Let’s Talk About Detox
In my last post, I mentioned that for the past 9 weeks I’ve been enrolled in an intensive coding boot camp. The course started just after the New Year, you know, that time of year where we’re all feeling really motivated to get back on the health track?
I did my best to get an adequate amount of fruits and veggies while squeezing in a bit of yoga when I could, but it wasn’t nearly enough!
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Now that the course is finished, I’m ready to
My favorite way to jump start the process is with a bit of a detox.
What is a Detox Anyway?
The basic idea of a detox is that you rid your body of toxins. There are many elements that are considered “toxic” from our body’s point of view, which are naturally processed and flushed out by our liver and kidneys. Usually, these organs do a great job on their own, but if they have too much work, they can become less effective.
There are three broad ideas to focus on to ensure that our body is detoxing efficiently.
Eating Healthy
The simplest step is to eat healthily. I personally believe, based on my research and experience, that the best way to detox is to change our diets in sustainable ways. Cut out, or at least cut down on, as many “toxic” foods as you can. By doing this, we aren’t replacing the toxins that our bodies are busy flushing out!
The tricky part is deciding what to consider a toxin, an idea that varies depending on which research you read. I try not to get too carried away here because I think being too strict does more harm than good (but that is my personal opinion). I generally avoid processed foods and sugars, fried foods, and anything that’s not “natural,” but I don’t take it to the extreme.
There are many different types of diets that claim to be detoxifying, and some can be quite strict, so I urge you to carefully think about which one to choose. Good questions to ask yourself are: will the overall impact be beneficial? Will the results last? Is the diet actually healthy, or are we just told that it is?
Again, I believe that changing your diet in a sustainable way is that best route to take. While this lifestyle change may not seem like a super cleanse, your body will benefit over a longer period of time.
Now, there are a few more things to add.
Liver & Kidneys
As I mentioned, our liver and kidneys work to flush out our body’s toxins. A super simple
The toxic by-product in our blood is then passed to our kidneys, which process and discard the waste from our bodies.
If we’re eating pretty healthy, these organs are great at their job. However, if we’ve given them a lot of extra work (by eating badly), we should provide them with a little assistance.
Certain foods, such as coffee, green tea, beets, cruciferous vegetables, berries, grapes, prickly pear, dragon fruit, apples, and dandelion, are thought to help the efficiency of our kidneys and liver.
If I’m feeling a bit sluggish or like I need a healthy boost, I’ll try to add a little extra
Inflammation
Inflammation can occur when our body responds to a foreign invader or pathogen. Inflammation can be a good thing when we need to heal. However, we can also have chronic inflammation, especially when we are not eating well or taking care of ourselves.
Persistent inflammation is linked to many major diseases, so we want to prevent unnecessary inflammation as much as possible.
The best way to fight chronic inflammation is through our diet. We should avoid foods that cause inflammation, such as refined carbs (white bread & pastries), fried foods, soda, and red meat.
Generally, foods that are rich in antioxidants and fiber help to reduce inflammatory proteins in our bodies. These include:
- Tomatoes
- Olive oil
- Green leafy vegetables
- Nuts
- Fatty fish (or other forms of Omega-3 such as flax)
- Fruits
- Turmeric
- Moringa
- Beans
After I’ve been in a bit of a health rut, I always try to get back on track by increasing the anti-inflammatory and liver friendly foods in my diet. I feel like the process helps me to “detox.” Knowing that I’m eating really well actually works as motivation to start up my other routines!
I’d love to hear from you? What is your favorite way to jumpstart your health routine?
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