Detox at Home in Just Minutes a Day, 5 Simple Ways

by Marissa Vicario

With the kids back in school and cooler temperatures on their way, fall is an ideal time for a light detox as the body seeks to naturally reset and strengthen its immune system. The good news is you can skip the liquid cleanses and detox diets in favor of a handful of activities gentler on your body and easier on your wallet.

Sip Something Green: You can, and should, still eat solid food but sipping on a green juice or smoothie delivers a dose of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals that energize, purify, and detoxify the bloodstream and internal organs. For best results and maximum benefits, consume on an empty stomach.

Break a Sweat: If summer threw off your exercise mojo, now’s the time to get it back. The skin is our largest detox organ and new research confirms that sweating can help eliminate the natural build-up of heavy, toxic metals in the body. Work up a sweat in your favorite hot yoga or cardio class, take up a new sport, or step into a sauna or steam room to get your sweat on. Certain yoga poses like twists can even squeeze the internal organs to help stimulate digestion and elimination. Yet another reason to get to class.

Soak In a Tub: Dissolve a large scoop, about 2 cups, of Epsom salt in a tub of warm water. A 20-minute soak helps to de-stress and soothe sore muscles. Made of magnesium and sulfate, Epsom salt reduces acidity and protects the body from toxins. The sulfate stimulates the lymph system, aids in digestion, and increases the flow of oxygen through the body. Both compounds are easily absorbed through the skin.  Add a few drops of lavender essential oil to further promote relaxation.

Try a Tonic: Start your day with a cleansing liver detoxifier of hot or lukewarm water, fresh-squeezed lemon, grated ginger, and apple cider vinegar.  A daily tablespoon of apple cider vinegar provides natural enzymes that stimulate digestion and carries waste and toxins out of the body. Combined with hot water, it cleanses the lymph system, and promotes circulation. The lemon and ginger boost metabolism and immunity offering even more detox credibility.

Brush It Off: Break down pockets of fat below the skin’s surface and stimulate circulation for tighter, brighter-looking skin with a dry brushing routine. Use a natural-bristle body brush to make upward sweeping motions, one body part at a time, from your feet to your shoulders. Do it daily before showering for best results.

By incorporating a few or all of the above activities into your daily wellness routine you can be sure you’ll look and feel your best all year long, no crazy diets required!

Marissa Vicario is a NYC-based Wellness Coach, Healthy Living Expert, creator of the Total Reset Plan and Author of How To Be Holistically Hot: A 30 Day Guide to Making Men Swoon and Your Friends Want What You Have. She shares her own health secrets, get-fit tips and the cooking expertise that has inspired countless women to end their love/hate relationship with food and turbocharge their health to become holistically hot in way that’s fun and fearless. No crazy diets or all-juice cleanses required. Visit her web site at www.MWAHonline.com or connect on Facebook or Twitter.