Despite whether or not science can support the benefits of a good cleanse, there’s something psychologically appealing about treating our bodies to a fresh detox drink, which can help to naturally reduce inflammation, boost energy, support digestion, cleanse the liver, and promote healthy skin. Even better, when we include our families in the process, we’re setting the tone for our kids to treat their bodies with health and kindness.
In light of the positive effects detoxing has in general, Mighty Mommy shares five ways you can cleanse not only your body and mind but even your home:
Tip #1: Cut Back on Sugar
You may have heard sugar referred to as the “silent killer.” Sugar in itself offers absolutely no nutritional value what so ever to the body and is often coined with the term empty calories. The World Health Organization used to recommend that you get no more than 10% of your daily calories from sugar, but now they're considering lowering that to 5%.
In my podcast How to Make Sure Your Kids Don't Eat Too Much Sugar, I interviewed QDT’s Monica Reinagel, also known as Nutrition Diva, and she shared that as a general rule, we should aim for no more than 5 -10% of our daily calories to come from added sugars. For a six-year old, that would be somewhere around 16 to 25 grams per day or 4 to 6 teaspoons of sugar. For a 12-year old, that works out to 20-40 grams per day or 5 to 10 teaspoons. One way to cleanse your family is to cut back on sugar. The Nutrition Diva discussed the obvious sources like soda, candy, and other dessert foods, as well as breakfast cereal containing a huge source of added sugar so take a good look at how much refined and hidden sugars your family is taking in on a regular basis and start eliminating even a few of these items from your menu.
Tip #2: Drink More Water
Experts recommend drinking eight to ten glasses of water each day to maintain good health. Water helps keep the body well hydrated, which is essential because almost every cell in the body needs water to function properly. It also helps to relieve fatigue, aids in weight loss by flushing out harmful toxins in the body, and assists with our body’s digestive system.
See Also: How Much Water Should I Drink?
Many popular detox drinks can be made with ingredients you already have at home, like apple cider vinegar, cucumbers and watermelon, but if you hydrate regularly with plain old water, you will still be doing your body a tremendous service. My favorite cleanse is simple—drinking lemon water. It helps flush out the toxins in your body by enhancing enzyme function, stimulating your liver. I introduced lemon water to my family a few years ago and my kids routinely drink it both cold as well as hot throughout the year. The taste takes some getting used to but it’s a cleansing habit that I hope my kids will enjoy well into their adult years.
Tip #3: Eat More Fruit
Experts recommend eating 5 – 9 servings of fruits and veggies every day. I can tell you from my experience in raising 8 kids for the past 23 years, we probably hit that goal less than 5 – 9 days total! Sure I’d like to see my family gobbling up more leafy greens and vitamin-laden vegetables but truth of the matter is, I have picky eaters amongst my kids so we tend to stick to safe veggies like broccoli with cheese sauce and baby carrots dipped in ranch dressing. I may not be able to persuade my gang to go bonkers for steamed asparagus and hearty root vegetables, but I have had success getting them to explore new fruits. Fruit has been recognized as a good source of vitamins and minerals, and for their role in preventing vitamin C and vitamin A deficiencies and, overall, most fruit is juicy, sweet, and delicious. So a great way to stay cleansed with nature’s goodness is to continually introduce new fruit to your family’s diet. Kiwi, plums, melon and a mixture of berries are great additions to tried and true favorites like grapes and apples. See Also Nutrition Diva’s Episode: Is Fruit Good For You?
Tip #4: Get Plenty of Rest
According to the National Sleep Foundation school children ages 5 to 10 need 10 to 11 hours of sleep per night and teens need about 9 ¼ hours of sleep each night to function best. Getting adequate sleep each night is very important to our physical and emotional health, but, of course, with everything we need to do throughout the day, many of us deprive ourselves of the proper rest. Families are often so busy that they steal extra time from their sleep, creating a bad habit that can last a lifetime.
Families are often so busy that they steal extra time from their sleep, creating a bad habit that can last a lifetime.
For example, if your 10th grader loves to leave school projects until the last minute, figuring he can pull late nights on a regular basis to get the job done, it’s time to make a change. Establish a family habit that homework, projects, and your own professional deadlines must be completed by 9pm the night before they are due, no excuses. You will set a positive, refreshing guideline for your entire family that once 9 pm arrives, if the school science experiment is still not done and the review of your company’s payroll policy is not even close to being rectified, it’s going to have to wait until the following day.
By establishing a regular bedtime for yourself and your kids, you will not only help cleanse away crazy, hectic days but will also be setting up a very important habit that will not only benefit you, but will carry over into your child’s adulthood. See Also: 5 Ways to Help Your Family Sleep Better
Tip #5: Declutter
If you’re wondering what decluttering and detoxing have in common, let me just say “a lot!” To cleanse means to rid yourself of things that are unpleasant or unwanted, things or situations that may cause stress or anxiety, and allow yourself a clean, fresh start. A detox in your body has basically the same goal—to remove "harmful" things from your body—oh, and supposedly detoxing makes you feel better.
The same can be said for decluttering our homes. When we eliminate extra clutter and items that are just taking up unnecessary space, it offers ourselves and our family a cleansing, breath of fresh air. The challenge is not becoming overwhelmed in the process, easier said than done, I know, but it can be done! Take a look around your living space right now. What do you see? Is your home orderly, offering up a spacious feel where you can sit, relax and enjoy your own thoughts or chill out peacefully with your family? If so—that’s great! Or do you see toys strewn about in nearly every room, piles of magazines, unfiled paperwork, old newspapers, recyclables, etc., stacked on almost every empty surface and counter in your home? (Never mind what’s going on in the corners of your bedroom, under your bed or in your garage or attic). If it’s the latter, no wonder your household is in a constant source of chaos—I know, because my family was there as well.
If you want to truly cleanse as a family, decluttering and getting organized is a great place to start. Check out Get-it-Done Guy and Domestic CEO's conversation for some simple and strategic ways to get your clutter under control. See Also: Clean, Organize, and Declutter with Marie Kondo's Magic: Part 1 and Part 2.
What are some ways you keep your family unit cleansed? Share your thoughts in the comments section at http://ift.tt/1zMEe2L, post your ideas on the Mighty Mommy Facebook page. or email me at mommy@quickanddirtytips.com. Visit my family-friendly boards at http://ift.tt/1wyJKr5.
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