Must-Have Health Habits For 2023
Start the year with a practical program for simplifying how you shop, cook and eat.
If you want to start 2023 with more energy, less stress, and a body you love, keep reading.
Your body is designed with effective tools for eliminating toxins that involve the liver, kidneys, digestive system, skin, and lungs.
When these organs are healthy and working efficiently, they keep our physical and mental machines in tip-top shape. Optimizing the body's natural detoxification systems with a little reset is a beneficial way of keeping things in working order. Think of this as a wellness tune-up!
Here are seven effective strategies to help you detox, reset and start the new year with more energy, mental clarity, and excitement for the things that matter the most.
1. Drink More Water
More than half of all adults are partially dehydrated!
Water is an essential nutrient that every organ in your body needs to function. Water helps your body's detoxification system remove waste products from your blood and supports every single bodily function.
Pro Tip: The adequate recommended daily water intake is about 100oz. You may need more or less water depending on your diet, where you live, and your activity level. The best way to hydrate is to sip consistently throughout the day starting with a big glass when you wake up!
2. Limit Alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol inhibits your liver's ability to perform its normal and detoxifying functions.
Limiting or abstaining entirely from booze is one of the best ways to support your body's detoxification system. January is an excellent time to give your liver a break and take stock of any habitual behaviors around alcohol.
3. Practice Better Sleep
Sleeping allows your brain to recharge and detox metabolic waste that accumulate throughout the day.
One of those waste products is a protein called beta-amyloid, which is linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Trust me, you want that junk GONE! 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night helps to promote good health and allows your brain to reorganize, recharge, and eliminate toxins.
4. Ditch Added Sugar and Processed Foods
Consumption of sugary and processed foods is linked to obesity and other chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. These conditions can harm organs vital to detoxification, including your liver and kidneys.
Sugar is addictive with ZERO health benefits, and chemicals are NOT food! Start reading labels and avoid foods with added sugars and artificial ingredients.
5. Eat Antioxidant-Rich Foods
Antioxidants are super stars for protecting your cells against damage caused by free radical molecules and help prevent oxidative stress.
A diet rich in antioxidants supports your health in a zillion ways, helps reduce damage caused by free radicals and may lower your risk of diseases that can impact detoxification. The most potent antioxidants come from plants like fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, and green tea. Eat the rainbow and support your local farmers.
6. Eat More Prebiotic Fiber
Your intestinal cells have a detoxification and excretion system that protects your gut and body from harmful toxins.
A healthy gut starts with prebiotics, a type of fiber that feeds the good bacteria or probiotics in your gut so they can produce beneficial short-chain fatty acids. Antioxidant-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices contain beneficial prebiotic fiber and support overall wellness.
7. Move More Baby!
Regular physical activity lowers inflammation and allows your body's detoxification systems to work more efficiently and protect against disease.
Move more and sit less. Walk, take the stairs, join a gym, just be sure to exercise every day because exercise makes you younger on a cellular level and your body needs to move so you don't lose muscle, bone and strength.
Instead of just reading this article and thinking about making changes, consider joining my 21-Day Detox and Reset that starts January 16th. This is NOT a diet, but a proven practical program for simplifying how you shop, cook and eat to optimize your body and brain with easy lifestyle habits.