If you think juicing clean greens is enough to help detox your body completely, not so fast - eighty thousand chemicals a year is what we're up against here.
So to make sure we're doing everything to help our bods the natural way, we teamed up with Miss Eco Glam and author of Toxic World, Toxic People, Anna Rodgers who gave us the low down on how to effectively detox your body.
Want to know how to flush out those nasties? Try these tried and tested ways to get your body back into shape...
1. You are what you drink
Guzzling diet soda is one of the most harmful drinks known to man. Despite innocent claims that drinking diet isn't bad for you, downing soft drinks (diet or not) can have adverse side affects on your health in more ways than you think.
Anna says, "Diet soft drinks are full of nasty ingredients (high fructose corn syrup and aspartame or starters) that can harm your health in the long term. People who drink them regularly are much more likely to be overweight, not to mention suffer with cavities, depression, headaches and mood swings."
Try making your own home made mineral water by simply adding honey and lime to taste. Homemade lemonade at its best!
And if you're in need of something boosting first thing in the morning have a mug of hot water and lemon. This will help kick-start your immune system and get your digestive system prepped and geared for the day ahead.
2. Go organic
Did you know half of Britons buy organic food? That's right, HALF. And with good reason! Organic food, although more expensive is richer in taste, nutrition and lower in pesticides compared to it's non-organic counterparts.
Anna says, "Considering the average apple is grown with up to 48 different chemicals, that alone should tell you how many you may eat on a daily diet of non organic foods. If budget is a problem, look for the non organic foods that are the safest."
Try familiarising yourself with the 'dirty dozen' which will help you eliminate the most toxic food on your diet with out putting too much strain on your budget. Simples!
3. Take up juicing!
Start juicing for a few days or if you really want to go for it, for up to one week! This will help give your body a deep clean and give it a much needed break from digesting heavy foods. By juicing, Anna says, "You can get much more than your ‘five a day’."
If you're in need of some smoothie inspiration, Anna says, "I highly recommend Jason Vale for guidance. He's had over 2 million people purchase his books. He recently released a film “Super Juice Me" about juicing that had the people in it come off their pharmaceutical medications. Amazing!" Sounds good enough to try, right? We're on it.
4. Be a raw foodist
Going raw is one of the best ways to detoxify your body. Raw foods are easier to break down and a great way to remove toxins and other contaminants from your bod.
Enzyme inhibitors are destroyed when foods are cooked, eliminating our ability to digest properly, which is why taking on the raw food diet once in a while can do loads for your health.
Go for things like raw nuts, seeds, avocados, olives and goats cheese. If you want to give it a go yourself, check out our piece on the Raw Food Diet and get to grips with what you need to do.
5. Educate yourself on cleansing foods
When embarking on your detoxing journey make sure you kick off your new way of eating with a load of body-cleansing foods!
Buy foods such as: Artichokes, asparagus, avocados, beets, broccoli, cabbage, dandelions, garlic, ginger, grapefruit, green tea, kale, lemongrass, lemons, olive oil, seaweed, turmeric, water, watercress, coriander and wheatgrass.
If you're feeling overwhelmed by the variety, try some blended as a refreshing smoothie or revitalising juice. This way, you can enjoy your favourites in one pint-sized glass.
6. Get your heart rate up
We've said it before and we'll say it again. Sweating is your body's way of getting rid of all the nasties so exercise is a MUST to help the body excrete toxins. And not just that, it helps get your blood flowing too!
Anna says, "Find something you love doing, I enjoy doing fun things like rebounding, yoga or going on nice walks. Some people swear by Zumba classes! And rebounding is absolutely amazing for helping the body get rid of toxins." Ladies, get moving.
7. Sweat it out
Since sweating is so damn good for detoxing there's no better way to do it than in an infrared sauna.
"Studies show that most people's sweat contains dangerous chemicals such as lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic. Whilst a small amount in the body is ok, the problem is, that most people don’t just have the minimal amount," says Anna. But saunas have been scientifically proven to help the body release these harmful metals and other toxins.
So why not try relaxing in a steaming sauna? Or better, try a sesh of hot Bikram yoga. Not only will you get more flexibility and strength, but the temperature will help you sweat out the toxins. There's a reason behind that 40.5C degree sweat box!
8. Supplements
Everyday we live and breathe genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and doing nothing about it could lead to toxins building up, leading to sickness or in some cases, death.
"The problem is, we are surrounded by chemicals, they are in the air we breathe due to rampant pollution from cars, planes and factories. The are even in the clothes we wear such as synthetic fabrics, pesticides, metallic based dyes, the medications we are prescribed, (some medications contain mercury, fluoride and aluminium) all of which are proven to harm the brain," says Anna. How's that for a reality check?
Don't fret though, there are things you can do to help. Anna recommends taking up a supplement that's a proven heavy metal chelator. Try Carnosine or Niacin (vitamin B3) which you can get from your local health food store or online. The difference might surprise you.
9. Minimise your medications
If your suffering from the sniffles and sneezes think twice before popping any medication. As Anna points out, often simple, more natural approaches to curing colds are far better for your immune system and way better for you in the long run.
"At times medication is often necessary to take, but odds are what you take regularly could be avoided by simple changes to your diet and lifestyle. Headaches can often be treated by drinking more water and pain in the body can usually be sorted by regular yoga sessions or chiropractic adjustments," she says.
To help relieve a cold or flu try natural remedies such as garlic, ginger, lemon, honey and turmeric which can help remedy the problem without heading for the pharmacy.
10. Body brushing
Some people may find 'brushing your body' an odd thing to do but if you do it first thing in the morning you'll be surprised how energised you'll feel throughout the day.
A far cry from the dried corn cobs American Indian used to use, today's modern day body brushing does simply the same. It helps stimulate the body's blood circulation and lymphatic system whilst also brushing away dead skin cells.
Our skin is our largest organ, so we may as well look after it! Get you own body brush now and start brushing away those nasties girls.
11. Get a Swedish massage
There are lots of different massages you can get to help aid chemical detoxification, but there's nothing like a deep Swedish massage to draw out toxic waste.
The circular motions, kneading and stroking will help relax the muscles and ease aches and pains while literally breaking up the tissue and flushing out waste. Another reason to book in that massage this month!
12. Try Acupuncture
Acupuncture, a three thousand year old Chinese medicine, involving needles in the body's pressure points, has actually proved its worth over the last few decades.
Not only is it widely used for inflammation and pain, but it's excellent for detoxing too. Acupuncture acts as a natural diuretic for the body eliminating toxins through the urinary tract. So if saunas and massages aren't your thing, try this! It could also help you significantly if you suffer from back pain too. A win, win for us.
Convinced to start detoxing your bod'? What other things do you do to detoxify? Tweet us @sofeminineUK!
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