Detoxifying: Giving Your Body a Break
The occasional detoxification regimen can help your body perform well!
It's a new year, a new beginning after a possibly indulgent holiday season, a time of resolutions for following a healthier lifestyle, and for many, to take off a few pounds and get more exercise. Many will consider kicking off the new start with a period of detoxification, but what does that mean?
As we go about our daily lives, toxins accumulate in our bodies. We do not have to live next to a factory or be exposed to industrial chemicals on a daily basis to be adding to the toxin load in our body, just living in the modern world is enough. Pollution and environmental chemicals are a global issue, and no longer dependent on congested population centres in order to be a hazard. Our diet is also a culprit, with plenty of processed foods out there full of additives and preservatives, much of what we put into our mouths is likely carrying something unexpected, and undesirable, with it.
Detoxification is the process that your body goes through to eliminate toxins. When detoxifying, you may experience symptoms such as headache, stomachache, cough, diarrhea, rashes and skin ailments, sinus problems, and fever, as well as general fatigue and irritability. These symptoms may be experienced differently, for varying duration and intensity, by different people, there is no way to know what you will go through, or how intense the reactions will be.
Symptoms typically show themselves relatively quickly, and may repeat cyclically. As your body releases toxins, it doesn't do so in a linear way, but more in bursts. Symptoms may be intense for several days, then mild for several more, and then have a return to the more severe.
When we change our dietary or lifestyle habits in order to cleanse our system, toxins begin to be released from your cells, but before being eliminated from your body, they are carried through the circulatory system via the blood. This increase of toxins in the bloodstream may cause a recurrence or intense worsening of the negative effects of detoxifying, making you wonder why things have gotten worse after days, or sometimes weeks, of making better choices. It's a perfectly normal part of the process, if a little worrisome.
Severity of these symptoms may be dependent on what your pre-detox lifestyle was like, and how quickly you made the change. Any sudden extremes (for instance, changing from a daily meal of commercial frozen entree and junk snack food to organic vegetarianism from one day to the next) will affect the severity of your reaction to the change. Gradual changes, therefore, may sometimes be preferable, if it means that you continue in the right direction rather than quitting due to the impact on your general feeling of well-being.
The most important thing you can do for your body during this time is to get plenty of rest. Allowing your body enough rest and relaxation ensures that there is plenty of energy for it to use toward eliminating the toxins quickly. Avoid stressing your system with alcohol and drugs of any kind, and eat light meals made from easily digested foods as close to natural as possible; in other words, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, preferably eaten raw, and plenty of pure water.
At it's core, this is exactly what detoxification, practiced in traditional medicines for thousands of years is about: resting and restoring energy to the system. By eliminating toxins from the body, you give yourself the ability to better focus on digesting healthy nutrients, and give your body the strength to process those nutrients in a way that best enables you to be happy, healthy and energetic.
Some proponents suggest that detoxification should be done at least annually, with a short program or cleanse. This doesn't apply to everyone, of course; people with chronic disease or weakened immune systems, children, or nursing women should not undertake a full detoxification, but should instead concentrate on eating as healthy a diet as possible and getting appropriate exercise and relaxation.
The first step to any detox program is to lighten your intake. Environmental factors, such as pollution and exposures due to your work or home situation may not be something you can change on a gradual basis, but by eliminating coffee, cigarettes, alcohol, saturated fats, and all refined or processed foods, you can begin to minimize the intake of further toxins. Reducing your use of chemical products used for household cleaning and personal health care, and minimizing stress are a great place to start.
A typical “detox program” is based on a seven-day schedule, and involved liquids only for the first two days, followed by five days of easy-to-digest foods. Another method calls for nothing but fresh fruit and vegetable juices and water for 3-7 days. This is probably a bad place to start for those attempting detoxification for the first time, as anyone who has ever had to fast prior to surgery or a medical test can tell you that a liquid-only fast is not normally something you simply do; it may sound like a good idea, but put into practice, they can seem to be the three longest days of your life.
There are, of course, other ways to detoxify. The first, most sensibly, is to eat with the attitude that food consumption is not an Olympic sport, and to pay a great deal of attention to the quality and quantity of food you put into your body. Obesity and over-indulgence are, by far, the worst strains you can place on your digestive system. Modest meals made with quality ingredients, which include plenty of fibre and fresh fruits and vegetables is a great beginning. Cut out the chemicals and additives in your food, avoid pre-packaged and processed foods, and give your body healthy fuel on which to run.
Drink plenty of green tea. Green tea is chock-full of antioxidants and works to cleanse and protect the liver, the main filtering organ of the body. Don't stop at green tea, though; drink at least 2 litres of water, preferably more, each day to give your body plenty of fluid with which to flush the toxins.
Vitamin C supplements, or better, taken in the form of Vitamin-C-rich foods such as citrus fruits, tomatoes, bell peppers, and berries, is necessary for your body's production of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant. Making sure that you're eating a variety of foods of different colours, all as close to fresh as possible, will ensure a good balance of vitamins and minerals, necessary for your body's continued good health.
Saunas and hot/cold showers (3 minutes hot, 30 seconds cold) can also help eliminate waste through the sweat glands and skin.
Perhaps the most important way to detoxify, however, is exercise. Plenty of low-impact exercise such as yoga or walking, for at least an hour each day. Stretching and gentle, rather than vigorous, use of muscles encourages blood flow and the release of toxins to the bloodstream, and eventual elimination.
Detoxification can be a great way to add energy and vitality to your lifestyle. Taking it slow at first allows your over-stressed digestive system to get used to the change, and making it a regular part of your lifestyle can give your body a regular, much-needed break from constant processing of fuel that it may not need.
