Detox - Give your liver a rest

The word “detox” gets thrown around a lot and generally is associated with a liquid fast or a ‘juice cleanse’. In my opinion, these are ok, but only short term solutions. There are, however, very effective ways to flush out the system without starving...

The word “detox” gets thrown around a lot and generally is associated with a liquid fast or a ‘juice cleanse’. In my opinion, these are ok, but only short term solutions. There are, however, very effective ways to flush out the system without starving yourself or spending a fortune.

Detoxification really means to give your body, namely the liver, a break and allow it to heal and regenerate new healthy cells. The better the liver functions, the better the rest of the body can function.

It is true that our liver naturally detoxifies itself, but our modern lifestyle means we are constantly putting the liver under a lot of stress. It is inevitable that toxins will accumulate and a controlled detox can be just the boost your body needs to get it back on track. Not only will you have renewed energy, bright eyes and glowing skin, your weight may go down too as the liver is the body’s main fat burning organ!

OUR DETOX TIPS

• Start the day with a cup of warm water and 1/2 lemon or 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. The Vitamin C in the lemon helps to kick-start your digestion and alkalise the body.

• Remove sugar, dairy, alcohol, caffeine, gluten, diet soft drinks, soy and meat. These nasties make the liver work particularly hard and are very acidic.

• “When you’re green on the inside, you’re clean on the inside.” Green leafy vegetables are high in chlorophyll, which suck up environmental toxins from the blood. They neutralize heavy metals, chemicals and pesticides, making these cleansing foods a powerful protective mechanism for the liver. Load up on things like spinach, kale, watercress, beet greens and even wheatgrass and blue green algae. You can eat them raw, cooked or juiced.

• Drink lots of water and herbal teas to flush your system. Teas that are great liver cleansers are: green tea, dandelion root, lemon ginger, licorice, lemongrass and rosehip.

• The health of your gut is the cornerstone to your overall health and wellbeing. Start to incorporate fermented foods like kimchi or sauerkraut and take a good quality probiotic.

• Spice up your food – turmeric, cayenne, cinnamon and nutmeg are great liver cleansers.

• Eat plenty of fibre This binds toxins and assists flushing. Foods to include are: apples, pears, berries, nuts, seeds and brown rice.

• Supplements for liver cleansing: omega-3 fish oil (help to protect the intestinal wall and absorb toxins);magnesium and zinc; daily probiotic; Chlorella, vitamins B and C. Talk to your health practitioner regarding dosage and which supplements are best for you.

• Sweat it out. Exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. Whether it’s CrossFit, yoga or a jog, get moving to sweat out those toxins. Even a sauna can be beneficial.

• Our skin is our biggest organ and is responsible for a quarter of our body’s daily detoxification. Dry brushing can stimulate circulation of the blood and lymphatic system. It enhances detoxification through the skin.

• Get some sleep. Your body does its healing, repairing and growing of healthy cells during sleep. Getting enough sleep will ensure your body is able to do it’s job and self -detox whilst you sleep.

Combining the last few points, in Sweat, Skin and Sleep. Allow the toxins in your body to be absorbed into Detox Foot Patches. Place these on the soles of your feet before bed and as the toxins are close to the reflexology points in your feet, these will be absorbed through the skin, while you sleep. Byron Bay Detox Foot Patches 

• A note on protein: The body needs amino acids (protein) in order to detox properly. I recommend a natural whey/pea protein powder during your detox period to assist the process. Other protein options include fish, eggs and poultry, and small amounts of nuts. Avoid meat as this can be quite difficult to digest and can be very acidic.

• Other liver detoxifying foods:

• Beets and carrots: High in plant-flavonoids and beta-carotene, eating beets and carrots can help stimulate and improve overall liver function. They make a tasty juice too!

• Brassica vegetables: Think broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and brussels sprouts. These veggies will increase the amount of glucosinolate in your system, increasing enzyme production in the liver. These natural enzymes help flush out carcinogens and other toxins, which may significantly reduce risks associated with cancer.

• Garlic: It may be stinky, but just adding raw or cooked garlic to your food can help to filter out residual toxins.

“How long should I do a cleanse for?” I hear you ask. 14 –  21 days is a good amount of time to cleanse your body and give it time to regenerate and heal. Hopefully you will form some goods habits over this time that will carry on in to your normal daily routine.

Love your liver and I can guarantee, it will love you back!

*Source www.nathealthnews.com


Comments (1)

George

5 September 2017
Great read

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