The month of March has begun and with spring in the air, now is an ideal time to start eliminating anything that may be stuck in the gut. Spring cleaning doesn’t only refer to household cleaning, although that does help create a fresh environment. Think of the same concept for your body.
Detoxification of impurities, clearing stagnant energy and increasing circulation gives your body and mind a fresh environment to thrive.
What are examples of toxins?
Environmental pollution and mass production of food and products are some of the leading causes of toxins being absorbed in the human body. City air is polluted, municipal water is chlorinated, lotions are full of chemicals, processed foods are full of artificial colors and ingredients, and lastly, if you’re not eating organic, even when you’re eating a healthy number of fruits and vegetables, they are most certainly sprayed with pesticides.
Absorption and ingestion of these toxins increases inflammatory responses in the body and causes our organs, including our skin, to work harder.
Why detox?
The body has a natural built-in system for detoxification which minimizes the harmful effects of the toxins mentioned above. However, overtime, especially after the winter months, which includes the holiday season, our bodies could use a little more help.
Our body’s detox players include the liver, the kidneys, the gut, the lungs, the skin, and the immune system. After months (or years) of a diet rich in carbohydrates, sugar, alcohol, and fast food, these body parts begin to lose their efficacy in processing and eliminating toxins.
Other lifestyle factors which wreak havoc on these organs include:
Lack of physical activity
High stress levels
High blood pressure
Poor quality sleep
Low levels of hydration
Ensuring your routine includes adequate physical activity, plenty of vitamins, water, herbs, and sleep can restore balance and re-enhance natural detoxification.
Why detox with tea?
Including a variety of teas in our daily lives allows for new and exotic herbs to become a part of our diet.
Choosing to incorporate teas such as green, white, black, or herbal infusions supports the body’s metabolism and can clear the gut of any stagnation or bloating.
Here are teas most used for detoxification and their benefits:
Green: increases blood circulation and aids to eliminate cellulite (mainly decaffeinated green tea).
White: offers high levels of antioxidants and antibacterial properties.
Black: lowers cholesterol, lowers high blood pressure and lowers blood sugar levels in the body.
Rooibos: helps detox liver enzymes.
Ginger: My favorite natural anti-inflammatory! Ginger supports gut health and the immune system by decreasing inflammation and bloating.
Turmeric: protects the liver from oxidative damage. I.e.- smoking.
Dandelion: cleanses the liver and filters the blood.
Milk thistle: protects the liver from further damage.
Anyone can drink the tea of their need or choice 1-2 times per day. Remain consistent for 21 days, as it takes 21 days to build a new habit that will stick. This also ensures giving the tea enough time to do it’s job.
Drinking tea also has mental-health benefits; As it calms and soothes the gut, it also calms and soothes the mind. The simple act of sipping tea cultivates mindfulness, decreases stress, clears away anxiety, and stabilizes emotions. This can be identified as a stress-management tool since it has all these “superpowers!”
Stress-management is also what keeps inflammation at bay in the body and mind, which in turn, also helps to reduce physical pain.
Allow yourself to enjoy a nice cup of tea, daily, and reap the benefits of these ancient herbs.