Simple detoxification tips to help support health and well-being.

When starting into a new year many of us want to improve our health and well-being ready for the year ahead and some look towards the benefits of detoxification. Detoxifying may not only enable the body to rest its digestive processes and remove any unwanted foods that may have become impacted over time along the gut, but may also help support the liver along with the skin, lungs, kidneys and gastro-intestinal mucosa in their detoxification roles which overall may help to boost energy levels, aid weight loss, support digestion, reduce inflammation and promote skin health. Some programmes are aimed at individual’s detoxifying for a few days, but if you don’t however have the time available to rest during this process, there are some simple steps we can all do to help support detoxification daily and my tips below may be of help:

Try starting each day with a hot water and lemon and/or add lemon juice as a salad dressing as lemons can be beneficial and cleansing for our liver, our main detoxification organ.

There are some substances that may interfere with liver function and detoxification processes and these include alcohol, caffeine, cigarette smoke, recreational drugs, well-cooked meats, damaged fats e.g. hydrogenated and saturated, processed foods, food additives, artificial sweeteners, preservatives and salt. So it is advisable to try and reduce your consumption of these. These sources may also be quite acidic so a reduction may help the body to maintain a PH balance needed to function effectively.

Eating a variety of fruit and vegetables daily may also help support an intake of alkalising minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium along with anti-oxidants, which are required to help disable any potential free radicals that are produced within the body that may go on to damage our cells.

It is recommended we should all try to drink around one and a half to two litres of fluids a day and a little more if we exercise or are warm, this not only helps to keep the cells of the body hydrated but may also support detoxification processes helping to rid the body of its wastes.

To help rest our gut, digestive system and support detoxification, try calculating a clear 12hour window so that nothing is eaten or drunk e.g. finishing your last meal and drink at 8pm and beginning your breakfast at 8am. 

Why not try a whole day each week, not eating anything that is solid and instead consume vegetable and fruit juices, smoothies or blended soups along with water, green tea and herbal teas. This may help rest digestive processes and our gut while also helping support detoxification. You may also like to add in some chlorella powder within your juice or smoothie (a fresh water algae) as its chlorophyll content may help cleanse the liver along with our blood. Foods such as beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, celery, apples, spinach, kale, cauliflower, carrots, citrus fruits, berries, parsley, cranberries, pineapple, pumpkin seeds, rocket, artichokes, avocado, onion and garlic along with the spices and herbs turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, coriander, dill, parsley, rosemary, mint and oregano could be included daily within your juices, smoothies, soups or daily meals as they all contain properties that may help the body in its detoxification processes.  

Including foods within your everyday diet such as whole-grains e.g. brown rice, corn, millet, quinoa along with lean organic or wild meats, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, beans and pulses may all help support the intake of our B vitamins and in the production of the amino acids methionine, cysteine and taurine, which all help support liver detoxification enzyme production that help to transform our harmful substances into something that is harmless and prepare them for elimination from the body. Also including foods such as olive oil, cold pressed oils, fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna and nuts may also help support production of bile which is required also for the excretion of toxins during detoxification. 

Hopefully these simple tips may help to kick start your new year regime and including some aspects into your routine daily may also help support your detoxification processes throughout the year.