8 Natural Detox Tips for the Summer
Keep the pep in your step for your summer break!
Summer season is here: It’s time to live life to its fullest! Many of us want to achieve something over the summer – whether that’s getting in shape or just managing a low-stress family trip away. You just can’t escape the excitement in the air!
Your lungs, skin, digestive system, kidneys and liver all work together to keep your body clean and healthy, so it doesn’t truly need any of the fancy “detox” products you’ll find in the shops. But if you want a health boost (especially after a trip away or a couple of weeks of “treating yourself”), these simple tips can help you feel cleaner, healthier and more full of energy.
1. Drink around 2 litres of water every day to stay fully hydrated. Water helps to maintain the proper balance of vital body salts and is responsible for every single metabolic process in the body. Don’t try to go without!
2. Try to cut down on dietary nasties like packaged and processed foods, alcohol and tobacco.
3. Have no more than two mugs of coffee daily. From digestive issues to increased anxiety, coffee can have a wide range of negative effects on the body. Even heart disease and high cholesterol have been linked with caffeine through some long term studies.
4. Kick your sugar habit. Too much refined and processed sugar can cause any number of painful health issues and can slow down your system, lead to weight gain by being stored as fat, and can lead you to become sugar-dependent. Cut sugar out of your diet for a month, and you’ll find yourself less inclined to use it when the month is up.
5. Leave the car behind or cut down your TV time – do whatever it takes to make sure you have time to exercise every day. Ward off toxins, get your heart pumping and speed up your metabolism with something as simple as a short walk on your lunch break! Taking up a sport like karate or pil sung do is a great way to make sure you always get your exercise, as you’ll always have something to practice or work towards to make sure you’re ready for the next class.
6. Find out what the “green juice” fad is all about. This doesn’t mean you’ll have to buy those overpriced bottled drinks filled with mystery chemicals – if you have a blender, make your own green smoothie! You just need a few pieces of fruit and some good green veggies like spinach or kale, and you’ll be well on your way.
7. Stop grabbing unhealthy drinks like cola and other sugar-packed fizzy drinks and go for something healthier like a natural fruit juice or some herbal tea. You can get loads of different flavours, so being healthy doesn’t need to be boring!
8. Eat lots of small meals instead of one big meal. This is especially good for people who like eating but don’t like feeling overly full. Just pay close attention to your portions, and never force yourself to finish a plate if you aren’t hungry anymore!
