The Do’s and Don’ts of Detoxing

Musa Heinen is currently signed to Orange Model Management, and studies music at Humber College

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After shivering through my first snowy winter in Toronto, I forgot that other seasons existed. When I woke up this morning, blanketed in sunlight, I blindly managed to open the window to the coming of spring. For me, spring nourishes motivation. Originally from Victoria, B.C., I found adjusting to the eastern winter depressing. I felt frozen, like an over-sized ice cube, feeling paralyzed and unhappy. This morning, however, lets me thaw, melting into deep pool of rejuvenation and inspiration. Spring is when our heavy-coated, hibernating population blooms back to life, and happiness. It is the perfect time to detox and reset our bodies, which are in desperate need of releasing the built up toxins that accumulated during those long, dark, still nights of deep sleep and Netflix. Detoxing rids the body of unwanted toxins and unhealthy substances, but it takes preparation and determination—which always pays off. The challenge of detox requires the power of the mind, as well as these Do’s and Don’ts of Detoxing. That’s right: shed your boots. We can do this.

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THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF DETOXING

Do eat organic and green. Eat tons of vegetables and fruit! Emphasis on the vegetables! The darker, greener and leafier the better–kale, cabbage, artichokes, and avocados are great cleansing vegetables. Eating organic is also extremely important as we are trying to detox in order to avoid any additives, including preservatives, artificial sweeteners, colors and flavors, and monosodium glutamate (MSG). Here is a link to an article called “10 Foods That Help Detoxify the Body,” with some great diet options: http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/10-Detox-Foods-6856184	Don’t eat gluten, dairy, sugar or processed foods! These foods are hard to digest, and shift the focus of your immune system away from cleansing your body to the difficult task of breaking down these foods.
Do drink LOTS of water. Chug-chug-chug! As you cleanse, you must keep drinking water!   Keep adding cubes to your glass, since it is vitally important to hydrate your body! Lemon water is especially effective during a cleanse—plus, it can make drinking water a little more tasty. If you want to get even more creative, try adding some sliced cucumber, mint, lemon and ice. Photo posted on Instagram by: @emilybradshaw (one of my best friends who is also a health nut!)	Don’t drink coffee or alcohol. This is a no brainer. We are cleansing our bodies of toxins; caffeine and alcohol are toxins—bad ones! They stress your body and threaten one’s immune system.
Do exercise lightly and regularly! Because we are eating less during the period of detoxing, it’s important not to push ourselves to hard physically. Yoga studios often organize and encourage detoxing, providing information and even recipe books to follow. For this reason, and because yoga is a self-paced, meditative form of exercise, I would encourage practicing yoga during your detox. It relaxes and resets your mind, as well as your body. Namaste.	Don’t exercise intensely and excessively. Detoxing can take a lot out of you, physically and mentally. It is important to respect your body and its limits. Remember the goal here isn’t strictly weight loss–it is your health!
Do invest in a juicer! A huge complaint about a healthy diet is how time consuming it is. Eating enough fruit and vegetables each day to get a desired amount of vitamins and minerals simply isn’t realistic for some people. Juicers are the perfect solution. A juiced meal is quick, and it will leave you feeling lighter. It’s also easier for our bodies to absorb the vitamins and minerals from liquids, rather than solid foods. Mixing bitter or less tasty vegetables like kale, spinach and beets, with fruit, like apples, oranges, and/or pineapple lets you enjoy the sweetness of the fruit and diminishes the bitter taste of the vegetables.	Don’t invest in weight loss fads. There is this ongoing obsession with losing weight as fast as possible. What we should really be doing is slowly developing healthy, organic lifestyles. Weight loss diets and pills may cause seemingly immediate results, but as soon as people return to their regular diets, they fall back into unhealthy habits, and end up gaining even more weight. PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE. We must remember this, and be comfortable with the fact that habits take time to break, and a healthy lifestyle will be worth the time it takes to develop.

I recently watched the documentary, “Hungry For Change,” which noted that going from the mindset of “I want it, but CAN’T have it,” to “I CAN have it, but don’t want it,” can alter not only your approach to food and your diet, but your level of self-control and positive decision making.

If you’re interested in checking out this documentary, it’s on Netflix! Here is a link to it’s official website: http://www.hungryforchange.tv

Mindset is everything. With a healthy diet, exercise, and happiness, losing weight will come. Being hydrated, and consuming vitamins and minerals, will also lead to glowing skin, bright eyes, and strong nails. Health IS beautiful!

Detoxing is a challenge for every one of us, but like that necessary spring-cleaning, an annual cleanse will brighten your body, mind and spirit. Join me in detoxing our way into the spring season! We have each other to share the experience!

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If you have ever completed a detox, comment on your least and most favorite thing about your experience below, along with any helpful tips and recommendations! 🙂

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