Are you feeling abit sluggish or out of sync lately? Struggling with aches and pains, skin or digestive problems? Can’t seem to lose weight? It might be time for a body detox.
Detoxification is about resting, cleaning and nourishing the body from the inside out. Most toxicity begins in the digestive tract, so it is important to eliminate the toxins, and feed the body with healthy nutrients. Detoxifying can help protect you from disease and renew your ability to maintain optimum health.
Through a detoxification program, the body’s natural cleansing can be helped by
*Resting the organs through fasting,
*Simulating the liver to drive toxins from the body
*Promoting elimination through the intestines, kidneys and skin;
*Improving circulation of the blood; and
*Refueling the body with healthy nutrients.
“Detoxification works because it addresses the needs of individual cells, the smallest units of human life,” says Peter Bennett, N.D., co-author of 7-Day Detox Miracle with Stephen Barrie, N.D., and Sara Faye.
Today, with more toxins in the environment than ever, “it’s critical to detox,” says Linda Page, N.D., Ph.D., the author of Detoxification. Page recommends detoxing for symptoms such as:
- Unexplained fatigue
- Sluggish elimination
- Irritated skin
- Allergies
- Low-grade infections
- Puffy eye or bags under the eyes
- Bloating
- Menstrual problems
- Mental confusion
Top 10 ways to help your body detoxify
After a detoxification program, you can cleanse your body daily with these diet, supplements and lifestyle practices:
1. Eat plenty of fiber, including brown rice and organically-grown fresh fruits and vegetables. Beets, radishes, artichokes, cabbage, broccoli, spirulina, chlorella, and seaweed are excellent detoxifying foods.
2. Cleanse and protect the liver by taking herbs such as dandelion root, burdock and milk thistle, and drinking green tea.
3. Take vitamin C, which helps the body produce glutathione, a liver compound that drives away toxins.
4. Drink at least two quarts of water a day.
5. Breathe deeply to allow oxygen to circulate more completely through your system.
6. Transform stress by emphasizing positive emotions.
7. Practice hydrotherapy by taking a very hot shower for five minutes, allowing the water to run on your back. Follow with cold water for 30 seconds. Do this three times, and then get into bed for 30 minutes.
8. Sweat in a sauna so your body can eliminate wastes through perspiration.
9. Dry-brush your skin or try detox foot spas/foot baths to remove toxins through your pores. Special brushes are available at natural products stores.
10. What is the most important way to detoxify? “Exercise,” says Bennett. “Yoga or jump-roping are good. One hour every day.” Also try Qigong, a martial-arts based exercise system that includes exercises specifically for detoxifying or cleansing, as well as many other exercises with specific health benefits.
Consult your doctor before using any health treatment — including herbal supplements and natural remedies — and tell your doctor if you have a serious medical condition or are taking any medications. The information presented here is for educational purposes only and is in no way intented as substitute for medical counseling.