A simple search on social media would leave you thinking there's a million different ways to detox your body naturally, from supplements to chugging apple cider vinegar and cleanse diets. But the truth is our bodies detox on their own, and you don't need to do much else to help it, other than follow a healthy lifestyle.
That's why my No. 1 piece of advice for anyone wondering how to detox their body is to avoid anything that claims to be miraculous or work quickly, in stores or online.
My next piece would be to understand what "detoxing" really means and how your body does it. A detox usually refers to getting rid of toxins in the body, which are either made by the body itself (like feces) or come from external exposure, like pollution or pesticides. The liver removes toxins from your body on its own.
Sometimes, people who want to "detox" will turn to methods that aren't backed by science to do so, such as fasting, drinking only a specific type of beverage or eating specific foods or herbs, enemas, spending money on expensive products and more. Research shows that detoxing diets can sometimes result in weight loss, usually because of cutting calories, but the weight is usually gained back.
Instead of driving yourself crazy with intense restrictions and expecting that this time denying yourself will make you feel healthier than ever, it's best to focus on small, sustainable lifestyle changes, experts say. For example, eating more whole foods with antioxidants and other micronutrients can help you feel better and reduce bloating.
Here’s 10 strategies to help you detox the body, and feel like you’re getting your health back on track.
Start the day with lemon water
Either warm or cold lemon water can help with digestion since lemon contains pectin, a type of soluble fiber. Choosing warm water over cold may help you feel more full, but adding lemon to any beverage will have the same effect.
Eat a healthy breakfast
After the lemon water, eat a breakfast that will benefit your metabolism — so skip the bread, cereal or any carb-heavy breakfast that will cause your body to retain water, and instead have some protein, which will satiate your hunger.
For example an egg-and-salmon scramble is a great combo of protein and metabolism-boosting omega-3s to start the day. Or if you’re on the go, opt instead for an easy gut-healthy smoothie.
The best time to eat breakfast is before 8:30 a.m. Research shows that doing so can help reduce insulin resistance and keep blood sugar levels low. Plus, your body can metabolize food more efficiently if you eat earlier in the day.
Move your body
To help your body flush out toxins on its own, increase your heart rate to increase blood flow. Research shows that exercise can improve liver health and may even reverse some liver damage.
To break a sweat, you don’t even need to go to the gym: Here are some cardio workouts you can do just about anywhere.
Clean up your diet
Some people think a cleanse means you're not eating, but no skipping meals. Eating consistently throughout the day will help you create the foundation for ongoing healthy eating. Eat loads of veggies, lean protein (such as grass-fed steak, chicken, fish and eggs) and healthy fats from nuts, seeds or olives, avocado or coconut.
During this detox, get rid of ultraprocessed foods — even the “healthy” versions. This way, you won’t be taking in excess sodium, artificial ingredients and sugar. Avoiding salt and using only herbs and spices to flavor your food can make a difference in how you look and feel — even after just one day.
If packaged foods and sweets are a habit, try to remember that you don’t have to go without them forever, but you can start with one day or even one meal, depending on where you’re at.
Preparing your food in advance can help you to resist temptation, and the task is easier than you think. If you have something ready that is lovingly prepared at home, it makes it easy to skip the fast food line.
Enjoy a cup of tea
Drink a cup of dandelion root tea with your afternoon snack. Trust me, this one is important. Dandelion can help improve digestion, and being properly hydrated is linked to everything from a healthy metabolism to energy and good skin health. If dandelion isn’t your thing, try green tea for an antioxidant and metabolic boost.
Try not to hurry through any part of tea making or drinking. You don't have to make it fancy, but try to make room for the extra few seconds it will take to pick out a tea cup you love and savor the aroma and flavor. Tea time is a ritual in many cultures and making space for personal self-care rituals is a great way to brush away some mental and emotional cobwebs.
Try twisting to relieve tension — and aid digestion
Most Americans spend a lot of time leaning forward. We hold our phones in front of our faces and reach forward towards steering wheels and computers. Basically, we don't do a lot of twisting in our everyday lives. And since our spines were made to twist, the result can be tension in the spinal muscles — and sluggish digestion.
You might be wondering what twisting your spine has to do with digestion. Well, a lot of the organs we use to digest food are in the abdomen — like the intestines — and twisting movements help them work efficiently. Basically, twisting can literally help move things along the intestinal tract. So if you want what you've eaten to move out of your body efficiently, twists are a good way to start.
Do some breathing exercises
Feeling overly full — or like you haven't been treating your body like you wish you had — can be stressful. One of the quickest ways to relax is by using breathing exercises. A recent study followed participants of a breathing workshop. What they found was that learning calming breathing techniques helped people immediately reduce feelings of anxiety. Not only that, but those same participants reported feeling more social connectedness after 3 months. That's a lot of benefit for something you're doing anyways!
We have some cool guided breathing instructions, but if you want to do it on your own that's totally fine. You are definitely a breathing expert!
An easy way to use your breath to calm your body and mind is to simply slow it down. You can also introduce a pause in between breaths and, for maximum benefit, make your exhale longer than your inhale. Counting your breath — either the time of the inhalations and exhalations or each breath cycle — is also a great way to give your mind something to focus that isn't your woes.
End your shower with a blast of cold water
While it might not sound that comfortable, ending your shower with a blast of cold water is an instant way to feel energized. Not only that, but cold water can reduce inflammation and some experts think it can boost the immune system.
In a recent study, people who showered in cold water for 30, 60, or 90 seconds took 29% fewer sick days than people who did not. It's hard to say whether those individuals were actually sick less than their hot shower counterparts or if they just didn't feel sick enough to call out, but either way, the evidence suggests that people who cold shower feel healthier than those who do not.
Experts also say a shot of cold water, like taking an ice bath, can help reduce pain and inflammation, improve sleep and help you relax.
Turn off your phone
Most of us are inundated with constant notifications. All those beeps and buzzes have an immediate impact on your mental and emotional state and a long-term impact on your health. A study that has been ongoing since 2015 — called the Do Not Disturb Challenge — asks participants to turn off their phones for 24 hours. What they have found is that many participants immediately notice that they feel less stressed with their phones off. So much so that two-thirds of participants decide to make turning off their phones a regular practice and after two years maintained a lower propensity for distraction and stress.
Why not challenge yourself to 24 hours without your phone? If that feels too difficult, you can start by turning your notifications off. Another recent study shows that just hearing your phone buzz immediately hurts your productivity. If you want to detoxify your body and mind, you can start by trying to keep your attention on what's actually important to you instead of your phone.
Try meditation
There's no such thing as a single panacea for all of your ills, but meditation seems to be about as close as we can get. The benefits of meditation range from reduced anxiety to lessened symptoms of everything from IBS to PTSD.
Look, a few minutes of meditation is not going to make all your problems go away, but it can help you feel good about yourself. If meditating seems intimidating, just try sitting quietly with your eyes closed for one minute. One minute could be the first step towards a lifelong meditation practice or it could be nothing. It doesn't matter, it's just one minute.
