Natural Detoxing
What’s the best way to detox, reduce bloating and get regular?
I get asked all the time, what’s the best way to detox after the holidays? Depending on how long you’ve been in holiday mode will determine how easy it is to detox. Some people live a lifestyle of holiday mode, for those folks, it’s going to take a little more of a lifestyle change to see real results but for those of you that just need to kickstart your fitness routine after the holidays you will find some great recipes and some of my favourite detox ingredients that I keep around to make tasty water and detox drinks.
To see lasting results in your health you will need to adopt some of the practices on the regular, not just for a week after Christmas but these ideas will help you reboot and set you in the right direction if you are looking for that fresh start for a long term health plan. It’s what we do regularly that keeps us healthy.
How much water should I drink a day?
Water being the most natural and under praised form of detox is where I always start. It’s important to come up with a water drinking plan that you can stick to. What I’ve done over the years to get more benefit from my water has been to include ingredients that benefit my overall health without overindulging on calories. Adding fruit, tea bags, filling 3 litres of water into bottles for the day and placing them on my counter or near my desk to keep me on track of drinking enough water. is just some of the things I’ve done to get that water in me. I like adding things to my water that have nutritional benefits but avoid sugar drinks including juices, pop, or basically anything in a can or bottle that I didn’t create myself. I just don’t trust drink companies at this point.
Detoxing teas, herbs and fruit and veggies
Instead of pre-made drinks I make my own with ingredients with natural detoxing nutrients in them. I am sharing many of these herbs, fruits and vegetables on my ClaireRaeFit Instagram so follow along for ideas in your feed on the daily. It’s all about the choices you make daily, they either fight free radicals or they break you down. We need a healthy balance.
Best Detox Foods
Here are some of my top detoxing foods that I like to add to my water. When you are trying to reset your body and improve your digestion, energy, and focus it will all come down to your choices going forward.
Turmeric isn’t that great in water but I have added some recipes below and just adding into your diet via food, honey or shakes you can reap the benefits. It’s just one of those I keep at the top of my list for overall health and wellness.
When should I detox?
Holidays aren’t the only time you may want to detox. Times of high stress or busy seasons can have you eating more than you would usually eat because of heightened cortisol levels. Cortisol is your hunger hormone and kicks in high gear and when you stressed. This can also happen when you eat too much sugar or when you are coming off of a prolonged period of alcohol consumption. Your hormones will be off and your body will crave the dopamine hits they get from sugar or alcohol.
Unfortunately even though you feel good for the short term as your brain and body is telling you need something to soothe this stress or emotional pain for the short term, it doesn’t come with a long term plan so if you don’t adjust from stress quickly, your body will create a viscous cycle keeping you trapped in highs and lows. This is why you need to make a plan and detox. Your body and mind run on these hormones and although they are there to help you in a pinch you need to address it before it becomes cancer or some other illness.
You may feel down for the first couple of days and up to two weeks but if you push through you will break the habit and your body will start to reset and you can be free from those lying hunger pains and dopamine cravings. It’s just tough at first and that’s why you need a detox plan and goal.
Getting Help is always a good idea
Let me also note that you need to reduce stress before you attempt quitting anything. Depending on how long you’ve been dealing with stress you may need a coach or therapist to help direct and talk to. Both sugar and alcohol are addictions on a physically, mental, emotional and chemically level so never feel shame if you need to seek professional help in this area
When should I detox?
Holidays aren’t the only time you will need to detox. Times of high stress or busy seasons can have you eating more than you would because of heightened cortisol levels. Cortisol is your hunger hormone and kicks in high gear and when you stressed. This can also happen when you eat too much sugar or when you are coming off of a prolonged period of alcohol consumption. Your hormones will be off and your body will crave the dopamine hits they get from sugar or alcohol but those also come with terrible crashes that leave you more depressed or down than when you started. It can create a hard cycle to break.
You may feel down for the first couple of days and up to two weeks but if you push through you will break the habit and your body will start to reset and you can be free from those lying hunger pains and dopamine cravings. It’s just tough at first and that’s why you need a detox plan and goal.
Golden Honey
I’ve been adding this mixture to my morning routine and also adding a spoonful in lemon balm tea in the afternoon.
What is Golden Honey? I just mix honey, turmeric, pepper and cinnamon and call it that.
Turmeric with it’s amazing benefits is one of the top things I’ve been adding to my diet while dealing with some persistent injuries and inflammation. I hate the taste of turmeric so I had to find a solution. Turns out when you mix honey, turmeric, pepper and cinnamon you can enjoy the taste and the benefits of all four of those ingredients.
Liver Detox?
After a weekend or holiday with more than the usual consuptions of alcohol can line anyone with this question. Remember your body detoxifies on it’s own over time when you feed it good food, plenty of water and rest so naturally that will happen but here are some of my top diet picks for you to add while you are looking to get back on track and feeling good. It’s all about the choices we make on the regular that lead us to our results.
Beetroot
Beets also contain vitamin C and a healthy dose of fiber which are both natural cleansers for the digestive system. But more impressively, beets assist with increasing oxygen by cleansing the blood, and can break down toxic wastes to help them be excreted quicker. They stimulate bile flow and boost enzymatic activity.
Garlic
Garlic is loaded with sulphur, which activates liver enzymes that help your body flush out toxins. Garlic also holds high amounts of selenium. Selenium is an essential micronutrient that has been shown to help boost the natural antioxidant enzyme levels in our livers. Supplementing with selenium gives our livers even more ammunition in the fight against the damage caused by oxidative stress.
Olive Oil
If you are still to the notion that fat is bad for you I want you to reconsider that thought. Olive oil is considered a healthy fat and with that I personally have seen a big improvement in my digestion since adding it to my life on the daily. Cold-pressed organic oils such as olive, hemp, and flaxseed offer great support for the liver, providing the body with a liquid base that can suck up harmful toxins in the body. It has also been shown to decrease the levels of fat in the liver.
Walnuts
Walnuts are a good source of glutathione, omega-3 fatty acids, and the amino acid arginine, which supports normal liver cleansing actions, especially when detoxifying ammonia. They are also high in the good fats your body needs but remember they are high in calories so you don’t need to eat a ton to get the benefits.
Milk Thistle
Milk thistle is greatly known in the bodybuilding world among those who use steroids as a liver detox but is also rumoured to help ease hangovers, I can’t personally contest this so maybe try it out and let me know. Other than those it does have other benefits that are worth noting such as anti-inflammatory properties.
Detox Water Recipes
Some of these recipes may seem obvious by their names and almost too simple but never underestimate the power of good nutrients. A reminder that we have what we need from nature to heal and restore.
Ginger Turmeric Tea
- Ginger
- Turmeric
- Lemon
- Honey
- Hot water
Cucumber Lemon Water
- Cucumber
- Lemon
- Water
- Optional mint
Very Berry Water
- Frozen Blueberry
- Black berries
- Strawberries
- water
Beet the winter cold
- Beetroot powder
- Ginger
- Lemon
- Mint
- Water
I love making these in glass jars. I always love drinking my water when they are filled with colour and flavour. It truly helps me drink more and feel better daily. Let me know if you try any or have a recipe you love.
