10 ways to detox your body in 24 hours

Our bodies detoxify on their own and you don't need to do much to help it, other than following a healthy lifestyle.

Detoxification usually means removing toxins from the body, either produced by the body itself or from external exposure, such as pollution or pesticides. The liver removes toxins from the body itself.

Here are 10 strategies to help you detox your body and feel your health returning to normal.

Start your day with lemon water

Warm or cold lemon water can help with digestion because lemons contain pectin, a type of soluble fiber. Choosing warm water over cold water can help you feel fuller, but adding lemon to any beverage will have the same effect.

Healthy breakfast

After drinking lemon water, eating breakfast is beneficial for your metabolism, so skip the bread, cereal or any high-carb breakfast that makes your body retain water and instead eat some protein, which will help you feel full.

For example, eggs and salmon are a great combination of protein and metabolism-boosting omega-3s to start your day. Or if you're on the go, opt for a simple, digestion-friendly smoothie.

The best time to eat breakfast is before 8:30 a.m. Research shows that eating breakfast before 8:30 a.m. can help reduce insulin resistance and keep blood sugar levels low. Plus, your body can metabolize food more efficiently if you eat earlier in the day.

Motor

To help your body rid itself of toxins, increase your heart rate to increase blood flow. Research shows that exercise can improve liver health and may even reverse some liver damage.

Choose a healthy diet

Eating regularly throughout the day will help you create a foundation for a long-term healthy diet. Eat plenty of vegetables, lean proteins (like chicken, fish, eggs…) and healthy fats from nuts, olives, avocados, coconut.

During this cleanse, eliminate ultra-processed foods. This way, you won't be overloaded with sodium, artificial ingredients, and sugar. Avoiding salt and using only herbs and spices to flavor your food can make a difference in how you look and feel even after just one day.

Enjoy a cup of tea

Drink a cup of dandelion root tea with your afternoon snack. If dandelion isn't your thing, try green tea for an antioxidant and metabolism boost.

Try not to rush any of the tea-making or drinking steps. You don't need to make elaborate teas, but try to take a few extra seconds to choose a cup of tea that you like and enjoy the flavor and aroma.

Try twisting to relieve stress and aid digestion.

Most of us spend a lot of time hunched forward. We don't twist much in our daily lives. And since our spines are designed to twist, the result can be tension in the spinal muscles and sluggish digestion.

You might wonder what twisting has to do with digestion. In fact, many of the organs we use to digest food are located in our abdomens—like our intestines—and twisting motions help them function properly. Twisting motions help with peristalsis, the process that moves food and waste through our digestive tract.

Do some breathing exercises

One of the quickest ways to relax is to use breathing exercises. A recent study followed people who took part in a breathing workshop. They found that learning calming breathing techniques helped people immediately feel less anxious.

Not only that, participants also reported feeling more socially connected after 3 months.

An easy way to use your breath to calm your body and mind is to simply slow it down. You can also pause between breaths, and for maximum benefit, exhale longer than inhale.

Counting your breaths—timing each inhale and exhale or each breath cycle—is also a great way to focus on something other than your worries.

End your shower with a cold shower.

While it may sound uncomfortable, ending your shower with a blast of cold water is an instant way to feel energized. Not only that, cold water can also reduce inflammation, and some experts say it can boost the immune system.

In a recent study, people who took cold showers for 30, 60, or 90 seconds were 29% less likely to get sick than those who didn’t. Experts also say that taking a short cold shower, like ice bath therapy, can help reduce pain and inflammation, improve sleep, and help you relax.

Turn off the phone

Most of us are constantly inundated with notifications. All those beeps and buzzes have an immediate impact on your mental and emotional state and a long-term impact on your health.

Why not challenge yourself to go 24 hours without your phone? If that seems too difficult, you can start by turning off notifications. Another recent study found that just hearing your phone ring can immediately reduce productivity.

If you want to detox your body and mind, you can start by trying to focus on what's really important to you instead of your phone.

Try meditation

There is no one cure-all for all your ills, but meditation seems to be the closest we can get. The benefits of meditation range from reducing anxiety to reducing symptoms of everything from irritable bowel syndrome to PTSD.

A few minutes of meditation won't make all your problems go away, but it can help you feel good about yourself. If meditation seems intimidating, try sitting quietly with your eyes closed for a minute.