Detox: Top 20 Signs You Need to Do It
You Need to Detox
You may have heard about others doing a detox, but is it something you need to do? Your body or mind may have been giving you some subtle signs that it is time to cleanse your entire system without realizing it. Here are some common signs.
Physical Signs
First of all, there are quite a few physical signs that can point toward needing a detox. When you have a lot of chemicals and toxins in your body, such as in your kidneys and liver, your body reacts negatively. Once you cleanse your system, you will feel better.
If you experience sinus problems, frequent headaches, joint, and muscle aches, rashes, and digestion issues, then more than likely, you have toxins in your body.
Most people have some amount of toxins and heavy metals in their bodies. This simply can’t be helped as toxins and chemicals surround us in our environment daily. Also, whatever toxins are in a mother’s body can be passed down to her baby. However, not everyone is affected the same. Still, no matter the amount of toxins in your body, even a small amount is too much!
I only listed a few symptoms of a toxic body, but there are many more. Symptoms can eventually turn into disease and chronic illness. Therefore it’s best to cleanse on the regular to event long-term sickness.
Depression
Some mental health disorders can also be signs of needing a detox. If you find yourself depressed or feeling down for no reason, this may be due to toxins.
Insomnia
Trouble sleeping might be due to worrying too much or due to a bad mattress. Or, it could be those evil toxins keeping you up at night. Toxins can keep your body from resting properly. Try a health detox and see if it doesn’t help you get a good night’s sleep. You might be surprised at the benefits it can bring.
Other Signs of Needing a Detox
There are also lots of other symptoms that scream “detox please”. Mood swings, sugar cravings, and irritability can all be signs of needing a detox. Other signs include excess gas, belly fat, and fluid retention.
Do you have brain fog, memory loss, sleep disturbances, unexplained headaches and sinus congestion, environmental and chemical sensitivity, skin rashes, eczema, itchy patches, lack of concentration, moodiness, bad breath, body odor, cravings, fatigue, gut problems, or generalized muscle aches? Yep, you guessed it…you need a detox!
Detox Different Areas of Your Body
If you are interested in doing a detox, you don’t have to choose just one but instead, customize it according to your needs.
Liver and Kidneys
Two areas of the body that typically need cleansing are the liver and kidneys. To detox your liver, focus on fruits and veggies. Include beets, apples, garlic, onions, and leafy greens. For your kidneys, eat lettuces, sweet potatoes, squash, and drink lemon water.
Blood
Similar produce and herbs can help cleanse your blood. Your diet might already consist of many of these foods, but others are good to add if you don’t already consume them regularly. Try fruits such as grapes and apples and add vegetables such as broccoli, greens, and beans.
Lymph Nodes
Your lymph nodes are not something many people think about when detoxing their body, but cleansing them of toxins is just as important as the other areas of your body. Juicing is great for cleansing the lymph nodes. Eat asparagus, lettuce, and carrots.
A little tip…jumping on a trampoline for just 5 minutes a day can help your lymph nodes and improve circulation. Just buy a mini-trampoline that you can keep in your home and make it a habit to bounce on it for at least 5 minutes every day.
As you can see, most of these are typical fruits, vegetables, and herbs you already consume. By eating a healthy diet, you are naturally detoxing the different areas of your body.
How to Detox With Food
If you are looking to start fresh this year with a brand new body and healthy lifestyle, you may want to start with a simple food detox. This involves switching to all-natural, clean foods that are good for you and don’t contain any additives or preservatives.
Here are some easy tips to follow when you start detoxing with food. Dietary changes are necessary if you want to reap the long-term benefits.
Drink More Water
This is going to be the recommendation just about everywhere you look, and not just for weight loss or general health. You must drink plenty of water while you are trying to detox your body. Regardless of the method that you are using, you aren’t going to be able to cleanse your system thoroughly unless you are drinking plenty of water.
Make sure you focus on drinking more water and less of other drinks, including sugary or caffeinated beverages.
Look For Superfoods
It can be challenging to know which types of foods help detox certain areas of the body. If this is the case, don’t worry so much about individual foods that help the liver or kidneys, but instead, just look at a list of superfoods and use those to incorporate into your diet.
