Tips on Successful Detoxification

Your body is trying to tell you something with every ache and unusual symptom you experience. Have you been finding yourself incapable of waking up in the morning? Incapable of concentrating and unleashing your full potential? Maybe you feel somewhat sluggish? All of these problems and an inability to lose weight could be indicative of your body’s inability to get rid of toxins.

People have been relying on detox practices since the beginning of recorded history. These are an important part of traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. Cleaning the body from the inside and helping it overcome the negative consequences of toxic buildup will help you accomplish many of your health and beauty goals.

Ready to get started with thorough body detoxification? The following guide will help you explore the essentials and figure out what comprehensive cleansing is all about.

How does detoxification work?

• The procedure works by purifying the blood and helping the body eliminate toxins more efficiently.
• The body uses several essential organs to get rid of toxins. These include the liver, the kidneys, the intestines and even the skin. The lymphatic system is another important component of the natural detoxification mechanism.
• When the excretory system and its organs start working inefficiently, the body finds itself incapable of getting rid of toxins. All of the organs are affected on the cellular level. Detoxification procedures aim to restore the natural balance and help with the removal of waste and toxins from cells.
• You can achieve the effects of a detox program by stimulating the liver to eliminate toxins, promoting the functioning of the digestive tract, helping the kidneys, improving circulation and giving your body access to the healthy nutrients it needs for energy production.

A detox program can help the body’s natural cleansing process by:

• Resting the organs through fasting;
• Stimulating 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.

How do you know if you need to detoxify?
As already mentioned, your body is going to tell you when a detox program is needed. Going through thorough detoxification at least once per year will help all of the organs function more efficiently.

People who suffer from chronic medical conditions, cancer patients, the ones having degenerative diseases, pregnant and breastfeeding women are advised to refrain from detoxification. If you want to try such a program, you might want to have your health assessed in advance.

You are in need of thorough body detoxification if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Chronic fatigue
• Poor and sluggish functioning of the digestive tract, constipation
• Irritated skin
• Skin irritations and allergies
• Low-grade infections
• Eye puffiness or bags under the eyes
• Bloating
• Menstrual problems and irregularities
• Lack of mental focus

Getting Started with Detoxification

Detoxification starts with the elimination of some harmful practices from your everyday routine. First, lighten up your toxin load. Eliminate alcohol, coffee, cigarettes, refined sugars and saturated fats, all of which act as toxins in the body and are obstacles to your healing process. Also, minimize the use of chemical-based household cleaners and personal health care products (cleansers, shampoos, deodorants, and toothpaste), and substitute natural alternatives.

Another deterrent to good health is stress, which triggers your body to release stress hormones into your system. While these hormones can provide the “adrenaline rush” to win a race or meet a deadline, in large amounts they create toxins and slow down detoxification enzymes in the liver. Yoga, Qigong, and meditation are simple and effective ways to relieve stress by resetting your physical and mental reactions to the inevitable stress life will bring.

Which detox program is right for you?

Now that you have established the need to cleanse your body, how do you choose the most suitable detox program?

A good detox program should last approximately seven days – the amount of time the body needs for complete blood purification. The first few days involve complete fasting and a liquid-based diet. After this initial cleansing period, a few beneficial foods are gradually reintroduced to the diet.

Some of the best detox programs are either juice or smoothie-based. A complete sugar detox is another great recommendation because of the numerous disastrously bad consequences of sugar consumption.

Here’s the five favorite detox diets:

• Simple Fruit and Veggie Detox
• Smoothie cleanse
• Juice Cleanse
• Sugar Detox
• Hypoallergenic Detox

A Few Additional Detoxification Suggestions

After a detoxification program, you can cleanse your body daily with these diet, supplements and lifestyle practices:

• Begin consuming foods rich in fiber on a daily basis. These foods aid the functioning of the digestive tract and help in the faster elimination of waste products. 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.
• Cleanse and protect the liver by taking herbs such as dandelion root, burdock, and milk thistle, and drinking green tea.
• Take vitamin C, which helps the body produce glutathione, a liver compound that drives away toxins.
• Drink at least two quarts of water a day.
• Breathe deeply to allow oxygen to circulate more completely through your system.
• Transform stress by emphasizing positive emotions.
• 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.
• Sweat in a sauna so your body can eliminate wastes through perspiration.
• 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.
• Exercise is the most important way to detoxify. Yoga or jump-roping is 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.