Cleanse your body naturally with these 7 all natural cleansing tips to be your very best you!
“Cleanse” seems to be a word that is thrown around a lot these days. You see products on the market advertising a 2 or 3 day cleanse. you see tea cleanses, and you even see juice cleanses! Cleanses are a great way to rid your body of toxins and unwanted “guck” to make you feel better, healthier, and overall clean. From food to the environment and even in beauty products, we are constantly surrounded by toxins without even realizing they are there! However, a lot of commercial cleanses are fast fixes—only ridding your body of water weight or even stripping out good bacteria. All natural cleanses may take longer, but have far more benefits. Here are a few tips for cleansing naturally to help you feel like your best self!
Cut Out Dairy
As more and more people become lactose intolerant or find issues with dairy, it comes as no surprise that cutting dairy out of your diet could be the most important part of cleansing. Dairy can cause a variety of issues such as bloating, skin issues, stomachaches and cramps, and even excessive mucus production. Getting rid of dairy will help to alleviate your body of unwanted inflammation and stress on the digestive system. Try swapping your regular milk for almond or cashew milk! Even dairy-free ice cream is available and delicious.
Don’t Drink Your Calories
Drinking alcohol, sodas, and juices from concentrate is one of the fastest ways to ingest calories, sodium, and other unwanted things into our bodies! Stick to water as it not only keeps you hydrated but also provides your body with a lot of benefits! Water flushes out toxins, improves your skin, can boost your immune system, and even help to get rid of headaches! Need flavor to your drinks? Add some fresh citrus fruits or brew some unsweetened herbal tea.
Try Juicing a Couple Times a Week
Fresh pressed juice can be amazing for your body while cleansing! Think about this: every day it seems like our whole day is based around food. Wake up, eat. Lunchtime, eat. Snack time, eat. Dinner, eat. We are constantly surrounded by food and can choose to eat at the drop of a dime! However, taking some time to give your digestion a break can really help to promote detoxing and cleansing. Fresh pressed juices feed your body on a cellular level providing tons of nutrients in a short amount of time. By giving your digestion a break and not having to break down food, your body has more energy to thrive!
Start Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar
This may sound gross, but apple cider vinegar has great benefits. By taking just a tablespoon a day before you eat or even in some tea with honey, you are not only helping to improve digestion but also contributing to killing bad bacteria, boosting your immune system, and reduce bloating/inflammation.
Get in Your Probiotics
While a pill is a quick and easy way to get probiotics into your system, there are other ways you can reap all the probiotic benefits! Try drinking some kombucha or adding sauerkraut to your meals. Probiotic-rich foods are a great way to aid in digestion to flush out “guck” and can also help with bloating by aiding the good bacteria in your gut.
Eliminate Processed Sugar
Trust me, you can live without sweets for a while. Often times, sugar can be one of the most addicting foods and something that we don’t even realize we are ingesting. Things like “healthy” yogurts, pasta sauce, and even granola bars are riddled with added sugars which can lead to weight gain, increased blood sugar levels, and headaches. Try eating a piece of fruit or munching on some cacao nibs when those cravings hit, and be sure to read labels when at the store!
Eat the Rainbow!
Peppers, oranges, carrots, kale, Swiss chard, blueberries, beets: all these foods (and more) provide nutrients and antioxidants to the body that are invaluable when it comes to cleansing. Stick to WHOLE FOODS wherever possible to make sure that you are getting the most beneficial food for your body. Take a stroll through your local farmers market to pick some seasonal produce.
Get Enough Sleep
We tend to think of cleansing as things that we put into our bodies, but often times neglect what helps the most. Sleep allows your body to repair itself, rest, and recharge. If you are having trouble sleeping, it could be one of the reasons why you aren’t feeling the best on your cleanse! Stop drinking water 1 hour before bedtime to prevent yourself from waking up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. Limiting your screen time from cell phones and TV can also help to get your body ready for sleep in order to maximize your cleansing benefits!
