How to Detoxify Body? - Top Indian Detox Tips For Optimum Results

Starting a new diet can be exciting, as well as, challenging. Here’s a basic understanding about what the detox world is all about!

In simple terms, detoxification is a process by which you eliminate toxins from your body to improve your overall well-being. Our body, by itself, has a well-equipped natural detox system. This detox system comprises your lungs, liver, intestines, and kidneys. However, they could work less effectively due to a number of reasons such as consumption of high-caloric low-nutrient foods, stress, consuming less water, and other lifestyle-related issues.

What are the toxins in the body?

A toxin is anything unwanted and harmful to your body. These toxins may include environmental pollutants, chemicals in highly-processed food, trace quantities of metals, etc. There is no hard evidence that consuming a ‘detox diet’ will remove all the toxins in the body that your natural system hasn’t already. However, body detoxification diet and lifestyle changes can encourage your system to perform effectively and efficiently.

Wondering how to start a cleansing program by taking the organic route? Read on to know more.

A healthy mind and body is something that all of us aspire to. It is imperative to keep track of your wellness journey and follow a regime that includes a nutritious diet and some form of physical activity to keep the endorphins flowing. A common concern preventing many people from adopting an Indian detox diet is the idea that it can be expensive and time-consuming to follow one. However, it is most certainly possible to have a cleansing program with an all-natural food plan that does not require many ingredients and is easy to follow.

Types of cleansing diets:

Breaking down the popular Indian detox diets, here’s how to detoxify body using three popular methods:

1.Liquid diet: Juices and Smoothies

This diet mostly consists of fruits and vegetables blended so that you can drink on the go. Packed with nutrients, these are a great addition to your Indian diet. For extra crunch, you can add crushed nuts and seeds to give the drink some texture. These juices and smoothies have the following benefits:

• Easy to make
• Rich in vitamins and minerals
• Easy to consume

However, only consuming juices & smoothies is not optimal in the long run. Your body needs other macronutrients (carbs, fats, protein) that these juices don’t offer. While they are healthy, they aren’t sufficient to keep you energized. Because of this, only consuming juices and smoothies can lead to decreased productivity and fatigue. Thus, it’s important to incorporate a
body detoxification diet of solid and liquid to keep your body active.

2.Food Elimination

This type of diet focuses on restricting certain foods/ food groups from your diet altogether. In this process, it is very essential to learn what works best for your body. For instance, a person may be intolerant to lactose. This way, they can cut down on dairy products and go for other alternatives.60-70% of Indians are lactose intolerant, so a food elimination diet can help you identify if you fall into this category

The process of food elimination has to be planned and executed strategically.It is recommended
that you eliminate a food/ food group for a week and incorporate it again the following week. If you find any differences, such as uneasiness, discomfort, bloating, etc, you can consider avoiding that particular type of food. Consulting a dietitian online before you make any drastic changes to your diet is extremely important because you could be missing out on vital nutrients if you’re not careful.

3. Intestinal cleanse: Liver and Colon

Our bodies have built-in detoxifiers to safely remove toxins from body without disturbing any other bodily processes. The liver and colon are the most important players in your natural detox system. Both of them aid in defending your body against toxins

Liver cleanse:

One of the main functions of the liver is detoxification. Your liver acts as a filter that removes toxins from the blood sent by the digestive tract before passing it to the rest of the body. There aren’t any strict regimes that are scientifically proven to clean your liver. However, since Indian liver cleansing diets include a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables and unprocessed foods, following this diet can improve your overall health. This will, in turn, help your liver function better.

Liver cleansing diet:

A liver cleansing diet is a combination of healthy habits and hard work. In this diet, you will be incorporating liver cleansing foods that can give you a healthy boost and cleanse your liver from home naturally.
Here’s how to detoxify body by helping your liver perform better:

• Include more dietary fiber like nuts, seeds, fruits, green vegetables, oats, cereals, and wheat
• Cutting down on alcohol.
• Avoid red meat.
• Maintain a healthy and ideal body weight
• Include spices and herbs.

Colon flush/ cleanse:

The colon, also commonly called the large intestine, is also a part of the body’s detox system. One of its main purposes is to remove toxins from body. Its function is to re-absorb any remaining nutrients from waste products before passing it on for excretion. A colon cleanse/ intestinal cleanse can be very helpful if you are suffering from irregular bowel movements. It is always a good idea to consult a gastroenterologist before starting any external colon therapy or colon flush.

