Curative juices, mono-dieting, detoxes, fasting, herbal detox and other diets can ensure a detoxification of your liver and even your entire body, but what does it really do in the long run? It is absolutely true that our current lifestyles (stress, lack of sleep, junk food, pollution …) lead to the proliferation of toxins that can become harmful when they accumulate. Many detox diets have been invented to eliminate toxins. Unfortunately the majority of these diets are very restrictive and instead of being beneficial can actually become quite harmful to your health. So if you want to give a boost to your organs, here is all you need to know!

1. What is a detox?

First of all, it’s important to understand that a detox is nothing new to the body – your body has been performing them on a daily basis since you were born! Known as the emunctory organs, the skin, the kidneys, the liver, the lungs, the pancreas and the intestines are detoxing your body 24 hours a day by ”filtering” your bodily fluids; in other words, they keep the good bits and eliminate the bad bits. Once you know that, the principle of detox becomes obvious. It is simply a question of choosing foods that will help these organs and boost their detoxifying functions. It is out of the question to detox in order to lose weight. A slight weight loss can occur because there is a rebalancing of food but it is absolutely not a diet to lose weight.

2. The benefits of a detox

When our natural detox machines are overloaded, the body throws out some very obvious warning signs: acne, fatigue, dull skin, digestive problems, diseases of all kinds. Once these appear, it is time to react before the machine overheats.

More than anything else, a detox allows you to rebalance your body and regain some energy to help you fight against stress, improve the quality of sleep and to improve your digestion. Simply put, sort your inside out and everything will start working and looking better on the outside: brighter skin, stronger hair and nails, reduction of dark circles under your eyes, in other words, you will radiate!

And how does that actually work? As usual with us, everything is related to food. So let’s take stock of the essential foods and the detoxifying vegetables.

The top 10 detox foods

For a successful detoxification, you have to take care of the 6 emunctory organs.

• 1.Thyme purifies the lungs, intestines and improves digestion.
• 2. Ginger is very rich in antioxidants, promoting the secretion of bile which in turn helps  your digestion.
• 3. Green tea. We don’t need to keep going on about the benefits of green tea Antioxidant and ultra powerful, it helps fight against oxidative stress and helps keep your skin healthy.
• 4. Garlic is anti-inflammatory, diuretic and helps purify the body.
• 5. Artichoke promotes the secretion of bile and thus promotes digestion.
• 6. Avocado contains glutathione that promotes the excretion of toxins.
• 7. Beet contains both methionine which helps detoxification and betanin which boosts the liver’s cleansing capacities.
• 8. Dandelion is one of the largest liver cleansers.
• 9. Aloe vera stimulates digestion, drainage and elimination of waste and stimulates the multiplication of “good” bacteria of the intestinal flora. It is also known for its detoxifying and purifying properties of the intestines.
• 10. Burdock helps our skin by stimulating sweat, therefore increasing the elimination of waste.

Another little bonus food is birch juice which plays an important role in all types of waste elimination. It helps drainage and depuration by stimulating the elimination of water, bringing about a general feeling of well-being and healthy skin. It’s an essential ally in any detox program!

6. The 3 main tips to succeed in your detox

1. Drainage! An extremely important step (and an often neglected one). We need to drink!!Water, of course! A minimum 2.5 to 3 litres of water a day is recommended. In this way, you help your body dislodge and eliminate toxins. So, there’s no need to drink herbal teas that not only drain but also dehydrate. It’s much better to just drink water which is the most effective in draining!

Some tips:

1. To increase your water intake while stocking up on vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, drink a glass of water with lemon juice first thing in the morning. During the course of the day, try to integrate non-stimulating infusions such as rooibos or herbal detox teas, or/and you should consume bi-carbonated waters (gingham, saint yorre) to stabilise the basic acid balance and incorporate soups or broths with meals. Hot or cold.. it’s up to you.  
2.  Limit processed foods!  Prioritise natural products, so lets clear out our cupboards first. Get rid of all the industrial products, read the labels and reduce to a minimum the quantity of products containing additives, hydrogenated vegetable oils and modified sugars, like glucose syrup. And above all, let’s start cooking!
3.  More antioxidants:  More fruits, more vegetables, more superfoods. Let’s make sure we have a portion with each meal, prioritising colourful foods! Fresh or frozen… you choose but remember the more varied, diverse and balanced you eat, the more likely you are to stock up on good things!

Some tips:

There’s no need to introduce any wacky recipes to get superfoods or antioxidants into your diet. Thyme, ginger, garlic, grapefruit, dandelion and green tea are all excellent depuratives, efficiently detoxifying the liver at the same time! They can be consumed in smoothies, herbal teas, soups or as an accompaniment to any of your meals, any of these work very well.