are surrounded by toxins in every aspect of our lives, with more pollutants in the air, chemicals used to process and preserve the food we consume, and even in the clothes that we wear and products that we use in our homes.
Additionally, the consumption of unhealthy foods and a sedentary lifestyle has resulted in an increase in obesity, making it more difficult for the body to detoxify naturally. While there are lots of products available on the market that assist with detoxifying the body, the easiest (and healthiest) way to detox is to adopt a more natural lifestyle.
Here are 10 ways to cleanse your body:
1. Make changes in your diet.
Detoxification begins with the liver, and so removing unhealthy processed foods and reducing your salt and sugar intake from your diet will give your liver a much-needed break and allow it to start working properly without overloading it. Organic oils such as olive and flaxseed, omega-3 rich walnuts and oily fish, high-fibre whole grains, lean meats and garlic, loaded with has been shown to help boost the natural antioxidant enzyme levels in the liver are great foods to incorporate into your diet.
Replace saturated fat and trans fat by with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Introduce cruciferous vegetables including kale, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and even brussels sprouts – they’re not just for Christmas! Buy organic and wash your raw fruit and vegetables thoroughly to reduce the amount of pesticides and chemicals you may potentially consume.
2. Reduce your alcohol and coffee intake and get rid of the cigarettes.
Our liver can only process a small amount of alcohol each hour, and any excess can start to damage the liver cells, and there are studies that show a link between smoking and liver disease. Not an easy thing to do, but simply by cutting out these items will have a positive impact on both your liver and wallet!
3. Drink healthy tea.
Oolong tea (wu-long tea or brown tea) is made from the camellia sinensis plant, is full of antioxidants and is renowned for being a superstar weight loss tea that decreases body fat, revs up the metabolism and blocks fat building enzymes. The compounds in Matcha green tea called catechins blast adipose tissue by triggering the release of fat from fat cells (particularly in the belly), which then speeding up the liver’s capacity for turning that fat into energy.
4. Eat more regularly.
Skipping meals can slow down your metabolism and makes your body go into starvation mode, storing up fat instead of losing it and inevitably, it’s likely that you will consume more calories in a single sitting to combat the resulting hunger. Eat healthy snacks like fruit, yogurt, wholewheat wraps and sugar-free fruit and vegetable bars in between meals to boost your metabolism.
5. Drink water.
The body and mind need to stay hydrated in order to function properly. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is approximately 15.5 cups (3.7 litres) of fluids for men and 11.5 cups (2.7 litres) of fluids a day for women. Adding citrus fruits like lemon or grapefruit to water may also further help the liver to eliminate toxins.
6. Get adequate sleep.
Sleep plays an important role in our physical and mental wellbeing – our body uses sleep to heal, support healthy brain function and aid growth and development. It also helps to regulate the hormones that control appetite, which means that the more rested you are, the less likely you are to feel hungry.
7. Exercise regularly.
Aside from helping to reduce obesity (which can cause liver disease), regular exercise like swimming, walking, jogging, yoga, pilates and cycling can help to decrease stress on the liver and increase energy levels.
8. Sweat it out in a sauna.
While there are plenty of arguments as to the effectiveness of physically sweating out toxins in a sauna, sitting back and relaxing undoubtedly has a positive impact on stress-levels, mental health and well-being and can ease muscle pain and improve circulation. Reducing stress levels will enable your liver to also potentially feel more relaxed and work more effectively.
9. Look after your skin.
Our skin is exposed to multiple pollutants in the air every day, including cigarette smoke, industrial pollution and vehicle fumes. This constant exposure can result in skin becoming sensitive, aged and wrinkled with potential dry and itchy spots. Exfoliating and cleansing regularly removes the dead skin cells and toxins, preventing a build up and causing spots and potential infections.
10. Reduce the amount of toxic chemicals that you use in and around the home.
It may be surprising to find that many of the products we use contain ingredients that are known to be carcinogenic ie. they have the potential to cause cancer.
- Replace your shop-bought cleaning products with natural ingredients such as lemon juice, vinegar and baking soda.
- Reduce your single-use plastic waste by using your own reusable water bottle or coffee mug, carry your own grocery bags and buy ingredients from zero-waste stores.
- Open your windows every day.
These natural ways to detox will not only eliminate toxins from your body, they will improve your over-all health by helping your organs work properly, help you lose weight, and give you more energy, just to name a few benefits. It is totally worth a try, especially if you have been feeling sluggish and bloated. Your body will thank you, so give them a try!