It’s January, the month of personal and physical resolutions, the time when so many of us make a promise to ourselves to be more of this, less of that—drink less, worry less, reach out more, the list goes on. How long you keep said resolution is up to you. Whether you’ve given up alcohol this month, abandoned sugar or are just trying to eat healthier, there are things you should know before (or while) you detox. According to Dr. Robin Berzin—founder and CEO of Parsley Health (a members-only practice blending medicine with personal health coaching)—you may be doing it all wrong. Here, a few things to know before taking your healthy ways a step in the wrong direction.
How To Effectively Detox
“Generally people are either juicing, which spikes insulin and causes more fat storage, or they are starving themselves, not getting enough of the nutrients that help the body detoxify naturally. Giving up sugar is great, but what does that mean? Be sure to replace it with the right foods and nutrients so you won't be hungry and so your palette adjusts. Do that and you won't even want sugar come February."
“The best way to detox is to cut out sugar and focus on greens, healthy fats and proteins, all while supporting the body's natural detoxification process through fiber, probiotics and nutrients like B vitamins and antioxidant support. It's also important to balance blood sugar while detoxing, which is where consuming adequate protein comes into play.”
“It's a misconception that you need to starve, eat raw vegetables and juice. It's actually the opposite: You need to power your liver and gut with real whole foods packed with vitamins and nutrients, drink lots of water and cut out sugar–that's how you will see the best results.The biggest, most common mistakes I see people make are juicing, fasting and eating a liquid diet. This approach works for a day or so, but a day isn't long enough to see real results. People are often disappointed because they immediately rebound, overeat and drink to compensate for the feeling of being deprived."
“The benefits of the right detox are huge: more energy, clearer skin, better sleep, better digestion, weight loss, less bloating and a better mood.”
"If you don't want to do a full detox, just cut out added sugar and refined carbs (cookies, cakes, breads, pastas, crackers, etc.). If you cut your added sugar to less than 20 grams a day, you will rebalance and see results."
