Sunday Tribune

As the new season starts, spring-clean your body, naturally

LUTHO PASIYA lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za

IT’S time to come out of hibernation. Spring is the season of rejuvenation and renewal. As we reorganise our homes and closets, so too should we spring clean our health.

But let’s not forget to attend to our inside cleansing. After spending the winter season predominantly indoors, it can be common for the body to feel sluggish as spring approaches. One way to refresh the body is through a detox, using natural remedies to revitalise us from the inside out.

What is detoxification?

Detoxification is a health process that has been done for centuries in many cultures to support optimal health. A detox plan incorporates resting, cleansing and nourishing the body from the inside out.

By eliminating toxins that enter the body, and then fuelling your body with nutrient-rich whole foods and nutritional supplements, a planned period of detox cleanses and strengthens the body’s natural immunity and, in so doing, helps you maintain optimum health. But as always, be sure to keep your doctor abreast of any significant changes to your health.

Detoxifying foods Avocado

When you think detox, you usually think light, right? We encourage you to think fat. That is the natural fats and nutrients in avocados. They are nutritional powerhouses that can help lower cholesterol and dilate blood vessels while blocking artery-destroying toxicity.

Water

Drinking water is one of the best ways to support your organ detoxification. As our bodies are composed of about 60% water, proper hydration is essential for the optimal function of all of your systems. Drinking a lot of water particularly helps your kidney and digestive function. Your kidneys are crucial for flushing substances out of your body. Drinking water also helps your digestive system run smoothly, which supports the release of additional toxins through waste.

Lemons

Lemons feature in almost any detox food guide, and for good reason. Lemons are packed full of essential nutrients and antioxidants such as vitamin C that fight free radicals that can cause disease or wear out the skin.

In addition to fighting these nasty elements, lemons have an alkaline effect on the body, so they can restore your ph (a measure of how acidic or basic water is) balance and aid the immune system.

Rosemary

An aromatic herb used as a flavouring on meat, this member of the mint family is also believed to have detox abilities. Rosemary stimulates the liver – the body’s detox centre – and can increase the amount of bile released, leading to the clearing of toxins. This herb also contains a compound called carnosic acid which is believed to help the body produce

glutathione, an antioxidant that also has detoxifying powers.

Beetroot

Beetroot really packs a detoxifying punch. It delivers magnesium, iron and vitamin C to help support liver detoxification and is good for skin, hair and cholesterol levels. Try grating raw beetroot into a green salad or combine it with grated carrot, sunflower seeds and an oil and lemon dressing. Garlic

It may be stinky, but by just adding raw or cooked garlic to your food you are helping to filter out residual toxins.

Bone broth

Our grandmothers knew the wisdom of using up chicken and meat bones to make a strong broth for occasional ills and as a basis for hearty soups. Bone broths are good for your immune system and your soul.

Foods to avoid: Sugar

Sugary soda, sweets, baked goods and other sweet treats can cause your blood sugar to surge and plummet, which can make you feel anxious, irritable and sleepy.

Alcohol

Alcohol can slow down the detoxification process and make it much harder for the body to remove toxins. In fact, according to research, it not only slows down detoxification, but its effects can add to more toxins accumulating within the body. Alcohol is considered harmful because excessive or long-term consumption can lead to potential damage to your internal organs, such as the liver.

Fatty foods

French fries and burgers are a poor choice to keep you healthy. Eating too many foods that are high in saturated fat can make it harder for your liver to do its job. Over time it may lead to inflammation, which in turn could cause scarring of the liver or cirrhosis.

So next time you are in the drivethru line, think about ordering a healthier option.

Processed meats

Processed meats such as salami, bacon and hot dogs tend to be very high in saturated fat, which when eaten over time may lead to damage to your liver. If you choose to eat processed meats, do so in small amounts and choose lean and very lean meats whenever possible.

LIFESTYLE

en-za

2022-08-14T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-08-14T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://sundaytribune.pressreader.com/article/282200834702383

African News Agency