Everyday Detox

I’m sure you’ve all heard about detoxing, cleansing and fasting. Maybe you’ve even tried some form of inner cleansing for yourself. Or you have friends who rave about their accomplishments after completing 10 days on the Master Cleanse or a 3-day juice fast.

While these cleanses can be beneficial when done right, it’s just as important to maintain a healthy lifestyle and incorporate detox supporting habits into our daily life. Our body is much smarter than our minds can comprehend and it wants to be healthy, strong and toxic free. We just have to support and nurture it with the right tools and most importantly get out of the way. And by that, I mean decreasing the number of toxins going in!

1. Choose organic when ever possible. When eating animal foods – make sure to get humanly raised, grass fed and free range. Not only is this the ethically right thing to do – you also make sure to get nutrient rich, antibiotic free protein. You are what you eat – a sick, stressed and scared animal is not going to be a nurturing food for you!

2. Eliminate the foods that often cause sensitivities or reactions for you (common allergens include gluten, dairy and soy.) Also – limit the amount of foods that irritate your gut such as alcohol, caffeine, sugar, processed vegetable oils and processed foods.

3. Limit your exposure to environmental toxins, drugs, sugar, fried foods, factory farmed meats, conventional dairy products, really anything in a box, bag or bottle! And read the labels of your cleaning products for your house, yourself and your loved ones. Look for organic skin, beauty and hair products!

4. Start your day with a big glass of filtered water with freshly squeezed lemon. This will hydrate and alkalize your body and get you started off right! Drink plenty of clean water throughout the day.

5. Get enough fiber from fruit and vegetables to really help sweep your intestines clean. Whole foods is nutrition the way nature intended – this should always be your primary source of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and proteins… Supplements should be exactly that – Supplemental to the diet.

6. Swap the coffee for some herbal teas. Get a detox blend or try:

• pau d’arco; supports blood and fights parasites
• nettle leaf ; for kidneys and blood

7. Include detox-supporting foods such as

• Burdock root (blood, liver, gallbladder)
• Beets (blood)
• Dark leafy greens (blood, liver, gallbladder & kidneys!)
• Iodine rich foods – seaweed salad, anyone?
• Chlorella – very high in chlorophyll and has been shown to neutralize toxins in the body and is often being used when someone has mercury poisoning
• Eat raw sauerkraut, cultured vegetables and kimchi. These probiotic foods support your digestive system, help with nutrient absorption and fights off unfriendly bacteria.

And get a super charged nutrient boost through a green juice, or beet juice with lots of lemon and ginger!

8. Spice it up with some cayenne pepper! Many claim this is the most powerful herb of them all. There’s a reason it is one out of three essential ingredients in the Master Cleanse. Cayenne helps resolve mucus and is beneficial for the entire digestive system, but also for the heart and circulatory system

9. Include some of these practices into your daily routine:

• Yoga, Tracy can tell you all about why! Or just try a class and see how you feel
• Deep breathing! Our cells need oxygen to do their job. Try meditation, pranayama yoga, and kundalini yoga or just take a deep breath!
• Dry skin brushing
• Sauna – Sweat profusely at least three times a week, using a sauna, steam, or a detox bath.
• Hot/Cold shower. Alternate between the hot and cold water while in the shower to get your blood circulation going.

10. Relax deeply every day to get your nervous system in a state of calm, rest, and relaxation. Stress is toxic too!

About Katrine:

Katrine van Wyk came to New York as a model from Norway six years ago. She left the industry soon after to complete her studies. A personal journey in challenging the conventional wisdom about dieting and nutrition led her to becoming a holistic health coach. Katrine, in rejecting one single dietary solution, uses practical coaching methods to discover what works best for her client’s health and lifestyle. She uses a holistic approach to wellness and nutrition that is more rewarding and way more fun. Working with Katrine you’ll discover what healthy means for you — absolutely no deprivation, starvation or guilt.

Katrine is a graduate from Oslo University and the New School and is currently enrolled at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Website: katrinevanwyk.com
Blog: healthyjourney.tumblr.com/
Twitter: @KatrinesJourney
Facebook: facebook.com/katrinevanwyk