Inflammation is your body's natural response to harm. When your body is constantly on alert, it can cause major problems, which may eventually lead to chronic disease. Inflammation can be caused by a variety of things, one of which is food. Doing even a one day detox from inflammatory foods can help ease the response in your body and can support longevity and health. Doing mini-detoxes may also help you to reset your habits, allowing you to cultivate sustained healthy eating habits.
Remove Inflammatory Foods
Try avoiding inflammatory foods for just one day and simply notice how you feel. Foods that are thought to cause inflammation in the body include: dairy, gluten, alcohol, sugar, soy, corn, nightshade vegetables and anything fried or processed.
Eat & Drink Your Veggies
Eating a diet full of antioxidant rich vegetables and fruits will help your body fight off inflammation. The fiber content of raw vegetables will help your body rid itself of toxins and cold-pressed vegetable juices will infuse your body with a concentrated dose of nutrients.
Drink More Water
Hydration is the key to health. Try to drink 2 liters to a gallon of water each day to flush toxins out of your body. Drinking a lot of water may also ease any intense cravings that may arise from foods that you might have an unhealthy connection to, such as sugar.
Exercise
Even a short session of exercise has been shown to decrease inflammation in your body. While detoxing from anti-inflammatory foods, stick to light exercise like yoga and walking as intense exercise may actually cause more inflammation in the body.
Sleep
Sleep is an often overlooked component of detoxification. Ample sleep is required for our brains and bodies to properly repair and for our digestion to get a rest each day. I would suggest shooting for at least 8 hours a night.
Breathe
Practicing deep breathing, either during meditation or otherwise helps our lungs to rid themselves of toxins and to deliver fresh oxygen throughout the body.
De-Stress
Constant stress can reduce the body's ability to manage inflammation. Take 30 minutes each day to engage in an activity that reduces stress, such as meditation, journaling, taking a long bath and more.
This is an excerpt from my ebook Daily Detox: Practices for a Vibrant Life