Above: Sheetal Rawal, scientist (human genetics) & founder of Apsara Skin Care
By: Marty S.
Whether it’s the start of a new year or the start of a new phase in your life, a detox is a great way to physically and mentally get rid of the past and prepare for the future. However, for those new to detoxing, you may wonder why anyone would want to undergo a detox in the first place. Well, to start, a detox can help out your liver, which is primarily responsible for your body’s natural detoxification process. Too much stress on your liver and too much toxic load within your body may lead to poor health as well as premature skin aging and dull skin. When you detox, though, you can give your body a chance to reset itself and get rid of toxins that may have been stored up inside.
A detox can help you put your body and mind in a place that you want them to be in. That being said, here are 4 Ayurvedic detoxes you must try if you want to lose weight, reverse skin aging, and get glowing, youthful skin. 3 of these detoxes involve fasting; regardless of which Ayurvedic detox fast you should try, there are a few guidelines you must keep in mind beforehand.
First, you should always plan out your fast, from beginning to end. Never go on a fast impulsively. You’ll either give up too easily or you’ll put too much stress on your body.
Second, know your own limitations. Don’t jeopardize your health in favor of a goal. If your body is telling you to stop, you should stop. At the same time, there are certain people that should not fast whatsoever, for example, pregnant women, breastfeeding women, the elderly, and children. If you want to fast but you’re worried about your health, talk to your doctor beforehand.
Third, when you fast, avoid any strenuous activity so that you do not overexert yourself. While you are detoxing, you won’t have as much energy as you normally would. Remember to take it easy and give your body enough time to recover.
1. Juice Fast
In your social media feeds, you may have seen mentions of people embarking on a juice fast to detox themselves. A juice fast is fairly straightforward; for as long as you desire (typically between 24 hours and 2 weeks), many people forego eating or drinking anything except juices, either fruit or vegetable. Many people point to the fact that since fruits and vegetables contain a lot of nutrients, a juice fast can ensure that your body absorbs nothing but those nutrients. Plus, drinking these juices can help your body flush out toxins in your body, which may help your skin look more glowing and youthful.
One caution when trying a juice fast is to avoid any refrigerated or canned juices. These types of juices usually lack any substantial nutritional value because they are loaded with chemicals designed to help them last as long as possible. Instead, buy organic fruits and vegetables from your local supermarket or natural foods store and use a juicer or blender to make your fruit juices and vegetable juices. You may even find that you like the taste of homemade fruit juice and vegetable juice better!
“One of my favorite products is the Nut Shell Facial Scrub. This is an exfoliating scrub, and it really helps my skin glow, especially in the winter time when it can feel really dull. I highly recommend this product and other Apsara products to anyone who wants to feel good in their skin.”
2. Intermittent Fast
One of the more popular detoxes recently has been intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting involves scheduled periods of fasting and eating; you will fast for up to 24 hours and then follow that with regular meals. The idea behind intermittent fasting is that by fasting for prolonged periods of time regularly, your body will start to burn fat to produce energy; this can lead to weight loss and may encourage a healthier body and glowing, youthful skin.
There are plenty of intermittent fasting plans, for example, “16:8” (fasting for 16 hours and eating for 8) and “Eat:Stop:Eat” (fasting for 24 hours once or twice a week and eating normally the rest of the week). However, what is clear among all intermittent fasting plans is that you should avoid snacking. Snacking in between meals means that your body will burn those calories instead of your fat.
3. Dry Fast
One of the more extreme ways to detox your body is to embark on a dry fast. Dry fasts are not for the faint of heart; for up to 24 hours, you will abstain from consuming any food or liquids. A dry fast is thought to help you lose weight and reduce the number of toxins in your system; this, in turn, may help your skin look more glowing and youthful.
Considering the effect a dry fact can have on your body, we highly recommend speaking to your doctor before trying one. We also recommend trying a “soft dry fast” instead of a “hard dry fast”. A soft dry fast means that while you can’t drink any liquids, you can come into contact with them, for example, taking a shower, brushing your teeth with water, and washing your hands. A soft dry fast can be a little stressful than a hard dry fast, which is important during a time that you need to keep your mind clear and focused.
If you decide to go on a diet, there are a few precautions you must be aware of in order to avoid premature aging. Listen to this episode of the Apsara Skin Care podcast to find out more. Enjoy and please leave us a review on our iTunes podcast page!
4. Plant-Based Diet
Think of a long-term plant-based diet not as a detox, but more as a lifestyle choice. Detoxes are meant to be temporary fixes to flush out toxins from your body, but with a plant-based diet, you can take a more proactive approach in trying to maintain a healthy body. One common reason why toxins are able to enter your system is your diet. Artificial foods are usually made with harsh chemicals like additives and preservatives that do nothing to promote better health. Instead, these harsh chemicals can increase the toxic load of your body, which may result in dull, lifeless skin and early graying of hair.
Therefore, a plant-based diet that incorporates a lot of natural foods is beneficial to both your internal and external health. You don’t have to get rid of artificial foods for good, but being serious about detoxifying your body and lifestyle means cutting back on these foods as much as you can. If you want to encourage weight loss as well as glowing, youthful skin, one of your best bets is to try a plant-based diet.
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Go natural. It is good karma!
2 comments
Do you have any suggested plants for detox? Thank you and many blessings to you.
My face is dry and has dark around under the mouth and have pigmentation around the face. I tried so many product nothing was working for me. Do you have any product for this problem? If you need pictures for my face I will send it please let me know.
Thanks
Valarmathy