Trying to steer clear of cold and flu viruses and other infections? Let’s talk about detoxing; one of the most important — yet often overlooked — aspects of supporting our immune health/immunity.
The immune system is the body’s way of protecting itself from infection and disease; it fights everything from cold and flu viruses to serious conditions such as cancer.
A healthy lifestyle offers many benefits, including helping to prevent heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and other chronic diseases. Another important benefit is that healthy routines enhance your immunity.
Common Misconceptions About Detoxing To Enhance Your Immunity.
Detox diets are said to eliminate toxins from your body, improve health, and promote weight loss. They often involve the use of laxatives, diuretics, vitamins, minerals, teas, and other foods thought to have detoxing properties.
The body has a natural ability to remove toxins out of your body to strengthen your immune system — the better your detoxification system works and the less toxins that enter your body, the better your overall health!
The term “toxin” includes internal and external toxins — internal waste like excess hormones and metabolic waste; external toxins like pollutants, synthetic chemicals, heavy metals and processed foods — negatively affect your health. Your body has a sophisticated way of eliminating toxins that involves the liver, kidneys, digestive system, skin and lungs — as long as they are healthy!
Taking care of your body on a regular basis is important.
Ways You Can Improve Your Detox Pathways And Improve Your Overall Health:
AVOID TOXINS LIKE ALCOHOL AND CIGARETTES
To optimize your immune system, limit or avoid alcohol, and stop smoking if this is a current habit. Drinking too much alcohol and cigarette smoking on a regular basis reduces your liver’s ability to carry out its normal functions, such as detoxifying.
INCORPORATE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY EACH DAY
Physical activity increases the release of endorphins (a group of hormones that reduce pain and create feelings of pleasure), making it a great way to manage stress. Regular physical activity lowers inflammation and allows your body’s detoxification system to work properly and help your lymphatic system to get rid of everything it doesn’t need.
REACH FOR NUTRITIOUS FOODS AND STAY HYDRATED
When it comes to a diet that supports good immune health, focus on incorporating more plants and plant-based foods. Add fruits and veggies to soups and stews, smoothies, and salads, or eat them as snacks. Eat Antioxidant-Rich Foods. Flush out toxins by upping your water game. Water does so much more than quench your thirst. It regulates your body temperature, lubricates joints, aids digestion and nutrient absorption and detoxifies your body by removing waste products.
EAT FOODS HIGH IN PREBIOTICS
Keep your immune and detoxification systems healthy with food sources rich in prebiotics. Foods like tomatoes, artichokes, bananas, asparagus, onions, garlic, and oats will keep your digestive system healthy, which is important for proper detoxification and immune health.
DECREASE YOUR SALT INTAKE
Consuming too much salt can increase water retention and promote toxin accumulation. You want to avoid it! You can eliminate excess water — and waste — by increasing your intake of water and potassium-rich foods. Foods rich in potassium include potatoes, squash, kidney beans, bananas and spinach.
FOCUS ON SLEEP
Getting a good night’s rest is important. Aim for 7-8 hours a night. Adequate sleep allows your brain to reorganize, recharge and eliminate toxins that accumulate throughout the day — yes, even thinking can produce metabolic waste.
REDUCE TOXINS IN YOUR HOME AND BODY
By switching to natural cleaning products like baking soda over commercial cleaning agents, you can reduce your exposure to potentially toxic chemicals.
CHOOSE NATURAL BODY CARE
Even what you don’t eat has an effect on your body. Using natural deodorants, makeups, moisturizers, shampoos and other personal care products can also reduce your exposure to chemicals.
STRIVE FOR MENTAL BALANCE
Try to do at least one stress-reducing activity every day. The body relies on hormones like cortisol during short-term bouts of stress (when your body goes into “fight-or-flight” response); cortisol has a beneficial effect of actually preventing the immune system from responding before the stressful event is over (so your body can react to the immediate stressor). But when cortisol levels are constantly high, it essentially blocks the immune system from kicking into gear and doing its job to protect the body against potential threats from germs like viruses and bacteria.
