Detox diet to start your year

Although the human body is perfectly capable of detoxifying itself, sometimes we throw so much at it, especially during the festive season; that we need to change our routine for a while to help it get back to normal.

This article is not about the kind of detox that models and extreme weight watchers do. This is about helping your body get back to normal (aka to stop feeling bloated all the time and general laziness) after the awesome festive season where we took a break and ate all the mbuzis in the village.

Healthy detox is real simple; the body eliminates waste and toxins through the kidneys, the liver, the skin and lungs. To help your body get back to normal after two weeks of holiday food, you just have to eat foods with nutrients that are helpful to the above organs.

Up your water intake

Your urinary system is one of the ways the body gets rid of all the toxins in your body and water is the carrier. Enough water for a normal adult will range from about 1200Ml to 1500Ml of water a day. The easiest way to make sure your intake is up to this level is to get a container with a capacity you know and drink from it throughout the day. Another thing to remember when you are trying to drink enough water is to drink even when you are not thirsty.

Move your body

This might sound like am making stuff up just to make your life hard but believe it or not, when you feel so tired you just want to lie down is the time you need to exercise ASAP.  Regular exercise enhances circulation and leaves you feeling re-energized. 

Fruits and vegetables

These provide you with the fiber that your body needs to take care of sluggish digestion. They also provide the vitamins and minerals needed to rejuvenate your body. Cucumbers are good at reducing swelling especially around the eyes. Foods rich in potassium like bananas, avocados, oranges and kiwis help with water retention and salt induced bloating by regulating sodium levels in your body.

Natural Enzymes

The enzyme contained in pawpaw (papain) is very good at helping break down the protein in your digestive system making digestion easier and faster which in turn makes you feel lighter. Pineapples also have the same effect on your digestive system. You don’t have to go on a juice fast for your body to feel cleansed. Eat foods that ease digestion and encourage digestive tract health and you will be good. Other foods that are good for your digestive system include; yogurt, asparagus, ginger and chamomile tea.

Whole grains and foods

Whole grains like wheat, sorghum, millet, rice, maize and oats give you vitamins including Vitamin B which helps convert food into energy which in turn helps you feel more alive and energetic.

Time to get rid of all the junk food

Junk food makes you bloated and tired all the time. It is also not the best food for the brain meaning that if you eat junk food all the time, your brain might feel slow. Most junk food is high in salt which makes you retain water hence the bloating. Junk food that is not salty is very high in refined sugar which causes you to feel so tired and hungry after the sugar is cleared from your blood.  Swap all the junk food/ snacks with healthy ones and watch your body feel better in no time.

Exfoliate

The skin is one of the organs that get rid of all the waste products/toxins. The health of our skin depends on the kind of food that we eat. All the holiday foods (foods high in salt, sugar and fat) make your skin look sad. While you are eating healthy foods and getting your body back in shape, help it show on your face by giving it a good scrub.