The majority of these resolutions are health-orientated such as going to the gym more often and eating a nutritious diet. Another popular New Year’s resolution is to detox (short for detoxification). Detoxing cleanses your body by eliminating any toxins through the major organs such as the liver, colon, kidney, skin, lymphatic system and lungs. It helps to restore your body’s natural balance and improve how it functions.

Why Detox?

Detoxification is something our bodies do naturally to get rid of any unwanted toxins which are harmful to our bodily functions.But our bodies could use some additional help with so many daily toxicity factors such as packaged foods, pollution and many harmful chemicals like caffeine and sugar. Most of us take good care of our exterior health by washingour hands several times a day and scrubbing our bodies to remove sweat and bacteria.It’s our interior health which often gets neglected. This is why we should intermittently cleanse the inside of our bodies.

What are the benefits of a detox?

There are many health benefits from detoxing such as:

• Assists with prevention of chronic diseases.
• Better nutrition absorption.
• Cleaner skin.
• Helps to remove waste and toxic chemicals.
• Helps prevent premature aging.
• Higher energy levels.
• Improves digestion.
• Improves immune system.
• Improves overall quality of life.
• Stable mental and emotional states.
• Weight loss.

When should you detox?

Our bodies show signs of when we should cleanse. Some of these toxicity symptoms include:

• Acne.
• Bloating.
• Constipation.
• Depression.
• Dry skin.
• Eczema.
• Fatigue.
• Headaches.
• Mood swings.
• Weight gain.

Most detoxes are done two to four times a year to keep healthy and improve your overall health.

How to detox safely?

While partaking in a cleanse, it’s important to do so safely.  A safe detox consists of not starving yourself or consuming harmful supplements. It’s best to start off simple by doing a cleanse for a week and gradually increase, week by week, until you feel refreshed. Talk to a medical practitioner to help determine how long you should detox for.

Be sure to drink plenty of water. Our bodies need about six to eight glasses of water to flush out any toxins. Include high-fibre fruits and vegetables in your cleanse such as apples, bananas, berries, broccoli and spinach.

Don’t forget to exercise as well, even if it’s a daily 15-minute walk. Light exercise is essential to feeling better and improving your overall health.

How to prepare for a cleanse?

Preparing for a detox is just as crucial as partaking in the actual cleanse. It’s important to give our bodies plenty of time to adjust and take small steps to cutting unhealthy food from our diets. Some preparation tips include:

• Add fresh fruits to more meals.
• Approach detox with the right mindset.
• Drink more fruit smoothies for nutritional values.
• Drink plenty of water. Add lemon or lime juice to boost digestion, metabolism and clean the liver.
• Have an earlier bedtime.
• Lower caffeine and alcohol intake.
• Participate in light exercise activities such as walking or yoga.
• Slowly eliminate whole-grain pastas and bread from diet.
• Surround yourself with a positive network of family and friends.

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