When most people think of detoxifying their bodies, or “detoxing,” they think of fancy cleanses and trendy supplements. While such notions are popular, many haven’t been scientifically shown to be effective.
Detoxing itself is important. In the course of daily living, you encounter dangerous chemicals, heavy metals, and compounds, some of which find their way into the body. A build-up of these can cause serious health problems.
What you won’t be told is that the body has mechanisms that can handle that detox, and all you have to do is support them. Even better, you can accomplish a “detox” effectively at home, with things you have readily available to you. Here are some ways you can do it.
Watch Your Diet
This is probably the most potent weapon in your arsenal when it comes to detoxifying your body. Modern living forces people to eat badly and live under stressful conditions, which undermine the body’s natural mechanisms for removing toxins. Day-to-day life also increases the number of free radicals in the body. These are disease-causing agents.
To boost the body’s ability to dispose of toxins,
- Eat antioxidant-rich foods—Antioxidants repair the effects of free radicals.
- Cut down on the amount of sugar and processed foods consumed. Processed foods are usually stripped of their original nutrient-rich content.
- Cut down on alcohol consumption: Over time, alcohol consumption damages the liver. Your liver is a critical organ in your body’s natural detoxification process.
- Liver detox supplements can be a great way to help your body eliminate toxins and cleanse its system.
Drink More Water
Water is vital to every single process your body needs to carry out. That includes the elimination of waste. Water assists your stomach, liver, and kidneys in expelling toxins from the body. Water also helps important nutrients get to where they need to go.
The water you drink doesn’t even have to be specially infused with fruit, vitamins, or minerals. Plain tap water will do. It is currently recommended that women drink 8 glasses of water a day, while men drink as much as 12. This, of course, can change according to the environment and activity.
Get More Sleep
Did you know that when you sleep, your body and brain get a chance to clear toxins from themselves? What do you think happens when you short circuit this process by not getting enough sleep?
During sleep, the brain is able to get rid of a particularly harmful toxin, beta-amyloid, a plaque that has been linked to Alzheimer’s. Scientists recommend that you sleep for 7-9 hours every day.
Take a sauna bath
Human beings have harnessed the power of steam throughout history for everything from cooking food to driving engines. Exposure to steam also has beneficial effects on the body. Having regular sauna baths can actually improve everything from cardiovascular health to arthritis. Steam also opens your pores, allowing you to get rid of toxins from the body through your skin.
You don’t even have to leave your home to get the benefits of a sauna since there are several pre-made models that can be set up within your home. If you choose, you can also construct one. There are several places where you can find sauna accessories that will be necessary for your building project. With the right guidance, setting up a sauna in your home doesn’t have to be time-consuming or expensive.
Imagine being able to take advantage of this ancient and healthy tradition, flushing toxins right out of the body in the comfort of your home.
Exercise More
Exercise itself plays no direct role in flushing toxins out of the body. It does improve the overall function and fitness of the body, allowing the body to do what it is designed to do better, one of which is to get rid of toxins. Exercising supports this process by:
- Reducing the number of places toxins can hide in your body: Exercise burns fat. Many common toxins are stored in the body’s fat cells.
- Improving circulation: Cell wastes are sent to the liver and kidneys for disposal through the circulatory system. When you do not get enough exercise, the lack of movement in your body slows this process down.
- Reducing inflammation: Inflammation is a dangerous, cyclical build-up of toxins in the body. When you exercise, you improve your lymphatic system, which carries inflammatory toxins away from the body faster.
Again, you don’t need to leave your home to get the detoxifying effects of exercise. Simple household chores will do. Or, if you have a home gym, get in some cardio on that stationary bike.
Reduce Stress
You don’t need to have a specially designated day at a spa or retreat to do this. There are so many activities that you can do at home that can help you reduce your stress load. Getting your stress levels down is important because stress assists in the creation of free radicals, dangerous toxins that cause chronic disease.
When you get home, take time to do the following to de-stress:
- Listen to music
- Watch your favorite shoes.
- Have a hot bath or shower.
- Yoga and meditation
- Aromatherapy
- Control social media and Internet use.
- Examine your life for emotional or mental stressors. Stress isn’t just confined to the physical body. Depression, sadness, worry about work and finances, and difficult relationships can also lead to an accumulation of harmful chemicals in the body.
This is not an exhaustive list. Feel free to come up with combinations of activities that suit you best.
Use natural cleaners and cosmetics.
The chemicals we come into contact with daily through the cleaning products and cosmetics we use are some of the most dangerous to the body. Consider switching to homemade cleaning products made with baking soda, vinegar, and lemon juice, or store-bought brands that have substituted the toxic chemicals for natural-based substances.
You can do the same with your makeup, skin, and hair products. Regular cosmetics have been found to contain several heavy metals that eventually begin to toxify the body.
As you can see, detoxifying your body doesn’t have to be hard, and the benefits you can accrue are almost endless. It also doesn’t require leaving your home. Look around and see where you can begin your body’s detox today.
