So last month we talked about the benefits of detox and how simple it can be to start.  Cleaning up the diet is essential to any detox program as well as incorporating certain foods to aid in the detoxification process.  Here are some of the top foods to help you detox:

Green leafy vegetables: Kale, spinach, watercress, arugula, chard are all full of chlorophyll which not only aids the liver in detoxification but also helps the body eliminate harmful toxins that we are exposed to on a daily basis. Whether they are eaten raw, thrown into a broth or added to juices, leafy greens are important for detox.

Citrus: Lemon, limes, oranges are extremely high in vitamin C, which helps flush heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and aluminum out of the body.  They also help to stimulate digestive processes.  To increase detoxification, start each morning with a warm glass of lemon water.

Beets: Beets are extremely effective for liver detoxification. They help digestion and stimulate both the kidneys and lymphatic system.

Fresh fruit: Full of vitamin C, fibre, nutritious fluids, and an endless supply of antioxidants, fruits are an important part of any detox program. Apples are great for detoxifying the bloodstream and supporting the lymphatic system. Pectin, a type of plant fibre found in apples, is especially helpful in maintaining healthy digestion. It helps prevent the absorption of toxic heavy metals, such as aluminum, mercury, and cadmium, in the intestinal tract and ensures they are quickly eliminated from the body.

Garlic: This pungent bulb stimulates the liver in producing detoxification enzymes that help filter out toxins in the digestive system. Also, allicin, a compound found in garlic, is extremely effective in killing a variety of bacteria, viruses, yeasts, and parasites.

Green tea: Green tea is high in catechins - a flavonoid — which speeds up liver activity and increases the production of detoxification enzymes. Green tea is also packed full of antioxidants which help to wash toxins out of the body.

Broccoli sprouts: Extremely high in antioxidants, broccoli sprouts can help stimulate the detoxification enzymes in the body.  The key component responsible for these actions is called sulforaphane and spouts can contain up to 100 times more sulforaphane than mature broccoli.  These small but nutritionally powerful veggies can be found at your local health food supermarket.

Parsley: Parsley has a wonderful detoxifying effect on the bloodstream. It is beneficial for the health of the colon, lungs, liver, kidneys, and spleen.  It also provides the body with many vitamins and nutrients, such as vitamins A and C, as well as chlorophyll.

Along with consuming some of these foods, make sure you are hydrating your body with plenty of water which a very important part of detox!

What Causes Cravings?
When our blood sugar levels are imbalanced, we get cravings. Different foods will alter our blood sugar levels at different rates. Certain foods can cause our blood sugar levels to spike and subsequently fall, leaving us feeling tired, hungry, and craving carbohydrates and sugary foods. Whenever we have a craving, our body sends out a multitude of neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters strongly impact our behaviours and feelings causing addictive patterns. These patterns can become ingrained in us, working faster and stronger each time we experience a craving.

How to Minimize Cravings:

1) Include protein in every meal and snack.
Protein has a low glycemic index, which means it is broken down slowly in the body, releasing energy continuously. Adding protein will help to stabilize your blood sugar levels and prevent you from entering the “starvation mode” which leaves us craving carbs and sugary foods.
Proteins sources include beans, legumes lentils, nuts, seeds, eggs, and animal proteins. You can also consider purchasing a protein powder to add to drinks and food.

2) Have something to eat every 3-4 hours
Consuming several small meals throughout the day helps to regular blood sugar levels and decrease cravings.

3) Avoid all-carbohydrate meals
These meals not only spike the blood sugar and leave you hungry soon after, but they also dampen the central nervous system decreasing your desire for physical activity and dampening your mood.

4) Bump up the fiber intake
Fiber helps to keep you feeling full longer and slows the release of nutrients into the blood stream, helping to normalize your sugar levels.

5) Eat your veggies no matter what
Vegetables not only provide you with important nutrients that are involved in everything from regulating bodily functions to fighting cancer, they also help regular your metabolism and decrease your cravings.

6) Eat good fats
Include omega-3 fats in your diet. These help reduce cholesterol, fill you up, and help regulate your blood sugar decreasing your cravings.

7) Carry a water bottle with you during the day to ensure you are drinking about 2L of water everyday 
Often times when we think we’re hungry, we are actually thirsty. Since our bodies are over 50% water, we need to drink a lot to keep our cells functioning properly. Most people are dehydrated and only consume coffee, tea, and pop. These fluids dehydrate the body inhibiting our cells’ ability to function properly.

- Dr. Lesley

Some of the most frequent questions I get at around this time of year are about detox: “What is a detox?”, “Do I need to detox?”, “How will it make me feel?” etc.  Well I’m here to answer these burning questions!

