Are you ready to facilitate optimal detoxification and healing?
The body has natural healing abilities, and numerous mechanisms work hard to help you detoxify and rid the body of harmful substances. However, over time, these systems can become overwhelmed and sluggish.
Fortunately, you can help your body detox through a cleanse, aiding the digestive process by reducing bloating and constipation, improving mental and emotional health, and boosting energy levels.
Whether you want to learn more about the process of cleansing or try one for yourself, this will be a good read for you.
Step 1: Drink More Water
One question people often ask when they hear someone is doing a ‘cleanse’ is why?
A cleanse is a way to help the body’s natural detoxification process. Our system can take quite a beating from the foods we eat to the excess amounts of stress we place on ourselves. This can lead to a number of adverse health outcomes.
Detoxification occurs in two phases.
- Phase one is when the liver breaks down toxins into smaller components, which can then be eliminated from the body.
- Phase two, on the other hand, is the actual process of detoxification where toxins are metabolized into simpler substances and removed from the body by various elimination processes.
Because making small changes can lead to long-term results, you need to keep your digestive system moving and rid the body of excess toxins by drinking more water.
If you experience chronic digestive issues such as IBS, constipation, and bloating, you can support your digestive tract by adding a chlorophyll-rich powder supplement to one cup of water each day.
Step 2: Get Your Veggies In
During a cleanse, you'll want to help your body function optimally by providing it with the nutrients it needs.
These nutrients include:
- B vitamins
- Flavonoids
_ Antioxidants
These can be found in fresh vegetables and fruits.
You will also need to provide your body with glutathione which is a very important antioxidant with many health benefits.
Glutathione can be found in avocados, watermelon, asparagus, walnuts, leafy greens, and essential fats found in extra virgin olive oil, cold-pressed coconut oil, and flaxseed oil.
Amino acids are another essential tool you need during a cleanse. Amino acids are found in nuts and seeds.
One way to boost your intake of nutrient-rich vegetables is with juicing and smoothies.
Juicing can improve circulation and stimulate the liver to burn fat. It also allows your body to receive a concentrated source of phytonutrients that can't be obtained by eating a large serving of vegetables.
Smoothies, on the other hand, are more substantial than juices—thicker, filling, and rich in soluble fiber for digestive health. They are also less taxing on the digestive system.
When I'm cleansing, I'm not a huge fan of juicing and/or smoothies the whole entire time because that can be a ton of work. However, if you get a lot of vegetables in that should be cleansing enough as long as you follow the rest of the steps outlined in this blog post and the other blog post I will have coming out regarding how to cleanse safely.
Step 3: Pick Plant Proteins You Like
When following a cleanse or detox, you typically reduce your intake of macronutrients.
These are the nutrients needed in larger amounts, including fat, carbohydrates, and protein.
To ensure you maintain a healthy protein intake, try incorporating a daily protein shake into your routine. You can also put protein powder in your smoothies.
This is essential as your body needs adequate amino acids for the construction of enzymes and other molecules integral to the detoxification pathways.
Look for a protein made with organic pea protein to support optimum health and well-being.
If you are not a protein powder kind of person, good plant sources of protein include nuts, seeds, dark greens, and tempeh. Do that instead.
My favorite protein powder is Dr. Amens at BrainMD. I like the chocolate flavor in my smoothies if I drink one.