Detox

I think most of us can agree that when we hear detox we think of those week long juice fasts that make you feel light headed and might leave you with a few dropped pounds, but also many dropped nutrients.



That isn’t the only way though.

Our bodies, over the course of our lives, hold toxins. Based on a few studies published in Obesity Reviews, they found that because toxins are stored in body fat, they can make weight loss difficult or impossible. Toxins can also decrease the production of thyroid hormone, which regulates metabolism. This isn’t a good thing when trying to lose weight or live feeling healthy and well.

The way the body removes toxins is by the work of our dear friend, the liver. The liver sifts through the toxins, sending the waste into bile that takes the toxins into the bowel. There, bile binds with fiber and is eliminated. The problem is, if the liver is overloaded from too many processed and sugary foods and not enough fiber, the bile is just stored in the body to be recycled. Not good!

Often with extreme detox programs, your body rids itself of toxins (and other nutrients) so fast that the body reacts with inflammation. The good news is, there are other more natural and safe ways to detox that guide the body to release toxins in a healthy way!

1. Sweat (enough to wipe it off your forehead) for 30 minutes 5 times a week. Sweating is a natural way to get rid of toxins in the body.



2. Eliminate excess sugars and refined foods. These are like white bread and rice, processed foods and snacks. When looking at the ingredient list, you want to see things you can read and understand. That means your body understands it too!

3. Drink a lot of water, especially lemon water. Lemon water helps the liver in ridding toxins in a safe way.




4. Increase fruit and vegetable intake. This can help increase the amount of good fiber in your diet while also increasing the nutrients in your body. That way, your body is keeping the good while getting rid of the bad!

These are all simple, yet effective ways in creating a more healthier you. So start today! A great way to keep yourself on track is to make a chart where you check off the things you need to do, such as exercise, eat a certain number of fruits and vegetables and drink enough water. Then, the best way to avoid sugary and processed foods is to replace them in your home with healthier options.

Take a Hike.

For the past several years, I believe, my family has gone hiking on the 4th of July. And on many other summer holidays as well. This year we opened up our trusty book of hikes in Utah and picked a new one. It was up above the Brighton ski resort. Lets just say all this rain and cold weather we have had left us with a nice surprise of SNOW. Yes, we hiked through snow on the 4th of July.

The best part? Coming down. My family loves to hike weekly near our house, and usually I hate coming down. It just seems to drag on. But this time, because of the snow, we got to SLIDE down the mountain :) It was a blast!

It was a great way to spend the 4th...both because it was with my family and because it was spent outdoors being active!

Hiking is a great alternative to in the gym or at home workouts. It gets you moving in a new place with lots of fresh air and beautiful scenery. It uses completely different muscles than running, biking or playing sports. It is great for conditioning your heart, especially the longer the distance and the more up and down it is. When your heart has to work harder to go up, then slow down and recover, and then go up again, it is conditioning it to increase endurance.

Be sure to wear proper attire, like sturdy shoes and layers. Luckily we were prepared with gloves and jackets so hiking through the snow wasn't a problem. We passed some hikers on the way down that weren't ready for the snow, and that can make for a miserable hike!

So next time you are looking to mix up your workout and get some good cross training in, as well as breathe in some fresh air...take a hike!

~Do you hike for cross training?
~What is your favorite hike?

Road Running Rules

I guess this title could be interpreted two ways, and both are correct. Road running rules, as in it is super cool. But in relation to my previous post on Road ID, I thought it would be more than appropriate to touch on some of the rules of the road when out running. Both for your safety and understanding.These could also be applied to other activities outside on the road as well.

• assume the cars DON'T see you, so make yourself visable before crossing streets or changing positions. 
• run against traffic...then both you and the driver can see clearly
• run with very low music on, or none at all. some people thing this is pretty rough, but it is for your safety and being ably to hear cars
• go single file in groups runs unless you are on a less traveled path with minimal traffic
• run with proper ID in case of emergency 
• look out for people pulling out of their driveways
• wear bright or reflective clothing when it is dark out
• avoid roads with little or no shoulder room
• beware of stopped cars waiting to turn right...just wait for them to turn and then continue on, or get on the sidewalk to continue going
• run in familiar places that are well enough populated so you feel safe
• if you are going out alone, tell someone what your route is before you leave and when you plan on being back

~What do you do for safety when out on the road? (running, biking, walking)
~Check out this post on 4th of July Eats...so many to choose from!

Have a great weekend!