Guide

11 natural ways to cleanse your body from toxins

Karla Layton July 27, 2016
7 Natural Ways to Cleanse Your Body from Toxins

When we live a healthy lifestyle, our bodies can be very efficient in eliminating toxins and waste that doesn't serve us. But when we're constantly exposed to a variety of chemicals and toxins from the air, water and food on a daily basis – even the healthiest body can find it all too much and become weighed down by the toxic load.

So, we’ve come up with a range of ways you can step in and enhance your natural living lifestyle.

1. Avoid chemicals, synthetic fragrances and household cleaning products

Conventional household cleaning products can introduce harmful chemicals into our homes and bodies which can cause asthma and other breathing difficulties, allergies and cancer.

Sometimes even the ‘natural’ products on the shelves aren't what they claim to be, so opt to make homemade products and use your pantry staples like bicarb soda, white vinegar and spruce it up with some pure essential oils for a simple household cleaner.

2. Avoid BPA water bottles and drink filtered water

Not only are plastic water bottles damaging our health, but they are a major environmental issue that is harming our planet. According to Clean-up Australia, one in 10 items found on Clean-up Australia Day are plastic water bottles. Not to mention it takes up to 1000 years to break these plastics down!

Most bottles are derived from crude oil, an oil which is highly toxic and even more damaging when spilt into our oceans. Plastic water bottles also require 3 litres of water to produce each 600ml water bottle! The chlorine in tap water is also affecting your gut health – so install or buy a water filter at home or opt for the versatility of Bobbles Filtered BPA water bottles here.

3. Go raw or cook at low temperatures

Vegetables maintain the highest nutritional value when unadulterated. Include plenty of deep green coloured vegetables including kale, green dandelion and broccoli which all contain chlorophyll – a powerful pigment which can eliminate environmental toxins, heavy metals, herbicides, and pesticides. Spice up these meals with herbs such as parsley and cilantro which also have incredible detoxifying effects.

4. Sweat it out

Increase your cardio activity and detoxify sweat from your skin – your body’s largest organ. This also gets the lymphatic system circulating properly and prevents waste from stagnating in your body. You could also go to the local sauna and sweat it out a few times with a swim in between.

5. Dry body brushing

Again, the skin is a powerful detoxification organ, so start your day by dry body brushing to remove dead skin cells and dirt that may be blocking pores. This will also improve your blood circulation and as a side benefit your skin will be left feeling glowing.

6. Flush-out your colon

Consider booking yourself in for a colon cleanse. Over time our colons can build up toxic waste from undigested processed food which remains on the wall of our colon. It is an optional alternative therapy and the benefits include improved mental outlook, immune system, weight loss and vitality. But be sure to seek medical advice first and do your research for a professional colon hydrotherapy specialist.

7. Practise yoga and meditation

Sometimes we forget just how powerful the practices of yoga and meditation have on living a natural, toxin-free lifestyle. Over time, stress and anxiety can have harmful effects on our body including an upset digestive system, poor hormone production, lower immune and sleep deprivation. Make weekly yoga classes a non-negotiable – there is always time to fit them in.

8. Improve your diet

Even without going completely raw, there are ways of improving your diet that will help you naturally cleanse your body from nasty toxins. Wholefoods including berries, cruciferous veggies, garlic and spices such as turmeric can help your body detoxify (and they're pretty tasty, too!).

By eating these fibrous foods, as well as foods that are high in protein and healthy fats, you'll soon feel better, look better and rid of those nasty toxins. An organic, plant-based diet is the most recommended way of doing this. However, if you decide to continue eating meat, opt for high-quality, organic meats and avoid processed foods at all costs.

9. Take care of your gut

Your digestive system plays a vital part in the cleansing of toxins from your body. To avoid gastrointestinal issues, it's important to incorporate gut-supporting foods and nutrients into your diet. Fermented foods such as sauerkraut and kimchi are your go-to when it comes to great gut health, as are wholegrain foods filled with fibre such as beans, legumes, fruit and veggies. Find out more about improving an unhealthy gut.

10. Improve your immune system

To ensure our bodies are up to the task of getting rid of any nasty toxins lurking around, we must find ways to boost our immune system. These include getting enough vitamin C and E in our diet (both of which can be found in spinach, for example), drinking green tea, eating ginger and garlic and taking echinacea. Avoiding stress and getting enough sleep will also help to keep your immune system strong.

11. Get enough sleep

Sleep can never be underestimated when it comes to living a healthy and balanced lifestyle, which will, therefore, lead to the elimination of toxins in your body. As mentioned in the previous point, good sleep improves your immune function, which means your body's natural defence will perform at its best. Getting enough sleep will also help you maintain a healthy weight, avoid inflammation and depression and improve brain function. More than enough reasons to get an early night!

