Simon Morrissey, Personal Trainer at Dublin’s Gym 22 shares his top 8 tips to help your body detox correctly without doing any damage.
With pre-summer holiday resolutions in full swing its only right that we talk about detoxing because I know a lot of people are considering a juice cleanse or want to experiment with fasting or something else which just doesn’t work.
Our bodies are constantly detoxing and we don’t need a fad or crash diet to help that because, in reality, it will more than likely hinder it.
Here are our EIGHT TOP TIPS to detox, free of fasting, juicing or restricting that help your body detox correctly.
1. Consume whole, single ingredient foods
Detoxifying the body doesn't have to be complicated or incorporate super restrictive diet.
By choosing whole foods, your body will be able to digest and metabolise them with ease, leaving more time for natural detoxifying to take place.
Think fresh fruits and vegetables with plenty of colours, organic free-range chicken, beef, wild-caught fish and organic eggs.
2. Eliminate trigger foods such as dairy, sugar and gluten
Foods like these can wreak havoc on our digestive systems they make us lethargic and become addictive over time.
By easing up on these choices, your body will naturally improve digestion and energy levels and will learn to crave natural whole foods instead.
3. Hydrate
Drink plenty of water, green tea and hot lemon water first thing in the morning.
Staying hydrated can help cleanse your body of toxins, boost metabolism, clean up your skin, and do so much more.
Hot lemon water can help to release toxins as well as bacteria from your skin.
4. Sleep
Getting enough sleep and getting enough 'quality sleep' is crucial to a healthy body. Detox baths with Epsom salt and magnesium supplements can improve quality sleep.
Turning off all technology at night time and using eye masks or black out blinds can also really help improve sleep quality.
5. Practice slow eating and eating without distractions
Eating slowly and without distractions will give your body time to register that you're eating, will prepare you for proper digestion.
6. Move your body
Be sure to move your body daily. This doesn't always mean an intense workout.
Sometimes your body will crave relaxing movement such as a walk, jog, hike, yoga, or a dance class. Moving helps to release tension and improve recovery and repair of your body.
If you work sitting at a desk, set an alarm each hour and make sure to get up and move for a couple of minutes.
7. Watch your stress levels
When you're stressed, your body kicks in with a fight-or-flight response. This means that any crucial actions within your body are halted as you fight your stress.
This slows down detoxing, cleansing, digesting, or pretty much anything other than combating the stress of the moment.
Practice activities to help manage stress, like yoga, meditation, diaphragmatic breathing or even watching a funny movie.
8. Eat three square meals a day
Make sure you eat a good breakfast with a mix of proteins, fats, and vegetables and make sure you incorporate a wide variety of vegetables into each meal (Think plenty of colours).
A well-balanced breakfast is a key part of any stay-slim plan. Research shows that breakfast eaters typically consume about 100 fewer calories per day and weigh less than those who skip it.
This strategy works in the long run too. Nearly 80% of participants in the National Weight Control Registry, which charts dieters who have kept off 30 pounds for a year plus, have breakfast every day.
By eating three meals a day with minimal snacking in between, you allow yourself time to fully digest your food. Plus you leave time to detox and heal your body.
Simon Morrissey is a personal trainer at Gym 22, 22 Herbert Lane, Dublin 2, email info@gym22.ie
