Small Changes For a Full Detox Report

Just because you want to live a healthier lifestyle and detox your body and home, doesn’t mean it has to be done all at the same time. A great alternative is to make small changes, choosing one thing every month of the year. With this report, you will be able to start slow and make a single change every month.

January: Start a Health Journal

Gaining an increased awareness of your own body has many benefits. This can help you to make changes of modifications to behaviors and habits that you may or may not be aware of repeating, but how do you accomplish this? One of the most powerful ways to find out, is to keep a journal. For a detox, a journal is even more helpful, since you can track your water intake and what you are eating. 

Find a Method that Suits You

Today, there are numerous ways that will allow you to record your thoughts. If you like laptops,  computers, tablets and other handheld devices, it will be easy to sit down with your software of choice in a variety of settings and populate the screen with your thoughts and actions of the day, but if you prefer a more traditional route, try to find a journaling book that you will feel proud to fill. When you feel good about your journal, you will be more likely to reach out and pick it up. Once you are holding it in your hands you are more likely to write. 

Record Food After Each Meal

When keeping a journal for health, accuracy is important. Instead of waiting the entire day and writing your meals down later, record them after each meal if possible. This will give you a clearer picture of the circumstances that lead to eating, and the portion sizes of the food that was eaten. If you don’t keep track of the portion sizes, then it will be difficult to determine if there has actually been any progress. 

Record Your Water Intake

Water is the most important substance your body needs to live. Without water, cells break down very quickly, so knowing how much, and how frequently you ingest water is essential for studying your own health. One trick that makes this task much easier, would be to get yourself a water container that has units of measure printed on the side. That way, you won’t have to guess at how much water you drank during that period of the day.

Record Your Emotions and Circumstances

To have a more complete journal, it can be of great value to write down any feelings or instances that surround meal and snack times. Be honest with yourself, and you might be surprised to see an emerging pattern. 

February: Begin Drinking More Water

Life is heavily dependent on water. It keeps your organs functional and your cells intact, but one of the other important things water can do, is flush the toxins from your body. In recent years, people have begun to experiment by literally combining the positive attributes of water and various fruits and vegetables to aid in weight loss, and improve organ function. 

Choose Your Fruits, Veggies, and Herbs

For detox water, you want to start with some fresh, whole ingredients. Try to use organic fruits and veggies if you can, or at least locally grown. Go ahead and try your own combinations for some infused water, whether you want to go with all berries, or add your preferred herbs. 

Use Filtered Water

While you can use tap water, filtered water is usually preferred. A good idea is to get a filter water pitcher to fill up your water, then use that when making your infused detox water.

Let the Ingredients Soak

The longer you let the ingredients soak in the water and ice in your pitcher, the stronger the flavor will become. This also gives the nutrients more time to reach the water.

March: Use Essential Oils to Detox Your Mind and Body

Modern trends toward a healthy body are filled with a plethora of products, methods and recipes created to help people detoxify their bodies and reach their health goals, but a large number of people suffer from a lack spiritual and emotional health. One method aromatherapy is aimed at using scents to detoxify the mind. Take a look at some essential oils that are great for your detox.

Lavender 

As one of the most popular essential oils on this list, lavender has carved out an age old reputation for itself. This oil is known mostly for its calming and relaxing scent. It is often used to calm a nervous stomach, reduce the power of a panic attack, and provide an atmosphere for better sleep, which makes it a good essential oil for the bedroom. It has also been found to lower heart rates, and lower stress among patients waiting for surgery. 

Rose 

This oil is often considered to be a second to lavender. It boasts many of the effects of lavender, especially in conjunction with other relaxing activities such as massage. As a suggestion, you could try setting up a diffuser near our bath, or you could try adding 8 - 10 drops of rose to your bath. Some have even suggested adding 2-3 drops to an air vent in your car for those stressful drives. 

Frankincense

This essential oil has a history of being traded for over 5000 years, and It has been described as a pleasant, relaxing fragrance since it first appeared in written language. Frankincense is also associated with helping to sooth an anxious stomach. 