You may also like

How to Support your Skin and Body through your Period

Guide

How to Support your Skin and Body through your Period

For many people, the menstrual cycle comes and goes with minimal impact. But, for those who experience cramps, fluid retention, lack of energy, headaches and irritability, that time of the month can be a time they dread. And while feeling awful on the inside, let's not forget the external impact of hormonal changes on the skin. Before, during and after your period, it's common to experience skin dryness, irritation, excess oil, breakouts, acne and redness. These monthly changes can start as early as the teenage years and respond to hormonal fluctuations throughout adulthood, pregnancy and menopause. For many, hormonal skin is a life-long condition. You can identify a hormonal breakout as spots most commonly occur around the jawline, neck and chest area. Pimples are usually sore and nodular, cyst-like and pustular. While we've become conditioned to applying harsh topical treatments and heavy makeup to try and cover up hormonal breakouts, we encourage our community to embrace this time of the month and love the skin they're in. But, if hormonal breakouts are getting you down, as with most skin concerns, a holistic approach to hormonal skincare can help lessen the symptoms and make 'that time of the month' more bearable. We've teamed up with our friends at Biologi to share tips for supporting the body through your period.  Skin sequencing with active ingredients Get to know your cycle and adjust your regime to include phyto-actives that target redness and inflammation to soothe and calm the skin as you need them. While there's no such thing as a topical 'cure' for hormonal acne and breakouts, Biologi recommends to apply their Bd Luminosity Serum directly to hormonal breakouts as it's rich in tartaric acid, gallic acid and quercetin that work in synergy to reduce redness and inflammation and help calm inflamed skin. The tartaric acid in Davidson plum also works as a fully active, natural enzyme that breaks down dead skin cells and regulates oil flow to reduce blockages in the cells and minimise the appearance of breakouts. The week before your period is due, introduce Bg Defence Anti-Pollution Serum containing salicylic acid that can penetrate the pores and effectively keep them clear of oil that leads to breakouts. Working in synergy with niacinamide and vitamin C, the active ingredients can also help reduce redness and irritation. Get into a good sleeping pattern Sleep is one of the best medicines for irritated skin as this is the time when the skin respires, repairs and rejuvenates. Aim for six or more hours of unbroken sleep a night with light covers to avoid overheating. Our Boody sleepwear crafted in organically-grown bamboo is specifically designed to improve your sleep, including its ability to regulate your body temperature. Bamboo is thermoregulating- meaning you’ll feel cool in summer and warm in winter.  Don't squeeze spots We completely understand the temptation for 'just a little pick', but it's not just a myth that you shouldn't squeeze pimples! Not only can touching spots transfer bacteria to the healthy cells, but scarring can also occur making the problem longer-term than once a month. Pay attention to nutrition A healthy gut and a balanced endocrine system often go hand in hand. An imbalance in one may lead to an imbalance in the other. If you experience symptoms as a result of a bacterial imbalance caused by food intolerance or vitamin or mineral deficiency such as zinc, this can affect the production of essential hormones that can impact the skin. Consult with a dietician or naturopath to rule out any nutritional imbalances and advise on supplements to support the skin. Avoid sugar and alcohol While the body might be craving the sweet stuff at this time of the month, too much sugar or toxins can cause an inflammatory response that can leave the skin red, dull and irritated and directly lead to breakouts. Focus on consuming whole foods packed with nutrients and your skin will usually thank you for it. Support the skin barrier A healthy skin barrier can help reduce the impact of hormonal changes. Avoid over-exfoliating and keep the skin barrier hydrated and strong by applying antioxidants. Avoid hot showers and harsh products that can strip the skin's natural oils leaving the skin dry and tight. Reduce stress and #DoLess Too much stress increases cortisol release which can lead to breakouts. While there's often no way to avoid stress in our modern world, identify some stress management techniques such as meditation, yoga, deep breathing or just a relaxing bath. Feeling confident at 'that time of the month' can also help reduce stress, so take a look at the products you use to support yourself during your period. Here at Boody, we have proudly launched our Period and Leak-proof underwear campaign, #DoLess. For too long, we’ve seen an unrealistic portrait of people who menstruate and leak. Sometimes, especially when we’re in pain or feeling fragile, it’s okay to just be. Learn more about our campaign here.  Check out our range of period and leak-proof underwear, everyday underwear and sleepwear are the best for creating comfort in everyday life and at that time of your cycle.  Introduce regular LED to help minimise the breakout Blue LED treatments can help kill the bacteria that gather in the pores leading to breakouts. The LED can also reduce the activity in the sebaceous glands reducing oil production that can become blocked in the pores leading to breakouts. Hormonal skin is unavoidable for most people at some point in their life. As with all skin concerns, understanding specific triggers combined with applying active ingredients can help reduce the impact of hormonal acne and increase confidence during your period. To support hormonal skin with active ingredients, visit and learn more at Biologi today. For comfortable period and leak-proof underwear and bamboo sleepwear and bamboo loungewear, shop Boody now.   [email protected] Trustpilot

