Our Healthy Hairdresser of the Week, Kathy Cresci, is on a mission to protect herself against everyday toxins like car fumes, indoor air pollutants and cigarette smoke, as well as alcohol and processed food.
“As hair stylists, we are exposed even more toxins,” says Cresci, a stylist at Intrigue Salon in Atlanta, Georgia. “Over time, these harmful chemicals can cause some serious health problems. Detoxifying is a great way to get rid of the junk, help restore our health and give us more energy.”
While some people take the detox concept to the extremes—colonics and enemas, for example—Cresci says those methods are not necessary for most people. “We can detoxify a little bit every single day by keeping it a simple and consistent part of our daily routine,” she notes. Cresci shares her “7 easy detox tips” that you can incorporate into your everyday routine. The notes on each are in Cresci’s words:
1. Warm water with fresh lemon.
First thing in the morning, drink an 8-ounce glass of warm water with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Lemon is not only a citrus fruit rich in Vitamin C and an immune system booster; it also acts as a blood purifier and improves the body’s ability to get rid of toxins. When taken regularly, lemon acts as a tonic to the liver and stimulates it to fulfil its daily digestive and cleansing functions.
2. Green smoothie with breakfast.
The #1 way that green smoothies provide a balanced detox is from the mix of chlorophyll contained in the greens, plus the high level of fiber to keep us steady. The chlorophyll shakes up our cells; in fact, it can encourage the release of toxins that have been sitting stagnant for years. Try these ingredients, and blend until smooth:
- Big handful of fresh kale and or spinach
- One cored and seeded apple
- Fresh, peeled half lemon
- One-inch peeled fresh ginger
- Water
3. Green tea.
If you are trying to cut back on your coffee intake, green tea is a good substitute. It has some caffeine (about 15-40mg per cup), but it also contains epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). A potent antioxidant, EGCG may protect the liver against damage from toxins, prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and even possibly help prevent heart disease and certain cancers.
4. Stay hydrated.
Drinking lots of filtered water dilutes toxins and waste products to facilitate their drainage from our body system
5. Get your sweat on!
A daily exercise routine that includes working up a sweat is a great way to rid the body of built-up toxins. Exercise helps the body’s organs of elimination to function optimally simply by getting them going. Moving the body helps to circulate both blood and lymph—the more they circulate, the more the liver and lymph nodes can do the job of cleansing and purifying the blood and lymph. Your exercise can be as simple as a walk in the neighborhood or rebounding on a trampoline.
6. Eat fibrous food.
Foods high in fiber help to pull out toxins through elimination.
7. Take milk thistle supplements.
Milk thistle is an herbal supplement that detoxifies and protects vital liver functions and more.
“The key is to be consistent and treat every day like a new day,” Cresci notes. “Happy detox!”
For reprint and licensing requests for this article, Click here.
media brand