10 Ways to Cleanse and Detox During Menopause

If your body is constantly overworked and stressed, some complications can arise. You might feel out of sync, have irritated skin, different aches and pains, or digestive issues. Just like you desperately need those two weeks off from your job sometimes, your body also needs a break every now and then too.

Detox and cleansing is all about resting and caring for your body from the inside out, to give it a well-deserved break from the stresses of day to day life. Practiced for centuries by different cultures, detoxification aims to remove the toxins present in your blood and organs and replace them with the healthy nutrients that your body needs to function at its optimum level.

To get you started on detoxing, we’ve gathered 10 different ways to detox your body. Try it out and see if you can notice any difference in how you feel.

1. Go organic

We’re not saying you have to go out and buy everything organic, but there are certain foods these days where organic is a necessity if you want to keep toxins away from that precious temple that is your body. Choosing the right foods is one of the best ways to detox.

Generally, the rule is that if you eat the peel of a certain fruit or vegetable, then it must be organic. Pesticides and preservatives are hard to get rid of, even after you’ve given the foods a good wash, and they will be ingested by you during digestion. So the next time you’re buying tomatoes, apples, cherries, grapes, pears, and berries, try to go organic.

2. Lots and lots of water

They say eight glasses of water a day is the minimum, but during a detox you could try stepping up a notch and aim to have even more water than that to help flush out the toxins in your system.

Water can easily help with detoxing your body, especially if you drink it routinely, as it naturally flushes out your system and carries out all of the bad stuff. Drinking lots of water will contribute to healthier and clearer skin, better organ function, and better performance of the digestive, circulatory, and respiratory systems. Try to drink water before, during, and after every meal as it’s an easy way to add more water to your daily diet.

3. Add more greens to your diet – including seaweed!

You’re probably tired of hearing it, but veggies are the best. Before lunch, try to have a little salad first before proceeding with the rest of your meal.

Another way to add veggies to your diet is to include them in smoothies in juices. Don’t be afraid to try it! Celery is the secret ingredient to your apple, ginger, and lemon juice needs. Radishes, artichokes, cabbage, broccoli, spirulina, and chlorella are other greens you can experiment with in juices to give you the goodness you need.

Another green superfood is seaweed. Packed with vitamins A and C, calcium, and iodine (very important for hormone balance and healthy thyroid function), seaweed should be included in your diet. Try to have it no more than a couple of times a week.

4. Boost Vitamin C with lemon

We’ve all heard about vitamin C, but did you know that it produce glutathione, which helps your liver to drive away toxins?

Try to start your mornings with a glass of room temperature water with lemon. Drinking lemon in the morning will give you all the benefits of vitamin C, potassium, and other nutrients from the lemon.

5. Replace coffee with herbal and green teas

We know it can be hard to say goodbye to caffeine, but as you’ve probably heard by now, there are healthier options out there when you need a good kick in the morning. Although the occasional cup of coffee is fine, if you choose to your detox your body you should start switching to herbal and green teas.

Herbs such as dandelion root, burdock, and milk thistle can cleanse and protect the liver. Chamomile is another herb that not only helps with insomnia, but also helps in breaking down your food after a meal.

Green tea is an important source of antioxidants in their natural form, and it gives a tiny boost of caffeine that can satisfy that craving in early mornings.

6. Add fibre to your diet

Adding fibre to your diet not only helps with weight loss, but is also essential in cleansing the body. When our bodies hold onto substances in our digestive tract, it can sometimes be hard to get rid of them. You may feel tired or bloated as a result. With a little bit of fibre, however, you’ll get rid of these toxins and your digestive tract should be back to functioning as it should.

Fresh fruits and veggies, beans, legumes, brown rice, and whole grains are the best way to get fibre in its natural form.

7. Sweat it out

Exercise isn’t just about increasing your fitness and flexibility, it’s also about letting all the toxins out of your body through perspiration and breathing. When you exercise you’re getting rid of toxins that may have been built up inside your body. This will help with both digestion and circulation. For those unable to exercise, try going to a sauna, as that can also aid in releasing toxins from the body.

8. Try a juice fast

Do this only for a couple of days max, but replacing solid foods with healthy fruit and veggie juices can help your body to recuperate from its stresses. A juice fast can be beneficial for the digestive tract, giving it a chance to take a break from breaking down food and shift its focus to eliminating toxins. Fasting during a weekend when you have no events on or distractions might be easier than doing it during the week. You might be surprised by how good you feel afterwards!

9. Get more sleep

It’s not a luxury, it’s a necessity. Your body needs the rest to rebuild itself for the next day, and so does your mind. Try to start thinking of sleep as a priority and something that you cannot miss out on. Work out the time you need to be in bed by in order to get your eight hours, and try to modify activities to fit into that schedule.

10. Have some probiotics

The benefits of probiotics is increasingly being recognised. If you haven’t already heard about them, they are that ‘good bacteria’ that lives in your gut and helps to maintain a positive balance in your digestive system. Probiotics help to eliminate the bad bacteria in your body and are commonly found in yoghurt and other foods, although they may also be purchased in supplement form.

Your body naturally has probiotics, however if you have a poor diet or have recently undergone a treatment of antibiotics, your body may be low in probiotics. Adding more probiotics to your diet can be a great way to detoxify your body.

*We have listed detox practices that we believe may be beneficial for your health, however we strongly advise that you consult one of our naturopaths before following any of these programs as some of these suggestions may not be particularly suitable for you; especially if you’re a nursing mother, a minor, or have any pre-existing medical conditions, and/or chronic degenerative diseases. We do not take any responsibility for any adverse side effect or health issue that may occur and recommend that you discuss any detox program with your specialist.