Vetiver

Vetiver has been found to help calm hypersensitivity, and has often been used to treat emotions stemming from traumatic situations. It is also good for treating shock and jitteriness. Recently it has been found to encourage and support healthy circulation. Try adding a few drops to lotion before applying it to your skin. 

Ylang Ylang

This oil is known to have moderate sedative effects, and is often used to counteract insomnia, anxiety and depression. It can soothe fearfulness, and reduce anger. Caution should be used in cases of low blood pressure. Try using this in a diffuser for calming. 

April: Add More Superfoods to Your Diet

Now it’s time to talk about superfoods! These really are a fundamental part of detoxing your body, helping with everything from your liver and kidneys, to skin and hair. 

Asparagus

This delicious vegetable is high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. It has been found to help flush out toxins in the kidneys and prevent kidney stones. It helps fight cancer by fighting the free radicals that cause cellular anomalies. Some findings have concluded that it flushes excess salt and water from the body, which is good news for people with hypertension. Asparagus is also great for the liver by softening bile. 

Broccoli

If it seems like you see broccoli on every health food list, then you are probably right. This amazing veggie has a tons of health benefits, especially for the liver. It works with the enzymes made by the liver to help flush out toxins that build up in daily life. If you’re not a fan, try steaming it, or making a broccoli and cheese soup. The only type of cooking that destroys the nutrients in broccoli is when it is cooked in a microwave, so you will probably want to avoid preparing it in that manner. Try cooking it with onions and garlic!

Garlic

There are simply not enough good things that can be said about garlic as a detoxifying food. It is high in antioxidants which fight off free radicals, high in vitamins and minerals that bring disease fighting power, and it has antibacterial, and antifungal properties. It tastes great and can be added to a variety of foods from every culture.  Garlic can be minced into butter to be used as a spread!

Grapefruit

The grapefruit is a large citrus fruit with a lot of respect in the health food community. This hydrating bitter-sweet fruit is full of nutrients the body needs, and is great for helping weight loss. It is rich in fiber and helps facilitate efficient bowel processes. It is also a powerhouse of antioxidants. You can try cutting one in half to eat with a spoon.

May: Start to Detox Your Liver and Kidneys

Every organ in the human body serves a purpose. Major organs such as the heart, lungs, and brain are constant topics in songs and culture, but the body’s unsung heroes will always be the kidneys and liver. Without these marvelous body parts, the body would eventually die of poisoning, so it would be in everyone’s best interest if they could give their liver and kidneys a good cleaning every now and then. This section is going to provide you with some ways to detox your liver and kidneys. 

Water

The most important part of taking care of your body is staying hydrated. Water accounts for as much as 70% of the average adult body, so water loss is dangerous even after just a few days. Drinking water is essential for proper elimination, and during urination, many of the impurities and toxins accumulated in the body are expelled through the urethra. While it is true that many drinks available on the market today, few drinks will match the effectiveness of water. 

On a side note, you can try adding apple cider vinegar to water. It has the added benefit of stabilizing your blood sugar levels. 

Green Tea

Along with the power punch of antioxidants, green tea contains chemicals known to assist in liver function. Green Tea also has a wonderful bonus in that it has been found that people who consume 2 cups of green tea on a daily basis also have lower risk of heart disease due to the dilation of the arterial walls. It has been noted however that is must be green tea the drink and not the extract. 

On a side note, you can try adding a peach or a pear to your tea to give it some more flavor if you like.

Green Leafed Vegetables

Vegetables in this category have been found to protect the body by canceling out or blocking toxins from food and our environment. Making these kinds of vegetables a regular part of your diet will aid in the function of a healthy liver by helping the liver to work more efficiently.  

On a side note, you can eat these vegetables completely raw. All you need is a dressing and you have a great salad. Try adding arugula, dandelion, and spinach to your next salad!