Many superfoods are great for your health and are usually on the list of detox foods, so it is a safe bet that these are good ones to start with. Include ginger, dandelion, broccoli, turmeric, kale, and artichokes. Do not let food costs keep you from eating healthy. Eating healthy does not have to cost an arm and a leg.
Remove the Bad Stuff
Making small changes in your diet can still have a significant impact on your detoxing abilities. In addition to just changing small parts of your diet at a time, such as drinking more water, adding superfoods, and eating healthier in general, there are some things you want to stop eating. Processed and packaged foods are usually the first to go since they often include extra ingredients and preservatives you don’t need.
The general recommendation is to eat as many fresh, clean, and whole foods as you can. You should also try to reduce the refined sugars you eat, going for natural sources of sugar like fruit, organic honey, and real maple syrup.
Don’t worry too much about following the ‘right’ detox diet and instead focus on being the healthiest person you can be.
Processed foods and sugar are terrible for our bodies. Please try and remove as much of that junk as possible! Also, foods that create allergy or intolerances need to go as well. Common culprits include dairy, soy, eggs, and corn.
Using non-organic products like body lotion, sunscreen, toothpaste, bug sprays, make-up, soaps, perfumes, cleaning products, and laundry detergent can also contribute to toxins making their way to our bodies.
Let’s also not forget our guts! Gut health is so important, and if you are not eliminating every day, then your body is holding onto toxins. With stress in our lives already, don’t add to it by allowing toxins to remain in your body. You may even have parasites and under bacteria in your body. The more toxic our bodies are, the more we subject ourselves to getting sick and health issues.
Add Some Good Stuff
Plenty of good water is a given. You may also need natural supplements and probiotics to address nutritional deficiencies. Add bone broth to your diet to help you heal from gut health as well.
Exercise and perhaps even some chiropractic care might do you some good. Whatever you do, start making self-care a big part of your life and do something to improve your health every day. Enjoy a spa treatment if you can, try a relaxing bath, and get plenty of sun for vitamin D. Don’t forget that sunscreen!
The Benefits of a Detox
Doing a detox means you are getting rid of all the toxins that are built up in your main organs, such as your stomach, kidneys, and liver. Detoxing is essential if you have been following an unhealthy diet. You can also do it if you want to reset your body. Below are some benefits.
Lower Stress Levels
Something many people don’t realize is that the foods you eat and the health of your body can negatively impact your emotions. If you are constantly feeding your emotions with food, particularly lousy food, then you are adding lots of extra toxins and starting a bad emotional eating habit at the same time.
You Feel Better
In general, you feel better when you cleanse your body. Whether you are just replacing some bad foods with less processed ones, are on a strict 3-day juicing detox, or try a more prolonged detox diet, it can help you feel better. The diet helps with insomnia, gives you more energy, and makes it to where you don’t always feel ill or drained of energy.
Detoxing has a positive impact on your body, which in turn makes you happier and healthier.
Your Hair and Skin Glows
While many people go on a detox for physical issues, they often forget about their hair and skin! Detoxing is terrific for your skin and hair health. It can make you feel more youthful when you stop with all the processed foods and start eating more
Try a Bath Detox for Optimal Health
If you are looking for a way to start fresh and feel your best, you might want to consider doing a bath detox. This is when you take a bath with specific ingredients that cleanse your skin for a natural beauty detox but can have other health benefits as well.
Here are some different recipes. I absolutely love this sea salt bath product. Not only is it good for detoxing but it also purifies and helps to fight cellulite. It’s for detoxing and “slimming down.”
Simple Salt Bath
This first recipe is for a basic detox bath using salt. It is going to make you feel clean and refreshed, as well as helping with a lot of various skin problems. If you have any type of skin irritation, this can definitely help. However, be careful if you have open cuts or sores.
All you need to do is fill your bathtub with water as hot as you can handle it, then while that is filling up, boil a pot of water. Add some Epsom salt and sea salt. Let it all dissolve, then pour into the bath.
Eucalyptus Bath
A detox bath that uses eucalyptus and essential oils is excellent when you have skin that is overly dry or itchy. For this, you can add some pure eucalyptus extract in small amounts, or just add some drops of eucalyptus essential oil drops.
Add in some Epsom salts and some essential oils such as lavender for a subtle calming effect. Soak for at least 20 mins to get the full benefits of the soak.
