Detox sounds like a scary word to some, and when taken to extremes, can be just that! But there are many healthful and reasonable ways to detoxify your body of unwanted chemicals, sugars, cravings-whatever you want. Detoxing technically means to clean the blood, thus cleaning your organs of unwanted toxins-sounds pretty good to me. I believe most of us, like myself, think of it as cleansing your body of anything unwanted based on bad habits. After the recent holidays, I felt physically and mentally sick from what I had been putting in my body daily-I wanted to feel clean and energized again!
One extremely simple way to detox your body (and lose a few while you're at it) is to eat nothing but fresh and organically grown foods-primarily fruits and vegetables-and cut out any processed foods, saturated fats, sugars, alcohol, caffeine, dairy, etc. You can cut out some or all of those listed-it depends on what you want from the cleanse. This can be accomplished a bit more easily with specific detox recipes, juices (from a juicer-mainly veggies!), and smoothies-all of these allow clean, and sometimes healthy foods you don't necessarily love, to be slipped in with minimal unwanted taste. This, however, takes a lot of dedication. I'd recommend doing this for at least 3 days for a good start, 1 week for more of a cleanse, and a permanent lifestyle change if it agrees with you-you'll find yourself craving less of the bad stuff the longer you're on it. Don't forget to drink tons of water to aide in the elimination of the toxins and to keep you hydrated, and if you ever feel faint, or as though you're not getting enough calories, have a handful of nuts or small piece of fruit to ensure your blood sugar is stable.
Another popular trend is using herbal detoxing supplements. Since I'm in the pregnancy/nursing/trying-for-baby phase of my life between last year (and the next few upcoming years hopefully!), I like to do my research and be very careful about herbs. In fact, if I was active in any of the phases mentioned, I probably wouldn't touch anything herbal, but when I'm in the clear, I do dabble with things that are deemed safe and productive. I've used a handful of herbs listed on this list, but I personally always feel more comfortable using an organic detoxifying hot tea as directed rather than taking a supplement in a pill form.
Bethenny's Skinnygirl Cleanse is a nice alternative to figuring things out on your own, as it is a daily packet you place in water with ingredients such as fiber, aloe, and dandelion, and many other nutrients to aide in digestion, keep the toxins flowing OUT, and leave the guessing out of it. I have not used this, but may in the future. I appreciate that she hasn't created a meal replacement or an extreme diet, but rather something healthy to add to your daily routine and encourage healthy eating with Skinnygirl recipes included. Again, I haven't tried this, and I'd like to read the fine print first, but for 30 days it sounds intriguing. Sound off if you've tried it!
I don't enjoy going for the fads such as the Master Cleanse or other extreme diets. Who wants to feel sick or be running to the bathroom constantly?! I believe these can lead to dangerous consequences, and your body will truly cleanse itself if you eat healthfully and cleanly. Again, healthy veggie juices, smoothies, and fresh clean foods will do the same thing-so why torture yourself?? You may feel sluggish at first as your body adjusts to less sugar and works hard to rid yourself of the toxins, but that should go away after the first 3 days!
Don't underestimate the power of exercise. When you sweat, you are sweating out toxins. Any cardio and yoga are great for this. Yoga has specific detoxifying moves, such as twists, to "wring out the organs", which I find fascinating! While you're at it, treat yourself to a deep tissue massage. This improves the circulation of the blood, hence speeding the detox process-nice excuse for a rub down!
Again, drink lots and lots of filtered water. When you urinate, you are peeing out toxins-that is why it is crucial to exercise and drink as much water as you can. Try some lemon in hot or sparkling water for an extra boost! Eliminating store-bought juices, most caffeine, and alcohol will also help keep you hydrated and clean-these are all dehydrating, which defeats the purpose of removing harmful things from your body. As annoying as it is, urinating frequently can be a healthy thing. And on THAT note, be safe, be well-Stay Chic, Stay Healthy;)
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