June: Try a Skincare Detox

Detoxing, as you know, is a great way to cleanse your entire system. It lets you clean out your liver and kidneys, and start fresh with all fresh and organic foods. Another thing you want to do is work on your skincare. Skincare detoxes really help to improve the quality of your skin, and can make you feel like you have started over. It is a good idea for the summer as well.

Clean Your Skin Daily

A fantastic way to help detox your skin is to cleanse it daily. However, you may want to be more discriminate in your choices of cleanser. The reason for this is that you want to avoid using harsh chemicals that will damage your skin, and the majority of these types of cleansers tend to contain fragrances that actually work by leaving a thin film of fragrance on the surface of your skin. This can cause irritation to both external and sensitive internal areas. Instead, try using natural products. These can be found in health stores, ordered online, or you may even be able to find recipes for facial cleansers that you can make at home with fresh, all natural ingredients. 

Dry Brush

This method is often completely overlooked. Dry brushing the skin promotes better circulation, and lymphatic flow. It also removes dead skin, and encourages new growth. Brush the skin in small elliptical movements. Be sure to always brush towards the heart. Also, the brush should have relatively firm bristles. 

July: Begin Incorporating More Fitness Into Your Daily Lifestyle

Don’t forget that detoxing your body is not just from the inside out. You should also focus on physical health with regular exercise. Take a look at some ways to incorporate more fitness into your daily lifestyle.

Make a Schedule

When making a change to your current routine, it will be invaluable to begin to keep track of exactly how you spend your time each day. This will allow you to find out where you can make time, or eliminate the activities that waste time. Awareness of your potential for productivity will motivate you to focus more clearly on your goals. 

Start With Exercises You Enjoy

A good rule for beginning to exercise, is to find one that captures your interest, or is at the very least fun. No one wants to do an exercise that they find to be boring or painful in some way. Find something that will make you feel excited. Enjoyment is the key to motivation, and doing so will make it easy to maintain over a period of time and lay the ground for the next step in your process. 

Increase Your Efforts

After you have discovered the exercise that makes you happy, seek out another exercise that you are curious about. After you have become comfortable with adding the initial exercise to your schedule, adding another will be much more easily, and you will be more likely to have success with continuing. Be sure that the new exercise will fit into the timeframe needed to complete it, or make additional time to accommodate it. 

After you have your plan, give yourself a deadline to then include the new exercise. As you add new and fun exercises to your schedule, you will begin to see yourself reaching your fitness goals. Keep a journal of your progress, and see how far you’ve come!

August: Detox Your Home

The home is often considered to be a haven of safety and comfort. When you have been out all day dealing with the common stresses of life, your home should be the one place that shields you from the negative manifestations from the world around you. Yet, there are a large number of things that go neglected in many homes. Here are some different ways you can detox your home in August.

Switch to Natural Cleaning Supplies

Today, people everywhere have become accustomed to relying on heavy duty chemicals for cleaning and home maintenance. These chemicals are widely known for being dangerous to children and pets. Reducing your dependence on these products will reduce the amount of pollution that exists inside the home, and also reduces the risk of chemically induced sickness from breathing or ingesting these agents. Instead, seek out green products that utilize more natural methods to clean surfaces. These are far less likely to cause injury if you come in contact with them by accident. 

Provide Fresher Indoor Air  

Air that is sealed into the home will be far more polluted than air that flows freely through the home. If possible, try and open doors and windows periodically. Stale air collects dust and bacteria that can raise the chances for the spread of sickness. Also, some appliances are made with toxic chemicals, and tend to give off small amounts of pollution over time. 

Clean the Flooring

When the air is full of dust and bacteria, much of it falls to the floor. Vacuuming frequently, and eventually replacing carpets and mats that are in the home is always an important part of keeping the air and floor clean and lower the risk of sickness. Humans shed skin constantly as well, so a household containing a group of people can have an extreme buildup of dead skin over time. Even worse, the dead skin that falls to the floor, furniture, and even bedding can become overrun with microscopic mites that are often responsible for what people assume are allergies, but are really throat and lung inflammation caused by the excretions of these tiny creatures. 

