That time of year has come again, with a lot of people now trying to recover from over eating and over drinking during the Christmas period; stomachs are bloated, livers are tired and skin looks anything but fresh and dewy.
So what can you do to recalibrate?
You may have heard that detoxing isn’t a real thing, and it’s kinda true, your body is so intelligent, every minute of every day your body is eliminating toxins via the liver, colon and kidney’s, with even your skin playing an important role.
Let’s understand this process a little better, that way you can make some simple tweaks everyday. And then if you would like assistance doing an actual cleanse then you should see a Practitioner to guide you through the process.
What the body does when it is eliminating compounds such as those that are made in the body like hormones or outside of the body like chemicals is; the liver makes these compounds more water soluble so it is easier to excrete them but in doing so makes them more toxic (go figure), this is called Phase 1 liver detoxification, then Phase 2 should pick up these toxins and conjugate them ready for excretion.
There are specific nutrients and foods which can directly support these Phase 1 and Phase 2 detoxification pathways which can easily be added in to your daily life.
5 Simple tricks include:
- Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussel sprouts (Cruciferous vegetables) contain ingredients such as Sulfurophane which assists your body’s own antioxidant systems.Try and have 3 cups of green leafy vegetables a day with an emphasis on lightly cooked cruciferous vegetables
- Garlic and onion contain Thiols which can act as antioxidants. Try making a chicken and vegetable stir fry with a garlic and onion
- Lipotropic nutrients which help to break down fat including Choline, cysteine and methionine. All found in Eggs.Try an omelette with baby spinach and black olives
- Herbs and spices are full of antioxidants and flavonoids which support detoxification processes. Key herbs to include are Rosemary, Coriander and Turmeric. Try a home made curry with Coriander and Turmeric. Or if eating a red meat, marinate the meat in Rosemary and olive oil
- Pineapple naturally contains a digestive enzyme named bromelain. This enzyme helps to breakdown protein. Try to have a slice of pineapple prior to a protein heavy meal
Sonya Reynolds is a nutritionist at the Newtown clinic.
To make a booking, call 9557 1277.