We're Turning Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Guide

We're Turning Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

For the month of October, we're releasing a limited range of McGrath pink underwear styles, with 100 percent of the profits from each item going directly to the Mcgrath Foundation.  Shop our McGrath pink collection. 100% of profits go to the McGrath Foundation. Padded Shaper Crop Bra > Classic Bikini > Original Boxers >  Giving back is a core value for us. Being an underwear brand, we have a natural affinity with the McGrath Foundation but our connection also runs deeper - many reviews on our website are from people sharing their love for the natural softness, breathability and comfort of its bamboo bras following breast cancer-related surgeries.  In fact, bamboo is one of the most soothing fabrics to wear while recovering from surgery or having chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Bamboo is naturally antibacterial so it can be worn against the skin without risking infection, it wicks moisture away from the skin and absorbs excess perspiration (a side effect of cancer-related hormone treatments) and it is super soft and kind to even the most sensitive skin.  We're proud to support the McGrath Foundation, the Australian organisation funding McGrath Breast Care Nurses who provide every type of support from emotional to physical for individuals and their families experiencing breast cancer. 100% of profits go to the McGrath Foundation. SHOP NOW Note: This exclusive collection is available on our AU and NZ website's only.   

The History of International Women’s Day

Guide

The History of International Women’s Day

When is International Women’s Day? International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated around the world on the 8th of March. What is International Women’s Day? International Women’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the world. It is a day when all women are recognised for their achievements. International Women’s Day was first born out of labour movements at the turn of the twentieth century in North America and across Europe. Since those early days, International Women’s Day has grown in prominence and reach, touching women in every corner of the world. The growing international women’s movement has helped make International Women’s Day a central point for action including building support for women’s rights and their full participation in the economy, politics, community and in everyday life. History of International Women’s Day In 1910, Clara Zetkin, the leader of the Women’s Office for the Social Democratic Party in Germany tabled the idea of an International Women’s Day at the second International Conference of Working Women in Copenhagen. The proposal received unanimous support from over one hundred women representing 17 countries. The very first International Women’s Day was held the following year on March 19th. Meetings and protests were held across Europe, with the largest street demonstration attracting 30,000 women. In 1913, IWD was moved to March 8th and has been held on this day ever since. International Women’s Day in Australia Australia’s first International Women’s Day was held in 1928 in Sydney. Organised by the Militant Women’s Movement, women called for equal pay for equal work, an 8-hour working day for shop girls and paid leave. The next year the event spread to Brisbane. In 1931, annual marches were launched in both Sydney and Melbourne and both marches continue to be held today. International Women’s Day today International Women’s Day has become a time to reflect on progress, to call for change and to celebrate the courage and determination of the women who changed history, and those who will advance gender equality into the future. International Women’s Day is an occasion to review how far women have come in their struggle for equality, peace and development. It is also an opportunity to unite, network and mobilise for meaningful change. Did you know? In 1913, IWD was moved to March 8th and has been held on this day ever since. Russian women demanded — and gained — the right to vote in 1917 as a direct consequence of the March protests and after more than 40,000 women and men again took to the streets demanding universal suffrage. Suffragettes in the U.K. and their counterparts in the U.S. both looked to Russia as an example and held what they saw as the country’s progress and liberation of women up as a mirror to their own governments, warning that they were lagging behind. The earliest purported Women's Day observance, called "National Woman's Day", was held on February 28, 1909, in New York City IWD initially had no set date, though it was generally celebrated in late February or early March. Americans continued to observe "National Women's Day" on the last Sunday in February, while Russia observed International Women's Day for the first time in 1913, on the last Saturday in February The United Nations began celebrating International Women's Day in 1975, which had been proclaimed the International Women's Year. In 1977, the United Nations General Assembly invited member states to proclaim March 8 as an official UN holiday for women's rights and world peace. It has since been commemorated annually by the UN and much of the world, with each year's observance centred on a particular theme or issue within women's rights. Shop Women's Clothing.