Detox Tips: Reset Your Diet and Life This Winter

Did you know that winter is the perfect time to detox? If you feel cold, dry, bloated, or if you are suffering from low energy or fatigue, your body is screaming for a detox.  Winter brings change to your hormones, metabolism, and circulation – all of which has a direct effect on your retention of toxins. This change takes a toll on your overall wellbeing, leaving you dried out, washed out, and feeling badly.  Going about a toxin elimination in the right way can help your body lose the excess weight you gained over the holidays so you can feel brighter, more vibrant, and lighter.

I recently decided to pull myself out of my winter health slump by treating my mind and body to a 4-day detoxification retreat.  No, I didn’t fly to Bali for an expensive juice-fed vacation. Instead, I planned ahead so I could bring the self-care retreat home.  With a little grocery planning and careful time management to add nutritious food and simple care routines to your day, you too can come out this winter feeling awake, excited, and refreshed, as well as hydrated and alive!  Read on to learn some basics about detoxing in the winter.

What are toxins?

You might ask yourself, “what exactly are toxins? Are they a true, scientific thing?” Loosely defined, toxins are ANY substance that brings harm to your body and they enter in the form of pollutants, synthetic chemicals, heavy metals and processed foods. While your body has an awesome system to eliminate waste (toxins) through its competent organs including the liver, kidneys, skin, and lungs, it can only function to the extent that we set it up for success.  When the organs involved are unhealthy and stressed, they have trouble performing their job. A detox helps optimize your body for performance as it was intended, once again. The end result? You can enjoy better energy and wellbeing even with just a few days of detoxification followed by living with basic, healthy principles during the rest of the winter months.

What is a detox

A detoxification program can include a variety of meal plans and activity routines. Some programs include fasts, supplements, herbal tonics, and laxatives, while others encourage reducing environmental exposures, dry brushing skin regularly, infrared saunas, journaling and meditation. The physical and mental activities work in conjunction with your nutritional intake to help the body’s hormonal system support the detoxifying process. 

Likely, when you think about a “detox” you’ll conjure up images of flavored smoothie shakes, bottled wheatgrass shots, liver support pills and powdered water enhancers, right? The supplement industry makes a KILLING on its packaged detox programs. They are quick, easy, and a fast solution.  

While some programs have tons of research behind the elemental additives that make their programs work, I prefer the natural approach by carefully planning your intake, your activities, and your mindset routines. This way you know exactly what you are putting in your body with each sip, bite, or chew. The steps are simple: eat and drink nutrient dense foods including bitters for digestion and warming spices for energy, remove toxic substances from environment as possible, include activities to sooth your mind and spirit, and treat your body extra gently. 

What to eat on a winter detox

When choosing what to eat for your winter detox, go for foods with natural detoxification properties that are fiber-rich and nutrient-dense.  Fibers make it easier for the toxins to move through your body for bowel elimination. Nutrient-dense winter foods such as beets and sweet potato can be essential for liver health, provide satiety, and can keep you warm.  Healthy oils like coconut and olive oils can help you feel full along with nuts, seeds, and farm fresh eggs (remember, local coaching clients at Hidden Springs Integrative Health leave with farm fresh eggs). Bone broth can deliver collagen and protein while keeping you warm on a cold day.

Pack in the bitter greens

Bitter greens and herbs are important for winter detoxing.  They’re great for giving your liver a supportive boost so it can efficiently remove toxins as it is intended. Bitter greens are also highly anti-inflammatory, reduce bloating, and aid in digesting fats. Think kale, collards, turnip greens, arugula, and watercress. Team these with other nutritious bitters, such as broccoli, Brussel sprouts, spinach, and artichokes. 

Bitter greens have a reasonably strong taste that can take some getting used to. Make them more palatable by balancing them with garlic and spices or apple and cucumber. Both methods are effective for taking the bitter edge off the taste.

Other foods to cleanse and nourish your winter body

Beets are a great addition to a winter detox. They’re hugely warming and have liver detoxing qualities. Cauliflower contains indole-3-carbinol, which is important for liver cleansing. Eat it in place of white potato or blend it in soups for hidden benefits.  Add warming and immune-boosting herbs and spices for  another winter detox tactic. Cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, and garlic all work great. A cup of ginger mineral soup can warm you up and fill your stomach, eliminating the need to snack on processed foods and sugars. 

What NOT to eat on a winter detox

What should you look to ditch for your winter detox? It’s a good idea to try to remove all gluten, dairy, sugar, and meat from the diet.  

Skip the sugar

Love a cup of hot chocolate with your kids after sledding? Most of us eat a ton of sugary foods in the winter and see a noticeable decline in energy levels as a result.  A sugar detox is an important part of a winter reset. Sugar is a toxin in itself, so it’s definitely one to avoid when you’re on a detox plan. It is responsible for huge blood sugar spikes and crashes, and the energy loss that comes with this.  Following a sugar detox can help you reset your relationship with sugar and set you up for reduced cravings in the future.  

If you can’t do without your sugar hit, swap it for honey or maple syrup in the short term while you wean yourself off the white stuff. Or give monk fruit a try.  It swaps 1:1 with granulated sugar and you will never know the difference. 

Ditch dairy and grains

If winter tends to bring out excess mucus, try cutting back on or ditching dairy. Excessive dairy intake leads to an increase in mucus production. 

Reducing gluten in the form of a grain fast is a wonderful way to cut belly fat caused by inflammation for a rapidly noticeable difference. You will also find that your blood sugar levels regulate with more control, as your sugar spikes level down. 

What else can you do on a winter detox?

Diet isn’t the only way to detox this winter. Resetting other elements of your lifestyle and routine can ramp up your detox efforts: 

• Exercise daily to eliminate even more toxins. Working up a sweat helps speed up the rate at which your body removes toxins.  You’ll also increase circulation and blood flow to reduce dry skin and nails.

• Dry brush your skin each morning, with natural bristles, in the direction of your heart for another dimension of detoxing. This stimulates your body’s lymphatic system to aid the removal of toxins.

• Don’t forget to cleanse your mind too — meditation, yoga, and journaling are all effective. 

• Look for a location where you can sit in an infrared sauna to help your integumentary system excrete toxins through sweat.  Massage studios and wellness centers often (coming soon to Hidden Springs Integrative Health) offer timed sessions in an infrared sauna as an added service  

I can’t tell you how good I feel after my detoxification retreat.  Immediately during the detox, my skin looked less dull and I felt way more energized. If you know me well, you know my addiction is my morning cup or 2 cups of coffee.  After only days on my recent cleanse, I found myself wanting a hot morning lemon water instead of my carefully ground, French-pressed, full bodied, black coffee… no joke, it’s possible!  Check my Facebook/Instagram pages regularly to find tips for winter cleansing and detoxifying. Or, if you want a roadmap with exact instructions, schedule a session and I will guide you through the shopping, menu-planning, preparation, and execution for your very own 4-day winter detox.

~Namaste my friends

Priscilla