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You’ve likely heard of the age old and Victoria’s secret model endorsed morning ritual of taking a shot of ACV in the morning in efforts to detoxify your body.
You might be thinking – “why would I willingly do such a thing….. what benefits could possibly come out of this that would outweigh the putrid taste of drinking vinegar first thing in the morning ? I don’t hate myself!”…. To that, I say- fair enough!
via GIPHY
This seemingly masochistic task does reap many benefits for the body, but fret not; I have some ways to achieve those same benefits without the torture :).
So WHAT are these benefits I speak of—– Why should you detoxify your body? Our livers already are tasked with detoxifying chemicals, so why should we take extra steps?
The Standard American Diet (SAD) consists of over-consuming processed animal products, processed grains, and artificial ingredients compounded with environmental pollutants and stressors, all of which are guilty for overworking our livers.
Constant overworking and stressing of the liver causes the organ to lose its efficiency in carrying out essential functions (like detoxing). As a result, we have to aid the liver’s ability to detox.
Effects of an Acidic Diet
An acidic bloodstream results in an inflamed body. Inflammation is the root cause of the most common diseases that afflict people…….so by deductive reasoning, we can conclude that an acidic bloodstream is likely to result in the onset of life-changing diseases.
Stress plays a huge role in contributing to the inflammation, resilience, and functioning of the body. As you make an effort to eat less inflammatory foods, you should also make an effort to reduce/manage stress in a healthy way.
A 2012 research study conducted by Carnegie Mellon University Professor Sheldon Cohen and his team, revealed that “when under stress, cells of the immune system are unable to respond to hormonal control, and consequently, produce levels of inflammation that promote disease”.
[bctt tweet=”A high stress lifestyle can be as dangerous as a poor and nutritionally deficient diet. ” username=”soulfulseedblog”]
Along with reducing stress, alkalizing the body is the best way to reverse/slow inflammation. Also known as detoxification, efforts to alkalize the body include eating foods with a high pH level (see chart above ).
In addition to incorporating more alkaline foods into your daily diet and reducing stress levels, there are many tried and true “tonics” that can help you detoxify your body. The Victoria’s Secret model hack we talked about before is among one of these tonics– check out some others!
1) Warm Lemon Water
This is my choice of drink every morning. I use a 32 oz. mason jar and fill it with warm water and the juice of half a lemon. This drink really wakes me up and is part of the reason I am so productive in the mornings.
This drink is definitely the mildest of the options included, but it still reaps detoxifying and cleansing benefits.
me, looking like a hot mess at 4:30 in the morning ft. my lemon water bff
2) Lemon Water w/ Cayenne and Honey
Drink 1 just got intense!
This drink has all the same detox benefits that comes with the aforementioned drink, but the addition of cayenne pepper adds a host of benefits that surpass other detox drinks including:
– lowered HDL cholesterol
-relieved migraine pain
-boosted metabolic rate
-cleared arteries
On top of the much appreciated sweetness, honey also possesses probiotics to welcome the good bacteria in your gut and scare away the bad.
3) Green Tea w/ Lemon
*make sure to use actual green tea/matcha, not green tea extract!*
Green tea is abundant in antioxidants called catechins, which have many benefits including the ability to neutralize metals and toxic substances in the body.
4) Morning Cleansing Smoothie
Make a smoothie that is sufficient enough to be consumed for breakfast or alongside breakfast.
You can add any variation of raw leafy greens and fruit to mix it up.
I like including:
- Raw spinach
- 1 cup of frozen blueberries
- Plant based protein powder
- Coconut Water
Check out more of my favorite smoothie recipes that have hidden sneaky veggies!
Remember- having these detox tonics is absolutely not necessary for you to be a healthy person!
This is purely supplemental.
The fundamentals of a healthful person is mental health, emotional health, physical fitness, and whole foods nourishment.
Living a balanced lifestyle and eating plant based is paramount to sequestering inflammation and living long, healthfully, and happily.
So— let me know— have you tried any of these drinks!? What steps are YOU gonna take to detoxify your body?
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