Fresh Start: A Spring Detox Guide
Your body is begging you to take out the trash! Here’s how to detox.
So you can’t face a total detox or your lifestyle makes it just impossible? Don’t give up! There are plenty of simple, everyday things you can do to minimize your toxic exposure and even to let go of many of the toxins you have already accumulated.
Try incorporating as many of these guidelines into your life as you can. The more you do, the better you will feel – but adopting even one or two of these habits will make a large difference.
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Try keeping a bottle of fresh spring or mineral water on your desk and pause for regular sips.
- Make fresh juices part of your life. Invest in a good-quality juicer and enjoy nourishing energy-packed fresh fruit and vegetable juices whenever you can.
- Cut down on your alcohol intake. Drink two glasses of water for every alcoholic beverage. Try diluting your drinks (i.e., enjoy spritzers instead of straight wine; small spirit measures plus a liberal dose of fresh juice instead of strong drinks).
- Cut out “junk” and processed foods. They’re one of the quickest routes to toxic (and fat) overload, and they are surprisingly expensive! If you’re short on time, go for a better brand of “fast food”: a healthy sandwich, some eggs, fruit, or a salad.
- Cut down on your caffeine intake. Try cutting out just one cup of coffee a day and replacing it with herbal tea, hot lemon, and water (deeply detoxifying) or a natural coffee substitute instead. Gradually replace another cup, and then another. The same goes for caffeinated sodas.
- Introduce regular exercise into your life. Learn the yogic Sun Salutation and make it part of your morning routine. Take an after-dinner walk with your partner. Keep a jump rope in your desk drawer. Try a new sport. Just get moving regularly.
- Try skin-brushing before your shower or bath. Brushing skin while dry has special benefits, but Epsom salt soaks and natural salt polishes are good too.
- Practice good, deep breathing. Even if it’s just for five minutes a day, take time out to focus on your breath, allowing your abdomen to press out as you breathe in, and flatten as you breathe out. Spend a few moments before you get out of bed just focusing on your breath.
- Switch to nontoxic natural alternatives for cleaning materials around the home. If you dry-clean your clothes, take them out of the wrapping and leave them outside in the fresh air for at least an hour before bringing them into your closet.
- Look for natural, non-petroleum, non-chemical cosmetics, skin-care, and hair-care products. Pay particular attention to leave-on products (like foundations, lotions, powders, and sunscreens) that remain in contact with your skin for extended periods. Ditto lipsticks, balms, and glosses that you are likely to ingest.
