9 Techniques to Support Your Detox | Adventure Yogi
What else can you do to support your detox journey?
There are a lot of questions before you start a detox and lots of things to do to support your detox journey. Firstly, the type of detox that you would like to do, then the length of time you would like to do it. Secondly organise your time to make space for it AND prepare the shopping! Lastly, clear out your cupboards of toxic foods and chemicals! And then, you may begin!
Here are 9 techniques to use on our detox yoga retreats to help support your detox process.
1. Silent contemplation walks
Start your day peacefully with a silent contemplative walk. Cut out the usual chatter from family or friends and see how differently the day goes.
2. Skin brush
Before you shower or bath, try skin brushing. Start at the furthest part of the body to the heart and then gradually skin brush in the direction of the heart. Press lightly, as it is about stimulating the lymph system to help support the circulatory system in removing toxins from the blood. Even though it is subtle it is also an energising exercise, have a go!
3. Don’t switch on your phone
On waking, don’t turn to your phone as the first thing you do. Take this time to step away from technology also and experiment with a digital detox, and see how your stress levels vary…does it help?
4. Yoga
It is good to move the body when detoxing to help shift stubborn toxic build up and to aid elimination through the various postures, especially twists that help to wring out the organs.
5. Meditation and Mantra
When detoxing you are also detoxing your emotions, and so you will come up against some harder emotions when it starts to get tough. Yoga can support this, and meditation and mantra. Meditation is a mind detox. Practice every day even if only for 5 minutes to start, and begin to observe the mind rather than it control you! Create your own mantra that will help support you through the process.
6. Breathing techniques
When we detoxify we detox through the blood, the colon, the kidneys and also through the lungs with our breath. It is important to release the stagnant air in the lungs and to help stimulate regeneration of cells in the body through the purity and capacity of the inward breath, fresh with oxygen to send around the blood stream alkalizing the body. It also calms the mind and can leave you feeling at peace and more positive. Much like meditation.
7. Colonic hydrotherapy or enema
Alongside any detox, it is important to support the evacuation process as this area can become blocked with a change of diet. It is important to aid this process as what happens in the colon is toxic foods can become stuck here and this can then cause damage to the intestinal wall which in turn can cause a number of diseases. When we detox we help to shift these toxic waste deposits and then healing can occur. If you would like an expert to do it for you, then try colonic hydrotherapy. This cleanses throughout the entire large intestines and those who have had them done on our 5-day detox yoga retreats are completely different people afterwards…full of beans, giggling, a real energy boost. It really is a remarkable difference.
8. Have a massage
Detoxing can be tiring, and the body systems can react quite strongly to the process. A fantastic way to support the blood, lymph, kidneys, liver is through massage. Try a lymph massage, a bit like skin brushing, very soothing and relaxing, cleansing yet energising.
9. Have a laugh
Don’t take it all too seriously! Distracting the mind is also healthy as it can all get too much. Watch a comedy, chat to a friend who can make you laugh or if you are on a retreat, get to know fellow detoxers and laughter will follow I am sure!
Once you have completed your detox, well done – you did it! Notice what words pop into your head to describe how you feel; lighter, happier, clearer, energised, lighter in weight, the list goes on.
Don’t celebrate with a pizza and glass of wine!
Give yourself a prize for completing the detox
It is VERY important after a detox to not bounce back like an elastic band straight back to your usual bad habits. A way to avoid this is by giving yourself a prize at the end of the detox. Book in for a spa day, have a massage, relax in a sauna, arrange to eat a more substantial meal if you were juicing, or if you cut out the list of toxic foods, just try to stay off them. If you do introduce them then do it bit by bit. Start with one of them, not all at once.
If you would like to try a supported detox, then we have 3-day detox or a 5-day detox for you to try. The 3-day detoxes are our intro to detoxing, and you will feel great even after 3 days. And also realise how fun it can be and how delicious detoxing foods can be. Our 5-day detox incorporates less food, green smoothies, wheatgrass shots, juices but also some warm soups and broths so that you don’t go into too much of a shock!