Bentonite Clay Bath
If you have not heard about bentonite clay before, n, which is a type of organic clay, to help with your skin and overall health. It is the perfect combination when also adding in the Epsom salts, which are an integral part of most detox bath recipes.
For this type of bath, try adding some Epsom salts, and the same amount of bentonite clay to a hot tub. You can then also add some drops of essential oils for the aromatherapy, or just because you like certain scents.
Ginger Bath
If you have digestion problems, try a ginger bath. Add lemon essential oil for a refreshing experience filled with beautiful aromas.
Try a Foot Detox
People often think of food when it comes to detoxing, including a juice cleanse, but there are also detoxes of the body. One popular type of detox is called a foot detox. Here are some things to know about this type of detox.
Choose a Method for the Foot Detox
Generally, you will want to use a special foot bath for your foot detox. However, if you can’t get your hands on one, you can fill up your tub, sit on the edge (carefully), and put in your feet. A better option would be to get some type of container large enough to fill up and rest your feet comfortably. You don’t want to constrict your feet, or it isn’t going to be a relaxing or beneficial experience for you. There are a lot of simple plastic foot tubs or special ones with bubbles and jets.
Sea Salt is Very Cleansing
You will find that many foot soaks, particularly with foot detox, will use some type of salt. Sea salt is often chosen, though some recipes ask for rock salt. Sea salt can be cleansing to the feet and the skin, which makes it a perfect addition to a detox bath.
If you are using sea salt, you can also add some baking soda to the water. Use about the same amount of each, typically a ½ cup to 1 cup of each added to a foot bath with warm water.
Try Bentonite Clay
An ingredient that is great for natural health and detoxing, but is not known as others, is bentonite clay. It is perfect for your skin and body. It gets rid of toxins and helps deliver powerful minerals to your body.
You can try doing a relaxing and rejuvenating foot detox soak by using bentonite clay. However, you must know where the clay comes from, since the less quality bentonite clay may have some lead in it. Make sure you do your research and get it from a natural, reputable source.
A simple method is to do a foot soak detox with nothing more than warm water and some Epsom salt. Bentonite Clay is easy to find just about anywhere, and it is very cleansing, so it works great for a foot detox. It also happens to be used in regular detox baths for the entire body.
Tea Detox Info and Recipes
When it comes to detoxing your body and organs, it is important to consume natural foods and beverages with as few chemicals as possible. Reducing your overall amount of caffeine and getting rid of soda is also recommended. A good substitute for caffeine-dense coffee drinks is drinking healthy tea. Brew fresh, organic loose tea as opposed to packaged teas that may have chemicals in them.
Green Tea Detox
One of the best types of teas you can have for detox is green tea. It is perfect for you, has a mild flavor, so it is easy to add flavors you like, and it sits well with the stomach. It also happens to be great for weight loss, if that is something you are interested in along with your detox. You can drink regular green tea or turn it into your own detox recipe by adding herbs or fruit juice like lime or lemon.
Fresh Tea Detox
This type of tea detox doesn’t use tea leaves but incorporates hot water with a variety of fresh ingredients that are good for drink detoxes. For example, you want to heat a cup of water and add in some lemon juice and cayenne pepper. You can also add in a bit of raw honey or maple syrup to make it sweetener and more flavorful, or even some fresh ground ginger. Try to drink this 2-3 times a day during a detox, and you will begin feeling much better.
Dandelion and Ginger Tea Detox
You can use dandelion to make some delicious and healthy tea. As a superfood, it is packed full of nutrients that you often don’t get from other foods, plus it helps to remove the toxins from your body, particularly your liver. A healthy, powerful blend you can drink is dandelion, milk thistle, and fresh ginger.
Detox for Weight Loss
Losing weight is something many people want to do, but not many know how to do it. The basic recommendation is to eat better and work out more, but this often makes it even more complicated. There are so many questions: What workouts do you do? How much should you work out? What diet do you go on? To simplify it, start with a simple detox diet that gets you ready for a healthy diet.
Eliminate Processed Foods
An easy way to start with detoxing for weight loss purposes is to start cutting out processed foods. These often contain many additives, sugar, and preservatives that are damaging to your body and organs. Many detox diets will have strict rules about all clean foods, which means nothing processed.