Colon cleansing diet:
Just like the liver, a colon cleansing diet also requires permanent lifestyle changes in diet and physical activity to see results. Here’s how to detoxify body by practising natural colon cleansing at home:

• Drink more water. It is recommended you have a glass of water first thing in the morning.
• Include more colon cleansing foods that are high in dietary fiber: beans, oats, nuts, seeds, citrus fruits, apples, guavas, broccoli, cereals, wheat, and corn
• Take probiotics: yogurt, home made pickles, traditional Indian buttermilk

Quick & Easy Indian detox recipes:

Indian Detox drinks:

• Fenugreek Tea

Regular consumption of fenugreek, also known as methi in India, is proven to treat an array of health conditions like headaches, painful menstruation, obesity, high blood pressure, ulcers, and more. It is also used in a diet for PCOD. In the detox world, it is known to promote good
bowel cleanse and bowel movements as it is filled with fiber and antioxidants.

Recipe:

1. Add 1 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds into boiling water.
2. Let it steep for 15 minutes.
3. Strain the water into a cup. Drink it 3 times a day.

Tip: Drinking fenugreek tea before bed can be very effective as it promotes the flushing out of toxins from the body.

• Ginger and lemon tea

The combination of both ginger and lemon has powerful anti-inflammatory properties that can be a great addition to your natural cleansing program. This tea can relieve bloating, boost metabolism, and make you feel energized.

Recipe:

1. Boil a glass of water
2. Add the juice of half a lemon
3. Add a slice of ginger
4. Let it steep for 15 minutes
5. Strain the water into a drinking cup. Drink it once at bedtime.

Tip: You can add a tbsp of mint leaves to add more flavour, as you wish. Mint has antibacterial and antiviral properties that can keep cold and flu away.

• Cucumber and mint detox drink

This drink contains a plethora of healing properties. Many weight loss diet plan charts include this drink as an effective belly-buster. The mint can soothe an upset stomach and speed up the digestion process. It also aids in increasing metabolic rate. Chronic body inflammation can make you prone to rapid weight gain and other diseases. The cucumber and lemon are filled with anti-inflammatory properties to protect you from an array of health conditions.

Recipe:

1. Finely chop 1 cucumber. Blend it in a mixer with 8-10 mint leaves and 1 cup of water
2. Strain the mixture and discard the cucumber pulp.
3. Add the juice of half a lemon
4. Dilute the water if needed
5. Pour the drink into cups and serve with ice cubes

Tip: If you’re facing a sore throat, add a spoonful of honey to your drink. Honey is known for its good source of antioxidants and as an effective germ killer.

Having a difficult time figuring out your approach to a body detox diet? Here are a few important tips to guide you on your wellness journey.

Eat clean, eat healthy:

1. Drink more water.

Water does so much more than just satisfying your thirst. Not only does
it have the best hydrating properties, but also improves various bodily functions, such as:

By not drinking enough water, your body simply retains the fluid causing you to feel bloated. This is called water weight.
Although it sounds contradictory, drinking more water can help flush out this weight.

Daily recommended water intake by age

2. Take your Antioxidants.

Our body produces molecules called free radicals during digestion. These molecules cause damage to your cells by producing oxidative stress. To counteract this,
you need to consume foods rich in antioxidants to neutralize this process.

Antioxidants include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.
Some Indian food sources of these vitamins include:

3. Take your prebiotics.

Your intestines play an important role in your natural detoxification system. Your gut has a huge variety of microflora that control everything from your digestion to your immunity. Prebiotics help sustain health bacteria in your gut.
Eating prebiotics daily will ensure good gut health and boost the detox process.

Prebiotic foods include garlic, onions, bananas, tomatoes, oats, apples, and cocoa.

4. Restrict sugar and processed foods from your cleansing diet.

A poor, low-nutrient diet has become one of the most common reasons for a number of underlying health conditions such as obesity. Many obesity diet charts recommend one to strictly avoid or limit sugar intake. Unfortunately, many tasty, convenient packaged foods that we love eating offer little to no nutrition.
But, by making a conscious effort to stay away from these foods, you can help your body become stronger and healthier.

5. Restrict your salt intake

Drinking more water and decreasing salt intake goes hand-in-hand. The less water you drink and the more salty foods you eat, there’s a higher chance of your body retaining the water weight. This can make you feel bloated and uncomfortable. By drinking more water and restricting salt intake,
your body increases urination, which eliminates more toxins from your body regularly. Many Indian snack foods are also high in sodium, so limit your consumption of these.

Did you know?

Lead a healthy lifestyle

1. Prioritize sleep

Being sleep deprived is proven to have both short-term and long-term effects like excessive fatigue, cardiovascular problems, increased risk of obesity, diabetes, and anxiety. Getting a full 7-9 hours of quality sleep is essential to maintain our everyday bodily functions. Deep sleep or REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is vital for toxin removal. Your body processes and removes toxins from the brain, like beta-amyloid, which get accumulated throughout the day.
This promotes recharging of the brain and helps you feel more refreshed the next day.

