Many people hear the word 'detox' being banded around, especially at this time of year when our bodies are suffering after all the indulgences of the Christmas season, but what does 'detox' actually mean?
Detoxification
The body works hard to eliminate waste produced from natural metabolic processes. What our bodies don't use – the waste – is referred to as toxins. The organs associated with eliminating toxins are the liver, kidneys, lungs, lymph, colon, and skin.
Why detox?
Our bodies naturally detox metabolic waste, but we often overload our bodies with xenotoxins - toxins from our environment and things we consume. These can come in many forms: alcohol, smoking, air pollution, chemicals, pesticides or medications from non-organic foods, eating too much, or not exercising or moving enough.
To bring our bodies back into a healthy balance, we need to support the organs that contribute to detoxification through diet and exercise.
Ways to aid your body in detoxifying:
Eating foods that support the liver, lungs, kidneys, lymphatic system, our digestive system and the skin.
Doing hot yoga – clearing toxins through sweat.
Doing exercise – pumping blood around our bodies, charging up the heart, lymph nodes, kidneys, liver, colon, breathing deeply through with our lungs, and skin through sweating.
Doing inversions in yoga, (turning upside down, or bringing the head below the heart) - can stimulate our nervous system, bring more oxygen and blood flow to the brain, boost our metabolic rate and energy levels, work the core, rouse the lymphatic system, and help with circulation.
Doing yoga – breathing and exhaling deeply filters air through our lungs.
De-stressing – slowing down, meditation, walks in nature, doing something you love; a hobby, reading.
Foods that support the liver:
Cruciferous vegetables: Broccoli, Kale, cabbage
Beetroots and their greens
Garlic
Lemon
Green apples
Bitter herbs: dandelion and yellow dock.
Foods that support the kidneys:
Water – drink 2 litres a day
Parsley
Coriander
Green tea
Nettle
Alfalfa
Cranberry
Juniper berry
Foods to support your lungs:
Mustard
Turnip
Radish
Wasabi
Cayenne
Foods to support your lymphatic system:
Ginger
Turmeric
Lemon, lime, and grapefruit
Seaweeds
Garlic
Foods to support your colon and the microbiome:
Lentils
Chia seeds
Fermented foods (sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, kefir, apple cider vinegar)
Onion and garlics
Apples
Psyllium
Aloe vera
Dandelion
Foods to support the skin:
Blueberries
Purple cabbage
Beetroots
Walnuts
Sunflower seeds
Detox is a lifestyle choice, not just a short-term fix. Doing these things in daily life, on a regular basis will help relieve your body of toxins we encounter in everyday life.
Come and see Katie for one to one nutrition consultations and personalised nutrition plans to achieve optimal health. Book by emailing info@yardyoga.co.uk