Check for Radon

Sealed basements can become an entryway for radon. Some basement floors develop cracks that can allow radon to seep through the floor. Always test for radon, and make an effort to ventilate the area. This can help reduce the dangers created by the presence of this gas. 

September: Soak Your Feet For a Foot Detox

For September, it is a good time to think about your feet. The feet are an important part of mobility for people. Feet make it possible for you to walk up stairs, climb, and run. Oddly enough, many people do not take care of their feet, and the day to day damage that people can commonly experience can easily be compounded by a combination of stress and fashion choices. 

Benefits

While it’s good to have feet that are prepared to enter the elements, a good foot soak can go a long way to softening troublesome areas on your feet. A good soak will make it easier to exfoliate thick layers of skin that build up over time. Another great benefit to this, is that soaking and removal of skin will make it much more difficult for bacteria and fungus to collect on the feet. Fungus and bacteria are responsible for odor as well, so a bonus benefit will emerge as you reduce the chance for the formation of unpleasant foot smells.

Available Additives

There are a wide array of healthy, natural products that you can add to your foot bath. Acidic liquids such as apple cider vinegar are common among those added to water to aid in the removal of bacteria, and other foreign infectants. You can mix and match these according to your tastes when setting up your foot bath. Be aware of any types of allergies that you may have, and you will have an excellent and relaxing way to care for your feet.
 
More Than a Foot Soak

Thought these remedies may be very enjoyable and an effective solution for several different problems associated with the feet, they are no substitution for professional care. If you experience any serious symptoms such as bruising, bleeding, abnormal growths, or rashes, it may be a sign of something more serious. Visit you doctor in the event of anything that appears unusual or out of the ordinary. It is better to be safe and discover nothing than to ignore it and regret it later.

October: Begin Reducing Your Sugar Consumption

Today, it seems that high levels of sugar can be found in almost everything. Breads, sodas, sports drinks, candy and other treats contain far more sugar than ever before. Recent trends have seen a backlash against this common societal staple, with scores of families avoiding this sweet substance, but why is this happening? The following article will be considering some of the reasons why you should begin to reduce your sugar consumption. 

Side Effects of Higher Sugar Content

One troublesome effect of increased sugar intake is insulin resistance. This happens when the body frequently uses insulin to control sugar spikes brought on by consuming sugary things. After a while, the body stops being able to use insulin to regulate blood sugar. This often develops into diabetes. It’s been noted that drinking 2 less sugary drinks like soda per day can reduce your chances of diabetes by 25%. 

Mental and Emotional Health

Mental and emotional health have become major health concerns in recent years. Correlations have been found between depression and increased sugar intake. Making an effort to avoid consuming 4 or more servings of sugary drinks can greatly limit your chances of dealing with depression. Cognitive function also suffers at this level. This happens because the proteins needed for memory and responsiveness slowly become depleted. 

Weight Loss

It’s been shown that excess sugar can cause obesity. Given the amount of added sugars in foods and drinks, the once isolated phenomena has become a much more widespread issue. Cutting back on sugary drinks and sugary foods will greatly improve your ability to process and metabolize foods as well as keep your skin looking healthy. 

Lessens the Chance for Heart Attack 

It’s been know for some time that people with a higher intake of sugar have a higher risk for heart attack. A large portion of excess sugar intake usually comes in the form of soft drinks, because of it’s availability with meals. Logically, that would mean that a major way to curb the intake of sugar is to avoid drinking soda. It may take some time, but learning to replace soda with other beverages such as tea, or water will help you to avoid the cravings that make it difficult to stop drinking. 

November: Start a Nightly Body Detox Routine With These Tips

You have started detoxing your body, drinking more water, and exercising more, but that’s not all. In order to reap the full benefits of a detox, you should try to detox your nighttime routine as well. This means taking steps to making sure you aren't using chemicals before sleep, you are having natural sleep, and you free your mind of negative viewpoints. Here are some ways to detox your night routine and reset your body completely. 

