9 Healthy Habits I Adopted To Enhance My Body’s Natural Detox

Over the years, I’ve tried and tested numerous health and nutrition tips and hacks, and the detox topic had no chance to pass me by. In my experience, some things showed themselves effective, while others didn’t induce any significant improvements or were just not suitable for me. The pronounced and lasting results come with the realization that I didn’t really need to try to reinvent the wheel…

Folks, our bodies are naturally empowered with a well-thought-out detoxification system! It operates through the liver, kidneys, GI tract, lungs, and skin, and these organs efficiently work together to remove toxins – if their initial well-being is not compromised. Yeah, you get it right, it's the same old doctors’ advice on prevention as the key to good health and longevity.

Nevertheless, we don’t exist in a vacuum, and let’s admit it, we allow ourselves to make unhealthy lifestyle choices sometimes. So, environmental pollutants, harmful synthetic chemicals, heavy metals, and junk foods find their way in. Whereas the body can handle moderate exposure naturally, excessive toxin attacks can overwhelm its cleansing filters and lead to a waste matter buildup. If not eliminated adequately and timely, this ‘clutter’ will induce cellular stress and provoke the body’s risk of falling prey to disease.

Luckily, we can optimize our lifestyle and dietary habits to enable our full-body detox mechanism to work to its full potential. Below, I will share nine practical tips that helped me support and promote the body's antitoxic performance.

Ensure adequate hydration

I bet it’s not news to you that ample water intake is crucial for all body structures to function correctly. The ones involved in detoxification are no exception, as water helps transport the byproducts of natural life processes, such as nutrition, respiration, and cell repair, away from your body, preventing their spread in the blood.

An average daily fluid intake associated with healthy living is 3.7 liters for men and 2.7 liters for women. I used to think it applies to plain water only, but the body replenishes its fluid levels from other beverages and foods you consume, too. Taking a glass of hot water the first thing after waking up has become a regular part of my morning routine as it helps activate the lymphatic system – the one responsible for regulating the body’s fluid balance and capability to fight infection. When taken a couple of hours before bedtime, hot water promotes IG tract cleansing overnight, so I made it my final meal of the day.

Prioritize night rest and maintain quality sleep hygiene

During sleep, the brain refreshes and recharges. Moreover, multiple restorative and recovery processes occur in the body, including eliminating metabolic waste accumulated throughout the day.

It’s common knowledge that adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night, and not only the length of rest matters but also the quality of sleep. It took me a while to develop good sleep hygiene, but with some time and effort, I have all three primary aspects covered. These are a comfortable sleeping environment (which is cool, dark, and quiet), a regular sleep schedule (the same for work days and weekends), and a healthy circadian rhythm (supported through daily exposure to natural light, physical activity, and healthy eating).

Lean on antioxidant-packed foods

Antioxidants are molecules that help neutralize free radicals and protect the cells from oxidative stress. If the last two sound intimidating to you, you’re not alone. Personally, I was surprised to know that these reactive species are formed during the body’s natural processes and that it’s normal. Nonetheless, ultraviolet radiation, air pollution, other environmental stressors, bad habits, and poor diet, provoke excessive free radical production, which can drastically affect the body’s well-being and induce severe cell damage.

To support the body against oxidative stress and promote its healthy functioning and detox competence, I actively started to incorporate antioxidant-rich foods into my daily diet. My favorite choices with the highest antioxidant content are blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, oranges, pomegranates, apples, red grapes, tomatoes, artichokes, kale, spinach, pecan nuts, green tea, and dark chocolate, and I use the HitMeal app to pick simple recipe ideas featuring these superhero ingredients.

Enrich your diet with probiotics and prebiotics

I can remember my genuine surprise when I first learned that the gut is one of the key players in our immune system, and I’m so glad I know it now, as its microbiome greatly impacts our overall health. When the ‘good-bad’ bacteria balance is disrupted, the body’s immune response to pathological agents weakens, and its reactivity to toxin-induced changes and inflammation decreases. Here, probiotics and prebiotics come under the spotlight as these are beneficial living bacteria that keep harmful bacteria at bay. Probiotics enhance the production of enzymes involved in digestion and detox, thus helping to prevent unwanted waste from accumulating in the intestine and compromising the vitality of immune cells. Prebiotics aid as fuel for probiotics, supporting their adequate functioning.

To replenish my probiotic levels, I usually add Greek yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, sour pickles, miso soup, kombucha, cottage cheese, and kefir to my diet, and garlic, onions, asparagus, leeks, apples, bananas, barley, flaxseeds, seaweed, cocoa, and chicory are my favorite sources of prebiotics.

