June 20, 2017
What does the word DETOX mean to you?
You probably know of someone who did a detox program or a cleanse. Perhaps they drank a magic elixir of ingredients for a few days and then they exclaimed happily, “I lost 10 pounds!”
What you might not have heard is that a month later, they gained 15 back!
Detox and cleanse products are generally composed of various diuretics and laxatives, which, in honest terms, makes you pee and poop a lot. No wonder you lose weight! Now that might seem like it would be a HEALTHY thing to do, but let me tell you why I personally feel otherwise…
- When you cleanse, EVERYTHING flushes from your body, including the GOOD bacteria in your digestive tract. This can weaken the immune system and actually make you more susceptible to illness.
- When you cleanse, you lose electrolytes and salts that your body NEEDS to function properly.
- When you cleanse, you may lose weight, but because you lose all of the GOOD stuff your body needs along with it, it can kick everything into a sort of “starvation mode,” so most of what you consume afterward wants to be stored in the body as fat.
The Safer way to Detox
With all of that being said, I think it’s important to talk about what I consider to be the BEST ways to detoxify the body naturally, all while REPLENISHING the healthy nutrients you need, so you can remain at an optimum level of health.
The DETOX Top 3
WATER: When it comes to wanting to DETOXIFY your body, try having a glass of warm/hot lemon water first thing in the morning. It will jumpstart your metabolism and help get your body going while being super supporting to our liver and kidneys; two of our major detoxifying organs. It is considered by many holistic nutritionists to be one of the healthiest parts of a morning routine!
FIBRE: Yeah, you’ve all heard the story about keeping regular by getting enough fibre, but do you know that TONNES of people don’t? Fibre adds bulk to our….um, poo, which is GREAT for detoxifying the body naturally, and keeping our insides clean. Think of fibre like the bristles of a brush, cleaning away all of the dusty corners in our guts and getting rid of the yucky stuff. There are even entire weight loss programs out there dedicated to educating people on the importance of fibre!
Looking to UP your fibre intake? If you’re aiming to increase your fruit and veggie intake, you are actually already increasing your fibre! Way to go!
SWEAT: Ever hear the term, “Sweat once a day?” It’s not just so you can LOOK good. Exercise helps to naturally detoxify the body. If you’ve been feeling icky, tired, or sluggish lately, it is AMAZING what a 30-minute daily sweat session can do for your body and mind!
What are your best tips for detoxing in a natural, healthy way?
