Hands down, the most common question I get after the holidays is “What detox diet or drink do you suggest?”
My response… a blank stare.
Ok, that is half true.
The real truth is that for most people it is unnecessary to do something so dramatic like a 3 day cleanse. Now, I know some of you are thinking there was a time you did one of those diets and at the end of it, you lost X amount of weight. Let me tell you why that happens. When you cut down your calorie intake dramatically, you will lose weight. The magic was not in the juice, but it the cut of calories. It is totally possible that you cut your calorie intake, but do it a healthier way. A way that includes eating all the macronutrients and an array of micronutrients.
Most the time, when people ask for a detox protocol it is because they partied a little too hard for a little too long and are starting to feel the effects of a sluggish liver. On a side note, if you are truly looking to make progress alcohol will have to be limited.
With that being said, let’s talk about helping our good ole, overworked liver out.
The Liver:
The liver gets the duty of cleansing the body of any toxins. It does have some other jobs like hormone balancing. What many people don’t realize is when there is an excess of toxins in the body, the liver will work so hard to cleanse the body that it will cause a hormone imbalance by pumping out an excess amount of estrogen into the body.
Signs that your liver needs some help:
- Acne and skin rashes
- Allergies
- Blood Sugar Imbalances
- Brain Fog
- Digestive Issues
- Fatigue
- Mood Swings
Helping out our liver
- Get rid of toxins AKA alcohol. Reduce caffeine intake. If you think you absolutely needed caffeine, try switching to a tea or decaf.
- Start your morning with warm water, lemon, 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar, and Himalayan salt. This will not only help with hydrating the body, but it provides some electrolytes while waking up your digestive system.
- Eat an adequate amount of protein to help replenish your body of amino acids that your liver uses during the detoxing process. Not sure how much protein to eat? If you track your food try .8-1.2g per BW. If you do not track, start with a fist size per meal and snack.
- Eat cruciferous veggies like broccoli, brussel sprout, cabbage to help balance estrogen.
- Drink plenty of clean water. City water can contain many toxic chemicals. Aim for half your body weight in fluid ounces.
- Supplement… Now, before I put out this list, if you are not doing the above steps, do not waste your money on supplements. No supplement will fix a poor diet. Supplements that can aid is detoxification process: Amla Fruit Extract is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It is also a rich source of Vitamin C. Milk Thistle is well known as a liver support. Not only does it boost glutathione production (which we talked about early) but it also stimulates new liver cell production.
- Move… Sweat it out toxins with a good sweaty workout. Have access to an infrared sauna? These are not only great for toxin elimination but overall health wellness as well.
Ready to go 30 days of being sober? Let us know! We would love to help keep you accountable!
