9 Ways to Detox Your Home and Body With Ease!
Many people associate "detoxing" with the Summer months or attempting to balance those indulgences after the holidays or a vacation. Did you know that your body has built in systems for detoxification and your body is CONSTANTLY getting rid of toxins? From the air your breathe, to the foods you eat, to what you put on your body, toxins are everywhere. If you're anything like me, minimizing your exposure to toxins is important to you, especially now that I'm pregnant but even pre-pregnancy this is a main area of interest in my life and coaching practice. I am fascinated by our body's ability to get rid of toxins and it starts with reducing your exposure to toxins and creating a few new healthy habits.
But first, let's talk about where toxins are found and why they matter.
Where are toxins found? Here are a few places...
Environment
Food
Water
Household Products
Cleaning Products
Why do toxins matter? They have been known to cause...
Breathing issues
Health problems
Inflammation
Disease
Pain
Mood Disorders
Digestive disorders
and more...
Of course it would be VERY difficult to eliminate all toxic exposure in our lives but there ARE a few ways you can help your body and environment decrease your exposure. Now, let's talk about ways that you can assist your body in naturally detoxing ALL YEAR LONG. These are some of the ways I help my body "stay well" on the regular.
Use an air purifier in my home or work space- I use one similar to this in my workspace and recently got my hands on this Himalayan Salt Lamp for our bedroom.
Tongue Cleaner - gently wipe away surface bacteria/toxins with a tongue scraper before brushing two times a day. I get mine at Vitacost and switch out every 3 months.
Dry Brushing Your Skin - before you get in the shower use a dry brush to remove dead skin cells, stimulate circulation and improve lymphatic drainage. This one is an awesome habit to get into and you will instantly feel invigorated. I buy my dry brush at Vitacost as well and change every 6 months.
Choose Lemon Water- Starting your day with a glass of warm lemon water is one of the most effective habits you can create for revving up your bodies natural detoxification systems.
Drink Filtered Water - Depending on where in the world you live water from the tap contains various amounts of minerals, fluoride and even chlorine combined with rusty pipes and this can be a serious toxic zone. I recommend drinking filtered water. If you use a Brita or something similar just make sure you are switching out the filter as instructed.
Eat your way clean- foods such as beets, cabbage and dandelion help to cleanse your body by cleansing the blood and boosting liver function. I love to incorporate steamed or roasted beets in my weekly meal planning or toss them into fresh pressed juices like this recipe here. I like to drink Traditional Medicinals Dandelion Root tea in the afternoon as well!
Safer cleaning products in your home - conventional household cleaning products contain harsh chemicals that you absorb through your skin and breathe in (think about if you can smell the scent very strongly when you use them). I like to make my own cleaning products when possible or use gentler or all natural products especially for my kitchen, dishwasher and bathroom. Try my natural hand sanitizer spray recipe!
Use fragrance and dye-free laundry detergents - I love the one from Trader Joe's because it is plant derived, free of phosphates, dyes and parabans AND its biodegradable.
Use paraban-free and sulfate-free haircare/skincare products - remember that anything you put on your hair or skin WILL get absorbed into your blood stream. Harsh chemicals used in hair and skin products have been linked to endocrine system disruption. Companies are getting MUCH better at labeling products so this is a good one to be aware of.
There are MANY more ways to help avoid toxins in our daily lives and "naturally detox" on the regular. In fact, this is one of my FAVORITE subjects. I am considering doing a post geared towards foods that naturally promote detoxification. And, if you're interested... I am happy to take you behind the scenes of cleaning products, household products and skincare products that are cleaner and safer to use if that would be helpful to you.
Let me know on twitter @DeeLynn, in the comments of Instagram @DeeLynn78 or leave a comment here!