Spring Cleansing: Detox and Diet
If your New Year’s resolutions to eat better haven’t gone as planned,
don’t think you’re alone.
Up to 80% of determinations made at the start of any given year are abandoned within weeks and when we throw a pandemic on top of that, it may even be higher.
With everything we have been dealing with this past year, a healthy diet may have been put on hold (because those extra carbs and sugar sure soothed our emotions) and now it may need some nurturing…and nutrients!
If you just couldn’t seem to stick to that diet, eliminate what you wanted, or change how you eat, this spring may be a great time to shed the unhealthy and make simple choices to cleanse and nourish your body.
What to do first?
To rid your body of built up toxins and provide it a bit of a rest, detoxing can be a good first step.
Amazingly, the body has its own detoxification outlets: the lungs, kidneys, liver, bowels, and skin. Each of these organs has the capacity to cleanse the system.
You can aid the detoxification process with the following:
Lungs: movement, breathing exercises
Kidneys: hydration
Liver: nutrients and supplements
Bowels: liver support and fiber
Skin: sweating
Some ways to incorporate detoxification into your daily life can be:
– daily movement of walking, yoga, hiking, HIIT, weight lifting, swimming
– adding an extra glass of water or cup of green tea to your day
– eating at least 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables per day for hydration and fiber
– meditation or breathing exercises before bed
– opening your windows for fresh air
– taking liver supplements such as milk thistle or Liver C™ by Mountain Peak Nutritionals daily
– taking a hot bath, sitting in a sauna, or relaxing in a hot tub for 20 minutes to sweat
– consuming detoxifying foods such as dandelion, spinach, beets, asparagus, grapefruit, salmon, sweet potatoes
– intermittent fasting (such as the 16:8 in which you fast for 16 hours and eat all meals in the following 8 hours)
Detoxifying can be something you choose to do as we transition into each new season or it can be a routine lifestyle effort.
Then what?
Refreshing your diet in small, gentle ways can work to restore your health in a realistic manner.
To do this, focus on what nutrients you can add to your diet rather than what you should eliminate.
Reducing your intake of certain foods and beverages can come later (and may come naturally throughout the process), but for now concentrate on small steps such as:
– eating at least 5-7 fruits and vegetables per day
– consuming at least 1-2 servings of cold water fish such as salmon, tuna, and sardines, and Arctic char per week
– drinking at least one cup of green or black tea per day
– eating one serving of clean protein at each meal such as pasture-raised eggs, nuts and seeds, fish, organic meats, beans, or lentils
– consuming greens (kale, spinach, chard, lettuces) at least once daily (such as in a salad, soup, or smoothie)
or any other simple things that would work for you to get in more nutrients. Keep in mind that you don’t have to do everything at once – just one goal is okay to start with!
Cleansing your body and refreshing your diet doesn’t have to be intimidating. Take it one step at a time with what feels good to you. Maybe that’s just drinking more water or maybe it’s doing that plus a few other things – determine what you believe is most important and incorporate that realistically into your daily life.
For supplement support as well as acupuncture, holistic counseling, and massage – all excellent for life cleansing – please call us at (303) 688-6698 or click here to schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation with Dr. Graves.
The CNMA office provides naturopathic health care for those in Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Lone Tree, Highlands Ranch, Centennial, Parker, Larkspur, Monument, Colorado Springs, and the greater Denver metro area. If you are outside of these areas, virtual appointments are available.
REFERENCES:
https://www.inc.com/marla-tabaka/why-set-yourself-up-for-failure-ditch-new-years-resolution-do-this-instead.html
Leave a Reply