Detox
Regular detoxification is an effective way to cleanse your body of poisons that slow down your metabolism and undermine your health and vitality.
Our body is naturally detoxifying all the time through skin sweating, lymphatic drainage and elimination however the over exposure to toxins in the foods we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe and the homes, offices and cars in which we reside, puts an excessive burden on these organs and eventually makes us sick.
I am great believer in gently detoxing through regular sweating and intermittent fasting but these additional very simple tips will help to keep your body clean and healthy and your skin glowing.
1. Dramatically cut down on or remove sugar from your diet. By sugar I include, honey, molasses, maple syrup and artificial sweeteners; Xylitol is OK.
Digesting sugar regularly strains the pancreas causing unnecessary weight gain and fatigue and may lead to adult diabetes. Personally I eat almost no sugar.
2. Begin the day with a tall mug of hot water with juice from half of a lemon.
This simple habit flushes the liver, stimulates digestion and elimination, hydrates the skin and reestablishes healthy blood pH. I look forward to my daily lemon flush and feel the difference when I forget.
3. Exercise daily with a kind routine that includes cardio, stretching and straight training.
Regular exercise reduces stress, encourages elimination of toxins, increases blood flow and vitality, rejuvenates the skin, improves posture and aids in weight management. As you all know I am an avid Aeropilates fan for total body, mind and soul fitness.
4. Drink tea instead of coffee.
Not only is tea full of antioxidants that prevent cancer and slow down aging; it hydrates your body and gives you a healthy pick-me-up without the jitters. I am a fan of very strong black tea that I buy in the UK. I drink it with milk and every cup brings such pleasure and joy.
5. Eat plenty of whole organic plant foods.
A colorful variety of fruits and veggies should be the main focus of your diet, along with whole grains, beans and legumes, and small amounts of nuts and seeds,
You should eat a colorful variety of fruits and veggies which are full of healthy fiber, essential anti-aging micronutrients and cancer preventing antioxidants. My diet consists of Fresh organic fruits and vegetables, high quality grass fed protein and raw nuts and seeds. I am thus able to stay energized, light, lean and strong.
6. Use a neti-pot daily
Pollution and allergens are everywhere: in the air, in our food, in our home furnishings and in the water we drink and bathe. Add 1/4 tsp of salt to warm water and flush both sides of your nose to eliminate pollutants and improve breathing.
7. Sweat regularly.
Sweating removes toxins through our largest organ; the skin. Personally I exercise daily sweating often for as long as 30 minutes but I also love my Infra-red Sauna which I use weekly. When looking for an Infra red Sauna there are a few things to bear in mind:
a) You will never want to sit in your sauna with another person so getting a sauna built for one takes up less space and is preferable.
b) The EMF level of the sauna needs to be low; less than 10 milligauss
c) I prefer saunas made of cedar
d) My sauna heats to 124 degrees within 45 minutes, but it is situated in an outside environment. i turn it on when I begin my workout and step in upon completion. At 124 degrees I begin to sweat profusely within 7 minutes and I try to sit for 40 minutes.
8. Dry-brush your skin
Using a soft bristle brush on dry skin sweep towards the heart on arms, legs and torso to encourage skin sloughing and lymphatic drainage.
9. Take a daily multi faceted probiotic. The one I have recently started using and highly recommend is plant based and does not require refrigeration: Primal Defense.
10. I do a 30 day cleanse, twice a year using Whole Body Cleanse program made by Pure Body Institute of Ventura. It is easy to swallow the 1 Colon cleanse pill and 3 total body pills once a day. you will immediately see a change in your bowel movements, an improvement in your sleep and a gleam in you eyes.
11. I take a daily Bentonite Clay Daily Detox pill made by Redmond Trading Company. Bentonite clay has a negative electrical charge, attracting positively charged toxins to it, ridding the body of toxins through fecal excretion. Redmond Clay remains as pure today as it was when the Fremont indians discovered its uses many years ago.
If you answer yes to at least three of the following questions then I sincerely urge you to think about cleansing.
Do you have less than 1 bowel movement per meal eaten?
Are you more than 10 pounds over weight?
Are you tired and sluggish?
Do you have food allergies?
Do you crave breads or sugary sweets?
Do you rarely exercise?
Does your skin breakout?
Do you have bad breath?
Do you have to mask body odor with a scent?
Never done an inner body cleanse before?
Do you eat dairy products?
Do you need caffeine to get up?
written by Marjolein Brugman
Marjolein Brugman is the founder of lighterliving and Aeropilates. “lighterliving is a movement and lifestyle choice we can all make. Let’s make it simple – make one decision a day to be better and watch the small steps lead to big changes. Eat smart, stay active, and you’ll live to feel a lighter life."