Depending where you live, what you eat or drink, what you put onto your body, the quality of the air you breath your body could be burdened with high or low level of toxicity. A three day water cleanses and juice cleanses don't normally get you to the result your body needs, especially if the toxic load is high in the body. We all need some level of bodily detox on a regular basis and the best time to look into this is when we're entering into spring or during summer.
What causes toxins in the body?
Tobacco
Drugs
Alcohol
Amalgam fillings in the mouth
Carbon monoxide, other industrial gases that we breathe
Heavy metals - mercury, lead, cadmium, copper, chromium, nickel, arsenic
Stress, depression, anxiety, sadness
Cosmetic products
Household cleaning products
Plastic products
Taking medicines
Drinking impure unfiltered water
Pesticides that are sprayed on grains, fruits, berries, vegetables and what we eat
Antibiotics that are fed to the animals, the birds whose meat we eat
Viruses and bacterial infections
Parasites and fungi
Mold at home
Your own body also produces autogenous toxins as a result of metabolism
Signs and symptoms your body could be showing if it's in need for a detox
weaker immune system- chronic infections and illnesses (cold, sinus infections)
trouble concentrating or brain fog
skin breakouts, eczema, dry skin, rashes as it's typically the first organ to reveal that something is not right with your detox pathways and your gut
gas, bloating, indigestion, constipation
headaches and migraines (due to sluggish liver, hormonal issues)
sugar cravings, which could be a result of candida, chronic stress or insulin resistance
chronic fatigue caused by mitochondrial disfunction
nutrient deficiencies (A, B, C, D vitamins, magnesium, zinc, selenium)
feeling anxious and depressed
PMS or irregular periods
difficulty loosing weight, especially around the belly area
Why you should detox your body and hormone pathways?
Your body needs a reset before it can start healing itself. We can't expect the body to do what it's meant to be doing if it if has to fight different toxins. Below are some of the key reasons you should detox:
your energy gets restored. No more afternoon energy slumps. With detox you restore your energy powerhouse- your mitochondria. If you didn't know there is around 3000 mitochondria in every single cell of our body and they create the energy we need to do anything in our daily lives. But they can be easily damaged by constant viruses, parasites, medication, oxidative stress etc. Mitochondria need proper fuel to function. Focusing how to fuel yourself properly and getting adequate sleep is paramount.
your liver gets unclogged. Its main function is to clean our body from toxins, but if it's sluggish, it can't perform the 500 and more functions it's supposed to do inside the body. To keep your body clean and functioning your liver needs to function. If your liver is functioning, your skin clears and your bowel movements get more regular.
dangerous belly fat disappears. Rather than depriving yourself from food, support and reset your hormones. Food deprivation increases our hungry hormone ghrelin and tells the body it's still hungry. When doing a detox, we are resetting metabolic hormones- insulin, ghrelin, leptin. After proper detox, you will not have the sugar and salty food cravings.
Healing your body is a matter of self-care not self-control. There are great detox solutions out there that really work and provide longer-lasting result (provided that you don't fall back to your old bad habits). A good detox should supply you with all of the important nutrients that your body normally needs and at the same time cutting out any junk food and chemicals.
Simple steps to detox
Following easy steps and incorporating a few detox foods into your detox diet is the best way to improve your built-in bodily detox system and supply your liver with the tools it needs to clear out toxins efficiently as it should.
Drink enough clean water as water helps to dilute and flush out toxins. Also drink herbal teas (chamomile, calendula, lemon balm, nettle, mint, cumin, fennel, liquorice root etc) and good quality green tea, like matcha.
Add more natural detoxifying foods to your diet- bone broth, sprouts, grapefruit, rucola, dandelion greens, spruce tips, beetroot, celery, lemon, Brussels sprouts, coriander, garlic, berries, nuts and seeds.
Add more vegetables, fruits and high quality protein to your diet.
Become more creative with your food seasonings, by using more fresh and dried herbs and spices, like basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, oregano, cumin, as they all provide many powerful health benefits.
Ditch sugar-sweetened beverages (sodas, sweetened coffee and tea, sports drinks) and instead drink water, unsweetened tea (best are herbal teas)
Avoid products with sugar (cakes, cookies, candies). Read product labels for added sugar.
Limit or avoid foods containing gluten and lactose
Avoid alcoholic drinks
Instead of processed meats like sausages, viennas, bacon, hot dogs consume organic chicken, wild-caught fish like salmon, grass-fed beef
Cut out all refined and heavily processed foods
Review your cosmetic products that you apply to your skin on a daily basis so that there are as few of them as possible, so that they are ecological
Review your household chemicals that you use to clean your home, clothes, and dishes (use ecological, use as little as possible. Water, vinegar, soda, lemon, essential oils like orange, tea tree oil can do a lot)
Minimise the use of plastic as much as possible - plastic cups, plastic bags, plastic packaging, synthetic clothing
Get an adequate amount of sleep (at least 7-8 hours per night)
Use air purifiers in the rooms where you spend more time (like bedroom and living room)- important depending where you live and if you are able to air the rooms with outside air (if the air outside is not clean enough) and if you are struggling with allergies, chronic sinus infections
Exercise regularly as this improves your detoxifying pathways- your lungs, your skin and your lymphatic system
Try and minimise your stress levels by incorporating meditation, yoga and essential oils in your daily routine
If you feel you are in need for a detox, don't know where to start and need a health and nutrition coach on the side to guide you, support you, don't hesitate to reach out to me at info@katrinpeo.com.