You should feel free to eat whatever foods you want throughout the holiday season–and really, any time of year–but if you do want to keep an eye on the scale without sacrificing all of your holiday indulgences, a detox cleanse is one thing you can keep in mind.
Brandon Nicholas, National Academy of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer and health nutritionist and founder of the Fitness Tribe, explains how you can help work with your body’s natural detoxification process to keep your body working as efficiently and effectively as possible.
His detox recommendations focus on four main body parts: the liver, kidneys, lungs, and skin.
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First, Brandon recommends green juice for the liver.
He explains, “The liver reigns over all toxins in the body by cleaning the blood and transforming harmful chemicals for eventual excretion.”
To support the liver’s detoxification processes, he recommends a green juice: “A daily juice made from ground bitter foods and foods that promote the body’s production of internal antioxidants, especially glutathione, are best for liver detoxification. Green leafy veggies like spinach, lettuce, and kale mixed with beetroot, carrot, apple, banana, and berries is a great antioxidant rich drink that will not only boost the body’s immunity but will also aid the liver’s detoxification functions.”
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Second, Brandon suggests increasing your water intake for your kidneys.
He tells SheFinds, “If you have to detoxify your body then there is nothing that works better than water. Water is just as essential for survival as it is in flushing out impurities from the body. Making sure you get at least 2 gallons of water daily delivers maximum results that also helps in weight loss, bids adieu to skin issues and boosts ones energy levels to optimum.”
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Those aren’t Brandon’s only recommendations. He also suggests adding some breathing exercises into your routine to take better care of your lungs.
“Our lungs are responsible for filtering out carbon dioxide, fumes, molds, allergens, and airborne toxins. It can be naturally detoxed through mindful breathing — inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth,” he explains, “Meditation and simple Himalayan salt pipes or inhaling the beach air can also greatly improve the lungs’ detoxification process. By doing this, the lungs can effectively do their job in preventing our bodies from foreign pollutants that cause impurity.”
Brandon also recommends physical exercise to remove toxins from your body.
“Exercising is a way of inducing detoxification ourselves. When we are physically active, toxins, and other chemicals that we are exposed to on a daily basis are released by the skin through sweat,” he explains.
Plus, exercise provides a good outlet for your mental wellbeing, which is especially important during the stressful holiday season. Brandon adds, “So exercising would not only help you in staying fit and healthy but would also help you get rid of the unwanted toxins while combating mental and emotional distress.”