A seasonal detox is an effective way to clear toxins out of one's system to speed up metabolism, and to enhance overall health. On the heels of its successful Fresh Start Cleanse Retreat this spring, the award-winning Mirbeau Inn & Spa offers up a do-it-yourself detox for those who seek to continue its health benefits at home. While I've never been to Mirbeau, I hear it is only about 3 hours from me and I've heard amazing things about it...I may just have to take a trip up there one weekend... Here are Spa Director Matt Dower's top tips for an at-home cleanse:

• Start your morning with a tall glass of water with the juice of ½ of a lemon. Lemon helps re-hydrate the system and promotes digestion, which will help the flow of waste out of your body.
• Decrease your sugar intake, including honey, molasses and artificial sweeteners. If you eat more sugar, you ask your body for more insulin, straining your pancreas and wearing yourself out. In the long term, this kind of habit can cause you to become chronically fatigued, diabetic, develop cancer, and pack on excess weight.
• Eat more rice products and less wheat and processed grain. Eat more garbanzo and mung beans. Certain foods contain nutrition that enhances the liver's ability to clear toxins from the body.
• Eat as much fresh organic fruits and vegetables as possible, especially leafy greens, carrots, beets, broccoli, cucumbers, garlic, onions, artichokes and peppers. Certain foods contain nutrition that enhances the liver's ability to clear toxins from the body.
• Use unheated flax seed oil instead of other cooking oils.
• Eat vitamin C-rich foods to help detoxify your liver and strengthen the immune system against toxic exposure.
• Make sure you have adequate amounts of vitamins D, E and K in your diet. Many people are deficient in these vitamins that play a key role in antioxidant function.
• Sweat. Sweating is a natural way for the body to get rid of toxins. Whether through aerobic exercise, heated yoga, a sauna or otherwise, sweat daily.
• Make sure you drink plenty of filtered water during and after your workout to replace the water loss.
• Eat more foods with amino acids such as grass-fed meat, wild fish, cage-free eggs, milk and legumes. Amino acids have a special ability to attach themselves to toxins and drag them out of the body.
• Meditate. Creating a quiet, calm and focused mind helps eliminate toxins that build up in the mind.
• Exercise. Regular exercise encourages circulation in the blood and lymph system, enhances digestion, reduces tension, lubricates the joints, and strengthens the body. People who exercise regularly have far fewer total toxins in their systems.

Spa-goers can complement their at-home cleansing rituals with a variety of detoxifying spa treatments at Mirbeau Inn & Spa. These include: Aromatherapy Ritual (lymphatic drainage massage): A personalized aromatherapy experience and fusion of eastern and western massage techniques promotes balance of mind, body and spirit. Pinot Noir - Body Polish & Wrap (Vinotherapy treatment): Pinot Noir Body mask is applied and exfoliated off to expose fresh nourished skin. The body is then wrapped with a Shiraz Firming Cream to tighten, nourish and hydrate. Nature's Most Pure Facial: Blue lotus symbolizes purity of mind and body. Restore balance, clarity and radiance to skin with this deep cleansing facial. A Spirulina Mask is used to draw out impurities and aid with extractions. (From what I hear, they use Amala skincare products for this facial...which I am very partial to. In full disclosure, I also work with Amala--which is why I know they have amazing skin treatments!) Have you ever been to Mirbeau Inn & Spa? Please leave a comment! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! for more beauty reviews! Watch our reviews on YouTube. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!