For many people, the word “detox” evokes images of celery juice, flavorless steamed vegetables, and feelings of deprivation. Oftentimes, the “cleansing of the system,” if done in an extreme way, can be more taxing than beneficial. But detoxing doesn’t need to be a big, bad scary thing: ridding your body of toxins and replacing it with nutrients your body needs can be a gentle process, if done consistently.
Why Detox?
The idea of a detox is to reset the body so that it functions the way it is supposed to. Our bodies are designed to work at an optimal level but our modern lifestyle often hampers our ability to do so with the levels of stress, pollution (both external and internal), and sedentary lifestyles that are the reality for many of us. Because the body’s ability to detoxify itself is being thwarted, we are seeing record levels of auto-immune issues, including food sensitivities and intolerances, migraines, chronic pain, digestive issues like IBS/bloating/constipation, skin rashes/acne, etc. as well as weight gain, sluggishness, stress, anxiety, depression, joint pain, insomnia…and the list goes on! It’s hard to believe we are doing this to ourselves but it doesn’t help that traditional medicine works to treat the symptoms rather than deal with the root of the problem – our diets and lifestyle.
How do you know you need to Detox?
Let’s be honest -most of us could do with getting rid of some toxins in our lives but here are some sure signs your body is begging you for a reset:
- Feeling sluggish or have low energy at certain times during the day
- Grumpy due to lack of sleep or lack of nutrients
- Have trouble focusing, not operating at your “best”
- Have digestion issues
- Have skin issues (rashes, adult acne, etc.)
- Don’t feel at ease in your body
- Feeling “old”
The Mental “Drain” Game
Here’s the other thing: you know you need to “get healthy” and change your habits but you’re choosing not to. You may have a lot of reasons but, oftentimes, those reasons come down to not prioritizing yourself and your health. We women entrepreneurs and mothers know this well: there is always something or someone who needs our attention and we let ourselves be sidetracked if we don’t have an accountability partner, coach, or a big enough “why.” We feel like hypocrites because we KNOW what to do and how to do it (we’re so successful in our professional lives – we know how to achieve goals!) but are failing ourselves in this area. And the worst part is that we are mentally beating ourselves up for it, increasing our stress and feelings of guilt and shame! This mental workout is draining us and keeping us from “showing up” in our businesses with our best selves because we can’t be fully present.
The Wake-Up Call
Many of us have had a wake-up call: digestive issues that are preventing us from fully enjoying our lives by keeping us at home instead of out with friends; auto-immune challenges that physically keep us down and out; stressed out to the point we don’t or can’t get out of bed…and there are others. You KNOW things need to change but there’s never a good time, right? You are always too busy with one thing or another but there will come a day when you will have wished you had done something. Your health is the elephant in the room: you are so successful in other areas of your life but this is the one area where you are letting yourself down. But that can stop. You can actually change your lifestyle without a big overhaul, if done correctly. You CAN feel:
- Energetic all day long
- Productive
- Great after eating because you don’t have bloating, stomach cramps, etc.
- Fully present in the tasks you’re doing
- Happy and satiated instead of cranky or hangry
- Like you have honored yourself by taking care of your body
- Peaceful
AND you can do all of this WITHOUT giving up the things you enjoy! Do you like cake? There are DEFINITELY delicious cakes without the junk. Do you like chocolate? Me, too! I eat chocolate almost every day but I choose “clean” chocolate so that there’s no guilt (or headaches). How about ice cream? Pizza? Cookies? BROWNIES?? All of these can be had if you choose the “clean” versions. And they can taste fantastic! It doesn’t take a ton of time (because who has that?) and it doesn’t need to take a Herculean amount of effort. But it does require guidance and accountability.
Are you ready to choose you?
If you want to talk about creating a personalized Detox plan that works with your schedule, your body, and your life, let’s schedule a complimentary call to discuss. You do not need to keep feeling this way – your time is now.
In Good Clean Taste,
Claudine