Feeling lethargic, sluggish, bloated or just not like yourself? Maybe your body is trying to send you a message. Each day, from processed foods to pollutants to environmental factors and stress, we expose ourselves to a lot, all of which can make us feel weighted down. A natural detox can renew your system so you feel energized and lightweight. No worries—a detox does not mean starving yourself or spending thousands on expensive cleanses. Detoxing does not have to be an extreme, punishing process, but instead a few natural tweaks to your lifestyle that allow your body to naturally help itself.
Think about it this way: we get our cars cleaned and serviced regularly, and we can’t drive them forever without changing the oil or cleaning the engine as it sputters along the highway. While the liver, kidneys, and skin naturally clean the system themselves, help goes a long way, so a few naturally occurring detox strategies worked into your daily routine can make you feel amazing. Intrigued? Here are seven simple, natural ways to detox your body starting today—without spending any money or starving yourself with immediate access below!
Tip 1: Drink More Water
Water is a detoxifying miracle for the human body. Water is like a rinse for your insides; every single essential cell in your body craves water for proper function, and staying hydrated keeps kidneys operating properly to release waste and skin. When the body does not have water, excess toxins linger which makes you, at best, lethargic and at worst, bloated.
How much water should you drink? The average answer is eight glasses—but each person varies based on size, activity level and the weather. People who sweat through every pore or are currently experiencing a heat wave need more, for example. And you don’t have to drink just plain water; squeeze a wedge of lemon, add some cucumber slices or mint sprigs for a refreshing infusion. You’re still drinking water, but it feels a little more special.
Get yourself a reusable water bottle that travels with you everywhere. You should sip all day rather than guzzle in the morning when you wake and at night before bed—integration is imperative to keep your body sufficiently hydrated over time. You should notice clearer skin and better digestion over time—and maybe something that some people take for granted: energy. If you forget to hydrate, set an alarm on your phone or keep a note somewhere you can see it all the time—like on your computer screen—to remind yourself. Sipping here and there adds up.
Drink a glass of water when you wake up before you do anything else—before breakfast, before coffee. This gets systems moving and helps the body operate efficiently for the day ahead.
Tip 2: Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are mother nature’s detox course. They’re filled with vitamins, minerals and nutrients that help the body in multiple functional ways. For example, fiber is super important and fruits and vegetables provide it; it helps digestion move all systems along so toxins aren’t trapped in the body for too long. In addition, many fruits and vegetables are filled with water, which brings us back to point number one.
What’s the easiest way to get more of them? Add a few leafy greens—spinach or kale—to your meals. Add some berries to your breakfast or eat carrot sticks instead of chips. You don’t need a whole diet overhaul—just seek to make half your plate plants and colorful ones at that. The more colors, the better. Different colors represent different nutrients, so enjoy red peppers, orange carrots, green broccoli and purple grapes.
Not a fan of veggies? Puree them! If you’re having a banana and berry smoothie for breakfast, toss in a handful of spinach—you won’t taste it and your body will thank you. Or roast all of your veggies in olive oil and salt—they’re tasty and simple to make. Eating more plants is not just good while detoxing, but you’ll feel lighter, energized. Who doesn’t want that?
Tip 3: Decrease Processed Foods
Processed foods are far too convenient, but they’re not doing your body any favors. We’re talking about snacks loaded with sugar, fast food, frozen meals saturated with salt and preservatives. These things create stress on the liver and the kidneys creating a more arduous route for detoxification. Decreasing intake is not a forever thing; you don’t have to give up your favorite ice cream or candy forever. They can be treats instead of everyday snacks.
Start with your pantry. Instead of chips and cookies, look for whole foods like nuts, fruit, or yogurt. When you go food shopping, shop the perimeter of the store-this is where the fresh items are found-fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. The processed food is all in the middle and the aisles. The more you cook at home, the more you can control your ingredients. A stir fry with fresh vegetables and chicken takes less time than you think and tastes better than any frozen meal.
When you’re craving sugar, try having fruit first. An apple or some berries can satisfy your sweet tooth-and avoid that sugar crash. Soon enough, you’ll realize your body is no longer sluggish after meals when you’ve limited the processed options-you’re essentially giving your body a break from overworking.
