Detox is becoming more and more popular, and Hollywood stars – Naomi Campbell, Madonna, Beyoncé, Gwyneth Paltrow – actively confess their love for this method of cleansing the body. Herbalife experts, nutritionist and endocrinologist of the highest category Alla Shilina and dermatocosmetologist Lyubov Zinovieva told us how to detox without harm to health and achieve renewal and purification of the body, as well as fresh and radiant skin.
We all know that detox is the cleansing of the body, getting rid of accumulated toxins. But what happens in the body during a detox?
“Detoxification is the restoration of the acid-base balance of the body,” explains Alla Shilina, nutritionist and expert at Herbalife. – When the acid-base balance is normalized, metabolic processes are faster, and the excretory systems work very efficiently. A person has their own detoxification capabilities. But against the background of the influence of various factors (aggressive ecology, bad habits, unhealthy diet, a sedentary lifestyle), the acid-base balance changes towards acidification. The main purpose of detox diets is precisely to restore the acid-base balance, cleanse the body, and, as a consequence, perhaps, weight loss. “
But it is worth remembering that the main goal of detox is cleansing, and weight loss is already a pleasant side effect.
“Usually detox diets last only 1-2 days, sometimes more depends on how you feel,” continues Alla Shilina. – It is better to set aside one day a week for detox. Programs from 5 days and more are carried out under the supervision of a doctor and according to the diet recommended by the doctor. “
If you browse the internet for the optimal detox program, a variety of tips will be poured from each new page. Fasting, detoxification with juices, kefir or grapefruit, green tea, manna from heaven and spring water – such an abundance is difficult to understand. But in fact, everything is a thousand times easier!
“Detox diets, as a rule, consist of dishes from vegetables, herbs and fruits,” says Alla Shilina. – It is necessary to exclude these days alcoholic and carbonated drinks, salt, sugar, tea and coffee. You need to drink at least 2 liters of water a day. It is advisable to include these days phytocomplexes with dietary fiber and antioxidants, which enhance the choleretic and diuretic effect of main meals, and also absorb toxins. Phytocomplements usually include rosemary, aloe, milk thistle, turmeric, St. John’s wort, immortelle, and other herbs.
Yet one piece of advice is fractional meals.
“You need to eat in small portions at intervals of 3 hours,” says nutritionist Alla Shilina. – Dishes are recommended to be steamed or cooked. It is not recommended to eat raw vegetables and fruits in the evening. “
And of course, fried foods, starchy foods, and sweets should be avoided on detox days. The main thing is to get more fiber (dietary fiber)! The fact is that it feeds on beneficial intestinal bacteria, but harmful ones prefer sugar and yeast. If you indulge in healthy fiber and deprive sweet foods of harmful bacteria, then the intestines will work much better. There is a lot of fiber in vegetables, fruits, grains. Special phytocomplexes with dietary fiber, such as Oat and Apple Drink and Herbalife Dietary Fiber Complex, will be good helpers. They will come in handy not only on detox days, but in the regular diet, since the rate of fiber intake is 25-30 grams per day, and most people do not consume even 15 grams!
In addition to cleansing the body, detox is sometimes required for our skin to rid it of dust particles, toxins and impurities, which is especially important in large cities.
“Detox for the whole body, of course, has a beneficial effect on the skin,” says Lyubov Zinovieva, an expert at Herbalife. – But to make it look even fresher and more rejuvenated, you can do an additional external detox for the skin. So, a visit to the sauna or a soft steam bath is very useful. These procedures increase the blood supply and the activity of the sweat glands, so unnecessary ballast substances are removed from the skin. “
In addition to steam baths and saunas, some masks help detoxify the skin.
“For detoxification, masks with absorbent components, such as clay or charcoal, are suitable, which“ draw out ”impurities from the skin,” explains Lyubov Zinovieva, dermatocosmetologist at Herbalife. “In general, a steam bath, a visit to a sauna, applying masks with absorbent ingredients, peeling – all this can be attributed to a healing detox program for the skin.”
Unlike general detox, which should be given one day a week, skin detox is performed in courses.
“Typically, a detox course lasts about three weeks. As a rule, these are the most critical periods – autumn-spring, the transition of the cold season to the warm one and vice versa. For example, the end of October and March-April. “
Decorative cosmetics during the detox period
You can often hear that it is not recommended to use decorative cosmetics during skin detoxification. But the dermatologist advises to abandon only tonal means, and forever.
“I am generally not a supporter of the use of tonal emulsions and creams,” says dermatologist Lyubov Zinovieva. – At most, I believe, a woman can apply loose powder to the skin, that is, the powder that, by its chemical composition, allows the skin to breathe. Of course, manufacturers write on tubes: “not a comedogenic composition”, “does not clog pores,” however, when applied, the foundation cannot avoid the surface of the sebaceous or sweat gland – naturally, it lies on it. Therefore, if you are used to using decorative protection, then let it be a light breathable loose powder. “
In general, detoxification for the skin and for the whole body is not difficult and exhausting, but quite accessible and very pleasant process. If you take some time to detoxify and cleanse, the body will respond with lightness and great well-being, and the skin will be fresh and natural glow!