10 Expert Tips to Your Best Summer Skin Restart!
Summer is almost here! The trees are green, birds are singing, our days are longer, and the sunshine seems to never end. The transition from spring to summer can be an opportunity to invigorate us for the warmer season ahead. Whether you want to shed a few pounds or add a little pep to your step, there’s no better way to do it then with a summer detox-cleanse!
Everyone can benefit from a cleanse. As we ease into summer and are transitioning out of hibernation, cleansing can be a great tool to help jump-start your metabolism and clear out the metabolic debris that has accumulated during the colder months.
Doing a Detox can be difficult to adhere to, require the use of expensive supplements, and potentially take weeks if not months to complete. So, let forget all about that and instead focus on small shifts that can reap tremendous, detoxifying benefits!
There are so many fad-detoxes on the market and most people don’t know where to start or what they can realistically commit to. We love good food and knew right away that a juice or water fast was out of the question! Like most people, we also don't have the energy for a time-consuming, complicated cleanse. In our quest to find easy-to-implement strategies for a summer detox we came up with 10 simple, inexpensive steps to help cleanse the body and increase vitality!
Step 1
Detox with Lemon Water - Drink 8 ounces of warm, purified water with a half of an organic lemon squeezed into it first thing in the morning (yes, even before your coffee). Lemons have over 200 detoxifying enzymes that help support liver function and as well as 20 anti-cancer compounds.
Step 2
Get your greens on! From a nutritional standpoint one of the best ways you can detox is to eat plenty of fresh greens. The greener, the better! Forget the iceberg and even the romaine and instead reach for kale, broccoli, chard, spinach, and arugula, mustard and beet greens. These greens are packed with antioxidants that aid in the formation of new cells and chlorophyll, which literally sanitizes the digestive tract.
Step 3
Drink lots and LOTS of purified water. The human body is made up of over 70% water. Consuming purified water regularly will help flush the body of unwanted toxic buildup and ensure that our cells are functioning optimally.
Step 4
Consume 1-2 cups of green tea per day. Green tea is chock full of polyphenol catechins which have anti-cancer activity and help support healthy immunity. Don’t be overly concerned about the caffeine in green tea unless you’re highly sensitive to it. It would take 8-9 cups of green tea to equal the amount of caffeine found in just 1 cup of coffee.
Step 5
Get moving! Whether you’re at CrossFit five times a week or practice yoga daily, it doesn’t matter, just move. Exercise (even in moderate amounts) improves circulation, which brings oxygenated blood to the organs and tissues and rids the arteries of plagues and buildup.
Even just 30 minutes a day, most days of the week will be enough to reap tremendous health benefits.
Step 6
Take out the trash…. from your kitchen, that is! Eliminate or at least minimize the 3 P’s: processed, prepared, and packaged. Foods that fall into these categories tend to be full of trans fats, sugar, sodium, and food additives, which don’t support the body’s detoxifying abilities.
Step 7
If you can’t read it, don’t eat it! If you find ingredients listed on your food labels that you can’t read or pronounce then simply don’t eat it. Most of the harmful preservatives and artificial ingredients have very complex names so instead, choose fresh foods that come in natures packaging, fruits and vegetables!
Step 8
Take a long, warm bath. Relaxation alone boosts the cleansing effects of the body. By adding a cup of Epsom salts to your bath you alkalinize the water, which helps to neutralize acidic toxins. Epsom salt also helps the body absorb magnesium-a, which is required for hundreds of different cellular functions.
Step 9
Dry brush to help stimulate your lymphatic system. Dry brushing is an ancient Ayurvedic practice that promotes circulation and detoxification. It feels great and is very relaxing. Dry brushing is performed on clean, dry, bare skin using light pressure and working away from the heart.
Step 10
Go organic! Study after study from independent organizations consistently shows that organic food is higher in nutrients than conventionally grown foods. Organic foods are also free of many neurotoxins that damage brain and nerve cells. Eating organic may reduce your risk of cancer by eliminating herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides from your diet. If detoxification is high on your list of healthy priorities then choosing organic foods is a must.
These easy to follow approaches to overall cleansing and detoxification will help your body get rid of accumulated waste while also ridding it of energy-zapping toxins. You’ll look better, have more stamina, and open up your vitality reserves!
Want a customized skincare routine? Not sure where to start? Book a skin consultation with our Aesthetician and skincare expert Emma! Call us at 415.409.6500 or book online!
To learn more, contact our San Francisco office and call us at 415.409.6500.