Detox diet is the process of removing toxins from the body. Toxins build up as a result of poor diet and lifestyle choices, but even with a healthy lifestyle, we could all do with making some healthy choices that support the body’s natural detox system. Our lifestyles are exciting. With work, family life, hobbies, events, travel, and friends, we are busier than we have ever been. Even with all of the labor-saving devices we now own, we are actually busier than our ancestors were. The opportunities we have nowadays are incredible, but the stress our busy lifestyles bring is very real. We are often so pushed for time that we find ourselves reaching for convenience foods and fast solutions. The result is that our health suffers. A detox diet every now and again can help reset the body and get us back on track.
A True Detox Diet Plan Supports your Body
When we talk about a detox diet plan, we don’t mean to fast or exist solely on fresh air and juice for days on end. We simply mean supporting your body to do its natural process. Your body knows how to detox. It has actually got a number of organs whose primary function is to remove toxins. A detox diet plan should support this system and put in place healthy habits that help us to reduce toxins for the long-term, not a short dramatic period of withdrawal. A consistent support system that boosts the body’s natural ability to detoxify is so much healthier.
Top 10 Detox Diet Plan Tips
Boost Hydration
Drinking more water enables your body to function better, it helps move your digestion process along happily, and it helps flush toxins from the body. When you don’t drink enough, one of the first things to suffer is your urinary system. Your liver, kidneys, bladder, and urinary tract need water! Try to drink eight glasses a day for optimum hydration (and more when you are exercising).
Support the Liver and Kidneys
Foods containing healthy fats and antioxidants are good choices for liver and kidney health. Add in some bell peppers, leafy greens, beets, garlic, berries, apples, olive oil, and spices like ginger and turmeric to boost kidney function. Green tea, nettle tea, alfalfa, and parsley are good for the kidneys. Cranberry juice is a good option for aiding the urinary system.
Cut Out Processed Food
Processed food doesn’t just contain a lot of fat and salt; it is also often full of artificial preservatives, flavorings, and colorings. It is much healthier for the body to cook food from scratch, or at least to be wary of overly processed foods, and check out the labels to see what you are really eating. Even healthier foods can contain additives that the body has to work hard to flush away.
Support the Gut
Digestive flora is so important for the body’s ability to eliminate waste and absorb nutrition from the foods we eat. Good gut bacteria is essential. You can boost your good bacteria and reduce bad bacteria by consuming fermented foods such as kefir or by adding a good quality probiotic supplement to your diet. Support your good bacteria, and they will support your detox.
Increase Nutrition
Some detox diets restrict your food, but most experts take the view that increasing the amount of nutritional compounds such as vitamins, minerals, and other essential substances helps the body function better. It makes sense that a body that is functioning well is more able to efficiently detox. It is all about supporting your body to do its job naturally, and nutrition is the best way to do that.
Avoid Alcohol
Our bodies find it difficult to process alcohol. For any detox, eliminating alcohol is essential. This gives your body the much needed chance to recover from the damaging effects of alcohol consumption and allows the kidneys and liver to do their jobs more efficiently, helping you to detox. Taking the alcohol out of your diet is one of the key things to an effective detox diet.
Eat Little and Often
The body handles smaller meals much more effectively than large meals. Consider swapping three main meals for five or six smaller meals. This will help you avoid energy slumps, which can lead you to reach for unhealthy snacks. Fewer, smaller meals can ease the pressure on the digestive system.
Cut the Caffeine
One of the most challenging aspects of a detox diet for many people is cutting back or eliminating caffeine. The liver metabolizes caffeine, so reducing caffeine can help you to detox. This can be tricky, so start with reducing slowly so that you don’t get withdrawal symptoms if you are a passionate coffee lover. If you don’t want to remove caffeine altogether, aim to reduce it and reduce the amount of sugar you add if you have a sweet tooth.
Environmental Factors
As well as a detox diet, it is important to think about the world around you, the air your breathe, and the things you put on your skin. You can also help to detox by avoiding environmental pollution, household chemicals, and chemicals you use on your skin. Opt for more environmentally friendly cleaning products, natural cleansers, and moisturizers. Head out into the countryside for fresh air whenever you can! This can significantly reduce the number of chemicals your body has to cope with.
Support Your Body
Remember, support your body to do its job well, and your body will detox for you. There is rarely any need for a drastic diet, fast, or gimmick. You might want to be stricter for a short period to kick start your detox diet, but the key to sustainable detoxification is making sustainable changes that you can stick to.
