Author avisha Categories Blog, Food & Nutrition, Lifestyle Posted on 0 Comments

5 Ways to Support Your Body’s Detoxification Process

Detoxification is an essential process that our body needs to perform effectively for us to be in good health.

Detoxing rids our body of toxins that accumulate both as a by-product of our natural body processes and from external environmental assaults.

Detoxification improves our ability to absorb nutrients and to eliminate waste.  It also stabilizes and improves our energy.

Our body is designed to detoxify.  That’s why we have 7 channels of elimination; our skin, lungs, kidneys, colon, lymphatic system, liver and blood.

We are bombarded every day with so many toxins that our system can become overwhelmed so it really is a kind gesture to ourselves to lend a hand to the process.

5 Natural Strategies to Support Detoxification

 

Sweat it out!

Sweating helps to move toxins out through our skin and helps to get our blood circulating.  Exercising and saunas are 2 great ways to get that body hot!

Get Good Quality Sleep

Our body doesn’t rest when we go to sleep.  It uses this time to detoxify and repair.  This is our liver’s playtime.  So getting good quality sleep is key for successful detoxification.  Here are some tips for a good night’s repose:

  • sleep in total darkness
  • shut off all electronics
  • sleep in a cool room
  • go to bed at the same time each night
  • get 7-8 hours of sleep each night

Keep Well Hydrated

A river runs through us and it’s made of water.  In a nutshell water carries nutrients to our cells and waste from them.  And water is involved in many of the physiological process carried out each and every day within us.

6-8 glasses of good quality water each day is minimum.  You want to make sure that you flush out those nasty toxins and support your kidneys in the process.

 

Move it!

Exercise supports all channels of elimination in particular it helps to flush out our lungs, get our blood circulating and our lymphatic system moving.  And as just mentioned working up an exercise sweat is a great way to help detox.

Eat a Whole Foods Diet

Avoiding processed foods and eating a whole foods diet is the backbone of successful detoxification. A healthy diet supplies necessary nutrients for our body to carry out the detoxification process.

Here are some powerhouse foods that you can start with:

  • leafy greens
  • cruciferous vegetables
  • onions
  • garlic
  • lemon
  • turmeric
  • blueberries
  • chlorella

Be kind to you!

 

 

 

 

Author avisha Categories Food & Nutrition, Lifestyle Posted on 0 Comments

5 Ways to Help Avoid Constipation

Constipation is not only uncomfortable it is also unhealthy. Defecation, bowel movements, pooping or whatever else you might want to call it, eliminating toxins and waste regularly from our body is vital for good health. Optimally we should be pooping at least once a day. When the infrequency of a bowel movement hits the 3-day mark this is considered constipation. At this point any bowel movements are often dry and hard and very hard to pass.

Quite simply we poop to eliminate what our body doesn’t want and the inability to poop can cause short-term issues like bloating and abdominal pain while chronic constipation can lead to hemorrhoids, anal fissures and rectal prolapse. Further to this, if our bowels are not cleared, our colon can become a breeding ground for bacteria that can have the effect of weakening our immune system.

Understanding now the importance of ‘being regular’, here are 5 tips to help avoid constipation.

1. Poop properly!

If you are not in to squatting to poop, as most westerners are not, then elevate your feet to position all of your parts in to the ideal pooping position. In our household we have just invested in Squatty Potties to help us ease our passages. Another factor of a good poop is to take your time when the moment arrives. Stress can inhibit what your body needs to get done so when nature calls, don’t rush the process.

 

2. Keep Yourself Well Hydrated

drinkwater

Water helps to keep our intestinal tract in good physical shape and aids in digestion and the passage of the food we eat. As a guideline, drink 6-8 glasses of water each day.

 

 

 

 

3. Ensure Adequate Fibre in your Diet  

I encourage 30-40 grams of fibre a day. There are 2 kinds of fibre that we need in our diet to form stools and move them along. Soluble fibre, which dissolves in water and creates bulk and insoluble fibre that doesn’t dissolve but instead acts as a mover and a shaker to pass stool through the colon.

4. Exercise

As we move, so does the food that we ingest. Exercising helps to move the food that we eat through our intestinal tract. As food moves through our intestines water is absorbed back in to the body. The slower the pace then the dryer the stool. This can contribute to constipation. Walk, run, jog whatever!  Just make exercise a part of your routine.

 5. Remove Foods that You are Sensitive to from your Diet

This can be a hard one to get a hold of but it is extremely important. Food sensitivities can contribute to constipation. If you experience things like bloating, fatigue or pain after you eat something this is a good sign that you may be intolerant to it. Keeping a food journal is a great tool to hone in on foods that may not be ideal for you. If you suspect intolerance, remove that food from your diet.

I have had great success with implementing the FODMAP diet for clients who suffer from constipation. The FODMAP diet eliminates various foods containing short chain carbohydrates and sugar alcohols to help calm symptoms of IBS.

FODMAP

Diet and lifestyle adjustments can go a long way in preventing and alleviating constipation and implementing the above tips can help make bathroom trips a happy and regular event.