Winter can be a difficult time. Many experience what is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD can cause symptoms like fatigue, depression, and social withdrawal in climates where there is a lack of sunlight. This wintertime stagnation makes us less active and more prone to weight gain and other negative side effects. However, detoxification can help refresh and reset your body just in time for spring.

The Importance of Resetting

So what even is detoxing anyway? Detoxing is the process of removing harmful toxins that have entered the body by way of our environment, the foods we eat, or the fluids we drink. According to Dr. Mark Hyman, an American physician and New York Times best-selling author, we are constantly living in a sea of toxins and it is slowly destroying our bodies and brains.

Although our body naturally detoxes through the liver and kidneys, some modalities can help support the natural process.

5 Easy Ways to Detoxify and Refresh

Detoxing can seem like a big step for some people, but don’t fret. We aren’t here to put anybody on a liquid-only month-long diet. There are easy ways we can help our body detox without having to strain ourselves too hard. 

1. Drink Mo’ H2O

 If you don’t already carry a Nalgene everywhere you go, start. The average person, male or female, should consume roughly 13.5 cups of water per day — or about three 32 oz Nalgenes. Staying properly hydrated will allow for water to transport waste products out of the body through urination, sweating, and breathing. IV detox therapy  can also help keep your body hydrating while flushing your body of harmful toxins, while replenishing with vitamins and minerals.

2. Avoid Processed Foods and Sugary Beverages

Consuming high amounts of processed foods and sugar can have detrimental effects to the organs that play a pivotal role in detoxification. For example, high consumption of sugary beverages can cause fatty liver, a condition that negatively impacts liver function. By consuming less junk food, we can protect our detoxification process.

3. Exercise!

Exercise, quite literally, is one of the best things we can do for our body. Exercise by itself does not detox your body, but studies have shown that exercise helps keep those vital organs like the kidneys, liver, and lungs functioning optimally.

4. Eat More Antioxidant Rich Foods

Antioxidants protect your cells against damage caused by molecules called free radicals. At high levels, free radicals begin to hurt the body by attacking healthy cells. This can lead to a condition called oxidative stress. An antioxidant-rich diet can help reduce damage caused by free radicals, lowering the risk of diseases that can impact detoxification.

5. Limit alcohol

Over 90% of alcohol is processed by your liver. Studies show that low-to-moderate alcohol consumption can be beneficial for heart health, however, excessive alcohol consumption can cause a wide range of health problems, including damaged liver function. Limiting alcohol drinking is a very beneficial way to keep the body’s detoxification support strong.

How can we maintain this refreshed state?

Sustaining your cleansed state for lack of a better term, may seem daunting at first. But in reality, it’s quite easy and even pretty fun. One of the best things to do is to maintain a healthy diet. As we said, antioxidants are essential for helping your body with its natural detoxification process. So eating foods rich in antioxidants such as: 

• Berried fruits
• Leafy greens
• Beans

Not only will this keep your body in top shape, the combinations and meal varieties are endless. 

Another way to maintain your detox is simply drinking water. Water helps toxins out of the body through urination, sweating, and breathing. It also promotes healthy organ function. And don’t forget to hydrate before and after working out. Leaving your body dehydrated after a workout can leave it vulnerable to harmful toxins.

Takeaways

Detoxifying habits can flush our organs of harmful toxins and reduce the impact of oxidative stress. Wintertime is prime time for your body to fall victim to bodily pollutants since our activity level is much more stagnant. So take advantage of natural benefits, they’ll keep your mood up during those dark winters and have you bursting at the seams with energy and youthfulness right in time for spring. 

There’s a reason why it’s called Spring Cleaning.

This article was originally published at iveeapp.com.