2. Cut down on alcohol and smoking

Excessive drinking and smoking can take a toll on your physical and mental health. They can cause a myriad of health conditions if not brought under control. Alcohol is metabolized by the liver into acetaldehyde, which can cause cancer. This can cause inflammation and scarring on the liver. Binge-drinkers and smokers have an increased risk of depression, anxiety, and troubled sleep. These are serious issues and it’s important that they are brought under control.
It is recommended that you consult a psychiatrist online if you face any distress in your mental well-being

3. Be physically active

Any form of regular physical activity is associated with many health benefits like reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart problems, increased blood circulation, and the production of happy hormones in the brain. Regular exercise reduces inflammation on the body, which encourages the natural detox system to function properly. Just getting in 40 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per day (like brisk walking) or 20-30 minutes of high-intensity exercise per day (like running) can do wonders for your body.

4. Stress management

Stress can not only be draining on your body but can also accelerate other health problems. Your body naturally produces the hormone cortisol when it gets stressed. High levels of cortisol is linked with rapid weight gain, high blood pressure, mood swings, heart problems, and anxiety.

What you should know about COVID in India 

Even as people started getting back to the post-lockdown lifestyle, the second wave of coronavirus disease hit India in an unprecedented manner. The double mutant coronavirus disease has spread with vigour due to several factors like lack of social distancing, masks and common hygiene habits. The best coronavirus prevention is to ensure a healthy day-to-day lifestyle. Some of the ways in which you can ensure coronavirus prevention are:

• Avoid crowded places
• Stay indoors and stepping out only when necessary
• Consume a nutritious and balanced diet
• Include foods rich in vitamin C, ginger, turmeric, garlic that are immunity builders
• Drink adequate warm water
• Keep the mind and body fit by exercising regularly
• Inhale steam for good respiratory health

Following these points in addition to getting the COVID-19 vaccine is the best shot at coronavirus prevention in India.

Every pro has its con. Learn more to understand the side effects of a rigorous body detoxification regime.

A body cleanse, if not followed safely, can lead to a
multitude of side effects. This makes the whole process of toxin removal counter-productive.
Ensuring that you’re on the right track is crucial while adjusting to a healthy routine. If you face any of the following symptoms, it is best to immediately address it by seeking professional advice from a dietitian.

Side effects:

Excessive fatigue and weakness

This is often caused by insufficient calorie intake, less consumption of water, not getting required nutrients for the body, or by simply not exercising. Fatigue can be a hindrance to your daily activities.

Suggested solution:

• Put effort into having healthy and balanced meals. The general recommended daily calorie intake for men and women is 2,500 and 2,000 respectively.
• This number can vary from person to person. If you’re feeling tired, it’s advisable to increase your consumption of nutritious foods. Include a balance of Macronutrients in the diet, i.e Carbohydrates, Fats and Proteins.

Overdosing on supplements

Overdose can occur when you take too many supplements and diuretics. This can have harmful effects on your body like weak pulse, shallow breathing, drowsiness, etc.

Suggested solution:

Consult with an online doctor before you take a certain amount of dosage to ensure that you’re taking only what’s needed. After your prescribed intake is over, follow-ups can be done to check if you need to continue medications.

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies

Deficiencies occur when you don’t take a combination of food groups during your full-body cleanse. Eating only a particular type of food daily will reduce the intake of overall nutrition.

Suggested solution:

Your body needs both macronutrients and micronutrients to function properly. Ensure that your diet is filled with a variety of food groups that cater to each nutrient to avoid any imbalances.

Food Cravings

Due to an immediate change in diet, hunger pangs can occur. It is completely normal to feel like eating a particular type of food during a strict body cleanse.

Suggested solution:

• Eat foods that keep you feeling full throughout the day.
• Drink more water.
• Substitute junk food with healthier alternatives. Experimenting with these alternatives can not only satisfy your hunger pangs but can also add nutritional value to your detox.

Tip: A smaller portion size of junk food, once a month is okay to consume. This can make you feel happy and satisfied with your meal. However, ensure you do not stray away from your healthy diet too often.

At-risk population:

The general recommendation is to not start an intense calorie-restricting program or body cleanse without consultation. The following groups of people are more prone to experiencing the side effects of a rigorous detox program:

• Children and adolescents
• Older adults
• People diagnosed with serious health conditions like cancer, extreme blood pressure, and high blood sugar levels
• People diagnosed with eating disorders
• People who are malnourished
• Pregnant women and lactating mothers

Common myths about cleansing diets debunked:

Myth #1: Your body needs external help!

As mentioned before, it is important to keep in mind that an Indian body cleanse diet is not the one true solution for how to remove toxins from body. Instead, they can act as a catalyst for your natural detox system. These diets are nutrient-dense and can stimulate your body to perform better.

