You hear words like "detox" and "cleanse" associated with health and exercising these days. What's with the fascination? What happened to eating clean, living a healthy lifestyle, and allowing the body to do it's job? Life happened. Processed food, stress, hand sanitizer, and the billion dollar health and fitness industry happened. This industry loves to take our money and sell us things we don't need! In turn, we love buying products that make us think a short cut week cleanse can irradiate months or even years of an unhealthy lifestyle.
Fear not. Let's get back to basics and use our common sense. You don't need a lot of crazy pills, juices, powders, or overpriced plans to help you get back on track. You can simply incorporate as many of these foods that allow your body to naturally detox itself - which our organs are designed to do. If you don't eat a lot of veggies, start with a small amount. Buy organic when you can and frozen fruits and veggies are great options as well.
Lemon
- aids in digestion
- helps reduce bloat since it's a natural diuretic
- helps reduce inflammation
- cleanses the liver
- helps to alkalize the body (balance out the body's PH levels)
Chia seeds
- plenty of fiber to help keep you full; fiber also binds to toxins in the body to help move them out
- high in calcium
- high in anti-oxidants which helps to fight free radicals
- high in zinc which is good for your skin
- make sure to soak and/or blend with a liquid so your body can absorb them!
Pineapple
- high in vitamin C
- helps to ease bloat
- contains enzymes that help aid in digestion
Raw apple cider vinegar (and apples)
- acts as a natural internal disinfectant and anti-bacterial
- helps with insulin sensitivity (blood sugar)
- make sure to start with a small amount like 1 tbsp mixed with 8 ounces of water or lemon water
- eating a whole apple is great since it has fiber, high water content, and is a convenient healthy snack!
Veggies! Specifically cucumber, celery, broccoli (cooked)
- celery is high in calcium, vitamin A and C, iron, and magnesium. and has a high water content
- fresh celery juice heals the gut, helps with inflammation, and helps with digestion
- cucumber is very hydrating, high in vitamin K, and helps to cleanse bad breath!
- broccoli is high in B vitamins, helps to lower cholesterol, and aids in digestion (cooked verses raw might be easier on your tummy)
Avocado
- high in potassium which helps with water retention
- high in fiber and B vitamins
- healthy fat to stabilize blood sugar and keep you full
Water
- how the body rids itself of toxins!
- prevents headaches and helps with focus
- drinking water throughout the day helps prevent snacking when you are just thirsty
- aim for half your body weight in ounces per day!
Some bonus foods to include when you are trying to detox are walnuts, leafy greens, and berries. They all contain fiber to help clear out toxins and keep you full! Keep an apple or some nuts handy so you are able to snack healthy. If you recently consumed a lot of sugar, your blood sugar will be all over the place and you could be feeling lethargic. Being prepared with water and healthy snacks between meals is the best way to continue to detox without doing anything crazy.
Ideally you enjoy and indulge here and there without going so overboard you feel you need to do some huge cleanse. If you stick with these detoxing tips as often as possible, there won't be a need to look for detox pills or cleanse kits. Let your body be it's own cleanse kit.
JN