Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
placeholder article
placeholder article

Health Blog: Start off Your School Year with a Healthy Detox

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Ellie Hawkins
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Erica Markle
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Suffolk chapter.

 

We’ve all heard of detox diets. And we certainly all know how menacing they can sound. But, if we actually take the time to learn more about detoxing and why we should do it, we can really see how important it is to do for our bodies every once in a while.

How often and why should I detox?

  • It is very important to detox your body a few times a year to get rid of the heavy buildup of toxins. These toxin build-ups are caused by a multitude of things. You can tell when your body is having trouble flushing out the toxins if you’re experiencing these side effects:

·      Constipation

·      Persistent headaches

·      Muscle aches/fatigue

·      Hormonal imbalances

·      Skin abnormalities (acne, rosacea or eczema)

So it’s back to school season, and what better way to feel your best during the first few weeks than to detox your body with a simple, seven-day plan. This plan is not to deny you food intake. Instead, it shows you how to safely do a detox diet and what foods that you should avoid while taking on this 7 day plan. http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/diet/detox/plan.htm

It is important to not deny your body of the nutrients it needs, and to choose foods that are beneficial to your body at the same time. Some tips while doing this detox:

1.     Hydrate: Make sure that you are drinking enough water. Water will help flush out the impurities in your body as well as keep your vital organs running smoothly.

2.     Cut: You will want to cut your calories not completely stop eating them all together. Stick to 1400-1600 calories a day, you will lose a little weight, but still have energy.

3.     Breakfast: Eat it. Do not skip it. That simple.

4.     Snacking: Snack smart. Choose something simple like plain air popped popcorn or some fresh fruit.

5.     Eat light: If you are in a situation (date or business lunch) don’t worry. Just eat something lean like skinless chicken or fish. Make sure to substitute any fries or chips with steamed veggies or a fruit cup.

6.     Get your butt moving: Spend 20-40 minutes a day either taking a walk, running, or doing any other type of exercise

This would also be a good detox diet to try before any major holiday coming up during this first semester.

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar
Ellie Hawkins is a graduate of Suffolk University. She received a BA with Magna Cum Laude honors in print journalism. Ellie is an alumni of Theta Phi Alpha-Gamma Lambda chapter. During her time at Suffolk she was involved with The Suffolk Journal and the Journey Program. Journey is a leadership program that focuses on four focal points: leadership training, involvement, career exploration and service. She volunteered at the Paulist Center Soup kitchen and is still doing so today. Ellie recently went to El Salvador, in January, to help with Habitat for Humanity through her schools Alternative Winter Break program. Ellie enjoys photography, skiing, golf, and watching movies in her free time. Ellie is fortunate enough to live in one of the best cities in the world: Boston. This city provides her with many opportunities from having a marketing internship at the Franklin Park Zoo to taking long walks on the Charles river and exploring the city. She also had the opportunity to study abroad in Madrid in the summer of 2013 at the other Suffolk University location. My dream job is to either travel while writing about the different experiences I have or have a job at Discovery Communications in the PR department.
Her Campus Placeholder Avatar
Originally from Connecticut, Erica attends Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts. She is a senior, majoring in public relations, and minoring in marketing. She founded Suffolk's chapter of Her Campus along with co-Campus Correspondent, Mackenzie Newcomb. has interned at a few start-up companies including Quincy Apparel and Good to Go Organics. She was also a public relations intern at Regan Communications Group, and is currently the advertising/marketing intern at The Improper Bostonian Magazine. Erica also works on Newbury Street at Jack Wills University Outfitters, a British clothing company that is expanding across America. She is very interested in the world of fashion, and hopes to make it big doing marketing/PR for a fashion magazine or as a publicist in New York City or LA upon graduation. In her free time, she enjoys shopping, hanging out with friends, going to the beach, reading, writing, and dancing.