5 Daily Detox Hacks

Feeling a bit guilty about summer? If you ate a little too frivolously and drank a little too non-chalantly over the summer, you probably need a detox.

If you don't want to do a teatox (or maybe you're just finishing one up), there are some easy tricks you can do every day to cleanse your system and get you energized for the months ahead!  

Here are 5 daily hacks to add into your fall routine to get your body in tip-top shape and feel your best:

1. Drink Lemon Water

You may have heard of the benefits of lemon water before, but if you haven’t, or if you aren’t trying it daily, there are lots of reasons to get started.  Lemon water gently stimulates your digestive system, waking it up and encouraging adequate secretion of digestive enzymes.  It facilitates a gentle cleansing and detoxification of the body, ridding the body of any toxins which were cleared out overnight, and it also is great for the liver and kidney to aid in their natural detoxification. Squeeze a quarter of a lemon to a large glass of warm water and drink it first thing when you wake up to maximize the positive affects! You can also try these 7 detox waters!

2. Drink Dandelion Root Tea

The Liver is an extremely important organ of the body, which has several tasks.  Among many other tasks, it most notably helps in the digestion of fats, working with the gallbladder, helps regulate cholesterol, controls blood sugar and glucose mobilization, produces certain vitamins and minerals, metabolizes drugs and is the detoxification filter for all the food and drink that we consume.  Given the importance of said tasks, looking after the liver is crucial, and dandelion root tea is a great natural method of looking after this vital organ.  Find natural, organic dandelion tea at your local health food store and enjoy some every evening.

3. Exercise Five Times Per Week

Your body has several natural methods of detoxification, including processes of the lymphatic system, the liver and kidneys and healthy digestion.  Many of these however, require movement and exercise to stimulate the movement of the elimination pathways, especially the lymphatic system, and sedentary behavior doesn’t allow this to happen.  If you are working in a sedentary job, try to get up and move every hour and make exercise a priority at least five times per week for 45-60 minutes each time.

4. Breathe Deeply

Just breathe! In the busyness of our day-to-day life, it is easy to fall into a bad habit of taking shallow, short breaths, and not taking in adequate oxygen for optimal brain and body function.  Without this, your concentration and ability to perform mental tasks drops, your digestion and elimination is compromised, your circulation is weakened and your energy levels drop.  Simply taking the time to focus on your breathing and be aware of when you are letting life get in the way of this simple task can go a long way in improving your health and daily living.

5. Greens

One of the best ways to stay healthy and keep your body functioning optimally is to consume daily greens.  Whether is in the form of a salad or cooked greens, adding spinach to your smoothie, or boosting your smoothie with healthy greens powder, all of these are great ways to get your daily greens.  Having greens gives you a dose of vitamin K, Vitamin A and your B vitamins, it offers magnesium, calcium and iron and is a rich source of antioxidants which help fight free radicals and encourage detoxification.