5 tips to help boost your body’s natural detoxification process

The Holidays are over and we all know what that means. If you feasted on tons of Christmas cookies, ham, and the holiday cheese plate, it’s safe to say your body may be feeling the need for a reset.

Holiday bloat is a real thing thanks to consuming more carbs, sugar, and alcohol than normal, plus later hours entertaining or socializing, and constant excuses to skip the gym.

The good news is that you don’t have to resort to a restrictive diet or force yourself to work out for hours on end to get rid of bloating. 

Detox starts in the liver and kidneys, as these organs are the body’s way of filtering the harmful toxins that have piled up. Your body knows how to heal itself, so here are a few gentle ways that can help boost your body’s natural detoxification process.

 

1. HYDRATION, HYDRATION, HYDRATION.

The first step of the Holiday Detox is to release water retention and beat bloat. Hydration cannot be stressed enough during this time, and consuming enough water is essential to help your liver and kidneys filter out toxins. 

Consuming too much salt can cause your body to retain excess fluid, especially if you have a condition that affects your kidneys or liver — or if you don’t drink enough water.

This excess fluid buildup can cause bloating and make clothing uncomfortable. If you find yourself consuming too much salt, you can detox yourself of the extra water weight.

While it may sound counterintuitive, increasing your water intake is one of the best ways to eliminate excess water weight from consuming too much salt.

First of all, cut down on caffeinated drinks and alcohol as these can all dehydrate the body.

The best option is to begin your day with warm lemon water and sip it throughout the day. Lemons provide several health benefits, which combined with warm water, can promote hydration and stimulate digestion throughout the day. 

If you are not that fond of drinking warm lemon water we have another awesome recipe for you: Lemon &LimeDetox Water.

Detox waters help your body by flushing out toxins and cleansing your liver. And they are super simple to make.

We put a LOT of emphasis on lemons because citrus fruits, in general, are a great source of Vitamin C, which aids the immune system. The vitamin C and antioxidants in limes & lemons can strengthen your immune system and help your body fight off infections such as the cold and flu virus. Limes are also a good source of potassium, vitamins A, B, C, and D, calcium, and magnesium. Vitamin C can also reduce the level of inflammation in your body.

Limes & lemons are also acidic and they help saliva break down food for better digestion. Additionally, flavonoids in limes stimulate the secretion of digestive juices. If you experience constipation, the acidity of limes can clear the excretory system and stimulate bowel activity.

 

2. Focus on plant-based meals.

Focus on wholesome, healthy, nourishing meals to help with the cleansing process. Think colorful fruits and vegetables that are loaded with fiber and antioxidants. The antioxidants help reduce inflammation while the fiber helps the digestive track run smoothly. 

Eating a plant-based diet improves the health of your gut so you are better able to absorb the nutrients from food that support your immune system and reduce inflammation. Fiber can lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar and it’s great for good bowel management.

Don't starve or punish yourself. Cut back on processed foods and added sugar, and focus your diet on whole foods, complex carbs, lean protein, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Make sure you are picking whole grains. Regular pasta, white bread and white rice may be plant products, but they are not made from whole grains. Choose 100% whole wheat pasta and bread, and eat brown rice.

Choosing plants will help all your body’s systems work the best they can.

 

3. Get moving!

You don’t have to overwork yourself at the gym to compensate for the holidays. Maybe all your body needs is gentle movement, such as yoga or walking. Exercise increases blood flow promoting better circulation pumping white blood cells through the body, which in turn helps organs cleanse themselves effectively.

Getting your body moving helps rid the body of impurities as well as toxins stored in the fatty tissue burned off by aerobic activity, while also giving you an endorphin rush, leaving you feeling refreshed and renewed. 

Plus, by reducing inflammation, exercise also helps the body function properly, and that includes our natural detox processes.

Exercising also regulates the digestion enabling food wastes to be washed away from the body. Aerobic exercise helps the food we’ve eaten move along through the gastrointestinal tract by strengthening the abdomen muscles.

The increasing amount of oxygen that reaches the cells along with toxin elimination enable  alkalisation and renewal of the cells, which effectively supports the body in all stages of detox.

Don’t forget to drink plenty of water to re-hydrate during exercise.

 

4. Catch Some ZZZ’s 

Your body cleanses itself while you are asleep, so logging more than your average hours of rest is one of the best ways to hit the reset button. Not only does a good night’s rest give your brain and body time to recharge, the more uninterrupted sleep we get the more time your liver has to do its job of filtering waste and toxins.

 

5. Include Prebiotics in Your Daily Diet

The human gut microbiota is involved in a cascade of activities essential for body health.

Prebiotics are types of dietary fiber that feed the friendly bacteria in your gut. Prebiotic fibers are non-digestible and are fermented in the colon into short-chain fatty acids, which provide energy for the cells lining the wall of the gut. This helps the gut bacteria produce nutrients for your colon cells and leads to a healthier digestive system. They stimulate the growth of normal gastrointestinal flora, which in turn hinders the growth of abnormal flora and pathogens and helps reduce bloating and inflammation. 

Prebiotics also help probiotics recolonize in the gut. When your body is able to properly absorb nutrients, it turns off its autoimmune responses helps you convert food into energy more readily.

Prebiotics occur naturally in foods such as leeks, asparagus, chicory root, Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes), banana, garlic, onions, whole wheat foods, oats, and soybeans.

Bonus track

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is a superfood containing a huge variety of nutrients. ACV is known to be a great detoxifier, flushing out toxins in the body, which leads to a better functioning body all around as well as aiding in weight loss, reducing heartburn and acid reflux and promoting healthy cholesterol.

ACV has an alkalizing effect and many viruses and bad bacteria are unable to live in an alkaline environment. This way, ACV can introduce more healthy and beneficial bacteria to your gut. This helps to enhance the health of your digestive system, increase immunity and improve the ability to digest and absorb nutrients. It also increases your metabolism, helping to burn off calories more effectively when moving and exercising.

  

If you haven't jumped on the probiotic bandwagon yet, there is no better time than the present.

Zanapure's enriched formula contains THE MOTHER and includes an extra dose of Probiotics strains that are specifically found to assist in weight loss, help with digestion and help balance the "good" and "bad" bacteria in your gut, and Neem Leaf, a rich source of antioxidants.

There’s no set length of time to detox, so it is up to you to determine what will work for you. The typical detox is 7-21 days.

Your ultimate goal should be to create healthy lifestyle habits that energize you and that you can maintain throughout the year.

Happy Detox!