Detoxification — or detox — is a popular buzzword. It typically implies following a specific diet or using special products to rid your body of toxins, thereby improving health and immunity. Since what you eat directly affects your overall health, your digestive health is correlated to a number of health issues.
Before you attempts to detox, be sure to check with your doctor. It is essential to discuss all detox methods with your primary doctor to ensure it is safe for you individually. If you are experiencing or are diagnosed with any serious medical illness, disease or ailment, detoxing may not be right for you.
How would you know if you need to detox?
Some signs that may indicate that your body has a high amount of toxins are constipation, headaches, muscle aches and a diet full of processed foods. Detoxing is not necessarily for losing weight, it is to improve your overall health and remove toxins from the body.
The following tips are ways for seniors to detox safely and gently.
Substitute whole foods in place of processed
The first step in any detox is to eliminate certain foods. White flour and white sugar are both highly processed. Substitute these products with whole wheat or natural options. Other foods that you should eliminate to detox are sugars, salts, tea and coffee.
Flush out toxins with water
Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water a day is the most natural way to aide your body in detoxification. Your kidneys help to remove waste from your body and water aids in this process as well. Another form of detoxing in water can be with steaming in saunas, hot and cold showers.
Fresh fruits and vegetables
If you are eliminating processed foods, it only makes sense to increase the number of unprocessed foods you eat. These foods consist of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and grains. Vegetables, specifically, beets, broccoli, carrots, kale, onion, radishes, garlic and turmeric also aid in detoxification. Certain fruits, especially organic fruit are a great addition to the diet for seniors to detox also. Organic fruit is free of chemicals and has a high liquid content which helps wash away toxins. Fruits to add specifically are berries, lemons, oranges, grapes, and limes. Adding these fruits to your diet will aid in detox, just be sure you are getting real fruit as juices are not a good substitute due to their high sugar content.
Exercise
Exercising aids digestion and is a healthy way to detox naturally. This is due to the increase in internal temperature and the amount of blood flow to the organs. These reactions bring nutrients to the organs and cause your body to sweat, releasing toxins through the pores of the skin. Exercising can sound intimidating, but it can be something as simple as walking, riding a bike or swimming. Yoga is another excellent exercise that detoxes the body and can detox the mind from negative thoughts.
Relax and Breathe
You may not think of breathing as a detox, but it is the most natural detoxification process our bodies have. During your detox ensure you take some time out to relax and breathe. When you focus on breathing it can regulate your heart and help the oxygenation process of the blood. This process then carries essential nutrients into the bloodstream which is critical to your health.
It is also important to avoid alcohol and stimulants, like coffee. It is also a great idea to take a multivitamin daily.
Just be sure to discuss any detox programs with your primary care physician before implementing them to be sure it fits well with your lifestyle. With detoxing, you’ll have sustained energy, feel happier, less prone to infection and sleep well.
Become an Unmukt member to stay updated on active ageing.