Spring has sprung, and whilst most of us are celebrating it’s long awaited arrival, many others are dreading the impending doom of hayfever, seasonal allergies and the effects of the changes in weather!
Here are five simple, everyday detox tips that will have your immune system firing and your body prepared to tackle spring head first,
1.Tongue Scraping
According to the Chopra Institute, this ancient Ayurvedic based practice “helps to stimulate the internal organs through energetic connections with the rest of the body, improve digestion by increasing your sense of taste, and cleanse the body by removing Ama (toxic residue) and bacteria from your oral cavity.
From personal experience, it just feels good to have a simple practice like this in the morning, and each scrape you notice how much clearer and cleaner you feel. It’s also a good indication of how your health is, if there is a lot of build up on the tongue you have to think about what your diet is like and how effectively is your body processing toxins.
2. Lemon water
Drinking warm, filtered water with freshly squeezed lemon might not sound like the most exciting combination to drink first thing in the morning, but the health benefits are documented and plentiful!
Not only does this act as a detoxifying agent, it is very effective at cleansing the liver as it promotes the liver to flush out toxins as well, which is imperative to you body’s detox process.
Simply squeeze the juice of about half a lemon, add your warm, filtered water (you can pre-boil the water and then just add some cold water in) and consume on waking.
3. Move your body
Regular exercise encourages circulation in the blood and lymph system. Moving your body will also enhance digestion, reduce tension, lubricate joints, and strengthen your body.
People who exercise regularly have far fewer total toxins in their systems, so what are you waiting for? Find something you enjoy, and for extra detox points, do it in nature!
4. Contrast Showers
Naturopathic Doctor Cathy Wong suggests that contrast showers “the contrast between hot and cold water increases circulation, which helps to bring nutrients, oxygen and immune cells to damaged and stressed tissues and carries away metabolic waste, inflammatory by-products and other toxic substances.”
Try it next time you hit the shower, with three minutes of hot water, followed by less than one minute of cold water. Repeat this pattern at least once, always finishing with cold (e.g. 3 minutes hot - 1 minute cold - 3 minutes hot - 1 minute cold).
Best to fit your shower with a filter to get rid of the nasties in our water, including chlorine and synthetic chemicals like fluoride. These filters are readily available to order online.
5. Eat More Wholefoods
Add naturally detoxing foods to your (real foods) diet can be extremely beneficial. These should be in addition to a whole, real foods diet. Here are just a few of the best detoxing foods include:
Fruits – High in liquid-content, fruits help the body wash out toxins. They are also very easy to digest and full of nutrients, an added bonus in the detox process.
Citrus fruit – In particular, things like oranges, lemons, and limes aid the body in flushing out toxins and jump starting the digestive tract with enzymatic processes. Lemon juice aids the liver in its cleansing processes. Try starting each morning with a warm glass of lemon water.
Veggies – Green plants will help give a chlorophyll-boost to your digestive tract and are very cleansing to your system. Other foods like: Onions, carrots, artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, kale, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, beet, turmeric, and oregano are great to help cleanse the body. These are high in naturally occurring sulphur and glutathione. Sulphur helps the liver detoxify harmful chemicals. It’s important to add raw veggies to your diet, as the digestive enzymes are very beneficial in the natural detox process.
Garlic – This little food is one of the best detoxing foods there is. It helps stimulate the liver into producing detoxification enzymes that help filter toxic residues from the digestive system.
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