If your diet consists of a good balance between macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and protein) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), these can provide your body with the energy it needs to perform natural detoxification better. Keeping yourself educated about the toxin removal process and how to cleanse the body safely is just as important as consuming the diet itself.

Myth #2: A total body cleanse is an easy fix for all your binge-eating habits.

A truly healthy lifestyle comes with hard work and consistency. No matter how nutritious your meal or drink is, the effects won’t last if you don’t follow it consistently, alongside daily physical activity. If you find it hard to be consistent, talk about your lifestyle changes with your friends and family who can keep you motivated throughout the journey. This way, you can also be held accountable for your actions by someone else.

Myth #3: You should cut out all carbs and fats for a total body cleanse!

Drastically decreasing your calorie intake by cutting out important macronutrients from your diet is not the way to go. This can severely affect your body’s performance. Carbs provide you with energy and fats to keep your stomach feeling full. Decreased intake of these nutrients can affect your body’s absorption of vitamins and minerals. This can make you feel lethargic and uneasy. Instead of only consuming a certain type of food, it is recommended to have a balanced diet that ticks off all the nutrients in the list to keep you feeling energized throughout the day!

Q1. Can you really detox your body?

Our bodies are programmed to have a natural detox system that includes the liver, intestines, and kidneys. These organs take care of removing any toxins in the body. There is little to no evidence that detox diets remove more unwanted substances from the body. A healthy mindset to have is to focus on leading an overall healthy lifestyle by eating nutritious food and staying physically active.

Q2. What is the best cleanse for weight loss?

Managing your calorie input, calorie output and quality of your diet is the most effective and healthy way to lose weight. Here’s how to detoxify body during weight loss:

• Calorie input: By eating foods that are low in calories (like fruits and vegetables) and are highly nutritious
• Calorie output: By having a daily routine of moderate-to-intense physical activity
• Quality of diet: By avoiding foods that are highly processed and consuming foods that are low-calorie and nutrient-dense

Q3. How to detoxify the body from home with no products?

The best part about kick-starting your journey towards a healthier lifestyle is that it can be easily done from your home. Here’s how to detoxify body at home:

• Drink more water
• Take your antioxidants and prebiotics
• Decrease sugar, processed foods, and salt intake
• Cut down on alcohol and smoking
• Be physically active
• Learn to manage your stress
• Prioritize sleep

You don’t need any external body cleansing products for you to rejuvenate your body. The best cleanse is to follow a consistent routine that includes the above-mentioned tips.

Q4. What is the best natural liver cleanse diet?

The liver itself is a detoxification organ. It neutralizes the toxins and passes them to the bloodstream. There aren’t any strict regimes that are scientifically proven to clean your liver. However, incorporating these foods/ lifestyle changes can be beneficial to your liver’s performance:

• Turmeric: Turmeric powder is a well-known natural liver cleanse food that has anti-inflammatory properties which can reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
• Limit your alcohol intake.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Improve your quality of diet by eating more healthy fats, proteins, fruits, vegetables, and unrefined whole grains.

Q5. Is a colon cleanse diet a good idea?

The colon, also commonly called the large intestine, is a part of the body’s detox system and aids in toxin removal from the body. A colon cleanse diet can improve the regularity of your bowel movements. It is always a good idea to consult your doctor before starting any external colon therapy or colon flush. However, here are a few ways to do natural colon cleansing at home:

• Drink plenty of water. You can also have a glass of water with 2 tsp of salt first thing in the morning.
• Consume a high-fiber diet
• Take probiotics (yogurt, pickles, traditional Indian buttermilk)
• Consuming resistant starches (beans, peas, oats, cooked rice)

A colon cleanse diet or any diet for that matter should make you feel stronger and healthier. Refer to Chapter 3 for tips on how to follow a safe diet.

Q6. Are detox drinks safe?

As long as these drinks are healthy and made from home with natural ingredients, they are safe to drink. A healthy drink is one that is:

• Made of fruits, vegetables, nuts or spices
• rich in antioxidants
• have anti-inflammatory properties
• Low-caloric and nutrient-dense

Refer to Quick & easy Indian detox recipes in Chapter 2 to rejuvenate your body with natural body cleanses.

Q7. What are some home remedies for detoxification of body?

There are no instant results in home remedies for detoxification of body. A body cleanse diet can sound very appealing but the key to a healthier life is to make it a habit to prioritize your well-being. Consume smaller well-balanced meals throughout the day, exercise, and get a good night’s sleep. Over time, the results will certainly show. Refer to Chapter 2: How to detoxify body naturally for more information on natural cleanse methods, nutrition, and recipes.