Want to upgrade your health and well being this year? After working with patients trying to improve their health for more than a decade, I’ve found that detoxing is one of the easiest and fastest ways to get results.

It’s no mystery. By giving your internal organs a rest, the body’s natural detox pathways have the opportunity to restore themselves, and improve function.

The result? You feel better all around. You might notice a big boost in energy, less brain fog, fewer aches and pains, a release of general stress, or an increase in emotional balance. The rewards can be astounding.

 

5 Easy Detox Tips for the New Year

When some people hear the word detox they imagine being laid out in bed from exhaustion. It ain’t so. Detoxing can fit seamlessly into your daily life.

Jump start your detox with these tips:

1 Eliminate Toxins

It sounds obvious. The first step to detoxing is to eliminate toxins.

What toxins exactly?

Food toxins– pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, GMOs

Found in fruits, vegetables, meats, corn, soy

Shop organic as much as possible. Consume antibiotic, hormone-free meat and non- GMO corn and soy.

Chemical toxins– parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, VOCs

Found in make-up, skin care, household cleaning products

Go through your cabinets and switch out any chemical containing household products for environmentally friendly and natural household ones.

Emotional toxins

Holding onto resentment, anger, grief and fear produces internal toxins. Unhealthy relationships do as well.

The new year is the perfect time to take stock. What’s working for you in your life? What’s not working? If you need assistance, work with your acupuncturist to release unhealthy emotions.

2 Drink 1 Green Juice a Day

A green juice a day keeps the doctor away. Juiced greens help support the bodies natural detox pathways.

Look for greens like celery, parsley, cucumber, spinach, and kale. Fresh, organic, cold-pressed is best.

3 Go Cold Turkey on Sugar

We had our fun over the holidays— a little taste of this and that. Now it’s time to put down the sugar. Trust me, I know hard it can be.

Sugar causes inflammation. And inflammation causes chronic disease, pain and just about every symptom under the sun.

If you’re still having trouble quitting cold turkey, try eating a food that’s high in fat or protein with your sugar of choice, for example, peanut butter or a handful of almonds. By eating in this way, you can help minimize blood sugar spikes and drops that keep you perpetually craving sugar.

For long-term sugar addicts, I recommend doing a self-inquiry to learn more about your sugar addiction. You’re likely to find out some very interesting and worthwhile things about yourself.

4 Get Your Bowels Moving

Your colon is essential to detoxification.

How well is your colon working?

Let’s have a look. Warning: I’m about to get a bit explicit.

Take a look at your poop next time you go. If you’re poop shy, know that it’s yours- it’s okay.

Your poop should be a brownish color, in a S-shape and be the consistency of soft serve ice cream. Harder, drier poop or looser poop indicates digestive issues.A healthy frequency is once a day minimum. After every meal is ideal.

If this describes your current bathroom situation Congratulations, you’re one of the very few whose colon is working properly. If not, be sure to address your digestion at your next appointment. Digestive issues are complex and must be treated individually.

5 Sweat it Out

Do you know what the largest organ of detoxification is?

It’s a surprise! The skin.

When we sweat, the pores of skin release toxins. It’s one of the reasons why we feel so good when we break a sweat. Other reasons? Exercise releases mood-boosting endorphins, lowers cortisol, the stress hormone, and circulates blood and lymphatic flow.

Up-level your skins detoxification abilities by getting in an infrared sauna at least once a week. Infrared rays have the unique ability to help detox heavy metals and other chemicals from the body.

Sources