Every day, we expose ourselves to billions of toxins. The air we breathe in is polluted, and the food we devour is processed, making it rather harmful than nutritious. There are chemicals in most of the products we use. It means our body is constantly challenged.
For our bodies to withstand all the damage while functioning at their maximum capacity, we must ensure that we detoxify them regularly.
Fortunately, our body is naturally prepared to handle toxins and get rid of them. We can heal a wound and fight most infections without conventional treatment methods. However, specific lifestyle approaches prevent your body’s natural gift, its detoxification system, from doing its job.
How do we know our bodies are struggling with detox? If you’ve felt exhausted or struggled to cope even with minor tasks, it could be a sign.
Changes in your physical appearance may be the most challenging consequence of aging that you will have to accept. Wrinkles on the face, loose skin, and greying of hair bring in low self-esteem and a lack of confidence.
It makes people resort to artificial methods of rejuvenating their bodies. One of the most widely used methods is silicone fillers to plump the skin and eliminate fine lines. These are biopolymers injected at the site of enhancement.
But recently, alarming reports have surfaced regarding the harmful effects of these infamous fillers, leading to infections, embolism, sagging, and permanent disfiguration. As mentioned earlier, if you’ve been feeling sluggish lately or suffer from the adverse effects of silicone injections, it is best to go for biopolymer removal, which helps you eliminate harmful compounds with minimally invasive techniques.
With that said, here are a few safe and effective ways that will help you detox your body naturally.
1. Intermittent fasting
With the liver playing a pivotal role in eliminating toxins from the blood, other organs such as kidneys, lungs, and intestines also play a role in this process. Therefore, the whole process will be ineffective if your digestive system is compromised.
One of the most popular ways to jumpstart your metabolism is intermittent fasting. You will limit your calorie intake to a set period, usually an 8-hour block. For example, taking the first meal at 8 am and having the next one around 6 pm. In between, you’re only allowed to consume water.
It helps to balance hunger hormones (ghrelin and leptin) and settle the insulin levels in the body, which is responsible for making and storing fat. So rather than going for expensive diets or weight loss drinks and supplements, try to give your digestive system a break with intermittent fasting.
2. Stay hydrated
Water does so much more than satisfy your thirst. It assists in almost all the vital functions of your body. Here are some of the ways water acts as a detox powerhouse in your body:
- It keeps your skin hydrated, rejuvenating, exfoliating worn-out skin, and eliminating toxins.
- It keeps the kidneys running smoothly and flushes them out, removing the buildup of waste products.
- It prevents constipation.
- It lubricates the joints, allowing smooth movement.
Not drinking enough water makes your body gain weight, called water weight. It makes you feel bloated and puffy. As contradictory as it may sound, drinking more water helps flush out more water weight. Examining your urine color is the best way to measure your hydration level. Pale yellow indicates optimal hydration, whereas dark urine is a reminder to drink more water.
3. Active lifestyle
Detox is not just about eating clean and eliminating toxins. An ideal detox program includes exercise as an essential component. Movement is so powerful that it can change your DNA, allowing the body to function at its ultimate level and increase longevity.
Inflammation stands in the way of your body’s ability to fight off the offenders and long-term diseases. An active lifestyle reduces inflammation in the body and puts you at risk of chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease.
Stress is the leading cause of digestive and hormonal disturbances. Regular exercise is one of the most popular and effective ways to manage stress. You should focus on your time at the gym and stay active outside the gym, too, for lasting effects.
4. Restrict sugar and salt intake
Remember, what you eat is what you need to clean! Processed food contains little water or fiber, which slows down your digestive tract. It stands in the way of detoxification and waste elimination.
Cut out excessive intake of refined sugars and saturated fats. Limit the intake of sugary beverages, which may cause fatty liver. High levels of sugar can lead to an early set of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and lead to obesity. It causes harm to your detoxification organs, i.e., the liver and kidneys.
At the same time, high levels of salt consumption cause water retention and increase kidney load. It causes high blood pressure and overwhelms your heart. Adding potassium-rich food (bananas, avocados, and potatoes) will counterbalance sodium and help you manage salt intake.
5. Probiotics
You don’t need a powerful laxative for detox. A gentler approach that includes probiotics will work more effectively and is tolerable.
Probiotics enable the production of gut-protectant bacteria and boost immunity improving your gut health and the functionality of intestinal cells.
To enhance your overall health, don’t forget to consume probiotic-rich food that includes tomatoes, asparagus, yogurt, and oats.
6. Prioritise sleep
Both our brain and detoxification system need a recharge, and sleeping 7-9 hours is one way to achieve this. Excessive fatigue, anxiety, and memory loss are only a few harmful effects of sleep deprivation.
Deep sleep or REM sleep is necessary for toxin removal from your brain, such as beta-amyloid, which accumulates throughout the day. It makes you more refreshed for the next day and upcoming challenges.
7. Limit alcohol consumption
The liver metabolizes more than 90% of the alcohol entering your body to carcinogenic acetaldehyde. It can lead to liver malfunction, fatty acid buildup, and scarring. Alcohol is also known to cause a myriad of health conditions, including depression and anxiety.
The ideal way to detox would be quitting alcohol, but if that is something you’re working on, including fiber-rich vegetables and fruits, whole grains, vitamin B-rich foods, and protein low in fat would be ideal.
Conclusion
Don’t forget that your body already has an in-built detoxifier that guides you through toxin removal – all you have to do is listen to your body. Remember, if you don’t detox properly, you will damage your body in more ways than one.
So the best way to cleanse your body from the inside is to adopt a healthy lifestyle, which includes a balanced diet, regular exercise, and, most importantly, good mental health. A holistic approach is better than focusing on removing toxins from your body.
Here we conclude our list of ways to benefit your detox process. We hope this information will inspire you to do what’s best for your body.