Detox 101 : How and why to detox
Hi there,
I have a few friends who have asked about detoxing recently so I figured it would be great to share some basic tips with you as well.
Spring is around the corner and it's a great time to consider doing a detox and do a " Spring cleanse". Detoxing can ideally be done every 3 months, but doing one early Fall/Winter and one early Spring are good times as well.
So below I am offering some general tips on detoxing that I hope will benefit and inspire you to detox.
There are different kinds of cleanses you can do and if you have never detoxed before a candida cleanse, a colon, liver and kidney cleanse are generally most recommended to free your body from toxins that have affected your health. Some cleanses can be done in 7 days, 14 days, 21 or 30 days. Embracing a healthier lifestyle and eating habits are crucial to further benefit from your detox.
DETOX 101
Written by N'na. All rights reserved 2012.
Disclaimers: The suggestions below are not to replace doctors' advices. If you have certain medical conditions you should consult your doctor before starting a detox program or eliminating some things from your diet or adding to it.
Why should you detox?
We live a very toxic lifestyle and in spite of our best efforts to make healthy choices our surroundings,foods and cosmetics are loaded with toxins.
What are some benefits of detoxing?
- Cleanse your body from toxins
- Give your organs a chance to rest and work better
- Give you more energy
- Naturally heals your body from certain ailments : you get less headaches, less diseases and sicknesses throughout the year.
- Better skin and complexion
- Give you a clearer sense of thinking and feeling
- More willpower and more positive outlook on life
- Weight loss (detoxing assits with weight loss because your organs working better once you give your body a chance to release toxins, bacteria, fecal matter etc).
Which organs can mostly benefit from a detox?
Your whole body can benefit from a detox but some organs play a major role in the quality of our health such as:
- the kidneys
- the liver
- the colon
There is actually various kind of cleanses:
Candida cleanses, parasite cleanses, kidneys & liver cleanses, colon cleanses, colonics, lung cleanses, total body cleanses etc. Each one is beneficial to your health and for optimal health it's recommended to do them all especially if you have never detoxed before.
When to detox? At least twice a year such as Spring and Fall.
Please consider Fasting. Fasting is probably the best way to detox your body and your mind. It’s important to fast often. Fitting a one day fast weekly/biweekly or a 3 days fast in your monthly schedule are all reasonable endeavor. ( Please consult with your physician before embarking in any fast)
Keep in mind that while you are detoxing you might experience some headaches, you will have to take more frequent trips to the bathroom as your body must flush out many toxins, bacteria, fecal matter etc. Do not stop the detox on account of these as it's actually a proof that the detox was much needed but PLEASE if you suffer from any particular health condition consult with your physician before, during and after your detox.
To Jumpstart your detox.
Gradually eliminate or cut down certain foods from your daily diet.
Gradually add more healthy food and drink more water.
Drink every morning a glass of water with apple cider vinegar, freshly squeeze lemon juice and a spoon of honey.
Eat daily one or more grapefruits and/or apple.
Select a detox program and time frame as you can detox for 3 days, 14, 21, 30 days or longer.
Drink plenty of water to allow your body to flush the toxins.
Drink detox or herbal teas.
Foods to avoid when detoxing
Sugar
Dairy products
Wheat
Gluten: rye, wheat, bran, barley,baked goods...
Caffeine: Coffee, Black tea, sodas...
Other foods: yeast, alcohol, food additive and preservatives, chocolate, high fat foods.
Foods to eat when detoxing
Fresh fruits.
Fresh vegetables. Great detox vegetables includes broccoli, cauliflower, garluc, beets red and green vegetables.
Rice: Brown or basmati rice. Rice cakes, rice crackers, rice pasta.
Other grains: quinoa, flaxseed, millet can be used instead of rice.
Beans: Lentils are a great option.
Nuts and seeds: such as walnuts, almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds. Avoid peanuts.
Oils: Extra Virgin Olive oil, flaxseed oil, coconut oil.
Condiments: fresh herbs, sea salt, limited amount of honey, 100 % natural fruits and vegetables drinks, rice milk, almond milk.
Beverages: water, lemon water, herbal teas, freshly squeezed fruits or vegetables juices, smoothies .
.jpg)
.jpg)
Herbs you can use daily to help with your detox: Ginger, oregano, cayenne, fennel, turmeric.
Garlic: Fresh garlic is great to not only strengthen your immunity but it also cleanses your blood.
Detox products on the market
There are many great products on the markets.
Please do your research before selecting a product. When selecting a product take time to ask questions, explain your goals, research the ingredients included and their roles and be aware of the fact that a detox program will not necessarily feel good at first!
Detox hygiene
Avoid beauty products that are harmful and loaded with toxins because your skin is your largest organ. Use organic, green or homemade beauty & cosmetics products.
During the time when you are detoxing avoid if you can and if it's not your workplace places such as Nail shop and Beauty Salon or any environment that would expose you to toxins.
Consider dry skin brushing before taking a shower.
Consider oil cleansing to cleanse your face.
Detoxing is about more than food & the body.
Detoxing is not just about food. There are emotional triggers to the food that we eat and habits strongly influenced or influencing our food choices.
Other things to consider when detoxing:
Rest your mind and body more.
Cut down or temporarily eliminate on TV time especially news and TV shows that cause the body stress. Cut down on activities or interactions that are unpleasant and unnecessary.
Train your mind each morning to expect the best.
Refrain from complaining unnecessarily focusing on negative things create more stress on your body.
Take time to start your day with a stretch as stretching allows trapped energy to be released.
Walk more during the day.
Spread more love and do good more good deeds.
Smile and laugh more. ( Being scornful, sarcastic and laughing at the expenses of others is NOT what I recommend).
Keep a journal. Record your emotions, your goals…
Keep a gratitude journal. Make time each day to write things you are grateful for and start and finish each day by expressing verbally or in writing something you are grateful for.
DETOX your environment.
Make time to go through your home, bathroom, closet, kitchen cabinets, home office and remove everything old, expired, useless etc.
In your closet get rid of everything stained, with holes, old and that no longer fit.
Declutter and cleam your space totally. A messy and dirty environment can also trigger stress and expose you to toxins.
If you consider fasting:
Disclaimer: Please consult with your physician before starting a fast.
Days before your fast drink plenty of water and eat more fruits and vegetables that are rich in water such as watermelon and cucumbers.
Determine the length of your fast. A meal, a whole day, a few days. Any longer fast should be supervised.
The way you break your fast is very important. Eat foods that are light such as a fruit, a bowl of soup, a salad and eat slowly.
There's a lot more to detoxing than the information I just provided. This article is meant to be an introduction and offer you some direction.
Detoxing is essential to your health and organs' cleanses such as the Colon cleanses can improve your health and even assist with weight loss.
Detoxing has the power to heal, alleviate or prevent some conditions, so do it often and enjoy its many benefits.
I wish you a happy detoxing, a great health journey and if you are new here you are welcome to become a Follower, Like the FB page, subscribe for email updates and let us know about your detoxing experience!!!
N'na
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}