There are so many quick fixes to everything in this day and age, and detoxing is no different. Everyone has a magical tea, pill, or cleanse that promises to rid your body of toxins and help you feel great. But what if we told you that there are several ways you can detox your body at home without the help of a funky-smelling concoction? Instead of quick-fix cleanses, let’s try supporting your body’s natural detoxification system to boost your health. Below, read our favorite natural ways to detox your body at home (spoiler alert: one of them is water!).
Reduce Your Sugar Intake and Processed Foods
Sugar and processed food are notorious for clogging up our bodies and making us feel sluggish. They’re atop the list of contributors to the public health crisis, so naturally, we need to detox from our bodies when we can. Consuming too much sugar or processed food is linked to obesity, which can lead to chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. And further still, these diseases affect our kidneys and liver, which serve as the body’s natural detoxing crew.
The best way to detox from sugar and processed foods is to limit them from your diet. That includes artificial sweeteners like Splenda, too! If you’re like many others who struggle with sugar’s temptation, opt to remove it from your home altogether and replace it with foods known for natural sugar like fruit. When cutting out processed foods, we recommend enjoying processed foods like bacon, fruit snacks, and frozen dinners in moderation or making your own versions at home. As long as they make up less than 20 percent of your daily food intake.
Watch the Salt
Too much of something good can be bad for you, and such is the case with salt. Everything we consume has traces of salt, from the food on your fork, to the water you drink. But when you consume too much salt, it can cause your body to retain fluid. Then, when it builds up in your system, it causes us to bloat. Our bodies bloat because of the release of an antidiuretic hormone that keeps us from using the bathroom to flush out toxins naturally.
Although it sounds counterintuitive, increasing your water intake, helps us shed some of that excess water weight. Of course, the best way to reduce bloating is to decrease your salt intake altogether. Try cooking at home instead of grabbing something to go; you have more control of your seasoning. Another trick is to add or increase potassium-rich foods like spinach, kidney beans, and bananas to your diet to help fight the bloating effects of too much sodium.
Drink More Water
Out of all the detox tricks people share, perhaps the best one is to drink more water. Water is more than quenching your thirst or something to wash down your meal, it has many health benefits, and we depend on it to survive. Drinking water helps you produce saliva and sweat, regulates your body temperature, lubricates your joints, and helps with digestion. Our favorite reason for drinking more water is that it helps your body run at peak efficiency and acts as a natural filtering agent to remove waste.
One thing to keep in mind while working to keep yourself hydrated is the quality of the water you’re drinking. With some water, you run the risk of adding in other toxins while trying to detox. The best way to get the nutrients your body needs while keeping out the toxins is by filtering your water.
Whole house water filtration systems like the ones installed by The Science of Water are your ticket for having safe, clean, and toxin-free water that you’ll want to drink. Before installing a system, the Science of Water team can show what toxins are hiding in your system, keeping you from adequately detoxing.
Get Enough Sleep
This one is easier said than done. Our lives are so busy, and there are only so many hours in a day to get our to-do list done. This often leads to us getting little or poor sleep and even affects our eating habits. According to the National Sleep Foundation’s guidelines, healthy adults should get 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep a night.
Of course, the ideal amount of sleep varies from person to person. Your brain is a vital part of the body, and sleeping allows it to reorganize, rest, recharge, and, most importantly, remove toxic waste from your body. Among the waste removed from your body is beta-amyloid, a protein that aids in developing Alzheimer’s disease.
When you get poor sleep, your body doesn’t have the time or energy to perform its detoxing tasks. This results in those toxins building up in your system and causing long- and short-term health issues like high blood pressure, stress, anxiety, and heart disease. A few helpful ways to help you get a good night’s sleep include enabling blue lighting on your TV and mobile devices, investing in a weighted blanket, and avoiding late meals.
Get Active
Being active and engaging in regular exercise doesn’t necessarily mean you’re trying to lose weight, but it does have some self-esteem-boosting side effects. When you exercise regularly, whether you do hot yoga, HIIT, squats, or go on a brisk 30-minute walk, it boosts your immune system and detoxifies your body. It also reduces the risk of many health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and inflammation.
What makes exercise a natural and beneficial detox trick is that it encourages circulation in the blood and lymph system, enhances digestion, reduces tension, and strengthens your body. When you sweat, it’s evidence that your body, too, is working hard to rid your system of the toxins within. To get the most out of your detox, make sure you’re getting 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, or 75-100 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity activity.
The Science Water: Helping You Detox
Naturally detoxing your body has a whole list of benefits, mainly enhancing your overall health. Our team at The Science of Water wants to contribute to your detoxing efforts by providing you with clean, nutrient-rich, and great tasting water.
Before we can install a whole house water filtration system, we need to test your water to ensure we’re treating each one of your water issues. Reap the benefits of filtered water in your home as you detox!
To learn more about our services or to get a free water test, contact us today!