Our body is always detoxifying. However after the copious amounts of feasting and celebrating over the silly season, it’s nice to offer it a little extra help along the way come January and February.
We have two detoxification pathways in the body that primarily operate in the liver – referred to as phase I and phase II.
Phase I requires an abundance of folic acid, foods rich in beta carotene and other powerful antioxidants and healing flavonoids. Including foods rich in these compounds is vital – think beetroot, spinach, garlic, tomatoes, carrots, eggs, brown rice and papaya.
To give phase II a boost (which is actually the phase that requires the most support from us), try the following simple hacks:
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Start your day with warm water and fresh lemon juice (about half a lemon). Lemons are rich in monoterpenoids which induce phase II detox glutathione and glucuronidaiton activities, aiding the function of the liver. Lemon juice is also alkaline and helpful for cleansing the body on the whole.
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Increase your intake of organic cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, cauliflower, watercress, garden cress, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts and radish sprouts – which contain sulfur compounds, necessary to enhance phase II pathways.
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Get stuck back into your exercise regime. Moving your body and building up a sweat aids in accelerating lymphatic drainage, firing up your metabolism and general detox efficacy.
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Rest. When we’re overworked (and overstressed) we throw off our natural cycle of hormones. Rest, maintain proper sleep patterns and consciously reduce stress levels to keep your hormones functioning optimally.
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Go organic. We cut a huge toxic load by going organic. The liver is the one organ that works extra hard to disperse of the harmful chemicals we induce whether it be by way of food or skin-care. Support your local farmers market and your detoxification pathways at the same time (two birds)! Research the brands you use on your skin too and strip everything back to basics – one product at a time.
The key is to gently ease your way back into a healthy and supportive routine to kick your new year off strong, and with a clear head. Reflect on all the fun the festive season brought with it and instead of stressing out, let the focus of this process be about realigning your intentions to be the very best version of you possible!
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