Detox is a buzzword. It usually involves following a specific dietary regimen or using special products that claim to rid your body of toxins, thereby improving your health and helping you lose weight. Your body is actually well-equipped to eliminate toxins on its own. That said, you can enhance your body's natural detoxification system.
This article gives you several tips and tricks to rejuvenate your body's detoxification system.
What is a detox cure?
A detox cure aims to optimize your body's natural detoxification system.
Commercially available, you'll find many detox cures, often involving the use of diuretics, vitamins, minerals, teas, or laxatives. The idea is to help the body eliminate toxins.
But there are also many methods to include in your daily life to promote good elimination of toxins, and this is what we will do in this article.
Why do a detox cure?
Your body has a sophisticated way of eliminating toxins that involves the liver, kidneys, digestive system, skin, and lungs. However, only when these organs are healthy can they effectively eliminate unwanted substances. Therefore, detox diets will serve to boost your body's natural detoxification system.
How to do a detox diet?
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Limit your alcohol consumption
Liver enzymes metabolize alcohol into acetaldehyde, a known cancer-causing toxin. Your liver then converts it into a harmless substance called acetate, which it eliminates from your body. Excessive alcohol consumption can seriously damage your liver function by causing fat accumulation and inflammation. When this happens, your liver cannot function properly and perform its necessary tasks, including filtering waste and other toxins from your body.
Excessive alcohol consumption reduces your liver's ability to perform normal functions, such as detoxification.
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Prioritize good nights of sleep
Sleep allows your brain to recharge and eliminate toxic waste byproducts that accumulate throughout the day. One such waste product is a protein called beta-amyloid, which contributes to the development of Alzheimer's disease, for example. Poor sleep is associated with short- and long-term health consequences, such as stress, anxiety, high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.
Getting adequate quality sleep every night is essential to supporting your body's health and natural detoxification system. Aim to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep consistently every night for good health.
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Drink more water
Water has other essential functions beyond quenching your thirst. Water transports toxins and waste, effectively eliminating them through urination, breathing, or perspiration. Additionally, staying properly hydrated has many benefits, such as regulating your body temperature, lubricating joints, and aiding digestion and nutrient absorption.
It's therefore important to stay well hydrated during a detox. If you want to diversify your drinks, you can also drink green tea, which is ideal during a detox.
It's often recommended to drink water with fresh lemon juice. While every detox program is different, many recommend consuming fresh juices made from all kinds of fruits over a long period of time. Be careful, however, as juices are often high in calories and low in fiber. Public Health France reminds us that fruit juices should be limited to 1 glass per day. Check out our article on "Juice vs. Smoothie. Which One to Choose? "
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Reduce your sugar intake
Research links high sugary food consumption to obesity and other chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. These diseases interfere with your body's ability to naturally detoxify by damaging important organs, such as your liver and kidneys.
To keep your body's detoxification system healthy, you should avoid junk food.
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Eat foods rich in antioxidants
Antioxidants protect your cells from damage caused by molecules called free radicals. Oxidative stress is a condition that results from the excessive production of free radicals. Alcohol, tobacco smoke, a nutrient-poor diet, and exposure to pollutants can produce excessive free radicals.
A diet rich in antioxidants can help your body fight oxidative stress caused by excess free radicals and other toxins that increase your risk of disease. Examples of antioxidants include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.
A diet rich in antioxidants also improves the health and beauty of your skin and hair.
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Eat foods rich in prebiotics
Your intestinal cells have a detox and excretion system that protects your gut and body from harmful toxins, such as chemicals.
Good gut health starts with prebiotics, a type of fiber that feeds the good bacteria in your gut called probiotics. With prebiotics, your good bacteria can produce nutrients called short-chain fatty acids that are beneficial for your health.
Eating foods rich in prebiotics can keep your immune system and detoxification system healthy. Good food sources of prebiotics include certain fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, artichokes, asparagus, bananas, berries, and oats.
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Reduce your salt intake
For some people, detoxing is a way to eliminate excess water. Consuming too much salt can cause your body to retain excess fluid, especially if you don't drink enough water.
Therefore, consuming too much salt can increase water retention. You can eliminate excess water—and waste—by increasing your intake of water and potassium-rich foods. Potassium-rich foods include potatoes, squash, kidney beans, bananas, and spinach.
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Stay active
Regular exercise—regardless of body weight—is associated with a longer life and a reduced risk of many conditions and diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and some cancers. Exercising also keeps your body's detoxification system functioning properly.
You should aim to do at least 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise—such as brisk walking—or 75 to 150 minutes per week of vigorous-intensity physical activity—such as running.
SUMMARY
Detox diets are said to eliminate toxins, which helps improve health and promote weight loss.
Although these diets are popular, they are not necessary. Your body has its own very effective detoxification system.
That said, you can enhance your body's natural detoxification system and improve your overall health by staying hydrated, consuming less salt, staying active, and eating a diet rich in antioxidants.
