Get healthy from the inside out with a detox cleanse

It may shock you to discover that you could be carrying pounds of undigested food and waste in your body. The problem is that our digestive systems are not equipped to handle the typical modern North American diet of processed, high-fat, high-sodium, low-fiber foods and refined sugar, or all the chemicals we take in from over-the-counter and prescription medicines.

Over time, these undesirable, often toxic substances build up in our bodies, causing numerous health issues.

Is it time to detox your body?

Here are questions you can ask yourself that may help to identify a need for cleansing. If you answer “yes” to three or more, you may want to consider a detox cleanse.

1. Do you eat a diet high in sugary, alty and/or processed and packaged food?
2. Do you take over-the-counter or prescription medicine?
3. Do you frequently have gas or upset stomach?
4. Do you feel bloated, especially around your belly?
5. Do you have oily skin or frequent acne breakouts?
6. Do you worry that your breath smells bad?
7. Do you smoke and/or drink alcohol?
8. Do you often feel sluggish or need caffeine and/or sugar just to get you through your day?

Health benefits of a detox cleanse

Clearer, brighter skin

Better sleep

Fresher breath

Increased energy

Decrease in gas and bloating

Reduced body fat and water retention

3 Steps to detoxing your body

1. Eat foods that aid digestion, such as fish oils, flax, spirulina, olive oil and green tea. Add plenty of high-quality fiber to your diet, either by eating vegetables and whole grains or by supplementing.

2. Reduce “toxic foods” from your diet, such as white breads, excessive salt, nitrates used in preservatives and heavy metals like mercury contained in tuna fish.

3. Cleanse your colon of excess waste. You can find cleanse products online at sites like GNC.com, VitaminShoppe.com. The best cleanse products will contain some combination of fiber, cleansing herbs and probiotics. Avoid laxatives as these will not adequately remove toxins.

Beauty foods: Your grocery list for great skin

In addition to using the best skin care, good nutrition can go a long way to maintaining your skin’s health and beauty. Here are eight excellent foods packed with skin-friendly nutrients.

Almonds

Almonds are one of the few foods that provide high levels of Vitamin E, a nutrient with rich oils that moisturize dry skin to prevent dull, ashy-looking skin.

Avocados
Avocadoes contain EFAs like Omega-3 and Omega-6. As is the case with salmon, avocadoes help keep skin well-hydrated and radiant.

Berries
Berries are packed with antioxidants that protect against the specific free radicals that damage skin. Some of the best berries include blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and cranberries.

Green tea
Because of its anti-inflammatory effects and high antioxidant content, green tea is a wonderful food for the skin. The leaf of green tea is especially potent at guarding against sun-related skin issues like hyperpigmentation.

Mangos
Mangoes have more than 80% of your daily requirements for vitamin A, a nutrient critical to the repair and maintenance of skin cells. Vitamin A is especially important to help prevent skin dryness and flaking.

Mushrooms
Fungi are rich in riboflavin, a B vitamin involved in skin cell maintenance and repair. The riboflavin in mushrooms helps prevent scars and skin discoloration associated with acne.

Salmon
Salmon is high in EFAs (essential fatty acids) such as Omega-3. EFAs are called “essential” because they are not made by the body and must be consumed through the diet. Omega-3 and other EFAs help to reduce inflammation in the body and skin, as well as keep skin hydrated, soft and smooth.

Whole grains
Whole grains contain high levels of B-vitamins, which assist with skin’s renewal processes. B-vitamins are involved in the production of new skin cells that replace old, worn-out or dead cells during a process known as cellular turnover.

Tip: Whenever possible, choose whole fruits over fruit juices, since you will get all the healthy vitamins and antioxidants without the added sugars found in most fruit juices.