Learning how to detox can help you achieve optimum health. What is detoxification? It's a process of clearing out toxins and chemicals, from the body, to regain energy levels and overall improved health. On a daily basis, our bodies are attacked with toxins from a variety of sources including: industrial fumes, exhaust fumes, pollutants, tobacco, alcohol, food additives, tobacco, prescription drugs, harmful chemicals, obesity, stress and other contributing factors. Don't waste your money on expensive detox powders, drinks, juices or supplements. You can detox with a simple change of dietary habits and easy health care routines. Discover easy ways to detox at home for beautiful skin!
Change your poor eating habits. Eliminate or, at least, reduce your intake of alcohol, refined sugar, saturated fats, coffee and tobacco from your diets. These toxic obstacles will slow down the detox process. Instead, eat a healthy portion of antioxidant foods. Colorful fruits and vegetables with vitamins A, C, E and beta-carotene have high concentrations of antioxidants. Foods such as: carrots, oranges, spinach, apples, strawberries, snow peas, green peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli are some healthy foods with antioxidants benefits. There are many more antioxidant foods!
Stay away from drinks with a high sugar content. Look for 100% natural fruit juices or make your own, freshly squeezed, homemade juices. Pomegranate juice has loads of antioxidants. It's a very heart healthy drink! Other good antioxidant drinks include: grape juice, blueberry juice, black cherry juice, cranberry juice, orange juice, apple juice, white tea and green tea. Incorporating an antioxidant drink into your daily routine can be very convenient for those with busy schedules.
Drink water and flush those toxins out! The Mayo Clinic suggest the "8 x 8" average rule. The skin is comprised of cells containing water. If it doesn't receive the proper amount of water, it can become tight, dry, flaky, less resilient, prone to wrinkling, develop acne, blemishes and show signs of other poor skin conditions. If you are trying to get rid of blackheads, blemishes or acne and notice a worsened effect from drinking water, don't worry, this enhanced condition is only temporary. The toxins have built up over time and are now being flushed out of the skin. Acne break-outs will become less likely to occur once the toxins are purged from the skin.
WARNING! Do not drink too much water. Drinking too much water can cause mild to severe health concerns and even death. It can burden your circulatory system causing too much stress on your heart and kidneys. It can cause Hyponatremia, having too little sodium in the blood. It can cause a mild to severe headache and inter-cranial pressure.
Be careful if you're on a "detox diet". Detox diets may not be for everyone. They're not recommended for normal or active teenagers, those with diabetes, heart disease or chronic medical conditions. Detox diets should be avoided if you are pregnant or have an eating disorder. Detox supplements can have side effects. Many supplements are laxatives causing dehydration, mineral imbalances and digestive problems. In addition, fasting can cause a slow metabolic rate. Do not stop eating from any major food group without talking to your health care provider.
Be smart. Look for detox diet recipes with, nutritious, antioxidant foods. Check your local bookstores for detox diet cook books. These cook books are available online too. If you read consumer recommendations before purchasing online, this may help you decide if a certain cook book may be better for you than another.
Dry skin brushing has been used throughout the world for centuries. This gentle and effective process stimulates lymph canals and nerve endings, boosts blood circulation, sheds dead skin cells, improves skin texture, increases skin cell renewal, eliminates clogged pores and more! Dry skin brushing is a powerful way to cleanse the lymphatic system. Skin brushing stimulates the release of waste material from cells near the surface of the body. Eventually, most of the toxins, with their carrier cells, find their way to the colon for elimination. Dry skin brushing cleanses the skin without removing the protective acid mantle. Skin can tighten, show a reduction in cellulite and have an overall radiant, youthful, appearance. Many beauty salons use dry skin brushing as part of their program.
Use a non-synthetic, all-natural, vegetable fiber brush. The synthetic fiber brushes can irritate skin. Brushes come in short or long handle types. Long handle brushes are more convenient for can hard to reach places, like your back. Dry brushes are meant to be used, dry, even though there are some brushes you can use wet. Before your bath or shower, brush skin in continuous strokes from your outer extremities to the center of your body. Start at the soles of the feet. CAUTION! Avoid brushing rashes, wounds, cuts, infections, poison oak, poison ivy or broken areas of skin. Do not dry brush the face, breast nipples, or any sensitive area of the body. Use delicate, light, strokes around the area of the breasts.
Next, take a warm shower or bath and a cool rinse to invigorate blood circulation, then dry off well. Afterwards, you may want to massage your skin with natural plant oils including: coconut, almond, avocado, sesame, sunflower or apricot oil. It all depends on your preference.
Clean your brush, at least, once a week with soap and water. Try not to get the wood too wet, when cleaning. Wet wood may lead to warping. Store your brush in a dry, open, sunny, spot to avoid the formation of mold and mildew.
Extended immersion time, in hot water, eliminates toxins through perspiration and through lymphatic drainage. It stimulates blood circulation and promotes skin cell renewal. Detox with a steam bath, sauna, spa, or in a tub of hot water at home! Bath salts can help cleanse, exfoliate, detoxify and soften skin. Bath salts with regular sea salts, Dead Sea salts, goat milk and MSM, (methylsulfonymethane), are especially effective. MSM is a natural, organic, non-toxic, odorless white crystal. It looks just like table sugar. MSM is a powerful detoxifying ingredient! MSM allows water and nutrients to flow freely into cells while allowing wastes and toxins to flow out. MSM benefits for skin care include: reduces inflammation, alleviates painful arthritis, alleviates muscle or joint pain, reduces scar tissue, detoxifies the body, increases blood circulation, reduces appearance of wrinkles and assist in healing small wounds.
Soaking in a tub with commercial or homemade bath salts allows a process of osmosis to facilitate the exchange of toxins from inside the body for needed minerals dissolved in the water. Commercial or homemade bath salts can be unscented or have aromatherapy benefits.
FACE CREAM with GREEN TEA
Look for a commercial or homemade face cream with natural extracts, including: rosemary, cucumber, allantoin, Roman chamomile, cornflower and green tea! Green tea, especially, is a powerful antioxidant. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. It rejuvenates skin, reduces swelling, prevents sun damage, increases elasticity, tones and protects.
Most of us live busy lives but a regular exercise routine can: tones muscles, increase oxygen and nutrients to cells, remove body toxins and improve digestion. It's important that you don't over work your system with too much stress or strain. Learn how to pace yourself. For example, when walking, aim for about thirty minutes a day, at least three days a week, at a comfortable invigorating pace.
Deep breathing occurs by contracting the diaphragm, a muscle located between the chest and stomach cavities. It's different than shallow or chest breathing. Deep breathing exercises helps to burn fat, stimulate metabolism, increase energy, reduce stress, reduce anxiety, reduce blood pressure, strengthen abdominal and intestinal muscles, remove harmful toxins and relieve general aches and pains. It allows a release of endorphins throughout the body. The upward and downward motion of the diaphragm increases blood flow and helps to remove toxins.
Yoga therapy is as a way of learning how to control deep breathing. This ancient India discipline is known for its mental, physical and spiritual insights. It's known for having an overall, calming, relaxing, soothing effect on the body. You don't have to take Yoga to breathe deeply, though. People breathe deeply even while sleeping. If you can, try to pay more attention as to how you are breathing throughout a day. Most shallow breathers remain unaware of their condition.
Be smart when detoxifying your body. Choose nutritious, healthful, antioxidant foods and drinks. Become more aware of ingredients in your commercial or homemade skin care products. Make time to get active and move your body! Relax and take a deep breathe, now and then. Your body is, already, designed to purify itself!
