If December is the month of holiday overindulgence, then January is definitely the month of discipline often backed by the “new year, new me” mantra.
It makes sense why most people jump on the out with old, in with the new bandwagon with much talk about cleansing and detoxing.
However, truth be told, your body detoxes simply fine on its own since your skin, kidneys, liver, and digestive tract are programmed to excrete toxins and any unhealthy substances, keeping your body clean and healthy.
That being said, sometimes we just need to give our bodies (and minds) a break from all the bad stuff and a chance to renew our focus on healthy living. A short detox that aims to cleanse the body and reset the mind may be the perfect place to start.
With a focus on improving what goes into your body, eliminating toxins, and a little CBD to keep the body in balance, you’ll ring in the new year on a healthier, happier note!
What is a Detox?
Detox (short for detoxification) regimens can take on a variety of forms, but all seek to assist the body in ridding and cleansing itself of toxins accumulated through diet and the environment.
Detox enthusiasts assert that it produces a “clean slate” for the body, preparing it for a new, healthier way of life since we are exposed to toxins from a multitude of sources each day.
These include numerous additives, including artificial flavors and preservatives, colorings, and heavy metals derived chiefly from fish and other seafood. Processed foods high in fats and sugar can also contribute to the toxic load.
Additionally, the body can absorb harmful substances through dirty air, unfiltered water, and household chemicals. Toxins contained in clothes can be absorbed via the skin as well.
While the body detoxes naturally by itself—via the circulation, liver, and kidneys—detox supporters purport that specific detox programs to eliminate toxins can improve the functioning and health of particular organs and systems.
Mainstream medical practitioners are not convinced, and many argue that the body’s natural filtration mechanism will take care of toxins. Some doctors advise that it may be more important to focus on strengthening the immune system and maintaining overall health than it is to undergo a detox.
Detoxes may last a few days to a month and include various activities, and dietary choices, from juice cleanses and “green eating” to intermittent fasting.
If you’re keen to kick off the new year with a brilliant start, it’s never too late to implement our Top 12 detox tips. Happy detoxing!
1. Water is your friend
We hear it all the time…drink more water! Why? Water is implicated in every metabolic process in the body, and adequate water intake also contributes to maintaining a normal body salt balance.
Water also helps the body to eliminate waste, avoid constipation, kidney stones, and dehydration. Natural thirst should always be quenched. Keep in mind that fruits and veggies are almost entirely water, so 5-7 servings may help meet your daily water needs.
How do you know if your body is properly hydrated? The easiest method to determine if you’re getting enough water is to look at the color of your urine. Your urine should appear a pale-yellow color if you’re getting enough water. If it is any darker than that, consume a glass or two of water.
2. Avoid alcohol
Alcohol is a diuretic that can dehydrate the body and, in excessive amounts, can lead to the development of chronic diseases.
To make matters worse, it’s a double whammy on the diet front, bringing both extra empty calories and a decrease in the willpower required to say no to higher-calorie meals.
The time it takes to detox from alcohol depends on a few factors, including how much you drink, how long you’ve been drinking, and whether you’ve gone through detox before.
If you’re quite a heavy drinker and choose to quit, you will likely experience withdrawal symptoms.
Important: If you are concerned about potential alcohol withdrawal symptoms, talk to your doctor. A doctor can evaluate your overall health and alcohol abuse history to help you determine how likely it is that you’ll experience symptoms.
3. Limit your caffeine intake
While caffeine is great to help you maintain mental focus and energy, too much caffeine isn’t healthy.
Caffeine may be dangerous if taken for an extended period or at dosages greater than 400 mg per day (roughly 4 cups of coffee.) Caffeine has been linked to insomnia, anxiousness, restlessness, nausea, elevated heart rate, and other negative side effects.
Larger dosages may result in headaches, anxiety, and chest pain. If you’ve been consuming caffeine for an extended period, you’ll need to cut it down gradually over a few days. It may also help to drink green tea as a substitute as you wean yourself from other caffeinated beverages.
Although green tea contains caffeine, it includes a plethora of health and weight-loss advantages. If you wish to avoid caffeine entirely, try decaffeinated green tea.
Otherwise, one cup of caffeinated, organic green tea every morning is fine. The caffeine content is low, but the health benefits are substantial.
4. Avoid sugar (and low-calorie artificial sweeteners)
Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and tooth decay may all be caused by eating too much sugar.
The difficulty for most of us is that many of the processed foods we eat, particularly those marketed to children, have added sugar that provides energy in the form of calories and very nothing else, causing us to consume more than we need.
Reset your sweet taste buds by consuming less sugar of all types. Eliminate sugary beverages, snacks, and sweets, and you may be astonished at how satisfying fruit is for your sweet tooth!
Moreover, abstaining from any low-calorie sweeteners teaches you how to control your perception of sweetness.
5. Avoid foods that have been processed or prepared
As a general rule, avoid consuming anything that comes in cans, cartons, bags, or jars. Additionally, avoid eating take out.
While many take out meals appear healthy, they may have been cooked in unhealthy oils or smothered in a creamy sauce.
