3 Ways to Detox this Summer

Summer can mean one of two things for most people: when you use your extra free time to get active outdoors while soaking in the sun, or sit inside miserable from the heat reading blogs and gouging on froyo that has more toppings than actual yogurt. Mmm it’s pretty much been the latter for me this season.

I will admit, after finals ended in May, I allowed myself a lot of “cheat days” and “cheat meals” followed by “cheat desserts” because I was still feeling stressed with different obligations and also celebrating the start of summer. Totally normal right?

Unfortunately, eating out and being inactive left me feeling super sluggish, bloated, and fuzzy headed. No bueno for someone with such a full to-do list daily like myself. Not to mention, my skin is taking the brunt of it and making me wear my bad habits on my sleeve… or face. So come mid-June, I knew it was time to buckle down and start detoxing.

Besides generally making an effort to eat better, cook more meals at home again, and moving more, I’ve discovered a few great ways to jumpstart a detox. These are easy ways to start gearing toward a healthier body, skin, and better energy.

1. Detox Water

We all know that drinking more water is the #1 key to optimum overall health. To boost an already healthy habit, add some lemon. Not only will it flavor your water, hopefully inspiring you to drink more of it, but lemon also aids in regulating your digestive system, is packed with Vitamin C for your immune system, and flushes out toxins building up in the body. Its antioxidants promote clear skin, making it a simple and all-natural beauty potion, too. I use a diffuser water bottle that lets the lemon steep while keeping seeds and pulp out of the water. I can usually get about 4 refills before the lemon slices lose their flavor.

2. Herbal Supplements

Even when I’m cooking healthy at home, most of my meals are kept simple for sake of time. Supplements can help fill in the gaps to provide your body with extra goodness that can help cleanse your system. I started the Cleanse to the Rescue 21 Day program from HUM Nutrition, which is a combination of their Daily Cleanse capsules and Flatter Me Capsules. They consist of ingredients like chlorella, dandelion root and minerals for detoxing the body, aiding digestion, and toning the skin, along with enzymes to help break down proteins, fats, carbs, fiber and milk sugar. Taking these have really helped my body feel regular again— I feel lighter and much less sluggish as it cleanses my system of old waste and toxins. It took a while to remember to take all four pills every day, but in that way it also teaches you discipline. 😉 This is a great way to do some damage control after falling off your health kick.

3. Extra Skin Pampering

Like I said, my skin makes it super obvious when I’m not treating my body right. So I’ve been trying to show it extra love with purifying face masks. Two I’ve been particularly enjoying have been the Biore Self-Heating One Minute Mask, which I talked a little bit about in my 15 minute spa day routine post. It warms up as you apply it to your face which opens the pores, while the charcoal sucks out dirt and oil. For a little more of a relaxed treatment, I’ve loved using the BioRepublic Green Tea Detox Fiber Masks. These sheet masks use green tea extract to do some oil control while minimizing blemishes. It stays on for about 20 minutes, and you don’t need to rinse after the mask comes off. The vitamin E keeps your face feeling super fresh during and after the process. I also really like that they’re biodegradable because I’ve been trying to be as earth friendly as I can lately.

These three detox methods have really helped me get back on the horse and have me feeling awesome. Now that we’ve moved into our new apartment complex, I’m also going to start taking advantage of the free gym in our building. As I get more active and rid my body of ickiness, I feel so much more upbeat and productive. Hopefully my skin will start clearing up again, too!

How do you detox after some major indulgences?