WellStyles: Building a Better YOU in 2020

Each month our WellStyles™ team brings you highlights of our 7 pillars of wellness and tips on how to improve yourself from head to toe, inside and out and on building a better YOU!

This month is centered around building a better you. In the new year, we tend to set resolutions for ourselves and as such your wellness team has some tips on how to accomplish them.

DETOX FROM DETOXING

There are very few health magazines, social media platforms, and blog posts that do not have some mention of a detox. There are many companies recommending the latest juice fast or detox diet with promises of results without any scientific merit. However, as enticing as these diets, juice cleanses, and fasts may sound and as intrigued as you may be for a quick fix, an overnight or three-day detox does NOT exist.

There is a false belief that you need to put your body through a strict ‘detox’ for optimal health but the truth is, the only detox worth investing your time and money into is the health and vitality of your own liver.

The scientific definition of a toxin is a poisonous substance from a living organism that can cause disease or cellular injury. To better understand the importance of a healthy liver, we need to understand its role in detoxification – the removal of toxins from the body.

The liver has two phases of detoxification – Phase 1 and Phase 2. Phase 1 transforms dangerous chemicals into less harmful substances and prepares them for easier excretion. During this phase, the MFO family of enzymes located on the membrane of liver cells helps change the molecular structure of toxins to reduce their harm to the body. This phase of detoxification requires plenty of antioxidant support to protect cells from damage since oxidation is a central role in this process. Phase 2 attaches molecules to each toxin to assist in their removal from the body through bile or urine. This phase requires amino acids and sulfur in large quantities.

The reality is, you do not need a special three-day juice-cleanse or restrictive fast to give your body what it needs to perform the functions of a detox. In fact, there is likely no benefit to a commercial ‘detox diet’. To better understand why this is not necessary, it is important to think of the liver as a filter and not a sponge. The liver is able to process and convert toxins without serving as a storage space for them. The best support you can give your liver is not stripping it of its nutrients but making a conscious effort to eat a nutrient-dense diet daily. If you are interested in improving your health, there are likely many diet and lifestyle changes you could make to achieve this apart from a restrictive juice fast.

SOCIAL MEDIA DETOX

Taking a break from social media is a great way to reconnect with the people and activities that really motivate you. Before logging off, identify why you wish to take a break. Select the duration of the break, the networks you want to temporarily abandon, and develop a schedule for reducing your social media use. To help you maintain your break, turn off social media notifications or delete the apps entirely. Use the time you’d otherwise be on social media to read, exercise, and spend time with your friends and family.

If you feel depleted, lethargic, envious, or anxious after you use social media, you probably need a break. Stop this unhealthy cycle by taking a break from social media so that you can reconnect with all of the awesome things in your life.

GET MORE SUN – A NATURAL DETOXING TECHNIQUE

The number one way to detox your body is by getting more sunshine. Vitamin D3, known as the sunshine vitamin, actually kills off bad bacteria. Recent studies found that if you are getting just 20 minutes of sunshine a day, your body starts producing over 200 antimicrobials, killing off bad bacteria, funguses, viruses, and parasites throughout your body. Research is even showing that Vitamin D can help fight and kill off cancer cells.

Every single day, you should get outside and aim for 20 to 30 minutes, at least, of sunshine if you can. Even if you’re a teacher and you’re inside most of the day, during your lunch hour you can sit outside for 20 minutes of it or go on a short walk during the day – for example, two 10-minute walks outside. This way you’re making an effort to get more Vitamin D and detox your body naturally.

Residents of third world countries get more sunlight every day and do not exhibit skin cancer symptoms. The toxins that developed countries use to block UV rays and everyday pollutants actually block nutrients, expose skin to these dangers, and increase risk.

Try to make these daily habits in 2020:

Put time to get outside onto your calendar
Mark your water bottle with a reminder – step outside with a quarter left and finish the rest outside
Bring comfy shoes to work or keep them in your car

At Valley School, we are here to help you improve your mental and physical health throughout the year! With our WellStyles™ program, take a step in the right direction in bettering your health and wellness to ensure you’re performing at your best. Subscribe to our Wellness Newsletter to get more information on healthy tips throughout the year!