Even if you strive to live a healthy life, every day your body will pick up toxins that get into the bloodstream. These can come from exposure to air pollution, from the water you drink, from personal care and cosmetic products, even from your own body. Your kidneys filter your blood constantly and excrete much of the waste in the urine, but by following a healthy diet and regularly consuming the foods and herbs below, you can make that process easier.
1. Garlic
Garlic, like other members of the allium family, is rich in sulfur, which is one of nature’s best detoxifiers. It helps to cleanse the blood by boost the liver’s products of special enzymes which break down toxins and eliminate them from the body.
2. Dandelion
Fresh dandelion greens (especially those which first come out in the spring) or tea made from dandelion root are also great cleansers. This is because they are loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients which help to eliminate toxins from the digestive tract and reduce free radical damage there.
3. Apples
Apples are great detoxifiers because they are high in pectin, a special kind of fiber which can bind with heavy metals and make them easier to eliminate. It also appears to stimulate the liver to produce bile, which helps with detoxing, too.
4. Beets
Beets are another great way to help purify and detox your system. This dark, rich root vegetables are loaded in antioxidants that protect your body from free radical damage and allow the liver to be more efficient at cleansing the blood.
5. Parsley
It’s not just for garnishes anymore! This leafy green herbs acts as a natural and gently diuretic to make your kidneys more efficient at cleansing the blood and excreting toxins from your body when you urinate.
6. Carrots
Carrots are rich in Vitamins A, B6, C and K, as well as potassium and glutathione, a protein which is very effective for cleansing the liver. It is best to eat carrots raw if you are looking for a good cleanse, though, as glutathione is often destroyed in the cooking process.
7. Leafy Green Vegetables
Kale, spinach, collards and other leafy green vegetables are loaded in antioxidants and can cleanse your entire body. They are also high in fiber which cleans out the digestive tract and aids liver health as well.
8. Broccoli Sprouts
While broccoli itself is a definitely a nutrient-rich “superfood”, its sprouts are even more super than that! They are 20 times higher in sulfur than broccoli itself, and it is the high sulfur content which make it such a great detoxifier.
9. Lemons
Lemons are another amazing detoxifier: they stimulate the liver to produce bile, which helps to clean the blood of toxins and drinking a cup of water with lemon in the morning is one of the best things you can do for your health if you are really interested in detoxing.
10. Flaxseed
Flaxseed is one of the richest plant-based sources of Omega-3 fatty acids. These amazing compounds are great for support the health of the blood and circulatory system. Flax is also high in a kind of fiber which helps to remove a wide range of toxins.
In short, cleansed blood means better health. So add these natural detoxifiers to your diet today for continued overall well-being.