Helix Digi Labs
Thinking of trying a detox? Then you should definitely go the natural route. The chemicals that are sold over-the-counter can do more harm than good. Be careful with detoxing at home however and do not try this over an extended period of time (a weekend or 1 week at most). Consult your doctor before trying if you have health issues.
Do not get sucked in by the fancy ads on TV or the colourful labels in the supermarkets – you don’t need any extra detox juices or drinks. Your body is already a pretty efficient detox agent. It does need a lot of water, however. Increase the amount of water you drink daily. Motivate yourself by putting reminders in your phone, having lemon, lime, mint or cucumber in your water bottle, or by keeping a water bottle at arm’s length all day. More information here.
We eat a lot of highly processed foods which are saturated in chemicals and fats. Then our liver can’t function as it should. So switch to a diet of all natural, preferably organic, fresh and whole foods for the duration of your detox. Eliminate salt and sugar too if you can. If you can’t, reduce the amount you take in as much as possible. You’ll feel dizzy for the first few hours – that’s your body going into sugar withdrawal – but then you’ll feel much happier and stronger. Click here for more info.
Many religions advocate fasting as a time of self-reflection because it clears the mind and the body by essentially giving our digestive tract time to recover from the highly saturated and artificial foods we eat. Don’t do anything drastic first: try a 12 hour fast overnight, then a 16 hour fast next weekend. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. This will clear out your bowels and excretory system and curb the hunger pangs.
Another way to detox naturally is to sweat the toxins off your body at a sauna or spa. Traditional Ayurveda uses sweating as a detox mechanism to this day. Go to a sauna or spa and stay in the steam room for 20-30 minutes, followed by a lukewarm shower and 30 minutes rest. You will wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed thanks to the refreshing restorative. Click here for more information.
Any time you exercise, your body is taking in large lungsful of oxygen to help oxygenate your blood and give your energy. This is another great way to get rid of toxins and impurities. Do something natural, like jogging, swimming or yoga. Work up a mild sweat. Try to avoid the gym, which has activities tailored more to burn calories than to help you feel calm and more centred. Click here for more information.
The best detox retreats will always promote natural and organic ways of cleansing the body so watch out for the programmes that prescribe pills and drinks that have suspiciously long and complicated names
