Detoxification is a hot topic. The problem with most cleanses is that they’re just extreme diets in disguise. Doing a cleanse for a week once a year is not going to make a significant impact on your health, especially if it doesn’t supply you with the knowledge and skills to create new habits and lasting change. The best way to detox is to learn how to do it everyday with these simple tips.
1. Avoid Toxins
Avoid toxins whenever possible. On the flip side, realize that since you’re alive on the planet earth, it’s impossible to avoid all toxins and once you start looking for them, it can be a little scary to realize how toxic our world can be.
Exercise your right to choose healthy options for you and the planet whenever possible, but DO NOT go crazy over it. Stressing out over every little thing can turn into a form of toxicity as well.
Eat real food, drink filtered water whenever possible, and YES, absolutely, I do think it’s worth it to invest in organic food and natural products whenever possible.
Check the Environmental Working Group’sConsumer Products Guideto look up any beauty, cleaning, or cookware products that you’re not sure about. They also have handy guides on food and water quality, including the infamous dirty dozen.
2. Eat Real Food
You don’t have to go on a juice cleanse to detox. Just eat real food. If you want to do a whole foods cleanse, I highly recommend The Whole30.
3. Drink
Drinking enough water is essential for cellular detox and for cleansing of our blood. The magical equation for happy kidneys is to drink half your body weight in ounces every day. For example, 150 pound person should drink 75 oz of water per day.
My favorite method is to carry a water bottle and fill up with filtered water. This way, it’s easy to track how much I’m drinking and I always have water on hand.
Try to remember to sip water throughout the day. If you drink it all at once, your body won’t have time to process it and you’ll be making a dash for the washroom shortly afterward.
4. Breathe
Remember to breathe and make sleep a priority. The lungs help us detox volatile organic compounds, mostly while we’re asleep. Amazing, isn’t it?
5. Move
The more you sit, the more you need to move. Walking is especially good for our circulation and lymph system, which is in charge of our immunity and detox of interstitial fluids (fluid between our cells).
Another incredible way to rev up your immune system and detox process is hydrotherapy (the grand daddy of naturopathic treatment).
6. Sweat (And Brush)
Our skin is our largest organ and plays a vital role in elimination. Breaking a sweat by exercise or by sauna enhances detoxification.
Another method to detox the skin is called skin brushing and it’s exactly what it sounds like. Use a loofah, soft brush, or bath glove and brush your skin gently in long stokes toward your heart. Start at your hands and feet. Brush before showering in the morning or before bed.
7. Poop
Everybody poops. Get over it! There’s even a kid’s book about it. (I’ll wait while you google that.) Elimination is a little different for everyone, but I like to hear that folks are going between 1-3 times a day.
The quality of elimination is important too. If you’re experiencing loose stools or constipation, changing up your diet and working with a practitioner to get things on track will make a huge difference in your detox process, immunity, and nutrient absorption.
8. Forgive & Speak Your Truth
Emotions can be toxins too. It doesn’t matter if it’s too much grief or too much joy. Or too much 11 O’Clock News. When we get stuck in an emotion or too attached to an idea, it can be toxic for us.
Forgive. Let it go. Don’t hold back. Speak your truth.
