It's Spring! And like every Spring, the word on everyone's lips is: Detox!
In principle, if you have adopted a healthy diet most of the time and a good lifestyle, the body's detoxification process takes place naturally and your body does not need additional help to cleanse itself on a daily basis.
The best thing to do is to maintain or strengthen these good habits: eat a balanced and organic diet, get enough sleep, use products with a “clean” composition (hygiene or household cleaning) to avoid endocrine disruptors, exercise and limit your stress.
However, at the end of winter and after the excesses of the holidays, if you feel tired, have a dull complexion, are prone to allergies, it may be that your body needs an extra boost to eliminate toxins.
Indeed, our bodies are constantly exposed to toxins from our environment, our food, the air we breathe, the medications we take, the products we use, and even our own metabolism. These toxins can accumulate in our bodies and cause long-term health problems. A detox can therefore help eliminate these toxins and reduce the body's toxic load.
Why do a detox in the spring?
After winter, when it is important to take care of yourself, let your body rest and recharge your batteries, spring is the ideal time to restore the proper functioning of the emunctories (the organs that participate in the elimination of waste: the liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs and skin) and induce better natural detoxification of the body.
Indeed, spring is a season of renewal and regeneration. The days get longer, the temperatures rise, and nature awakens.
This season is also often associated with increased physical activity, a lighter diet, and increased sun exposure.
These changes can stimulate the body's natural functions, making it an ideal time to support natural detoxification.
So, how do you do a spring detox?
Here are some essential general hygiene tips to help you get started:
- Adopt a light and healthy diet, preferably organic, local, and seasonal: opt for nutrient-rich foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole or semi-whole grains, legumes, lean proteins, and sprouted seeds. - Avoid processed foods, refined sugars, saturated fats, and limit dairy products.
- Drink plenty of water: water helps eliminate toxins from the body and maintain good hydration. Try to drink at least 1.5 liters of water per day (note that other drinks such as tea, coffee, juices, etc. do not count and should even be limited).
- Eliminate or severely limit allergenic and irritating foods such as gluten or dairy products that can cause inflammation in the body.
- Exercise regularly, but not excessively: exercise helps stimulate blood circulation, increase oxygenation and promote detoxification of the body.
- Consider natural supplements: Beyond the deficiencies that are common in our modern societies, natural supplements such as vitamin C, magnesium, and probiotics can help support the body's detoxification process. Talk to your healthcare provider to find out which supplements are right for you!
For the next step, you can gradually reintroduce the foods you have eliminated, while trying to maintain as much as possible the good eating habits you have adopted in order not to overload your excretory organs again.
What active ingredients should be used for a detox?
Certain plants and techniques stimulate and support the functioning of organs and excretory organs:
Liver-supporting plants: artichoke, black radish, milk thistle, dandelion, desmodium, rosemary… Kidney-supporting plants: birch, linden sapwood, orthosiphon, meadowsweet…
They can be used in the form of infusions, capsules, mother tinctures or even in gemmotherapy.
Birch sap is also particularly recommended for spring detoxes and is easy to use. This plant-based water is harvested by making a small incision in the tree's bark during the sap flow. Particularly rich in water, vitamins, and minerals, it is detoxifying and fortifying. A course of fresh, unpasteurized sap can be undertaken to preserve all its properties. It is best drunk on an empty stomach in the morning, at a rate of 250 ml per day for three weeks.
Among the many active ingredients used for detoxification, chlorella is another option. Thanks to its high chlorophyll content, this algae has a real detoxifying effect, particularly in eliminating heavy metals and chemical molecules. It is generally recommended to consume 3 to 5 grams of chlorella per day, starting with small doses and increasing them according to individual needs and effects.
As for natural techniques, there is the hammam, the sauna or even dry brushing to be practiced regularly to support the elimination of toxins and purify the skin.
It is generally recommended to do a detox for a maximum of 3 weeks.
Warning: Before you begin, be aware that a detox can have more or less bothersome side effects (headaches, intestinal problems, skin rashes, irritability, etc.). It is therefore important to listen to your body and not start a detox process if your health presents risks (prolonged fatigue, illness, pregnancy, breastfeeding, diabetes, heart or kidney failure, etc.).
Don't hesitate to seek guidance from a qualified practitioner who can provide you with personalized advice.
As Paracelsus, the 16th-century Swiss physician, said, “Everything is poison, nothing is poison; it is the dose that makes the poison.”
