detox

Lets talk about a topic we see a lot in the health industry- the dreaded detox. 

3 day juice cleanses, lemon water and soups consisting of a variety of questionable vegetable combinations may spring to mind. However the word ‘detox’ simply refers to the body’s process of removing toxins and ugly byproducts— the good news?

Your body is working hard around the clock to remove all those unfriendly chemicals as we speak. 

The liver works in a way that metabolises these toxins, breaking them down so they are less harmful to the body and are able to bind to other molecules for excretion. In conjunction with our skin, our digestive tract and our lymphatic system, the body does a good job on its own, and is probably wondering why you’re getting up at 6am to juice lemons... 

However, as good as this system is, it is not fool proof- with modern diets, environmental pollution, creams, lotions and other substance (yes I’m talking about those happy hour g&t’s) it is possible that we are overwhelming our systems with overexposure to toxic matter. 

Tell-tale signs that your liver isn’t keeping up with what’s coming in can be bloating, breakouts: particularly along your jaw line and chin area, changes in bowel movement such as constipation, poor or disrupted sleep and mood swings. 

Luckily, there are ways in which we can support our liver function and make its job easier.

Increasing Fibre Intake 

Faecal matter is a way the body excreted metabolised products— by including fibre in your diet you are ensuring that the bowel is moving regularly. Additionally, fibre makes a happy gut by feeding your gut bacteria, creating a healthy microbiome and improving the bodies ability to utilise metabolites. 

By incorporating plant based foods into your diet— aim for a variety of 30 a week— we are ensuring the body is supplied with adequate nutrients and dietary fibre to keep your gut happy. This could be anything from whole grains, nuts, seeds or vegetables.

Additionally, try including more of foods like beetroot, blueberries, cold water fish, nuts, turmeric and cruciferous vegetables into your diet which support liver function.

Drinking 2L of Water per Day 

It seems to be the answer to all of our health and beauty questions- drink your water! 

The body itself is mostly water and to replace what we lose throughout the day we should be consuming roughly 2L daily depending on who you are and what your typical day looks like. Adequate water intake will flush out toxins from the kidneys and promote regular urination. 

Sweat It Out 

By getting your heart rate going you are stimulating your lymphatic system, stimulating the flow of immune cells to remove foreign and harmful pathogens.

Roll out your yoga mats or lace up your joggers and think about the toxins you’re removing from your body as you do— talk about motivational. 

Sleep 

Grab those silk eye masks and pop a dose of magnesium— sleep is a great way for your body to replenish and rebuild, giving you a solid period of time to focus on carrying out those metabolic processes.

Popular methods of detoxing are ‘hard’ because they are depriving your body of fuel and nutrition: ‘health’ doesn’t ever come with a ‘quick fix’ solution. It takes time and consistency for any positive outcome. So look after your body by eating a balanced and healthy diet of whole foods and limiting the amount of toxins you consume.