5 STEPS TO DETOX - Things you can do daily to get healthier and loose weight

Today I want to talk about 5 easy things that you can do on a daily basis to be healthier and, to use a term that now makes you super cool right away if you use it, to detox your body and loose weight.

I believe that clean eating habits can heal your physical and mental problems, but don't forget that the same remedy might work for one person but not for the other. 

We are millions of little snow flakes, all different from each other, and the only person who can choose what's good for you is YOU. 

So take advice and experiment, but reserve the right to say "This isn't good for me", when it doesn't work. 

Now back to the point. 

These are 5 SUPER easy things you can incorporate in your daily routine that will detox your body and make you loose weight. Not only. They will heal you from pains, aches, digestive problems… But let's just get to the point! 

1. WATER AND LEMON

Start your day with a tall glass of warm water and lemon. This should be the first thing you do when you wake up, on an empty stomach. In italian we call it "sciacqua budella", literally "rinse your guts".

-Warm up between 350ml and 450ml of water (depending on your weight and hight). 

-Get it to a temperature slightly above your body temperature (between 45-50 C, 113-122 F). If you don't have a thermometer at hand, you can stick your finger in it. It should feel warm, but not scalding. 

-Squeeze half of a fresh organic lemon in it. If you can handle it you can try to use a whole lemon. 

-Sip it quickly through a straw.

I suggest using these reusable stainless steel by Chefast, this is a set of 6, they come in 3 different sizes and with two different brushes you can clean them with. Enough with throwing away all that plastic, these straws are awesome and I'm so happy I have found them!

https://www.amazon.com/Chefast-Stainless-Drinking-Straws-Reusable/dp/B01ENZKCX2

Afterwards rinse your mouth. Lemon corrodes (slightly, nothing to worry about) the enamel from your teeth. 

Some suggest to do this everyday. I personally do it three consecutive days, then take a break till I feel the need of doing it again. I recommend being cautious if you have BAD gastritis/acid reflux problems. 

WHAT IS THIS GOOD FOR:

1. Draining your body from excess water (meaning you'll go pee a lot) ===> detoxes your internal organs ===> eliminates toxins (it's a laxative too!) ==> your metabolism will work better and faster ==> loose weight

2. balancing the internal PH==> alkalinize your body ==> gets rid of inflammations (arthritis, soreness)

fights anemia (lack of iron in the blood) cause it's rich in minerals, vitamin B1, B, B3, A

3. it's a natural antibacterial and has a lot vitamin C and carotene ===> strengthen immune system ===> helps you fight colds and the flue 

4. brightens your skin

5. it's anti-cancer, anti-oxidant 

6. it hydrates your body and keeps it hydrated for the whole day

So give this a try and notice the difference! Then please post a comment to let me know how it went! 

2. FRESH JUICE

So after rinsing your guts with this disgusting but necessary remedy, reward yourself with something extremely delicious: a fresh fruit and vegetable juice! 

WHAT IS THIS GOOD FOR: 

1. By eliminating all the fiber from fruits and veggies, your body will absorb all the vitamins and minerals in as little as 20 minutes. Said vitamins and minerals will go straight into your blood stream to nourish and repair your body. 

2. It will cut your hunger down.

3. It will give you more energy throughout the day.

4. You can tailor your juice to what your health problems are:

Carrots: anti cancer, great for skin, fortifies immune system

Fennel: draining and soothing towards your gastric track

Beets: blood detox

Celery: rich in vitamin C, low in sugars 

Grapefruit, Pineapple: fat burning

Berries: great for skin, hair, nails

Ginger: great for stomach problems, anti-inflammatory 

Leafy greens: lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, detox the liver

Apples: cardio vascular health, anti cancer

FOR MORE ON THIS TOPIC CHECK OUT THIS WEBSITE! 

A GOOD JUICE RECIPE LOOKS LIKE THIS: 

3 carrots (or beets, or sweet potato)

1 orange (or lemon, or grapefruit, or pineapple)

2 stalks of celery (or fennel or cucumber)

1 or 2 green apples 

a handful of leafy greens (of your choice)

a small chunk of ginger pealed of the skin (or some berries of choice)

You would never be able to eat through all of these, but by juicing them you still get all the vitamin and mineral content without chewing, without digesting, without slowing your body down for absorption. BOOM! 

Did I convince you to try it? I hope so. 

THE BEST JUICER IS THE ONE YOU'LL USE!!  

I own a Champion Juicer (20 years old, super durable!) and I've tried one from the Omega family. I can't vouch for anything else! If you are skeptical, buy a cheap one and see if it's something that will work for you. But the cheap one will break eventually. I promise. 

3. EAT MORE FRUITS VEGGIES, NUTS AND SEEDS THROUGHOUT THE DAY

Remember when I told you about body PH? Well acidity is what causes the body to get sick (very long story, put in very short). Fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds bring the PH back to an alkaline level, so that you don't get sick anymore! Plus all the fiber, vitamins, minerals, Omega 3s  that your body craves. 

4. BE AWARE OF FOODS THAT CAUSE INFLAMATION

Inflammatory foods: GLUTEN (on top of my list because of my personal experience, read here) trans fats, sugar (stop buying store bought cookies and doughnuts for god's sake), refined grains (white flour, white rice), saturated fats (fried food, animal fats), alcohol, antibiotics, dairies (milk, cheese), MSG (preservatives, flavor enhancers). 

What does this list mean? Should I stop eating these foods altogether??? 

You could, I mean, that's what I did for 3 months. Or you could simply eat less of them. Start noticing how much of these appear in every meal through your day. Then start making better, more conscious choices. Then watch the pounds (or kilos) melt away and did you notice how you haven't gotten a cold in a while? And that back ache that was constantly bothering you is gone? And you sleep better? And oh my gosh I can't believe I just digested that garlic pie! 

5. WALK

Yes. Walk. It's free. And almost available to everybody. 

1. Walking gets you out of the house, out of your chair, gets you moving, gets your blood flowing. 

2. Regulates blood sugar, makes you loose weight, prevents diabetes, protects from heart disease. 

3. Puts you in a better mood, cause we're animals built to move, not sit. 

So walk. Anything from 15 minutes to infinity and beyond. Make it part of your daily routine. 

I personally think going to the gym is depressing, but I love walking my dog around the neighborhood, even when in Philly right now is freezing cold!

6. SURPRISE! Here's something else you can do! 

Join an online or in person community of people with your same goal. My Facebook page is always open to discussions about health and diet, and I constantly post articles and recipes that will help you through it. Believe me, you need someone to do this with you. I know it's hard but you're not alone! 

Don't use Facebook? Just subscribe to this blog then, you'll see, you'll feel better! 

Hope this was helpful

Valentina

RealItalianKitchen