Detox isn't just about juice cleanses. In fact, juice cleanses aren't truly cleansing anything — the kidney and liver do that. But there are natural ways to cleanse the body, either directly by consuming foods with nutrients or supplements that aid toxin-ridding organs or by just creating healthier habits, through sleep or exercise, that can make the body operate at its optimal level.
We're not doctors and talking to a health professional should absolutely be the first step in finding out how to best detox and become a healthier person. But we have found some science-backed ways to improve your health and rid the body of toxins that can cause gut issues, inflammation, and more. And yes, that includes stress.
Take Probiotic Supplements
$26
from
Hum Nutrition
Probiotics play a vital role in gut health, which can affect other non-gut parts of the body like skin. Although there are supplements that help with things such as bloating, which can likely be considered detox, probiotics are a longer-term way to help regulate the things in the gut that may upset the stomach or cause skin issues. Hum Nutrition has a few, including this one called Gut Instinct.
Get Sweating (but not because it'll help with detox)
Sweating has been debunked as a way to rid toxins from the body because our kidneys and liver handle that. Movement, however, is still important to staying healthy and refreshing the body. It can help cycle air in the lungs (read: more oxygen in and get carbon dioxide out) and increase circulation in the body, which nurtures the body and has many health benefits. Wearing wrist or ankle weights can make a casual walk into a ramped-up workout.
Cut Out Alcohol
Cutting out alcohol is a way to not so much detox but to allow the body time to flush out the alcohol that's in there, which is better for the liver, which does control detox. Once alcohol is out of the body, parts that may have been affected, such as the brain and gut, can start to heal. Luckily, more and more nonalcoholic beverages are available (like this nonalcoholic sparkling rose) to still have a tasty drink without the toxins.
Up That Water Intake
$40
from
Clearly Filtered
The body needs water, and it's a drink that absolutely aids in body detox, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says so. It does that by ridding of "wastes through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements," the agency notes. To help drink more water, this water bottle can help keep you on track with its time markers on the side.
Eat More Fruits & Veggies & Less Processed Foods
Detoxing the body naturally is possible, thanks to fruits and vegetables that assist the function of organs that aid in eliminating unhealthy chemicals from the body. All it takes is eating them to get their benefits. Examples of veggies that can aid in detox include broccoli and onions for their sulfur properties and foods like bananas, which have probiotics. Sounds like it's smoothie time!
Use More Products Containing Natural Ingredients
Lots of products have ingredients that aren't good for the body. In 2022, Unilever voluntarily recalled many of the company's widely used aerosol products because of the risk of cancer that chemicals in them exposed people to. It's nearly impossible to know every single chemical we come into contact with, but being more aware of the kinds of products we buy can help. Brands like Honest Company, which sells organic, natural products, is a great place to start.
Drink Green Tea
Drinking tea has many science-backed benefits for the body, including lowering cancer risk, improving brain function, and decreasing the risk of heart disease. That sounds like replenishing to us! There are lots of green tea brands to choose from, but we opted for a sampler from Vahdam simply for its variety.
Improve Sleep Quality
$29
from
Brooklinen
Getting the right amount of sleep is one of the best ways to rejuvenate and replenish the best functions that happen in the body. According to Mind Body Green, "deep sleep triggers the brain's waste removal system, the glymphatic drainage system, to clear away toxins that can lead to neurodegenerative diseases."
Get a Lymphatic Body Massage or Facial
$55
from
Ember Wellness
Gua Sha may seem like another unproven beauty routine made popular just to sell products, but it has are study-backed benefits. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the Chinese practice began as a way to better increase the body's energy flow, or qi, but it can also help with muscle tension and pain and relieve inflammation and tension in the face.
Reduce Stress & Journal All the Thoughts
Journaling is a way to mentally detox. It's used as a tool in therapy and mental health settings to allow people to sit with their feelings and get them out of their heads and on paper. It's less tangible than physically ridding the body of toxins, but it can be effective in lightening the effects of stress on the body too, which is in itself a pretty bad toxin to harbor as it can create chemicals that have a negative impact, such as causing increased inflammation and decreased energy.
Practice Mindfulness Techniques
$19
from
Ink and Volt
Another way to rid the body of stress, and therefore "detox," is to practice mindfulness. Instead of letting our emotions overtake us, we can practice tolerating them and sitting with them, and then allowing them to pass through mindfulness techniques. This mindfulness dice game is a fun, guided way to get started.
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