Detox Bath

A detox bath is the ideal way to start a nightly body detox routine. This bath is much different from traditional baths. The idea is to detox your body, reduce inflammation, and help with overall well being and circulation. For this you will need a detox bath base. You can do this with either a detox tea or an epsom detox. For the tea you will need rosemary, chamomile, ginger, and lavender. Place the dried herbs into a muslin bag and close the bag firmly. Drop the bag into your bath water and allow the tea to steep in the hot water for at least five minutes or while the bath is running. Get into the bath and relax.

For a detox epsom salt bath you will need epsom salts, an essential oil of your choice like lavender, and baking soda. This bath will help reduce stress in the muscles, inflammation in the body, and relax your mind. The mixture will dissolve and go down the drain with your problems and bath water. 

No Electronics

Reduce the amount of electronics at bedtime. This means no reading in bed with an electronic device, checking your phone, or surfing the web. Just allow the quiet to help soothe you. Your body releases natural amounts of melatonin to help you slide into a peaceful rest. You can only do this if the room is quiet and dark to mimic natural sleep cycles of sun and moon cycles. 

Infused Air

Infuse the air with an essential oil diffuser and relaxing oils. Lavender is the most popular oil but you can also use chamomile and similar soothing scents. In fact, most people tend to go with the scent that calms them rather than traditional scents. Find a scent that soothes you and use that. Diffuse it for about half an hour before bed and let it fill the room. 

Journal Out the Negative

One thing that can keep you awake at night, and disturb your sleep pattern making detox difficult is negative energy. Try journaling away your negative energy with a gratitude journal. List what may have happened for the day, but find at least one to three things to be grateful or happy for. You will find that the positive will take over the negative and help you with your restful sleep patterns. 

You can use all of these tips together or just the ones you find that work for you. Try them all and see what works best and get your nighttime routine detoxed for full body, mind, and spirit health. 

December: Begin a Full Food Reset

For the last month of the year, we want to go back to the beginning and try a full food reset. Detoxing your system can be very easy or very difficult depending on the level of detox you need. For example, if you have been eating poorly for years and have been sedentary then the detox process may take more than just a few days. In these cases, you likely need a full food reset to get on the right track and clean your system. This may be a new idea for you or may be something that you have never thought of doing. Here are a few tips that will help you if you choose to use the food reset method as part of your detox. 

Remove Pre-Packaged and Processed Foods

One of the first and most vital steps to starting a full food reset is to remove all pre-packaged and processed foods. You need to start with fresh clean foods like fresh fruit, vegetables, spices, and meats if you are not a vegetarian or vegan. Processed and pre-packaged foods contain high amounts of sodium and sugars that can derail your diet. These high amounts of preservatives and sugars can cause you to have cravings for more sugar or salt which can lead to eating more processed and poor nutrient foods. 

Meal Planning and Preparation

Start meal planning and prepping your meals for the week, two weeks, or month long periods. Don't just plan your dinner meals either. Plan all three meals and snacks. Make sure you have packaged those meals so that they are easy to grab, especially your snacks. Make sure you have travel friendly snack options that are both salty and sweet depending on what craving you are having. This will help you see your food options and stick to the ones that work best for you. 

Exercise Your Way Through It

Exercise is something you may not think of when you think of a full food reset, but it is vital. As you workout you are letting the nutrients you are taking in work at their optimal levels. This will help push toxins out and clear your system. This step can be especially vital for your digestion and circulatory systems. 

Infused Water is a Key

If sodas and sugar rich drinks are part of what you are removing from your diet, consider replacing them with infused water. You can go with a sweet option by adding citrus fruits or apples or a savory option by adding lemon or mint. There are hundreds of recipes available that can help you move away from sugar rich drinks and sodas and into drinking more water in your daily diet. 

These are just a few of the tips to help you on your journey. Some may work for you and others may not, but give each a try to make the full food reset easier. 

