10 Easy Ways to Detoxify Daily

Detox is a popular word in the health world these days... but what does it really mean? It is hard? What does a "detox" do for your body? And... can you do it each day? 

Detoxification is the act of cleansing (or detoxing) your body and organs from - you guessed it - toxins! Toxins and other things can accumulate and have negative effects on our health--poor digestion and elimination, sluggish energy, hormone disruption, and skin issues, among other things. Where do these toxins come from? Processed or junk foods, toxic personal care products, toxic cleaning products, laundry detergent, perfumes, alcohol--pretty much everything that we are encouraged to stay away from.

This might seem overwhelming. After all, how do you stay away from things you need to use every day? Doesn't everyone need clean clothes and food? Of course we do; it all just comes down to which products we choose to use and consume. How we live day-to-day affects our toxic load, which in turn affects our health!  

There are so many different forms of detoxes out there, from cleanses and fasts to detox products that help get you on your way (check out some awesome ones here). But what can you do daily to help the detox process along?  

Here are 10 tips that you can do to detoxify daily! None of these will provide a full cleanse or detox, but they are great things to do each day to minimize your toxic load--and over time, that adds up to big results. What's your favourite way to detox?  

1. Start your day with lemon water. Before your breakfast, enjoy some room temperature water with fresh lemon squeezed into it (or a splash of organic lemon juice). This helps to rev up your metabolism and prod your liver into cleansing mode. It's also a great way to get your first glass of hydration after a night of fasting!  

2. Enjoy a green drink. Having 2 green drinks a day will really help to build up your nutrients, and clean out the bad stuff--but even 1 is a good change to make. If you're going to do 1, enjoy it in the morning; if 2 is your jive, have one in the morning (after your lemon water) and one in the afternoon (between lunch and dinner). We have some convenient powdered greens that mix easily (and deliciously!) into water. Check them out!  

3. Include a large organic salad in your lunch. This is a great way to get the nutrients and minerals you need from a wide variety of vegetables. Mix up the colours to make it fun and packed with a variety of nutrients! Made a fresh dressing with flax oil and lemon juice for even more liver-cleansing benefits. And by choosing organic vegetables, you're limiting your exposure to pesticides and toxins--it's a win-win.  

4. Juicing! If you have a juicer, made a fresh juice with beets, carrots, apple, parsley, lemon, and ginger for a cleansing, detoxifying drink. No juicer, no problem! Try some pre-made juices from Goodness Me!--we have a wide range to choose from.  

5. Avoid processed and junk food. These foods contain preservatives, additives, and ingredients you don't recognize--which means your body won't recognize them, either (which causes a build-up of bad ingredients and toxins). Avoid these and choose clean, real, whole food.  

6. Get into nature! Enjoying a pleasant, relaxing walk through nature is a great way to get your lymphatic system moving--which cleanses out toxins. Plus, it clears any emotional or mental toxicity you might be feeling that day by relaxing you and relieving stress.  

7. Update your personal care products. These are a huge source of toxins. Did you know women put an average of 168 chemicals on their body daily? Men aren't much better with 85 daily. Avoid this plague by choosing natural and organic personal care products--from make-up to deodorant to hair care and lotions, we've got lots to choose from.  

8. Drink up! 6-8 glasses of water or herbal tea a day will keep your bodily processes flowing, moving bad things out and good things in. Remember that things like caffeinated beverages, alcohol, and excessive physical exertion or sweating all deplete water--meaning you might need more than 6-8 glasses to keep hydrated.  

9. Clean out your cleaning products. Just like the personal care products, chemicals and toxins hide in all cleaning products--and if you're "cleaning" your counter with chemicals, how clean is that counter? Or the food you prepare on it, or your hands after you touch it? Switch to natural for better cleaning, less toxins, and a healthier planet!  

10. Relax. Maybe the best one of all! Enjoy a bath with Epsom salts, which replenish your body with electrolytes, or choose to indulge in a dry sauna. Both are good ways to release toxins and soak up nutrients... and relax your body!