The term detox has been commercially adopted in the medical world to promote fad diets that allege to remove toxins from the body, a function that the body naturally performs. While adapting to improved lifestyle changes can help meet your detoxification needs, not all methods are backed by tangible results. Below, Impact Recovery Center provides feasible ways to detoxify your body for improved long-term health.
Increase Your Water Intake
Increasing your water intake may seem like an overrated mechanism for detoxifying your body, while it is one of the most effective ways that help your body perform at its best. Some of the most crucial functions that water helps in include nutrient absorption, regulating body temperature, and removing waste from your body. The body breaks down nutrients from various foods you consume, which are, in turn, converted into energy.
During this process, waste such as carbon dioxide and urea is released into your bloodstream, which could prove harmful if left in your body for a long time. Water removes these products from your body through sweating, urination, and breathing, proving beneficial in detoxification. Staying hydrated thereby allows you to excrete these substances with ease, eliminating the need for additional detox programs.
Consume Foods Rich in Prebiotics
Prebiotics refers to a form of dietary fiber that provides friendly bacteria for your gut. By consuming foods rich in this fiber, you are assured of gut health, essential for detoxifying your system. Intestinal cells rely on prebiotics to excrete waste from your body, which in turn allows you to get rid of toxins. Prebiotics will essentially be beneficial if your good bacteria suffer an imbalance from bad bacteria caused by factors such as poor dental health, low-quality foods, and overreliance on antibiotics. Examples of foods rich in prebiotics include leeks, chicory root, asparagus, and Jerusalem artichoke. Fruits such as bananas, watermelon, and grapefruit are other options to consider for improved gut health.
In addition to consuming the above-listed foods, you can also incorporate sulfur-rich foods such as garlic and onions. These aid in the excretion of heavy metals like cadmium, which could significantly hinder your health in the long run. Others such as broccoli and eggs also enhance glutathione performance in your body, a known antioxidant that helps you get rid of toxins.
Limit Your Alcohol Intake
Alcohol is metabolized in the liver, a factor that could significantly lower your body’s ability to detoxify on its own. Excessive drinking has been associated with risk factors such as inflammation and fat build-up, further impacting liver functions such as removing waste from your body. When this happens, you will likely get a build-up of harmful substances within your system. If you are looking for a way to avoid this, moderate alcohol intake is often recommended, with light intake helping you get the most of your body’s natural detoxification process.
Incorporate Exercise into Your Routine
Exercise is another effective way of helping your body detoxify, with the long-term effects allowing you to reduce complications such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Exercise helps fight inflammation in the body, with as little as 150 minutes of weekly activity, allowing you to build your body’s defense to fight off diseases. This also allows you to detoxify your system with ease, with frequent movement, enabling your body to build, repair and excrete toxic substances that would have otherwise built up in your blood system. A few exercises to incorporate into your daily life include walking, running, swimming, and yoga stretches.
While modern detox programs have gained popularity among the masses, the above-listed detoxification methods will come in handy for a simplified routine. Consider implementing these in your daily routine for consistent results.