During a cleanse it is essential to get your body moving in order to help flush out unwanted toxins and assist movement of all the bodily systems, especially the lymphatic and elimination systems. Movement also encourages oxygen to be pumped around the body, giving you a healthy glow and helps to flush out acidic waste. Active bodies are glowing bodies. During a cleanse you may initially feel like you have less energy. It is therefore best to switch to gentle forms of exercise- or if your are doing a juice cleanse give your body what it needs – rest and plenty of sleep.
Here at Content we have chosen our Top Five Healthy Pursuits in order to help motivate you to get started – keep it fun and mix it up! Exercising will not only help to clear you body of toxins, but it will also leave you feeling energized, happier and less stressed with the release of endorphins!
BALANCING ACT – YOGA
Yoga is not only great for calming the mind it also reconnects your mind with your body. Yoga increases fitness, helps to tone muscles, improves flexibility and improves core strength and agility. Yoga with its deep breathing, sun salutations and twists also stimulates the lymphatic system to boost circulation and helps you get rid of excess toxins that are stopping your glow. It also helps soothe the nervous system, promoting feelings of calm and serenity – leaving you feeling more grounded. For yoga inspiration, check out our resident yoga expert Michaela Olexova’s monthly practices here.
ENERGY MEDICINE – QI GONG
Qi Gong is a power ancient Chinese system of healing and energy medicine. The exercise and meditation techniques practiced can promote feelings of peace and tranquility, and can help improve general health and well-being. Qi Gong can help increase energy and feelings of vitality and vigor, restoring youthfulness and clearing the mind. It can also improve circulation, promoting feels of warmth and also assist in elimination of toxins from the body, improving digestion and therefore helping with the removal of waste promoting clear skin. For wellbeing rituals and guided meditations, read our wellbeing expert Jane Kersel’s monthly rituals here.
GET OUTDOORS – WALKING
Take a walk in nature, break away from the city for the day and enjoy putting your feet though the sand or grass. This not only feels great, but also reconnects you to the earth and is very grounding for your mind, body and soul. Walking can assist in weight loss and improve cardio fitness and muscle tone. If done on a regular basis it will help lift your energy levels, improve sleep and boost circulation. Walking is perfect after a long day at the office, reducing stress and lifting your mood whilst also getting a healthy dose of vitamin D (if the sun is shining!) The Great British Walking Challenge takes place this month, making there no better time to start walking and track your daily progress! Visit Living Streets for more information and how to sign up!
WATER WORKS – SWIMMING
Swimming is a low-impact exercise, meaning there is little chance of straining your joints. This makes it a perfect exercise for those preferring something gentler, or perhaps suffering from injuries or other joint problems. A few laps will help get your heart pumping and your blood flowing, removing toxins and leaving your skin positively glowing! Water has the power to soothe, refresh and relax the body and soul. It is a great workout for the whole body – it offers resistance and tones your muscles, improves flexibility, boosts blood circulation and burns those extra-unwanted calories!
BODY WORKS – ADD FIBRE
Keeping your elimination systems moving, by helping your digestive system during a detox, is of utmost importance if you are to achieve optimal results. Most people are good about cutting out substances such as sugar, coffee and alcohol (although they don’t like it!) but often don’t consider the important foods they should be adding in. CONTENT Naturopath Rue Down explains why….
Fibre from vegetables and whole-grains like brown or black rice is one of the most important foods you can add into your cleanse diet. Not only does it provide valuable nutrients to optimise body function, but the soluble and insoluble fibre aid in the removal of wastes. Fibre in the lower colon works wonders in a detox for this very reason. If the lower colon has a low amount of fibre, the faecal matter is usually either too liquid or too solid. In both cases wastes what should be removed efficiently are re-absorbed into the body, further burdening the system. With enough fibre in the stool, there is a limited amount of toxins within reach of the colon cells and the majority pass out of the body. So whether you are thinking of detoxing or just want to aid elimination don’t forget that quality fibre in your diet can make a marked difference and make all your detox efforts worthwhile!
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