Simple Ways to Detox for a Healthy Weight by Dr. Hillary!
Team Avazera is excited to introduce to you Dr. Hillary Webster, N.D who is a board-certified naturopathic doctor and health genius! Today she is going to be explaining a few simple ways you can detox for a healthy weight. Let's jump right in!
It's no question that we live in a toxic world. From the chemicals covering our fabrics, to our hygiene products, to carbon emissions, even to our drinking water, we are bombarded by chemicals unrecognizable to the human body. Environmental medicine says we need to help our over-burdened livers detox from this chemical assault, and that eliminating these chemicals can help release unwanted weight. When I talk to my patients about stresses that impact their weight, we tend to think only so far as mental/emotional stressors, but there are many ways our bodies can get physically stressed out. The chemicals in our environment act on the hormone receptors in the various tissues of our bodies and alter the body's delicately balanced hormones. Scientific studies show that hormone-disrupting chemicals during the peri-natal period can affect a child's ability to maintain a healthy body weight throughout his or her life. These chemicals, on top of the endogenous (added) hormones injected into the meat we consume, get stored in fat tissue, which is already highly hormonally active as it is, and can wreak havoc on the rest of the body's systems. Overweight and obesity is clearly a more complex issue than simply eating less and exercising more!
So, what Can We Do About Toxins?
Naturally, the question remains about how we deal with this problem. While it seems like an insurmountable problem, there are many things we have power over in order to reduce our toxic burden. Switching your household cleaning and personal hygiene products to more natural options free from phthalates, sodium laureth sulphate, coal tar, ammonia, triclosan, etc, is an excellent start.
The next step you can take is to help your body detox diet via the foods you eat. Currently a popular buzzword in health communities, detoxification is simply the process by which your liver rids the body of excess chemicals. There are two phases to detox, and both require many vitamins and minerals. A nutrient-dense diet can help your liver do its job by providing ample amounts of said nutrients.
A Simple, Gentle Detox
Next, once your liver breaks down the chemicals, they must be eliminated by the body. There are only two routes out- urination or bowel movements. Drinking lots of water to facilitate both processes goes without saying, but there is more you can do to support healthy elimination of chemicals. Ensuring adequate fibre intake through lots of vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds can help elimination.
Furthermore, some promising research suggests that blue-green algaes, like chlorella and spirulina, can aid heavy metal excretion through the GI tract. Incorporating these nutrient-dense algaes into a morning smoothie is an easy way to help the body naturally detox. More specifically, Chlorella binds heavy metals and escorts them out of the body, whereas Spirulina is full of beneficial antioxidants that can help protect the liver and allow it to function at its best.
If the whole process of detox-ing for your home and family is intimidating, which it was for me, my best advice is to start small and add healthy habits little by little. If it means switching out your toothpaste this week and trying a superfood smoothie the next, then go at your own pace. The strongest habits stand the test of time and gradual change is often more sustainable. Try adding one simple thing to detox your home and over time you'll be much healthier for it and achieve a healthier weight in the long run!