What to try instead You can help your body cleanse itself by reducing the intake of substances that make your liver and kidneys work overtime. These include alcohol, drugs and an excessive protein intake. But avoid a restrictive mindset and focus on foods you can add for their nutritional benefits. These can ‘crowd out’ the less healthy options. If you want to get back on track, here are five strategies instead of a detox that will actually contribute to your long-term health:
1. INCREASE YOUR FIBER
Often referred to as ‘the broom that sweeps your digestive tract,’ fibre is the undigested part of food that travels all the way along your gut, taking as it goes any waste products and helping you get rid of them through bowel movements. To help you reach your recommended daily 30g fibre to support this process, aim to eat 10-plus grams of fibre per meal, and 3g of fibre when snacking. Use this handy chart to help you estimate fibre.
2. STAY HYDRATED
Water is all you really need to help flush toxins out of your body. This includes spring water, mineral water, filtered or distilled water and herbal (caffeine-free) tea. Most people still don’t drink enough water, which is essential to help your kidneys and bowels function at their best. To boost your fluid intake, have a glass of water when you first wake up, then one before every meal, including snacks. Many people tend to mistake thirst for hunger, so if you are feeling hungry and it’s not a meal time, try drinking a glass of water, wait 10 minutes, and see if the hunger goes away.
3. ADD A SERVE OF VEG TO YOUR DAY
As well as being packed with vitamins, minerals and diseasefighting phytonutrients, vegies support your body’s own natural detox system — especially leeks, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, garlic, onions, artichokes, radishes and spinach. Here’s how to fi ll up on these and other veg to sideline other less healthy foods.
4. CONSIDER HOW YOU EAT
While everyone’s focused on what to eat, many don’t give much thought to the actual process of eating. Your digestive system is doing its best to break down food, but can you help it along? How do you currently eat? Perhaps could benefit from slowing down? Perhaps you could chew your food more?
Maybe you’re always in a hurry when you eat? Perhaps you could take a break checking emails or eating on the run, and benefi t from allowing yourself to sit down and relax before eating? Your best digestion happens when you’re relaxed. Observe how you eat over the following 12-24 hours and see if there’s one thing you can do to help your digestive system do its job.
5. DETOX YOUR ENVIRONMENT
If there’s anything in your environment that encourages detoxing and crazy diets (and that can include social media), give it a break! Create an environment that supports your desire to be healthy and feel good, for good! The same goes for any less-than-healthy foods in your cupboards or fridge. Put them where you can’t see them. Reduce temptation by losing tempting indulgences and restocking with nutritious, filling and tasty snacks and drinks. Store these healthy foods in easy-to-reach, eye-catching places in the fridge, freezer or pantry. Cut up fruit and vegetables and store them at eye level in the fridge. Maybe write out a weekly meal plan and put it on the front of your fridge. It’s easy to be healthy!
