To detox means to cleanse or get rid of toxic substances and materials from the body. Detoxification also involves abstaining from consuming unhealthy food, substances, or drinks for a specific period. The essence of detoxification is to allow your body to shed any form of toxic chemicals or substances in your body and to boost your health.
Once you begin to feel sluggish or develop issues with your skin or body, then it might be a sign that you need to learn how to detox your mind in order to put yourself in a more healthy state. We have put together five helpful tips on how to detox your mind and body. Read on
- Drink a lot of water
Apart from quenching your thirst, water plays tons of other roles in your body. It supports digestion, keeps your body temperature normal, and helps you absorb nutrients. Water also plays a vital role in helping the body shed off waste products.
The process of respiration and breaking down nutrients for your body causes a release of harmful substances in your body. These wastes are usually in the form of carbon dioxide and urea. When these wastes are allowed to accumulate in the blood, they can cause severe damage to your body tissue.
Water detoxifies your body by diluting these waters, and transporting them out through sweating, breathing, excretion and urination. Therefore, taking more water allows your body to get rid of these wastes easily. You can start with as little as a glass or two when you wake up.
- Meditation
Meditation is a great habit that helps the mind. When you meditate, you allow your mind to gravitate toward a place of peace, fulfillment, and satisfaction. Meditation is a great way to rid your mind of anxiety, fear, worry, and other forms of negative emotions and energy. You can learn to reduce and gain control of pessimistic thoughts and decrease the levels of inflammatory cytokines in your body.
When we practice self-evaluation through meditation, we allow ourselves to see the flaws in our personalities and correct them. Meditation is also great for the body. It can help you manage stress and anxiety, boost concentration and cognition and help your response to pain. So this is one important tip to note in learning how to detox your mind.
- Quit junk
It is a popular fact that the consumption of sugary or processed food is a risk factor for a majority of health challenges. Research has shown over time that there is a relationship between eating junk and diseases like heart cancer, diabetes, and obesity.
Diseases like the above mess with your body’s natural detoxifying abilities since they affect organs like the kidneys and liver, both of which are responsible for waste management and detoxification in your body.
Rather than eat junk, settle for fresh food. Eat whole homemade meals. Eat more vegetables and fruits and focus on eating food rich in antioxidants like Vitamin E, lycopene, and selenium. Examples of such are berries, nuts, spices, and fruits. You might also want to reduce your intake of salt as salt makes your body retain more fluid.
- Reduce alcohol and tobacco intake
One of the many activities that flood your body with harmful chemicals is drinking and smoking. Drinking exposes your liver to inflammation, scarring, and fat buildup especially when it is done excessively. It weakens your liver and makes it difficult for it to perform its responsibility of removing waste and other toxins in your body.
The same can be said for smoking. Smoking exposes your lungs and organs within the chest regions to various lung diseases ranging from Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to emphysema. It causes damage to the air sacs in your lungs and reduces the strength of your lung muscles/tissues. A pulmonologist after a quick examination will most likely advise that you quit smoking or seek professional help if you are addicted to the habit.
If you intend to detox, then habits like drinking and smoking should be avoided.
- Prioritize rest and sleep
Sufficient sleep is one of the most valuable assets you can give your body. A good night’s sleep comes with tons of benefits. Sleep allows your muscles, tissues, and cells the opportunity to repair, recharge and reorganize themselves. It also gives room for your body to get rid of accumulated waste products. Quality sleep is a must for stable health and detoxification.
When you fail to get enough rest, you limit your body’s ability to remove toxins like beta-amyloid thus leading to an accumulation of toxic materials in your body. The result is exposure to high blood pressure, diabetes, and stress.
Become more intentional about the amount of sleep and rest you get. Target 7-8 hours of sleep per day and adjust your schedule to ensure that you sleep at a particular time.
In learning how to detox your mind and body, the best advice revolves around eating right and giving your body all it needs. With professional help, a healthy lifestyle, and a positive approach, you can keep your body in awesome shape.