SPONSORED BY GOODNESS ME!

by Laura Stokoe

Ahhhh! I have to do a detox! Does that sound like you? If so, relax and fear not. Detoxifying your body doesn’t have to be a scary thing; in fact, it’s quite simple and can even be a pleasant experience. The key word to remember is support. We must support our liver during this process, as it is our main detoxification organ. There are several ways we can do this, and no matter which cleansing kit you buy or which way you choose to go about it, the tips below are applicable for all:

1.   Drink lots of water (aim for 8 cups daily, and herbal tea counts).
    
2. Exercise gently (a 30 minute walk is excellent), to allow toxins to exit our bodies through our lungs and skin.
    
3. Increase your fibre intake - all plant foods contain it. Also, supplement with extra fibre to enhance detoxification. An example is psyllium (1-3 Tbsp in 2 cups water daily; stir in and drink quickly; follow with another cup of water). Alternatively, you can use any fibre blend.
    
4. Eat lots of greens (some examples are spinach, kale, chard, dandelion greens, and rapini) as well as colourful fruits and veggies.
    
5. Avoid dairy, wheat, and sugar, as they can be difficult to digest and can increase our toxic load.
    
6. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, as they interfere with detoxification and add unnecessary chemicals.
    
7. Sleep! Aim for 7-8 hours every night.
    
8. Consider supplementing with artichoke juice, as it is extremely beneficial to the liver not only with detoxification, but also with digestion and overall liver health.
    
9. Use a castor oil pack every night during the detoxification period to increase the cleansing effects.
    
10. Dry brush your skin every morning. If you don’t have one on hand, you can use a loofah. This improves lymphatic and blood flow and sloughs off dead skin cells and toxins.

Below is a simple recipe for a greens smoothie that you can enjoy daily during a detoxification (and ideally, on an ongoing basis):

• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• Handful spinach
• 2 leaves kale, stems removed
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 small beet, chopped (or substitute with ½ cup Biotta Beetroot Juice, and only do ½ cup water)
• 1 apple, chopped
• ½ to 1 cup frozen berries

Mix in a blender and enjoy.

Happy cleansing!

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Laura Stokoe is a CNP, RNCP and Goodness Me! Healthy Living Advisor Leader