FOCUS: Author explains detoxing your body

By Jessi Andricks | Detoxes are everywhere and quickly becoming the most popular diet trend around. A detox can be a fantastic way to remove toxins from the body, reset your digestive system and replenish your body. They can leave you feeling better than you thought possible and completely renewed. They can also leave you feeling deprived, depleted, and more tired and sluggish than ever.

Andricks

The key is to knowing what type of detox is worth your time and effort. From juice fasts to master cleanses to clean-eating diets, the options are nearly endless and deciding which one is the best option is just as confusing.

Detoxes and cleanses are used to reboot your system and bring more health into your body. They can last anywhere from 24 hours to 30 days or more, with the range of the detox itself being just as vast. Many detox programs are restrictive and intense, leaving you feeling light-headed, deprived and ready for it to be over. However, a truly effective detox should leave you feeling lighter and energized, not depleted. A good detox will leave you with tools and practices you can adapt into your everyday life, not send you running to the nearest fast food joint for a binge.

Most detox programs include either what you put into your body or how you use it. Some focus on food and eating, while others focus on fitness and heavy-duty workouts. Some are strictly juice cleanses, while others focus on fasting completely. While some offer a combination, many programs leave out the meditation and self-care practices that really help to release stress and tension.

I went through my first detox program to help balance my body after training intensely for a half marathon and leaving a stressful career. I noticed my stress levels were up, I was getting stomach aches every night, and I felt heavy, bloated and tired most of the time. The program helped me discover which foods irritated my digestive tract, gave me time to focus on the good things in my life, not just the stressful ones. It also encouraged me to move my body every day.

Being an aspiring yoga teacher and health coach, this was easy to do. I ate better, moved with my classes, and finally made time for meditation and reflection. But I knew that for the non-fitness teacher or health coach, knowing what to do could become overwhelming quickly. I realized there was a real lack in the detox market for a truly full-blown cleanse that would guide people through all aspects of food, movement, self-care and meditation. That was when I decided to write my book, Detox 101.

Detox 101 is a 21-day program that focuses on replenishing your system through food, fitness and self-care practices. In Detox 101, you’ll learn the what, why and how of a detox, including what foods to eat, how to move your body, and why meditation and self-care are so important. It breaks down juicing and clean eating, the importance of not over- or under-exercising, and gives you a daily motto to help keep you motivated. Once you start the program, you’ll have 21 days of recipes and meal plans, as well as exercises and workout plans with pictures. It also maps out each day from start to finish, so you know exactly what to expect once you get started. After 21 days of cleansing, you’ll feel restored and renewed, not deprived. You’ll be ready to take move forward in your health and happiness.

Jessi Andricks of Summerville is author of Detox 101: A 21-Day Guide to Cleansing Your Body through Juicing, Exercise, and Healthy Living. For more information, visit JessiAndricks.com. You can also attend a 1  p.m. April 4 book-signing at Barnes and Noble, Westwood Plaza, 1812 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., Charleston.