2023-05-12 16:40:41
In the spring, we clean up our bodies. Juice, fasting, boosting plants, physical activity… The point on the most effective choices with Céline Touati, naturopath*.
If our body is perfectly capable of eliminating its waste on its own, our not always healthy lifestyle (overeating, pollution, sedentary lifestyle, etc.) complicates its task. Hence the idea of giving a boost to the organs that cleanse the body (liver, skin, intestines, lungs, etc.) by practicing detox cures, especially in the spring. These facilitate the drainage of undesirable substances (toxins), lighten the body, help to regain energy. Provided, of course, to reduce in parallel the foods that clog us (fat, sugar, processed products) and to move regularly.
Intermittent fasting, 5:2 or 16:8 method?
16:8, without hesitation. THE fasting 5:2 (we normally eat 5 days a week, then no more than 500 Kcal daily the other 2 days) can be complicated to follow when you have a very active life. THE fasting 16:8 (one concentrates all one’s meals of the day over 8 hours, then one abstains from eating for 16 hours) is more affordable and puts energy-consuming digestion on pause for a few hours. The liver, kidneys and skin work more efficiently and eliminate more toxins. The alternative ? Opt for a vegetarian dinner, as animal proteins take the longest to digest.
When you wake up, lemon juice or green juice?
Rather green juice. If the half-lemon diluted in lukewarm water effectively stimulates the transit and the work of the liver, beware of its acidity on the digestive mucous membranes and on the enamel of the teeth. We prefer a juice made with an extractor or bought ready-made that contains at least 80% green vegetables – always organic – with possibly a little water, cucumber or pineapple juice to make it more liquid. Plants bring a lot of vitamins, but also potassium, diuretic, enzymes facilitating digestion, chlorophyll, capable of neutralizing toxic compounds… The alternative? A large glass of water at sunrise already speeds up the transport of waste produced during the night towards the exit.
The work, in the form of juice or sap?
Victory for the birch juice, made from young leaves boiled in water, and very draining. To drink diluted, 2 to 3 times a day. The fresh sap, harvested in the spring, is rather remineralizing thanks to its trace elements. The alternative ? Link these two cures. Three weeks of juice to cleanse the body, then three weeks of sap to replenish it with nutrients.
As a one-day diet, apple or grape?
It depends… on the season. In the spring, we put on a day 100% apples (if we are not used to this kind of diet, we can start with a single apple evening per week). It will stimulate transit, especially if you tend to be constipated, and provide valuable appetite suppressant fibers that facilitate the mono diet. In order not to get bored, we vary the forms: compote, juice, baked apple… Later in the season, we opt for grapes, which support the work of the kidneys well but will be richer in nutrients for a detox of late summer/early fall. And we always choose fresh and organic plants. The alternative ? Carrots, also rich in soft fiber, and able to activate the work of the liver and gallbladder. Bonus: its richness in beta-carotene prepares the skin for sun exposure.
On the sport side, bikram yoga or dynamic walking?
Dynamic walking. Admittedly, bikram yoga, practiced in a room heated to 40°C with a good level of humidity, makes you sweat a lot and gives the impression of deep cleansing. In reality, there is no direct link between sweating and detoxification, since we mainly lose minerals (which come back as soon as we rehydrate). Walking at a good pace (approximately 5 km/h), preferably in the open air, sets all the organs in motion, makes the lungs work and promotes venous return and the elimination of toxins through the lymph. The alternative ? In addition, we practice once or twice a week an activity that stimulates the respiratory system (yoga, cardiac coherence), massages the viscera from the inside and boosts the elimination of carbon dioxide and pollutants.
In shot, ginger or turmeric?
Slight benefit to ginger, which “cleans” the digestive system and gives a little boost to transit. Provided you choose a 100% ginger product (or almost) and not a juice cut with water. Turmeric, on the other hand, is rather interesting during the winter, in order to strengthen immunity. L’alternative : boost your morning green juice with a piece of fresh ginger, as effective as the concentrates sold ready-made.
Detox cure, contraindications
Never a detox cure for:
- pregnant women.
- young people under the age of 20.
- those who suffer from a chronic illness (kidney failure, diabetes, cancer…), without medical advice.
- people with an eating disorder (anorexia, bulimia, hyperphagia).
*Authors of “Anti-bloating recipes and tips”, ed. Youth. Instagram: @naturotouati
Read also:
-
What is the best detox cure?
-
Detox: 9 things to know before starting
1684045056
#detox #remedy