9 Easy Tricks that Ensure You'll Never Have to Cleanse

They'll keep your body running (and looking) its best--without ever resorting to a juice fast. By Erin Zammett Ruddy, REDBOOK.

Cleanses are the new black, seducing celebrities and regular women everywhere with their promise to flush out toxins, jump-start weight loss, clear skin, and tap new energy. But these extreme programs can be unhealthy and angry-making (just try being nice when your last "meal" was lemon juice with cayenne pepper). We do accumulate toxins, says Melina Jampolis, M.D., a Los Angeles-based physician nutrition specialist. "But our body is built to cleanse itself constantly. The way you live has a more profound impact than any fast fix." Follow this advice and you'll never sip your dinner through a straw.

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1. Start your day with water and lemon...

"Sleep is dehydrating," says Zelana Montminy, Psy.D., a nutrition expert based in Los Angeles. She and other experts suggest warm water, because it's less taxing on the system than cold and helps flush the kidneys, and lemon juice, which can help balance pH levels and aid digestion. "The acidity stimulates the liver to produce acids that aid in further detoxification," Montminy says.

2. ...then drink all day
Hydration is vital to a cleansing lifestyle. "Every system in your body depends on water," Montminy says. "It reduces bloating and helps skin maintain elasticity, which makes you glow." Add cucumber, ginger, or herbs to feel like you're having a spa day.

3. Inhale, exhale, then eat
"Deep breathing eliminates toxins 15 times faster than shallow breathing," says Kathe Burlage, a New York-based yoga instructor who trains cancer survivors with the YMCS's livestrong program. Take three deep breaths before every meal.

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4. Become a whole-grain person

The reason you won't find bread, cereal, and pasta on a strict cleanse is that refined carbohydrates spike your blood sugar--and that can lead to belly fat. Replace your go-to starches with whole grains like unsweetened oatmeal, quinoa, and brown rice, says Jampolis.

5. Use the "fiber broom"
And now for the frank, we're-all-adults-here portion of the programming: The more regular your bowel movements, the quicker potential toxins pass through your body. To keep things moving, aim for about 5 grams of fiber each time you eat, says registered dietitian Ashley Koff. Lentils, black beans, broccoli, and apples (with skin, since that's where the fiber is) will help get you to your goal.

6. Bend, twist, and touch your toes

"Twisting and turning the body increases blood flow and lymphatic drainage, enhancing detoxification," says Susan B. Lord, M.D., a physician who also teaches at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, MA. A twist to try at work: Sit facing forward, turn to the right, and grab the top of your chair with your right hand, turning your body as far as you can in that direction. Then switch sides. Bending over to touch your toes also has cleansing benefits. Letting your head fall below your heart encourages circulation--also important for detoxification.

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7. Just add greens
"I urge my clients not to count calories but to count vegetables-that's how important they are," says holistic wellness coach Kim Gilroy, who works with parent-teacher associations and university athletic teams to teach healthy eating habits. Leafy greens like kale, collards, chard, and spinach are particular winners: "They're packed with vitamins, nutrients, and phytochemicals that all do daily cleanup work," she says. "They support the cleansing functions of the kidneys and liver and strengthen your immune system."

8. Follow the fiver-ingredient rule
No woman has ever needed to do a cleanse because she has an heirloom tomato salad for dinner seven days a week. Make fresh food your go-to, and when you reach for something that has been altered from its natural state and packaged, look for a label with five or fewer ingredients. Then make sure you recognize each one. "What you put into your body shouldn't sound like a science experiment," says Montminy. Processed ingredients make the body work overtime, causing inflammation that makes you look puffier and older than you are. Start by picking one day in a week that you eat only whole foods.

9. Eat the "K" foods
We're talking about fermented ones like kefir, kimchi, or kombucha tea, which contain immune-boosting probiotics or "good bacteria." These microorganisms crowd out the bad bacteria in your gut and provide a barrier to toxins, Jampolis says: "You want to promote the good bacteria that aids digestion." Don't bother subjecting yourself to one of those celeb-endorsed colonics--they flush out the good bacteria along with the bad. Instead, cut back on high-sugar/high-fat foods and put kefir in your breakfast rotation, or trade your soda fix for a kombucha tea.


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