Let’s Talk Detox!

Ladies, let’s be real, how many of us feel sluggish, bloated, moody, and just downright tired all the time? I mean, who doesn’t feel this way, right?

We are so busy being busy that we don’t care for ourselves very well. We eat convenient and readily available foods that are usually highly processed and loaded with saturated fats and added sugars. We don’t eat many whole foods, we use or are around products that contain harmful toxins, and we certainly don’t have time to exercise, so it’s no wonder our bodies natural detox system is overloaded. You see, our body has a very sophisticated detoxifying system using several organs like the liver, digestive system, kidneys, skin, and lungs to remove toxins from the body, but those can become overloaded if not properly cared for.

Here’s the good news though…we can detox our bodies so that we reap all the many benefits such as:

  • Eliminating toxins and waste from foods, beverages, hygiene products, and chemicals from household cleaners
  • Increased energy and stamina
  • Weight loss benefits
  • Healthier and shinier hair
  • Smoother skin
  • Stronger immune system
  • Controlling cravings
  • Mental health benefits
  • Clearer thinking (no more brain fog)
  • Decreased nutrient deficiencies
  • Increased ability to manage stress
  • Anti-aging benefits (Who doesn’t want to look younger?)

Easy ways to start releasing all the harmful things we take in are to limit or eliminate alcohol, sodium, processed foods, added sugars, and caffeine intake, while increasing our water intake to at least eight 8-ounce glasses per day, getting a good night’s sleep, increasing probiotic intake, and increasing exercise daily. Being the healthy nutritious foodie that I am, I like to use whole foods and spices to make an easy-to-sip, delicious beverage or smoothie that nourishes the whole body and kick starts the detox process.

One of my all-time favorites is warm lemon water with honey and cinnamon first thing in the morning and right before bed. Drinking this first thing in the morning helps balance pH levels, boosts the immune system, aids in digestion, is a natural diuretic, hydrates the lymph system, increases weight loss, and purifies the liver. At night, it reduces inflammation, relieves constipation, cures heartburn, detoxifies the liver, and cleanses the colon.

WARM LEMON WATER

8 oz. warm water

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 tsp. honey

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Combine all ingredients and enjoy morning and night!

 

My second favorite detox drink is a smoothie combining mango, pineapple, blueberries, kale, almond milk, and cinnamon which flushes the liver and kidneys, supports the gallbladder, gives skin a glow, improves circulation and toxin removal and gives your digestion a fresh start to the day.

MOVIN’ SMOOTHIE

1/8 cup mango, frozen or fresh

1/8 cup pineapple, frozen or fresh

1/8 cup blueberries, frozen or fresh

1/2 cup kale, stalks removed

1 cup almond milk

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend. If using frozen fruit, blend using the smoothie option. You can also add a spoonful of nut butter for added protein and healthy fat.

 

Lastly, my third favorite is another smoothie full of spinach, pineapple juice, a gala apple, carrot, and beetroot powder. Beets are loaded with tons of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins B and C, and minerals like manganese, copper, potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, calcium, and selenium—all of which are vital to many processes in the body especially the removal of all things icky.

 

MORNING DETOX SMOOTHIE

1/2 cup spinach

1 cup pineapple juice

1 small gala apple, chopped

1/2 carrot, chopped into small

pieces

1 tsp. beetroot powder or 1/2 fresh

beetroot

1/2 cup ice

In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until you have a smoothie consistency. Enjoy this first thing in the morning.