Detoxify for better health – Where do you get your energy from?

These are measures you can introduce into your lifestyle over a period of time until they become a part of you.

• Watch what you put in your mouth.
  1. Stop drinking coffee.
  2. Stop smoking.
  3. Eat lean cuts of meat.
  4. Avoid transfats.
  5. Avoid diet foods e.g. diet cola, which contain Nutrasweet.
  6. Use Stevia which is a natural herbal sweetenerwhich is several times sweeter than sugar and much healthier.
  7. Drink at least 2 quartsof water every day in between meals. Drinking lots of water with your food dilutes the enzymes so food does not digest properly.
• Maintain regular bowel habit. You need to have at least 1 bowel movement every day. This may mean changing your diet to include more fibre. You can do this in various ways:
  1. Eat more high-fibre cereals like oats and oat bran.
  2. Eat more fruits and vegetables especially beans, carrots, pears and apples.
  3. Use fibre supplements e.g. psyllium. If you’re just starting, rice fibre which is one of the milder supplements, may be better. There are 2 types of fibre and you need both of them.
     • Soluble fibre – this helps lower cholesterol, regulates blood sugar and makes you feel full.
     • Insoluble fibre – this mops up and inactivates intestinal toxins and prevents harmful organisms from attaching to the gut wall.

     Oat bran, rice bran, peas, beans, apples, pears and berries contain both types of fibre.

  4. Daily exercise is essential e.g. brisk walking. It increases the contraction of the colon which helps maintain regular bowel habits.
  5. Use vitamins and minerals
     • Vitamin C, especially the buffered variety, is essential for regular bowel movements.
     • Magnesium also helps in promoting regular bowel habits.
• Herbs & nutrients
  • Chlorophyll (the substance that gives green leaves their color) is abundant in wheatgrass, barley, alfalfa, spirulina and blue-green algae. All these can be found in Green Superfood which is very good for colon cleansing and detoxifying.
  • Garlic has natural antibiotic, antifungal and anti-yeast properties.
  • Other effective herbs include barberry, dandelion root, echinacea, fenugreek and red clover. These can usually be found combined in colon and body detox programs.
• Flaxseed oil is a great detoxifier. It’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids and helps strengthen the cell membranes. It may help fight heart disease, arthritis and cancer. It is available in cinnamon flavor for those who don’t like the original flavor. 1 teaspoon added to 8 oz of juice keeps hunger at bay when doing a juice fast.
• Fasting ( abstaining from food) by drinking only freshly squeezed juice for a one day in the week or month is a great way to detoxify and still get the essential nutrients your body needs.

It only takes a little extra effort to increase your energy levels by getting rid of toxins in your body. So, take a little time to take care of yourself – it may just transform you!