Detoxification or ‘detox’ are short-term interventions designed to eliminate toxins from the body, promote health and assist with weight loss.
Over time, the body gets run down from activities that form a major part of our modern living. No matter how healthy ones diet or lifestyle may be, external factors still require the body to recharge.
There are 5 major sources of toxins: Food, Water, Environment, Beauty and personal care products, Stress and negative thinking.
The excess toxins cause physical and mental health issues like chronic fatigue, headaches, insomnia and diseases.
When the vital organs are placed under too much pressure and unable to work efficiently, illness and disease appear.
The body is constantly working to dispel toxins and unwanted matter from its various systems. Taking time to cleanse the body and nurture vital organs goes a long way in prevention, and also has immediate effects – greater energy, clearer skin, better digestion, mental clarity, to name a few.
The liver, kidneys, colon, lungs, skin and lymphatic system are especially useful and important when it comes to cleansing the body
Detox doesn’t need to mean going hungry or depriving yourself of the food you need to be nourished. But rather should be seen as a ‘reset’.
It should be incorporated into the annual rhythm as maintenance to help remove toxins from the body, reset our palette and help our body remove these toxins so we can be free from fatigue, stress, and disease.
Following are some of the signs to indicate the need to detox:
- Feel fatigued, stressed and overwhelmed
- Experience frequent headaches and/or lack of mental clarity
- Often have skin breakouts and blemishes and/or a tired, dull and lack-luster complexion
- Easily pick up colds, flu, bugs, and viruses easily and are often on medication
- Digestion is troublesome, uncomfortable and irregular
- Make less-healthy food choices and often have fried foods, processed meat, dairy, gluten, processed foods, refined sugar or fast food
- Frequently have coffee, alcohol, drugs (prescription or otherwise) or cigarettes
- Are exposed to common environmental toxins such as carbon emissions, cigarette smoke, herbicides, pesticides, artificial fragrances, and household chemicals
- Carry excess body weight
- Feel emotionally unstable, depressed, unmotivated and lacking energy and enthusiasm for life
- Breath and odour seem to have an alarming stink, no matter how much deodorant or toothpaste you use
Detoxification speeds up new cell regeneration and provides all of your internal organs with a much-needed cleanse. Detoxification helps re-balance the chemistry of your body.
It retrains your palate to enjoy healthier, more natural foods, speed up waste disposal, and bring fresh vitality to the entire body.
Following are essentials of detoxing:
- Be a turkey (a cold one) and take a drug holiday
Reset your body’s neurotransmitters and hormones. Stop all forms of sugar, all flour products and all artificial sweeteners.
- Power up the day with protein
It is the key to balancing blood sugar and insulin and cutting cravings. Use nuts, seeds, eggs, fish, chicken or grass-fed meat for protein at every meal. A serving size is 4-6 ounces or the size of your palm.
- Eat unlimited carbohydrates (the right ones)
Vegetables are carbohydratess and you get to eat as much as you want. Unlimited refills!
- Fight sugar with fat
Fat makes you full, balances your blood sugar and is necessary for fueling your cells. Along with protein, have good fats at every meal and snack including nuts and seeds, which also contain protein, extra virgin olive oil, coconut butter, avocados and omega-3 fats from fish.
- Use friend power, not willpower
Extraordinary new research shows that obesity is contagious. You are more likely to be overweight if your friends are overweight than if your parents or siblings are overweight. But health is contagious too. Find a friend or form a small group and do the detox together
Remember, a detox doesn’t have to be forever. Think of a clean-eating diet as a vacation for your body. When you go on a vacation, you sleep better, feel better, and come back with a whole better attitude and energy. It allows the liver to clean up the junk.
It allows your fat to dump toxins.” It allows your body to better handle stress, breaks down food, and keeps you energized for the year ahead. Following are some tips while you decide to detox yourself:
- Hydration: Aim to drink between 1-3 L of water per day.
- Exercise: Strengthen your lung capacity/ability.
- Real, Live FOOD: Specific foods assist with deactivating toxins and removing them from the body (specifically heavy metal build-up).
- Sleep: Aim to sleep 7-8 hours per night
- Get Outside:Breathe fresh air into your lungs; receive your daily dose of vitamin D and boost your mood.
Kiran Bahrus Chimnani
Healious Global Pvt Ltd
(Educational house that runs online courses for doctors and paraprofessionals. For details email us at healious.global@gmail.com)
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