Limiting processed foods is the quickest and most straightforward approach to cut back on unnecessary (and sometimes hidden) sugars, fats, and calories.
6. Eat more fiber
There are several misconceptions concerning “cleaning” the digestive tract, but what your digestive tract really wants is stimulation, particularly through fiber.
Consider this your gut’s way of exercising. Fiber stimulates the digestive tract; acting as nature’s Roto-Rooter.
However, remember to stick to the fiber found in nature—fruits, vegetables, and whole grains — and avoid processed foods that claim to offer 50% or more of your daily fiber requirements in one serving.
7. Work up a sweat
The skin is the body’s largest organ, and sweating assists in the elimination of excess body salts and other metabolites produced by bodily activities. Working up a sweat on a daily basis might help your body healthily eliminate metabolic breakdown products.
As a general goal, strive to do at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. Reducing sitting time is crucial, too.
Sitting for long periods can be detrimental to your overall health and longevity: the more time you spend sitting each day, the higher your risk of metabolic problems.
8. Make sure that you get enough Zzzz’s
Each night, aim for seven to nine hours of sleep. Adequate sleep is necessary for the support and maintenance of a healthy brain. Recent research has reaffirmed the link between sleep duration and cognitive performance.
(Having trouble sleeping? Click here to find out how you can banish all your sleep woes in no time at all!)
9. Consider a lung detox
Lung health is critical to an individual’s overall health. The lungs are self-cleaning organs that can recover once they are no longer exposed to toxins, such as when a person stops smoking.
Toxins (from air pollution or cigarette smoke) that enter the lungs can significantly impact the body. Toxins become trapped inside mucus over time.
The effectiveness with which the body eliminates mucus from the lungs and airways determines respiratory health.
The best thing that you can do to detox your lungs is to stop smoking or reduce your exposure to air pollution. It may also be beneficial to undergo steam therapy or steam inhalation, which involves inhaling water vapor.
Furthermore, lifestyle modifications that may enhance lung health include exercising on a regular basis, drinking green tea, and consuming anti-inflammatory foods (such as cherries, turmeric, olives, leafy greens, walnuts, lentils and blueberries).
10. Go veggie
Numerous extreme detoxification programs impose severe limits on eating and drinking. However, detoxing on a plant-based vegan diet is beneficial to your health and the environment.
A week-long detox fuelled by plenty of fruits, veggies, and plant-based proteins like lentils, tofu, and chickpeas may give energy and a superfluity of critical nutrients that boost the immune system and reduce inflammation.
Eliminate dairy products, animal proteins, eggs, and processed foods to transition to a vegan plant-based diet.
Replace dairy milk with almond, soy, or oat milk, and meat with one of the several plant-based substitutes, which vary from the recognizable veggie burger to plant-based versions of tuna, sausage, and deli-sliced meats.
Alternatively, consider using the modest yet adaptable tofu as a basis for various meals.
11. Relook at your reaction to stress
Stress has an influence on metabolic and behavioral processes on both a physical and mental level. While completely eradicating stress is unrealistic, changing how you respond to the stress encountered on a daily basis contributes significantly to maintaining a healthy body.
Begin by reminding yourself to “stop and think” and take a deep breath before responding. Additionally, basic activities such as eating healthily, getting enough sleep, and staying physically active will help you keep the control necessary to manage your stress more successfully.
12. CBD as a cleanser
Current research indicates that CBD can contribute significantly to the maintenance of equilibrium among the body’s numerous systems.
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a massive network of cell receptors found throughout the human body, including the brain and skin. It is activated by the body’s endogenous cannabinoids, including cannabinoids derived from cannabis and other plant sources.
This system is critical for maintaining homeostasis or balance in tasks like temperature regulation and immune response modulation.
Moreover, CBD appears to be adaptogenic – it works in conjunction with the endocannabinoid system to dampen overactive systems and improve the responses of underperforming ones.
By doing this, CBD can help the immune system work normally, decrease inflammation, and stabilize mood. That is why some proponents of CBD believe it might be an excellent supplement to a detox regimen.
CBD can be included in various aspects of your detox in multiple ways. Create healthy treats with added CBD, or experiment with a CBD tincture.
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The Bottom Line
Our body is continuously working to remove poisons and unwanted material from its different systems.
Yet, over time, the body can get tired due to bad eating choices, alcohol, coffee, pharmaceuticals, stress, and the environmental contaminants that are a part of our modern-day lives.
When our vital organs are subjected to too much pressure and cannot function properly, sickness and disease can occur.
Making an effort to cleanse the body and nourish these essential organs may help prevent illness and provide instant benefits such as increased energy, smoother skin, improved digestion, mental clarity, and more.
DISCLAIMER: THIS ARTICLE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE
The information, including but not limited to text, images, graphics, and other material contained in this article, are for informational and educational purposes, solely intended to be used as a self-help tool.
No information in this article or on this website is intended to substitute for professional medical advice, treatment, or diagnosis. Always seek guidance and advice from a qualified healthcare provider before undertaking a new health care regimen.