Seasonal cleaning is something I believe in to help assist the liver in processing the amount of excess toxins it has accumulated over the season. We all know when our bodies aren’t functioning correctly. We can see it in our skin, eyes, gut health, weight gain plus our emotions and sleeping habits. Detox is a hot topic, and there are a million products on the market that promise miracles in weight loss, boosting energy, giving your skin a gorgeous glow and even managing your mood. Whether it’s an article promoting the latest fad diet or advertising for detox teas, keto coffees, juice cleanses, appetite suppressant pills and more, it can be hard to figure out what is safe and effective. To silence the chatter and get results, we can turn to nutrition and science. Using whole foods to support the innate, natural detox pathways in the body is not only safe and effective but also tasty, easy, and fun! Below are the top 10 foods that you should incorporate in your diet if you want a healthy and effective whole foods detox.
Beetroots
This red root vegetable works as an amazing detoxifying agent for the body. Beetroots are jam-packed with vitamin B3, vitamin B6, vitamin C, magnesium, iron, calcium, zinc, and beta-carotene. Those nutrients help the gall bladder and liver break down toxins so they can be flushed out of the body. Beetroots contain fiber which promotes digestion and supports the elimination of toxins through healthy, bulky, easy-to-pass stool. Add beetroots to your smoothies, shred them raw in your salad, bake or boil them; they will be delicious any way you choose.
Lemons
Lemons are very popular in detox drinks. The natural enzymes in lemon juice and essential oils in lemon peels support the detox functions in the liver while vitamin C helps break down toxins so they can be flushed out in the urine.
Apples
Apples contain a lot of nutrients and fiber that love the liver and digestive process!
Green Vegetables
The chlorophyll in the green vegetables flushes out heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, and toxins while fortifying the blood.
Garlic
Garlic stimulates the liver into generating enzymes that detoxify toxins from our digestive system. Raw garlic can be used minced in salad dressing or cooked in almost any savory dish! Garlic also has anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties that help take care of parasites, viruses, and bad bacteria.
Sea Vegetables
The sea vegetables, such as seaweed have a lot of antioxidants which strengthens our digestive system and alkalize our blood. The alginate in seaweed binds to fat and toxins from our digestive tract and helps transport them out of the body in our stool.
Broccoli Sprouts
They contain sulfur-rich phytochemicals and antioxidants which promote and accelerates the detoxification process in the body.
Green Tea
The antioxidants in Green are detox superstars. Liver supportive and enzyme-stimulating, the antioxidants in green tea are unlocked with a generous steep in hot water. Easy peasy. Sip and support your natural detox process!
Artichokes
Artichokes contain two phytonutrients that are especially beneficial for the liver: “cynarin and silymarin. Cynarin is an antioxidant compound which aids the liver in producing bile. Bile is important for the digestion of fats, as well as for flushing toxins out of the body. Silymarin is a flavonoid that aids in the protection of liver cells and cell membranes. Both of these compounds help to regenerate liver cells.” There are other compounds in artichokes that act as diruetics. Diuretics help the body release excess fluid and can stabilize blood pressure.
Cilantro
Love it or hate it, this earthy herb is known to help flushes toxins and heavy metals from the body in a process called chelation.
