How to Cleanse Safely This Spring | Cleanse Your Body

• Higher glycemic: The lack of fibre, fat, and protein increases the rate of blood glucose being delivered into the bloodstream, which can be problematic for diabetics or those with unstable blood sugar levels. 

• Expenses: let's face it, juicing is not cheap! It takes a lot of fruit and veggies to make a juice, whether you make it at home or buy it.  
  
  
• Quality: as you are ingesting the fruits and veggies straight into your bloodstream, it is even more important to ensure that you are buying organic products. The whole point of a detox is to cleanse the body of toxins, therefore we don't want to be ingesting more toxins at a higher rate. Always look for fresh organic, raw and unpasteurized juice!
  
  
• Increased release of toxins: This may sound like a good thing to you, but if your detoxification pathways are not optimal, you may be flooding your body with more toxins than it can handle, as you release toxins from fat stores. This is why it is so important to make sure that you have healthy bowel and liver function before starting any cleanse. 

What to avoid during cleansing

In order to ensure we are as toxic-free as can be, the first step is reducing our exposure to what is coming in.

Check out our previous articles on how to navigate your beauty products and skin care to reduce toxic exposure.

But when it comes to your food, what should you avoid during a cleanse?

Coffee

Caffeine can deplete the body of B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and zinc, and decrease the absorption of iron and calcium. During detoxification, the body requires additional nutritional support in order to process toxins and waste. This process can become impaired with high and chronic coffee consumption. Coffee is also a nervous system stimulant, increases blood sugar, and can negatively affect digestion. 

Alcohol

Up to 95% of alcohol must be metabolized by the liver, which can lead to fat accumulation in the liver and a build-up of toxins due to increased demands. Nutritional deficiencies are also common, as alcohol can deplete vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, B, D, E, K and minerals such as magnesium and potassium. Many of these nutrients are needed for liver detoxification pathways to be completed. 

Sugar

The problem with sugar is that we have become so accustomed to it in our diet nowadays that we are consuming it in alarming amounts. This is detrimental for many reasons as it can result in diabetes, cardiovascular disease, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, cravings, yeast overgrowth, pathogens, and mood imbalances. Processed sugars like HFCS and artificial sweeteners are even more problematic as they can damage the liver over time and lead to kidney damage, and diabetes.  

Processed foods

Processed foods contain highly inflammatory ingredients, additives, chemicals, GMOs, and are commonly void of nutrients. Not only do they put an added burden on the liver to process, but they have also been linked to endocrine disruption, cravings, weight gain, diabetes, neurotoxicity, heart disease, and cancers. Check out the dirty dozen list of food additives to avoid at all costs!

What to include during cleansing

Your body needs a substantial amount of nutrients to ensure phases of detoxification are completed properly. This is why good nutrition is one of the best ways to promote cleansing in the body.

Nutrients needed for detoxification:

• B-vitamins

• Folic acid

• Glutathione

• Flavonoids

• Amino acids

• Vitamin C

• Magnesium

Detoxification supporting foods:

• Cabbage

• Brussels sprouts

• Broccoli

• Onion

• Leeks

• Garlic

• Beets

• Carrots

• Brown rice

• Spinach

• Tomatoes

• Melon

• Peppers

• Brazil nuts

• Avocado

• Asparagus

• Leafy greens

Easy ways to cleanse on a daily basis 

• Start your day with a cup of warm lemon water.

• Join a yoga flow class to restore your mind and spirit and reduce inflammation.

• Eat organic foods whenever possible.

• Drink filtered water.

• Eat whole foods and avoid packaged foods.

• Include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables daily.

• Avoid plastics.

• Practice dry brushing.

• Feed your gut bacteria with probiotics and prebiotics.

• Get plenty of fresh air and time in nature.

• Detox from social media at least once per week.

• Get your body moving and sweat once per day.

• Minimize red meat consumption. 

• Increase your water consumption.

• Eat your last meal 3 hours before bed.

• Eat cruciferous vegetables, brightly coloured fruits, and leafy greens.

Supplements to support cleansing 

• Fiber:  binds onto toxins to promote elimination and faster transit time and supports a healthy microbiome in metabolizing waste and toxins. Include 1-2 tbsps of chia or flax seeds as an addition to a fiber-rich diet of fruits and vegetables.

• Multivitamin: a good quality multivitamin is a great way to guarantee that you are providing your body with all of the nutrients mentioned above, that are so critical for the detoxification process. 

• Antioxidants: these compounds help protect the liver, tissues, and cells from free radical damage created in the detoxification process. As our toxic load increases, so do our need for antioxidants. You can get antioxidants from brightly colored fruits and vegetables, or through supplement form. 

• Dandelion root: liver cleanser that helps filter out toxins and promotes digestion by stimulating stomach acid and bile. Enjoy a cup of dandelion root tea as an alternative to coffee!

• Curcumin: potent anti-inflammatory that is protective to the liver and boosts glutathione production (master antioxidant in the body), and naturally supports detoxification. Add turmeric root to your meals, make a turmeric latte, or supplement with a potent curcumin product.

About Author

Laurence Annez

Laurence Annez is a Certified Nutritional Practitioner and Health Coach, specializing in PCOS and women's hormones. She also holds a degree in Creative Writing and has extensive experience writing on health and wellness topics. Laurence's mission is to inspire and motivate individuals to take control of their own health and reach their ultimate health goals.

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