Spring is in the air! It just might be the perfect time to do a good detox and make the choice to live a healthier lifestyle! Starting fresh and kicking the season off with a spring detox program can get you on the right track to cleaner living.
Nancy’s Nifty Nook, Bradford’s original bulk food and health supplement store, can help you to get started! The store carries a wide array of high-quality detox products and affordable prices.
What is a detox program?
It is important to understand that a detox program is not a weight loss tool.
As the body’s systems are cleaned, one of the side effects may be weight loss, but it is not intended to be a magic pill or quick fix. A detox goes a long way to improving the body’s functions and overall health and should be viewed as a supplement to a healthy lifestyle.
Benefits of a spring detox
Now more than ever, we are exposed so many toxins. This exposure comes from chemical additives, pharmaceutical products, cleaning supplies and personal care products such as hair dyes, moisturizers, shampoos, conditioners, fragrances, deodorants, toothpastes and more! These products enter and accumulate within the body.
Combined with the stress of modern living, our systems can get overrun with the constant exposure to toxins, leading to a system that eventually stops functioning correctly.
Cue a spring detox program! By choosing to detox the body, reduce exposure to toxins and incorporate clean eating and living, our bodies have a chance to reset and move back into a state of balance.
According to Women’s Voice magazine author and Naturopathic Doctor Marita Schauch, detoxing allows the body to become more balanced. She says it is important to avoid foods that are inflammatory and common food sources of toxins. These include, but are not limited to, alcohol, caffeine, refined sugar, grains, dairy, trans fat and industrial oils like vegetable, soybean, sunflower etc.
Dr. Schauch also recommends drinking plenty of clean water and herbal teas to stay hydrated and flush the system. She promotes eating lots of organic vegetables and fruits as part of a healthy lifestyle. Make sure to wash vegetables and fruits with food grade hydrogen peroxide.
Avoid the ‘dirty dozen’, which contain the highest levels of pesticides.
What is the Dirty Dozen?
- Strawberries
- Spinach
- Kale, collards, mustard
- Nectarines
- Apples
- Grapes
- Bell/hot peppers
- Cherries
- Peaches
- Pears
- Celery
- Tomatoes
Owner Nancy Young recommends eating plenty of nuts and seeds, lean organic or grass-fed, hormone and antibiotic-free protein and says to avoid larger fish such as tuna and halibut due to their high mercury content.
Eating no more than two servings a day of fruit with a low-glycemic load is also beneficial. These include berries, apples and pears.
When choosing to detox, Nancy also recommends detox-supportive supplements such as milk thistle, dandelion, turmeric, probiotics, adequate fibre, B vitamins, and Vitamin C.
What happens to the body when it is detoxing?
Sometimes detoxing the body can lead to feeling worn out – take it easy and get lots of rest. Keep up physical movement to help stimulate the body and maintain good health. Walking and yoga are excellent options to stay fit without too much exertion.
Detox your life!
Cleaning up your act when it comes to personal-care and cleaning products will help your body to detox more effectively and reduce your toxic load in the long-term.
By actively choosing a more toxin-free lifestyle, the less you will need to detox. The less toxins, the better our bodies can function.
Visit Nancy’s Nifty Nook located at 152 Holland Street E. Experienced and friendly staff can help you to choose products that are toxin-free. They can also recommend a spring detox program that is just right for you.