Avoid indulging in junk food

I don’t really know a person who’s never been to a fast food restaurant or a sweet shop, and, to be honest, I’ve been a frequent guest there, too. But although some of the junk foods can be irresistibly tempting, they are called so for a reason and perceived by the body as culprits rather than fuel for energy. Ultra-processed and high in unhealthy fats and carbs, refined sugars, and other harmful additives, they can overload the liver, stress the digestive tract, and lead to inflammation. It means that overindulging in junk foods impedes your natural detoxification mechanisms and contributes to waste expansion in your body.

It may sound too simple or challenging, but the most efficient way I found to abstain from junk foods is to cook at home. I made it a habit to replenish my kitchen supplies regularly and ensure I always have freshly cooked meals of my own. The menu priorities are greens, veggies, and fruits, while canned, deep-frozen, or highly processed products are no-goes. Overall, after years of on-and-off relationships with diets, I came to the conclusion that the best approach to keeping the body’s health and fitness in order lies in developing a balanced meal plan. It now includes a whole complex of vital nutrients (namely, proteins, complex carbs, and unsaturated fats), minerals, and vitamins, and I use HitMeal for some on-demand inspiration (well, and for calorie tracking; this fitness habit is here to stay, in my case).

Cut back on added sugars and salt

We often hear that high added sugar intake is bad for us, but we don’t really think much of how exactly it can harm us. Concerning our topic, I’ll point out two health disorders associated with sugar – heart disease and diabetes. They are both known to negatively affect the primarily involved in the body's detox affair, liver and kidneys. When these organs don’t work as well as they should, they decrease the body’s capability to cleanse itself of toxins naturally.

As I’m puffiness-prone, the salt issue was especially essential for me to fix. While I knew I would wake up swollen after overeating something salty at night, I didn't realize why it happened on an anatomic level. It turns out that excessive salt consumption can trigger the production of the antidiuretic hormone vasopressin and cause fluid retention in the body. Regarding detox, the cause-and-effect is simple: when urination doesn’t occur, waste products are not removed from the body.

If it feels challenging for you to exclude sweet treats entirely, I totally get you, as I was born with a sweet tooth myself. But luckily, there are healthy swaps for added sugars, such as berries, dried fruit, or honey, and they helped me avoid withdrawal symptoms. To decrease salt consumption, I recommend focusing on herbs and spices to flavor your meals.

Engage in a regular exercise routine

I consider making fitness a lifestyle one of the smartest decisions in my life. Physical movement boosts heart and breathing rates, improves blood circulation, and provides higher oxygen supplies to all organs. What does it have to do with detox, you ask? The answer is that, due to the increase in vital signs, metabolic and detoxification processes speed up, too, enabling the body to remove waste faster.

For substantial health benefits, adults need at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week (think brisk walking, light effort bicycling, or tennis doubles) or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity (think, running, fast bicycling, or tennis singles). I stick with a balanced workout plan, including cardio, strength training, and stretching, and I firmly believe this mix helps me to maintain optimal physics. For when you lack exercise ideas, there are handy fitness apps like HitFit to diversify your workout routine.

Reduce alcohol consumption

I won’t lie; I enjoy a ‘happy hour’ somewhere on a sunny terrace with a view. Nevertheless, as you age, you realize it should be an occasional story rather than a habitual one. Metabolites and byproducts formed during alcohol metabolizing pathways can cause liver damage, compromise its healthy functioning, and, as a result, weaken its detoxification potential.

Swapping a cocktail for a mocktail is always beneficial to support the liver filter's efficacy and longevity. Still, when a happy hour happens, I opt for lighter drinks as the lower the alcohol concentration is, the less sensitive the liver is to metabolize it.

Use toxic-free cosmetics and household chemicals

A few years ago, I would probably not give it attention, but now I consciously add this point to the list. Hazardous chemicals from cosmetic and household cleaning products can penetrate the body through the skin and overload its detox system. Which, as we have discussed above, is already working hard to remove natural cellular waste and toxins induced by stressful environmental factors we can’t do much to avoid.

Besides undermining the body’s self-cleansing facility, frequent exposure to particular ingredients can cause various health disorders, from allergies to cancer. Formaldehyde releasers, parabens, and phthalates are just a few examples of toxic agents you'd like to avoid. Regarding cosmetics, I use OnSkin to safe-check the formulations of my skin, hair, body care, makeup, and perfumery products. It made my consumer preferences change greatly, but it’s totally worth it when you’re aware of the consequences.

Takeaway

The human body is a wholesome complex with its organs and biochemical processes deeply intertwined, and the failure in one system can negatively affect the functioning of others. Treating your body with care and respect and being mindful of your lifestyle and diet choices greatly determines its well-being in general and detox aptitude in particular.