How to Detox Your Body and Mind for a More Positive Outlook on Life

Tired of being tired? Never have enough energy to get done what you want to get done? Feeling down about how your life is going? I get it because that’s how I used to be, too. What if I told you there are a few simple ways to rejuvenate yourself through a life-changing body and mind detox? These tips helped me get into the right place mentally and physically to achieve my goals and start building the life I want!

Detox is one of those intimidating words that feels like a lot of work with starvation and suffering in the mix. But detox is simply a new way to look at your routine, diet and mindfulness. Small, low-effort changes can make a huge difference in creating the life you want.

Over the last 12 years since I started my healing journey, I’ve learned so much about how to take care of my whole being – body, mind and spirit. But I feel like I’m just getting started! There’s so much more to learn. But here are my tried-and-true tips for detoxing your body and mind for a more positive outlook on life. These are helpful if you are experiencing high levels of stress, healing from tough times or feeling negative about yourself or things around you. 

Small Changes You Can Add to Your Daily Habits for Detox 

1. Stay hydrated. Water is a miracle. It literally helps flush out toxins and keeps all your organs working well. I used to loathe drinking water, but I realized if I kept it ultra-cold, it was far tastier to me. Now drinking at least 60 ounces of water a day is a habit. My energy levels drop if I don’t drink that much.

• Pay attention to your diet. Making small changes to your daily diet bit by bit will make a huge difference along the way.

• Switch from coffee to green tea.

It turns out green tea is credited with a lot of the same benefits as water. Coffee can dehydrate. Make sure you don’t drink it too late in the day, though, so it doesn’t affect your ability to sleep. I stop drinking anything with caffeine by noon.

• Focus on sleep. Sleep is pretty much the most important thing for us humans. I have always had an unhealthy relationship with sleep and suffered through bouts of sleeplessness. Use essential oils and candles, turn off your screens 1-2 hours before you hit the bed and dim lights 30 minutes before bed. When I really can’t fall asleep, I take Melatonin, which is a natural supplement.  

1. Reduce sugar and salt intake.

I recently began using the MyFitnessPal app to track what I eat with the goal of eating more balanced meals. It was shocking to discover how much sodium and sugar I was unknowingly consuming when eating salads and other healthy meals because dressings and other toppings are loaded up with salt and sugar!

• Limit alcohol.
• Walk.

Walking is the best exercise in the world, in my opinion! It is sustainable and fun. I walk every morning and it puts me a great state of mind to start the day.

5 things I must do as an ACoA or I lose it (jodylamb.com)

5 Ways to Detox Your Mind

Mental health is extremely important and I’m so glad it’s getting the attention it deserves these days! It is as important as physical health. Mental detox is all about focusing on your only job in life – to take good care of YOU. It begins with giving time every day to supporting your mental health.   

• Meditate. There’s no wrong way to do it.

• Start a journal. Give 5 minutes to it every day. Don’t worry about grammar or being Billy Shakespeare. Just write what’s on your mind. You’ll be amazed by what you discover.

• Practice yoga.

• Go for a walk or hike. If you can’t go outside, walk in your living room, like me! The Walk at Home videos are awesome.

• Set time limits on your social apps. Really, nothing good comes from spending hours on social media.

• Talk to a therapist. I wish the whole world had a therapist! Everybody can benefit from talking with a therapist – whether you’re going through intense trauma today or healing from it or you just feel generally stuck in your life. If you’re not keen on the idea of being in an office, consider an online therapist. Earlier this year, my employer announced all mental health virtual visits would be covered be fully covered by our insurance – zero copays. That was the nudge I needed to get back into therapy. Things always pop up in my healing journey and it’s very helpful for a third party to take a listen and ask a few questions. It often makes me think about my situation differently, and I can see clearly what I need to do next.

Note: The thing about therapy, I learned firsthand, is that you may have to try a few different therapists to find the one who suits you. Don’t give up after the first chat. After my father passed away suddenly, and I was dealing with the chaos of grief and my mother’s substance use disorder, I went to a few therapists until I realized I needed to find one who specialized in grief AND Adult Child of an Alcoholic Syndrome/dysfunctional family stuff. When I did, it made all the difference. He just understood me better.

The best results come with prolonged healthy habits but small changes, like journaling, drinking more water every day, will make a big difference. If you only have 15-30 minutes to give to taking good care of you every day, make it happen. You’ll be amazed how just that small amount of time can do wonders for your mind and body – and improve your overall outlook on life so you can move forward with creating the life you want.

There you go! Now you have tips for detoxing your body and mind for a more positive outlook on life.