Dr. Sangeetha Das

Confidence is a state where you know and understand yourself enough to put forth your thoughts and actions without being bothered or shot down by people around you. Yet, there are various situations that create a less than stellar performance in the confidence game. Many times, we end up behaving in a way that points to low confidence and self-esteem. While body language plays a huge role here, words and phrases also matter. So what are the confidence killing words and phrases that you need to ban from your life? Take a look at this list!

1. Just: This single word can undermine your intentions and make things seem less casual than they actually are. Sometimes, we get intimidated by the person or the situation and end up down playing things by saying, I was just thinking about it like this.
2. I am no expert: When you start a sentence by tearing yourself down, you are putting yourself up for rejection.
3. What if: While a 'what if' may be a good idea in particularly trying situations where you are faced with a person who may be in panic or anxiety, this is not a good phrase to use at work and in life, in general. It shows that you have not thought of the option properly.
4. I cannot: This single phrase can demolish relationships, both personal and professional within a matter of seconds. Nothing says you do not own your domain more than this phrase. When you say you can't or you cannot, you are effectively giving up and handing over control to someone else which is a downward spiral as far as your confidence goes.
5. Like, so: Unless you are starring in a chick flick, we would recommend that you stop using this fluffy and light weight phase, 'that is like, so cool'. Yes, it may be cool, but saying it is cool, will more than suffice. When you use phrases like these, you are basically telling the world that you do not take yourself seriously enough to talk like a serious person.
6. Exclamations: Using exclamations at the end of thanks or any other word, can show that you were not confident of getting the task done. Be grateful, but do not make it sound like relief.
7. Sense: 'Am I making sense' or nonsense are words that you need to send away from your vocabulary, as they denote a low sense of confidence and also show that you do not have confidence in the people around you.So get into a more confident mode by removing these seven words and phrases from your life.

Are you looking for techniques to detoxify your body? Among the various detoxifying techniques you can opt for, maintaining a detox diet is very important. Consuming food items which are detoxifying in nature is a great way to cleanse the body. Here is a list of foods which should be a part of the detox diet for your body:

1. Fruits: Fruits contain a lot of liquids which help the body to wash toxins out. They are beneficial for easy digestion. Containing antioxidants in high amounts along with nutrients, important vitamins and fibre, fruits should be a part of your detoxifying diet.
2. Green food: You should consume a lot of food items which are naturally green in colour. They include blue-green algae, wheat grass, kale, spinach, chard and other organic leafy green vegetables. These plants give a chlorophyll boost to your digestive tract, which helps in the elimination of harmful toxins from toxic metals, pesticides, herbicides and cleaning products.
3. Citrus fruits: Among fruits, you should have a lot of citrus fruits like oranges, lemons and limes. Citrus fruits help the body to flush out toxins and start the enzymatic procedures in the digestive tract. Lemon juice supports the liver in cleansing as well. Vitamin C is a very efficient detox vitamin which transforms toxins into digestible materials.
4. Garlic: The pungent little bulb is another amazing detoxifying food. It stimulates the liver to produce detoxification enzymes, which filter toxic residues from the digestive system.
5. Broccoli sprouts: These are rich in antioxidants and have the ability to stimulate the detoxification enzymes in the digestive tract. The sprouts are more beneficial than fully grown broccoli.
6. Green tea: Green tea is full of antioxidants and helps in washing out toxins from the system via liquid content. A special antioxidant called catechins present in green tea increase liver function.
7. Moong beans: Moong beans have been used as a detoxifying agent in Ayurveda for many years. These are easy to digest and help in the absorption of toxic residue from the walls of the intestine.
8. Raw vegetables: You should eat several vegetables such as raw onions, carrots, asparagus, artichokes, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, garlic, beet, turmeric and oregano. The combination of the various types will help the liver in eliminating toxins during the process of cleansing. These contain natural sulphur and glutathione, which help in detoxifying the liver from chemicals.
9. Seeds and nuts: You should add some easily digestible nuts and seeds to your regular diet. Flax seeds, almonds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds and sunflower seeds are ideal for natural detoxification.

You should also consume Omega-3 oils such as avocado, hemp and flax seed oil during detoxification. These lubricate the walls of the intestine and allow the toxins to get absorbed by the oil, getting eliminated from the body. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ayurveda.