The start of a new year is a great time to start new healthy habits. This is why gyms are generally filled to capacity at the beginning of every January. However, you don’t need to wait for a specific calendar date to start getting healthier. You can start a new routine at any time. If you want to get a kickstart, though, and get the best possible results you might want to try a detox. Cleansing harmful toxins from your body will help it perform to its highest capacity so you can digest food more easily, experience less joint pain, get fewer headaches, and have more energy. If you’ve never done one before, don’t worry. There are several different types and many of them are not difficult. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Eliminate Sugar
A lot of people struggle with their sugar intake. You may have even heard that some people have a sugar addiction. Some researchers claim that sugar can be more addictive than cocaine. You may need to start by slowly lowering your sugar intake at first, but eventually you want to eliminate all sugar from your diet. The cravings will get better after a few days, and you’ll most likely feel fuller sooner and be able to digest your food more effectively. Eventually you’ll want to avoid all sweeteners, even if it’s just for a couple of days.
Complete a Cleanse
Cleanses are the single best way to detoxify your system, especially if you’re looking for a quick and clean start to better health. There are hundreds of different kinds of cleanses which can range from ingesting nothing but water to several small and reasonable meals throughout the day. The Dr Gundry 3 day cleanse is a good option for beginners because it’s quick, effective, and there aren’t too many strict rules. You’ll need to cut out all processed foods and carbohydrates and only eat vegetables and small quantities of healthy fats for 72 hours. If you need a little protein you can have a small serving of chicken or fish.
Drink Plenty of Water
Believe it or not, just getting enough water can be its own detoxification process. Your body is made up of 70 percent water. Each and every cell requires it in order to function properly. If you’re not properly hydrated your cells can’t do their job, thus not properly cleaning your body through detox. Experts used to recommend drinking 8 glasses of water each day, which is roughly 64 ounces. However, there’s a really good chance that’s not enough water for you. The new recommendation for water intake is to consume half your body weight in ounces of water each day. This means that if you weigh 180 pounds you need to consume 90 ounces of water each day. That probably seems like a lot, especially if you’re not usually good at drinking it. Try adding ice and lemon, and make sure you have a water bottle with you at all times.
Drink Hot Tea
Drinking hot tea not only increases your overall water intake, but can also provide you with natural antioxidants. In fact, some say that tea is the healthiest drink in the world and can help you detox. Teas can be rich in polyphenols, which are antioxidants that rid your cells of free radicals that can cause damage. Polyphenols are also found in fruits and vegetables, but tea can contain up to ten times more. Some studies show that people who drink tea are less likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke. Tea drinkers are also prone to having lower cholesterol levels.
Sleep
Getting an adequate amount of sleep is important to any health regime, but it is especially important when you’re going through a detox. Sleep gives your body a chance to recoup and recover from all that it goes through during the day so that you can wake up refreshed and rejuvenated. If you have trouble falling asleep try to avoid late meals and discontinue the use of all electronics two hours before bedtime. Try to get your bedroom as dark as possible and consider using lavender essential oil to help induce a state of relaxation.
There are several different kinds of detoxes you can try, but if any of them seem overwhelming remember it’s okay to start small. Just getting enough sleep and water can help immensely.
