Breaking Bad Habits

A few years ago my health was bottoming out and I was feeling tired all the time and quite lifeless. I’d lost count of how many times I’d been to see the doctor, but the answer was always the same – nothing medically wrong.

I finally went to see an alternative health therapist one day who recommended I needed to detox my body, and put some effort into learning how to detox the body with a view to changing my eating habits. It seemed a lot of people had a lot of good things to say about it, so figured it was a worthy investment of my time to at least check it out, and why so many alternative and complementary health practitioners advocate doing a detox and suggest getting started with the 1 week detox so strongly.

Something else she recommended I try was a foot detox. I have a foot spa two or three times a week now, if I have the time, but as a suitable alternative, those detox pads can work just as well – but with the patches you don’t get a relaxing foot massage at the same time

This is what I learnt about detoxing your body.

Herbal teas are just as good as water

One of the most important things you need to is drink lots of water while you are following a detox diet because it will help purge excessive toxins from your body. It also helps to prevent constipation, helps your internal organs function more efficiently, and helps reduce the signs of aging by plumping up your skin. Your goal should be to drink about 8 glasses (or 2 liters) of water each day, but increase that when the weather is hot.

As a guideline, aim to drink an extra half liter of water for every hour you exercise. The healthiest type of water is filtered tap water. Keep your water at room temperature as it’s more refreshing that way. Herbal teas are a great alternative in helping your reach your daily quote – loose leaf is better than tea bags as it hasn’t been processed as much. Green tea, horsetail, camomile and roibosch (or redbush) in particular are great choices as their hidden ingredients assist in the detox process. Green tea and redbush is also beneficial as it is rich in antioxidants.

That Seems Like A Lot of Water

Fitting in 6 to 8 glasses of liquid a day isn’t difficult once you get into the habit. You can have your first glass with some fresh lime or lemon juice instead of (or as well as) your morning coffee – this is a great way to activate your digestive system and bowel then try to drink another glass each time you take a break from your work.

Aim to have a glass whenever you eat, a glass between meals, another during the evening and perhaps a final glass of water last thing at night. Don’t be afraid to “spice up” the water with a little lemon juice.

Fresher Food Is More Nutritious

Try buying farm fresh food and juice or blend them for maximum benefit or just eat them raw, for example as snacks, crudites, salads, and juices. Raw fruits and veg are still full of all their natural enzymes, vitamins and minerals. If the food stays in the fridge or on the shelf for long periods, or when it is cooked or preserved, it kills the natural enzymes.

Try to buy your fruits and veg locally, preferably at farms and markets in your area- imported produce is usually harvested under ripe (so it won’t have created all the nutrition of a fully ripened plant) and a lot of nutrition is lost during the journey to the stores.

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