1. Reduce toxins
Dispose of all that is toxic in your life, starting by eliminating alcohol, sugar, coffee, cigarettes, refined foods and foods containing artificial flavours, colours and preservatives. Do this gradually if your intake is high. Eliminate one toxin at a time, or reduce your intake before letting it go for good. Reduce your exposure to toxins by scrutinising food labels and products before use. Remember also that toxic thoughts and emotions need to be removed from your life to allow detox and health-giving practices to flow. The science of Psychoneuroendocrinology is discovering how toxic thoughts deplete immune, nervous system and hormonal function, leading to toxic build-up in the body. Try these easy ways to reduce toxins.
2. Brush everything
Dry brushing your skin before taking a shower helps to remove surplus skin cells (often laden with detritus) and enhances circulation, assisting detoxification. Using a vegetable-bristle body brush, make gentle upward strokes, always in the direction of your heart. Avoid sensitive areas – it should always be fresh and enjoyable. Brushing your hair helps to draw the protective oils from your scalp, coating hair strands. Increase circulation by simultaneously massaging your scalp.
3. Hydrate your body
While maintaining hydration is important at all times, it’s imperative during a detox. To facilitate gentle ongoing detoxification, drink a good amount of the purest water possible every day. Traditional Chinese Medicine suggests drinking large amounts of warm water first thing in the morning. According to renowned researcher and scientist Dr Masaru Emoto, water is deeply connected to our individual and collective consciousness. Don’t forget to get your body moving. Building up a sweat through cardiovascular exercise helps rid the body of toxins. Infrared saunas are also recommended for detox. Find out if you are drinking enough water.
4. Drink ‘liquid gold’
Rich in antioxidants, vegetable juice is liquid gold. Make a juice every day using well-cleaned organic produce. Carrot, beetroot and celery are particularly supportive vegetables during a detox. Take time to drink your juice each day, swallowing mindfully. Different herbs support different organs and body systems. There are many useful herbal teas available including chamomile, rosehip and dandy. Try these 7 power juices for better health.
5. Harness the power of chewing
In general, we rush our eating. Eating on the run is endemic. Refined foods require little chewing and are often swallowed after three or four chews. Even whole foods are all too often prematurely swallowed. Eating this way can result in digestive stagnation, which in turn produces toxins in the gut as well as digestive disturbances. You need to be relaxed to digest effectively. Slow down at meal times and aim to chew a minimum of 20 times a mouthful. Properly chewing foods supports the chemical and mechanical aspects of the digestive process and enhances the absorption and assimilation of nutrients. This lightens the load on the liver. Surrendering to the fact that eating this way will take time will help your body slip into ‘rest and digest’ mode.
