Detox

It’s that time of year again, when everyone signs up at the gym and begins their detox programs. While I think any time is a great time to work towards a healthier you, it might be wise to consider trying a detox/cleanse in the spring, especially if you live in a colder climate. Winter is harsh, it’s cold, and there is little abundance of fresh foods to aid you through a cleanse. A holistic approach to cleansing will likely not be fasting, or any of the “lemonade” type detoxes you find out there. At least not long term, and especially not if you have other conditions or an unhealthy gut. There is one detox that uses lemon water, maple syrup and cayenne as a protocol…in theory these elements can work to help cleanse the body, however, you’re basically living off sugar (maple syrup) and little else. Be mindful that the “weight” you loose on these cleanses can be mostly water and muscle. Also detoxing releases a lot of toxins (hence the name…) and if our organs of elimination are not working properly, we may end up recycling these toxins in our body vs. actually ridding ourselves of them. Our bodies require nutrients to thrive and survive (and to loose weight). We need each of the macronutrients to be the best we can possibly be, so prolonged use of any type of starving detox I would not recommend. Depending on where you are nutritionally, any type of elimination of a food is considered a detox. For example, if you eat a lot of sugary treats, like chocolate bars and pop, just eliminating those alone is a detox. Getting off sugar is hard, but once you do, you can then move towards other cleanses. If you do feel you need to cleanse now, please consider incorporating lots of fresh vegetables, limiting tropical fruit (except lemons) because of their high sugar content, increase your water, limit dairy and gluten grains and meat. Guaranteed you will feel better if you follow a more simplified meal plan and stop with caffeine, smoking, sugar and any of the stimulants that create toxins in the body. You may also want to consider going all or at least half organic to reduce your exposure to pesticides. If you can’t afford 6 organic apples, buy 3 and eat them every other day. Another overlooked part of a holistic cleanse is to rid yourself of any chemical-laden beauty products, household cleansers – including those that make your house smell fresh, they are full of carcinogens, and limit exposure to microwaves, cell phones etc.

I am planning on cleansing in the spring, I’ll blog about it then and will include tips and maybe some recipes too!

To you health

Coconutlime