Welcome to spring cleaning season, or should I say spring cleansing season. Through cleansing, your body recharges and renews itself out of hibernation. Here are some detox tips you can follow. Feel free to try out all of them together, or take it step by step as you feel comfortable.
The Juicer
One detox method follows a plan to fully fast and only drink juice. The fast can last as long as one day to a whole week. This will detox your whole body from all the toxins. Many juice cleanses focus on targeting different concerns depending on what juices you input into your body. Green juices will provide energy boosters while orange juices lean towards protecting your immune system.
Each day you should drink at least half your body weight in water. Dehydration becomes commonly confused with hunger and transports nutrients to your cells. I also recommend cutting back on the caffeine. I know, we all need our caffeine to get us through the day. But trust me, once the green juice kicks in…your energy spikes. For my coffee lovers who cannot live without it, (me) I highly recommend sticking with a nice cold brew, or check out matcha that I talk more about down below.
Rejection Foods
For 1-2 days aim away from the animal products. We are going vegan. This becomes one of the most challenging methods for meat lovers. However, we need to clear out the body and only eat plant based meals. No meat. No eggs. No dairy. (sorry!) And try to avoid processed foods if you can.
Drinks
Start your day with a pitcher of lemons! Lemon water does not only refresh you, but it reminds you of the relaxing spa days. Drinking lemon water provides a great source for Vitamin C and helps absorb iron and calcium from other foods. This process typically helps reduce bloating and flush out toxins, all while a shedding excess water weight. Other great foods to add into your water are berries, crushed mint, cubed melon, cucumbers, and lemongrass.
MATCHA, fun word to say right? Matcha green tea is a powerful anti carcinogen which leads to fat loss. Leaves used to make matcha contain a component called epigallocatechin. It can transform fat into fuel following a process called thermogenesis. It helps you shed pounds, especially with the boost of caffeine. Good quality matcha may cost a little extra, but the effects are well worth it. And do not forget to drink half your body weight in water!
Eat Up
Just beet it! This power house food cleanses your blood and improves blood flow throughout your body. Beets provide an excellent source of vitamin E, carotene, phenolic acid and betalains, which help repair cells in the liver.
Getting a good source of fruit, such as apples, help the body wash out toxins. It allows your body to digest in antioxidants, nutrients, and fibers. Citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit do the same by jump starting the enzymatic processes. In fact, why don’t you start your morning with some lemon juice to start the cleansing process.
Green foods are your energy boosters. Kale, spinach, chard and romaine are fridge essentials (if you can find them at the grocery store right now). The chlorophyll clears the body of harmful environmental toxins from things like cleaning products. The green foods supply your body with energy and you truly become ‘jacked on juice’ as my boss would always say.
*All of this information comes from my own experience working at a juice place and being an athlete. These are just recommendations, and I am not a registered dietician.*