DETOXING- good or bad?
Hi Readers,
Have you ever thought about trying a detox? Do you ever feel bloated, fatigued or uncomfortable in your own skin and think a detox might do the trick? Not so fast. I can’t tell you how COMMON this question is asked. People ALWAYS want to know how to detox and if it is even healthy for you!
Why detox? I think a lot of people choose to detox because they want to clean their system of toxins and feel “better” in their own skin. Sometimes people think it will help with being sick, fatigued, unmotivated etc. Whatever the reasoning may be, most think that detoxing will help. Not so fast!
There are many different types of detoxing. Some have you not eating at all, some say you can only eat certain foods for a day, some say you can only drink liquids and some are even crazier. This is just PLAIN wrong!!! Sure, you may drop 5lb of water weight in a week from not eating whole foods but what are you really doing? You are striping your body of a few toxins but also nutrients (hello decreased immune system) and you will most likely put all that weight back on as soon as you eat whole foods. Detoxing solid foods from your system and macro nutrients such as protein, fats and carbohydrates can cause lack of energy, dizziness and make you very irritable. Who would want this? Not me!
So you want to loose weight but be healthy about it? Do you want to feel good at the same time?! Then do it RIGHT. The best way to detox your body is to detox from things you don’t need and not for a short time but for a long time (like forever). Things that are harmful for your body that will benefit you by eliminating them are artificial sweeteners, artificial coloring, chemically enhanced foods and processed foods. What does this mean? The easiest way to start eliminating these things is to start small. Start shopping more and more on the outsides of the grocery store and stay clear of the middle aisles. The middle aisles have nothing fresh in them and are usually processed. Once you have this down, start reading the back of the labels of foods. Anytime a food has an artificial something in it (color/sweetener) put it down. Be careful with this, sometimes labels will say “with natural flavors” but if you look closely on the label, those natural flavors are coupled with artificial flavors and harmful ingredients.
Try eating 6 small meals a day and eat things that come from the ground or land! Fruits, vegetables, legumes, grass-fed meats, eggs from a farm, fish from the ocean etc. These few tips will help you detox your body from artificial food and get you on your way to a healthier and happier you!!
Questions on nutrition? Ask! I’d love to answer your questions- cwphysique@gmail.com
In Good Health,
Cristina