Tired of Calorie-Restrictive Cleanses? Try a Teatox

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Adding a series of teas to your diet can be detoxing. (Photo: Instagram)

Have you tried a hunger-ridden juice cleanse only to break your diet in a midnight snacking frenzy after laying in bed with a rumbling tummy? If calorie-restrictive detoxing just isn’t your thing, maybe some iteration of the celebrity-endorsed Teatox is for you. Teatoxing allows you to cleanse while you eat, since being satisfied is an important part of creating a sustainable diet. “Detoxing is great, it’s just how you do it,” nutritionist and wellness coach Dorit Jaffe of Whole Healthy Glow tells Yahoo Beauty. “[Juice cleanse programs] tend to be abused. People think if they restrict themselves from food that they will lose fat and keep that weight off.” Teatoxing has none of those negative implications since you can continue to eat. Likewise, teas are anti-inflammatory and water alone flushes toxins out of your system, so the increased intake of water associated with teatoxing will be helpful to relieve bloating and symptoms of toxins in your body. Jaffe finds that cleanses are best when the seasons are in flux — fall and spring — or to get you on the right track for a healthier eating plan. In that case, the new year is a perfect time to gear up for a teatox.

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Kylie Jenner prepares for a 28-day teatox. (Photo: Instagram)

To take full advantage of your teatox, she recommends personalizing a plan based on your needs rather than using a pre-planned teatox, and listening to your body to decide what to eat while teatoxing. “A personalized program is always ideal, everyone’s body and needs are different,” she says. “It’s important to recognize that [difference] and give yourself achievable and realistic health goals.” She says if you’re using your teatox to kickstart a health food plan, teatoxing on top of a raw food cleanse may be helpful to you. Raw foods contain optimal nutritional value but tend to be difficult to digest. The warmth and extra liquid from the tea can aid digestion.

To plan your teatox, Jaffe recommends creating a supplementary meal plan with recipes so that you won’t be tempted. She advises against including gluten, sugar, dairy, any processed foods, and meat in the plan. Instead, eat lots of greens, vegetables, and healthy fats. “Eat avocado to help rid the toxins from your liver,” she says. “Doing all of this will have you feeling great and you won’t feel restricted.” As for the teas, she recommends assessing the goal of the teatox and your personal needs, then including teas that address each need, upping the doses for more prominent ailments. Below she fills us in on which teas and accompanying foods are best for relieving all of your ailments.

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Avocado is a delicious and detoxifying food. (Photo: Instagram)

What’s the best way to treat…

  • Bloating, constipation, and digestive issues? Fresh ginger tea.

  • Cold, fever, headaches, and nausea? Eat and chew a few raw almonds very well to relieve headache symptoms. I like to cut up raw garlic very fine and fill vegetable capsules with the garlic and swallow. Raw garlic is great at fighting bacteria and infections that cause colds and fevers.

  • Weight loss, cravings, and metabolism? Peppermint tea is great for reducing sugar cravings. Add some lemon juice and this will aid in weight loss and speed up your metabolism. Drink this warm tea every morning on an empty stomach.

  • Acne? Flaxseed meal is great to add to smoothies, oatmeal, or other recipes. It’s extremely anti-inflammatory and helps to get rid of acne. Avoiding dairy, gluten, and sugar will also help rid acne. Acne is an external symptom of digestive issues, so getting rid of these inflammatory foods as well as taking a high quality probiotic is extremely beneficial.

  • Dry skin and eczema? Coconut oil, and cutting out dairy from your diet will help get rid of eczema and psoriasis.

  • Trouble sleeping? A natural sleepy time tea, melatonin, and going in the sauna/steam room to rid your body of toxins always help you get a good night sleep. Meditation and managing your stress is also beneficial.

  • Lack of energy? Consuming too much sugar and caffeine might cause this. Drink more water, and get rid of caffeine and sugar from your diet to avoid crashing.

  • Blood pressure and heartburn? Some herbs are known to help lower blood pressure, like cinnamon, cardamom, and raw garlic.

  • Cramps and menstrual issues? Drinking chamomile tea helps, as well as yoga and exercise to reduce cramps.

  • Eye bags? I always put two spoons in the freezer, and in the morning if you have bags, place them under your eyes for a few minutes.

  • Muscle and joint pain? Turmeric tablets are my favorite. Turmeric is extremely anti-inflammatory.

  • Liver? Dandelion root tea and milk thistle are great for the liver.

  • Lungs? Steaming with eucalyptus oil is great for cleansing the lungs.

Jaffe says the best way to detox is to never expose your body to toxins in the first place. After completing your detox, she recommends incorporating foods like avocado into your diet, and lemon ginger tea in the mornings to serve as a natural daily detox and eliminate the need for future cleanses.

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