10 Things… That Are Crucial For The Perfect Detox

So the last summer bank holiday has been and gone, and if we’re honest, we celebrated having an extra day off just a little more than we probably should have.  The majority of us are feeling a little worse for wear due to too much wine and over indulging in the wrong foods and so it is time to detox. Kick-start healthy eating with detoxifying foods that can be simply added to your daily meals and some tips in order to make your cleanse a success. 1. Eat The Right Fruits People often make the mistake in thinking that swapping junk food for lots of fruit is the correct way to detox one's body. Fruit is high in natural sugars, and although the positives outweigh the negatives, consuming too much fruit isn't exactly good for you... or your bowels. They may not serve as the most glamorous of the detox foods but the grapefruit and lemons pack a powerful punch. Grapefruit: Grapefruit gets your liver fired up and ready for action. Ranked as one of the highest antioxidant fruits, grapefruit is packed with fiber and nutrients making it the perfect detox juice. Grapefruit makes the liver burn up fat and is a great aid for weight loss. Lemons: No doubt you’ll have heard of the slice of lemon in hot water to kick off your day, but do you know why? Lemon stimulates the release of enzymes, and helps to convert toxins to a form that can more easily be excreted from the body. It’s also a great way to get your Vitamin C. 2. Coconut Oil Many fall into the trap of thinking all oils are bad for you - good fats are crucial to a healthy body, so stop thinking of fat as the enemy. The key is choosing said ‘good’ fats and knowing what to look for. Coconut oil can help improve insulin use throughout the body, boost thyroid function and increase metabolism. It also aids in digestion, and helps your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins. You can even apply it directly to your skin and hair for an immediate beauty-boosting treatment, but ingesting about two tablespoons a day will give you the best results. 3. Get Your Greens This is a simple tip. Green vegetables contain high levels of chlorophyll. This helps your body clean itself of heavy metals and is a known anti-oxidant and anti-carcinogenic. Broccoli: Broccoli specifically works with the enzymes in your liver to turn toxins into something your body can eliminate easily. Broccoli is also high in fibre, which aids in digestion, maintains low blood sugar, and curbs overeating. Asparagus: Asparagus is loaded with nutrients and antioxidants and is a powerful tool for helping filter out and drain the toxic materials from our liver. 4. Chia Seeds Add these little marvels to yoghurts, breakfast cereals and salads as a super source of healthy omega-3 fats and fibre. These wonder seeds, from a flowering plant native to Mexico, have been hailed worldwide for their notable health benefits, including energy-boosting properties and aid digestion, as well as lowering cholesterol. 5. Fresh Air And Exercise Daily exercise like walking, jogging and lifting weights will ensure your body burns fat and calories and, most importantly, sweats. Yoga helps you improve breathing, your posture and allows you to become aware of your own body. It stimulates all the elimination systems, helping to remove waste products that can cause fatigue, disease 6. Vegetables Garlic: A crucial food to have on any detox diet list. Garlic boosts the immune system as well as helping out the liver. One good thing about garlic is that you can up your intake of it without having to worry if your body is going to get used to it or build up a resistance. Ginger: An easy way to add ginger to your diet is by boiling water and including a small amount of root ginger in to a cup. Ginger helps improves the body absorb and assimilate essential nutrients. It is thought to help the liver function, and has some astringent properties. Beetroot: Beetroot is often over looked on the shopping list, but this super food is excellent for making sure that bad toxins leave the body. Beetroot is anti-cancerous as it helps fight against free radicals and contains powerful antioxidants which protect your heart.   7. Hydration And Minerals Drinking plenty of water is so important when flushing toxins from the body - add a slice of lemon to aid the recovery of your metabolism. Make sure you get your daily intake of necessary minerals. These will keep your digestion strong and your organs pushing toxins and pollutants out. Minerals are needed for balancing your endocrine system which regulates mood and stress.   8. Green Tea Green tea helps with your body weight loss, as it burns fats and boosts your metabolism rate naturally, a great beverage to drink on a daily basis for this factor alone. Green tea can help you burn up to 70 calories in just one day.   9. Get Rid Of Refined Sugar Refined sugar adds to your waist line, can potentially disrupt your sleep patterns and creates havoc in your hormones. Skipping the spoon of sugar in your tea is the first step. Keep an eye on what you are eating during the day, making sure none of them are sugar-heavy. Weaning yourself off sugar can result in better energy levels and a better mood.   10. Healthy Body, Healthy Mind Many of us harbour negative feelings but they can be detrimental to your happiness and, believe it or not, your health. Try and let go of any grudges you’ve been holding. If you’re finding it difficult, yoga or meditation can help with anxiety and stress.