Tip 4: Get Moving
Exercising is not only a great way to build muscle and lose weight; it’s a great way to detox. When you exercise, you’re stimulating blood flow throughout the body. Blood flow helps all organs do their job better and when you exercise, you’re stimulating your skin to excrete waste through sweating as one method. Working out also releases endorphins, so you feel good about detoxing (and life).
You don’t have to go to the gym or run a marathon. Just thirty minutes of walking each day can do the trick. If you love to dance, put on music and have a dance party in your living room. Yoga is a great way to move as it relaxes the person yet stretches muscles, releases tension and gets blood flowing. Gardening or playing with your kids counts as movement too.
The key? Do something you love so you continue. You should be active most days of the week, and every little bit—even fifteen minutes of stretching in the morning—is enough! You’ll feel more energized (goodbye afternoon slumps) and your body will better release the byproduct of waste. Ever walk in place for fifteen minutes and feel recharged? That’s because your body is thanking you.
Tip 5: Get Good Sleep
Sleep is our body’s and mind’s natural detox process. While we sleep, our bodies repair and detox for the next day. When people don’t sleep enough, they feel sluggish in the morning, more stressed, and bloated by the end of the day. Sleep helps the liver and kidneys operate more properly for detox.
Aim for seven to nine hours of sleep every night. I get it’s difficult, but a bedtime goal helps. The body processes through routine, so falling asleep and waking at the same time go a long way. Then, create a bedtime ritual since this signals to your brain that it’s time to sleep—for some, this is reading or calm music; others need gentle stretches.
Fall asleep at night by creating cool, dark, and quiet conditions. Limit screen time an hour before bed because blue light disrupts sleep hormones. If you still can’t sleep, breathing exercises and sipping chamomile tea help. A good night’s sleep does.
Tip 6: Manage Stress
Stress is a toxin that doesn’t show up on a lab report but can make you feel terrible. When you’re stressed, your body releases hormones that can interfere with digestion, sleep and everything in between. Thus, reducing stress is part of the detox process as stress forces the body into fight mode rather than allowing it to heal.
How do you manage stress? We’re all different as some enjoy meditating, finding five minutes of focused breathing to ease their busy minds. Some enjoy journaling; others tap into their creative sides—knitting, painting, gardening, organizing a messy drawer. Spending time with a friend or watching something that makes you laugh can provide instant stress reduction.
Try to find ten minutes a day for yourself—whether it’s quiet time, reflective time, walking time, or listening to your favorite song or writing down your thoughts. When you feel overwhelmed, take incremental tasks and tackle them instead of letting them pile up into an avalanche. Less stress means your body can concentrate on its natural ability to detox from the inside out—why not give it a try?
Tip 7: Help Your Gut Help You
The gut is the detox headquarters of the body. When your gut is working well, it knows how to not only process food but remove nutrients and waste. When digestion is off, you feel bloated, tired, and not like yourself. Supporting the gut is easy and goes a long way.
One simple place to begin is by supporting your gut. Eat food that is prebiotics and probiotics. Probiotics are yogurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut. All promote a healthy microbiome. Explore further prebiotic foods to include garlic, onions, leeks, oats, whole grains, beans to help microbes flourish. Adequate water intake (see above!) keeps the gut working properly without bloating or constipation.
You should also limit excess sugar and artificial sweeteners which disrupt microbial populations. If at any time you are unsure what is diagnosing their issue, suggest a food journal for a few days and see how they feel with consumption follow up notes. A happy gut equals a happy life, reduced bloating and increased energy—who wouldn’t want that?
Conclusion
Detoxing doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive or elaborate. It’s the small changes and decisions made over time that can really fluctuate how you feel. The decision to drink more water. The more fruits and vegetables instead of processed junk. Moving, sleeping, de-stressing and supporting the gut—these are all ways to detox gradually starting today that require no equipment, no money, just some effort and consistency!
This week could be devoted to recommending one or two of these suggested options. Take that water bottle out of the cabinet. Seek fresh ingredients for a salad with dinner. These small actions can lead to big outcomes and you’ll feel better, lighter and invigorated to live your life. Your body does all the detoxing naturally on its own, it just needs your support! So what are you waiting for?