Detox…DETOX!  The word seems pretty scary, well at least when it’s written in all capitals, but it’s not as scary as it may seem.  Detoxification is about cleaning your body of all the “junk” that has accumulated over the years.  Just as we do Spring cleaning for the house, it is important to do the same for the body.  Everybody’s body is unique, so are the clearing rates at which the detoxification organs (skin, lungs, kidneys, liver, intestines and lymphatic system) remove various toxins that have built up in the body. 

Unfortunately we live in a toxic world.  We are frequently exposed to environmental toxins such as: industrial pollutants, chemical pesticides, pathogenic bacteria, certain prescription antibiotics and over the counter medications and even excesses of certain foods.  If the eliminatory organs are not functioning properly, toxins are left with no place to go and remain inside the body.  This in turn can leads to progression or development of disease. That’s where a detox can come in.  Think of it as giving your eliminatory organs a much deserved break from the burden that is put on them on a daily basis.

Low energy levels, skin conditions such as eczema, gas and bloating, PMS, irritable moods, sweet cravings can all be symptoms of toxic build up in the body, so if you experience any of these, a little Spring cleaning might be what you need.

So what does a detox consist of?  Well for the extreme few individuals, it consists of fasting or colonics.  However, for the rest of us, it can be as simple as eating whole foods i.e. foods that don’t come packaged, drinking more water, exercising and perhaps supplementing with specific vitamins or herbs to aid the body in eliminating toxins.

Avoiding processed foods, sugars/artificial sweeteners, saturated fats and substituting those with whole foods is a great way to start your detox.  Eating fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains provides much needed nutrients and fiber that helps improve digestion as well as improve elimination through the liver and kidneys.  Saunas, hot yoga or anything that works up a sweat will also help your body detox through the skin.  Want to help your lymphatic system with removing toxins?  Try massage therapy or contrast showers!  At the end of your shower, do a few cycles of alternating hot and cold i.e. 1 minute hot, 10 seconds cold, always ending on cold.  This is a great way to help with lymphatic circulation through the body.

If you aren’t feeling the absolute best that you can feel, taking some time to improve how your body is eliminating toxins may be worth the effort.  In the end, you will feel more energized and rejuvenated!

General Tips for Detoxification:

• Drink plenty of water (at least 8 glasses/day)
• Add half a lemon to a warm glass of water and enjoy it first thing in the morning.  This is a great way to help stimulate your liver to aid in detoxification.
• Eat your salads and greens – they provide you with lots and lots of live enzymes and minerals and also help detoxify heavy metals from the body
• Exercise regularly, for at least 20 minutes - Partner up with a friend or family member if motivation is a problem. Go for a brisk walk or jog, or try something different like a spinning class or Yoga!

After a summer full of barbecues and over eating I’m sure we all feel like we could lose a little weight! Here are some ways to help boost your metabolism and kick start your weight loss journey.

Increase protein intake:  
Metabolism is the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. You can increase your metabolism by eating foods that require extra energy to digest and metabolize such as protein. Your body burns twice as many calories digesting high-protein foods compared to foods that are high in carbs or fat. When you consume protein a hormone called glucagon is released which signals fat cells to release fat into the blood so it can be used for energy. So when you eat more protein, more fat is burned which is what we all want when trying to lose weight! Good sources of protein include: nuts and seeds, lean meats such as turkey, chicken, fish, eggs etc.

Eat more often:
Eating smaller meals throughout the days (every 2-3 hours) helps to feed muscles and starve fat because this ensures your body that it isn’t going to starve.  When you skip meals (especially breakfast) or don’t eat throughout the day and then pig out at dinner, your body gets scared and begins to store fat because it isn’t sure when the next meal with come. Eating throughout the day also helps to balance blood sugar levels which decreases cravings for sweets.

Avoid refined grains:
Breads, pastas, cookies, cake all contain refined grains which cause an over-secretion of the hormone insulin due to the spike in blood glucose levels.  This tells the body that there is enough energy available from the glucose so it should stop burning fat and store it instead.  Constantly high levels of insulin can also lead to insulin resistance which can lead to diabetes. Complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, brown rice, fruits and vegetables result in a more steady release of glucose into the blood which doesn’t result in the secretion of excess insulin.

Eat more fiber:
Fiber is a non-digestible carbohydrate, but the body tries hard to break it down, using up energy and thereby increasing metabolism. Fiber makes you feel full sooner and stays in your stomach longer than other foods which helps slow down the rate of digestion and keeping you feeling full longer. Be sure to increase water intake as you add more fiber into your diet to prevent constipation!

Switch up your workout routine:
Maximize the calories you burn with exercise by integrating high intensity intervals into your workout. A good starter routine is alternating walking for 2 minutes with running as fast as you can for 1 minute, repeating this 3 minute interval 5 times for 15 minutes.  This can help burn more fat and calories than walking on the threadmill for 1 hour!

Losing weight can be difficult but with the right diet and exercise routine, you will be shedding those excess pounds in no time!

http://balancemylife.ca/6-ways-to-boost-metabolism-and-weight-loss/