Detox Your Body with Healthy Foods

Today’s grocery stores are much different than a generation ago; back then, foods were whole, nutritious, and took some effort to cook. In fact, most foods were still grown on the farm and only the bare necessities were purchased.

Today, however, grocery store shelves are lined with foods with labels promising ‘quick’, ‘instant’, and ‘convenient’ methods of cooking. More than 90% of our food supply is packaged, boxed, and processed.

These convenient foods are great for those who don’t like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but they come at a cost – they are full of toxins, chemicals, and additives that our bodies were never meant to experience. Add to that unhealthy habits like alcohol and nicotine consumption, and you have a recipe for a very unhealthy body, and you may be prone to disease and illness.

Even worse, drugs can overwhelm your body with unhealthy toxins and substances. To get healthy, it’s important to get rid of those toxins and get help with your addiction. An outpatient drug treatment plan can be an ideal starting point. Don’t wait to get help if you need it.

Daily Diet

Your daily diet can go a long way toward achieving a healthier you. Eating a balanced diet helps your body function at maximum capacity.

Here are a few foods you should keep on hand:

• Vegetables – colorful veggies like dark green lettuce, sweet potatoes, carrots, peppers, mushrooms, celery, and red onions will give you a wide array of vitamins and nutrients.
  
• Whole grains – pieces of bread, pasta, rice, and cereal can all be incorporated into your diet, as long as they are made with whole grains and are low in sugar.
  
• Fruit – yes, fruit contains sugar and carbs, but they are also full of fiber and nutrients. Berries, apples, oranges, bananas, and kiwis are all great choices. Aim for two fruits a day.
  
• Lean protein – think chicken, fish, beef, and certain cuts of pork (not bacon!). Chicken stir-fries, beef tossed with salad, and tuna with whole wheat pasta are all ideal dinner ideas.

There are hundreds of recipes online that will keep your meals from getting boring or ‘old’. Make a goal to try at least one new food each week.

Supplements

Even if you eat a balanced diet each day, it’s a good idea to take supplements, to ensure your body is getting all of the required nutrients. Typically, all you need is a vitamin that contains a variety of nutrients. You may want to talk to your doctor for a specific recommendation. There are several other supplements you can take as well, including Vitamin B12, C, E, Folic Acid, and more.

Exercise

Our bodies were made to move every day! You don’t need to spend hours in a gym, but aim for a 15-minute walk every day; take the stairs instead of the elevator; park your car at the other end of the mall so you walk further. Every little bit helps. You’ll be amazed at how great you feel when your physical fitness improves.

Eating a healthy diet, taking the right supplements, and exercising is the best way to detox your body and keep it in the best shape possible. It can be difficult to know which foods are truly healthy, and which ones should be avoided – you can thank the marketing experts at the food companies for that! Labels are full of mixed messages and misleading information. The good news is that you can decode confusing data on food labels.

Take some time to educate yourself on how to properly read a label, and you’ll never wonder again whether to put it in your cart or put it back on the shelf.