If you are confused about processed foods, consider what they go through before they reach the grocery store. If they are packaged or in a can, they are probably processed. Also, cut out processed meats and cheese, as opposed to these items found at the deli counter.
Reduce Your Sugar Intake
Sugar isn’t necessarily bad for you overall, but if you want a fresh restart of your body, cutting it out is a good idea. Having extra sugar in your body can be damaging to various organs, and can also increase your risk for diabetes. You want to try to stick to natural sugars and sweeteners, such as what you find in fruit and raw honey.
Avoid sugar in pastries, baked goods, and processed foods. Reduce your desserts and increase your fruit intake, and you will already be well on your way to consuming less sugar.
If you are detoxing to lose weight, then cooking more at home is crucial. Not only is it good for detoxing purposes since you control all of the ingredients that go in your food, but you can control the overall fat, calories, and carbs of each meal.
There is no more guessing what your fast food or restaurant meal contains since you are in complete control of every single ingredient. Start getting into the habit of cooking more, and you might find that you enjoy it.
Reduce the Meat in Your Diet
While there is nothing that says you can’t consume meat if you are detoxing or lose weight, it is good to reduce at least how much of it you have. Red meat is going to have higher amounts of fat and calories, especially saturated fat, so try to reduce it as much as you can. If you want to eat meat, stick to chicken and turkey.
Infused Detox Water Recipes
Infused water is an excellent way to detox your body, since you are only using all-natural ingredients, like fresh produce and herbs. It is a unique way to drink more water, which is another simple way to detox your system.
Detox Your Home
Don’t forget about your home when it comes to detoxing. We often only think in terms of our bodies when we hear the word detox. Your environment may need to get a detox as well. Here are some things you can do to detox your home.
Plants
Plants are great for cleaning the air and providing natural oxygen. They helped to rid the air of bacteria and dust. Place a few plants throughout your house.
Candles
Sadly, many scented candles have additives that are not the best for you. Once the candle is lit and the additives get in the air, they can produce artificial and chemicals that can be harmful. Instead, buy natural candles such as those made with soy or beeswax.
Cleaning Products
Cleaning products and their harsh chemicals contribute to toxins in the air. You don’t have to use products laden with a lot of chemicals to get your house clean. Use natural or organic cleaning products or better yet, there are items you probably already have around the house that you can use. Vinegar, baking soda, and vinegar work just as well.
Don’t forget to change your laundry detergent as well while you’re at it. Switch to a natural laundry cleaner or better yet use soap nuts. Have you heard of them? I love using them for my laundry.
Heating and Cooling System
Central air and heat can spread allergens over your home. Keep the air filter clean and have the unit cleaned by a professional regularly.
Supplements
Last but not least, here are three items (2 supplements and a food item) that are amazing and powerful in removing toxins and heavy metals from your body. Take them consistently, and you will notice a difference eventually, as those toxins leave your body. Remember, you may experience detox symptoms along the way, but nothing should keep you from your everyday living. Symptoms may include fatigue, nausea, and other symptoms. However, most people do fine, although everyone is different. Always consult your doctor with any concerns you may have and before starting any type of program.
Spirulina draws out heavy metals from your body. Follow the instructions on the package, but generally taking two teaspoons mixed in a liquid (such as water or even a smoothie) is a sufficient amount to take each day.
Barley Grass Juice Extract works in conjunction with Spirulina to draw out heavy metals and toxins. 1-2 teaspoons are good. I usually mix both in my smoothie each morning.
Did you also know that cilantro is a superfood when it comes to drawing heavy metals out of your body? You can even put it in a smoothie if you wish. Most people like to put it on salads on top of tacos. Yes, that’s my favorite way too.
When detoxing, just remember all the hard work you are doing and do not cancel out all the effort your body is going through to rid itself of toxins by falling back into old habits and eating poorly. You can take all the supplements in the world and detox all you want, but if you follow it up with eating junk again, it’s not going to do you a lick of good.
Everything in moderation, my friends. Mostly clean, healthy eating and a treat now and then. If you’re very sick, don’t even have a treat until you start healing. Seriously!
Be happy. Be healthy. BeOrganicallYou!
