Detoxing The Body Naturally

With the increase of toxins within the environment and foods we eat, it is not surprising that the majority of people are at a level of toxicity that is past the point that the bodies own natural detoxification system can cope with.

Chemicals and toxins can build up in your system and cause problems regardless of your body weight.  But when body fat begins to accumulate, that usually means toxins are accumulating too.

The body retains fats as a way to protect the vital organs in the body from the toxins that we ingest (and create through stress).  Body fat accumulation, especially around the mid section, is a visible sign of toxic build up and a good indication that the liver is not functioning as efficiently as it should.

If toxins build up faster than they can be eliminated, in an attempt to protect your organs, your body will actually make body fat for the specific purpose of storing toxins as far away from vital organs as possible.   This fat is particularly stubborn fat that is very difficult to lose unless you decrease the toxic load and you do something to help your body detoxify. 

So when we detoxify and cleanse the body of toxins, we give the body a chance to repair and strengthen itself - and when the toxins disappear, guess what happens to the protective layer of fat...yes, that disappears too! 

Everything that crosses your lips must be used by your body, or it must be neutralized and eliminated as a waste product.  Otherwise it is stored in your body and piles up like garbage.

Environmental exposures that you come into contact with on a daily basis and also build up toxins in your body include:

• Exposure to detergents, solvents, cleaning fluids, adhesives and fumes from paint, gasoline or automobile is practically unavoidable
• Insecticides including the ones in your grocery store that spray your fruits and vegetables to keep bugs away
• Hormones, steroids and antibiotics you get by eating all non-organic meat, poultry, diary and even fish
• Agricultural chemical contaminants such as pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and growth hormones which are sprayed during crop production
• Food additives, including nitrates, food dyes and preservatives. Over 7800 man-made chemicals are approved for use in food processing

If these substances are not eliminated, they will build up, clog you up, drag you down and could seriously damage your health. Your liver plays a valuable role in eliminating toxins and processing everything that goes in your body.

If your liver gets overloaded, toxins begin circulating in your blood and, besides making you feel tired and sluggish, those toxins can damage your organs and glands, cause increased inflammation in your body, cause headaches, cause weight gain, and generally make you feel bad.

Acne, chronic headaches, chronic fatigue, a poor complexion, lack-luster hair and a build up of fat around the midsection are just a few of the common symptoms of an overworked liver. Preventing toxic build-up helps keep your liver functioning at peak efficiency.  And a well-functioning liver gives you many fat burning, energy building, and health enhancing benefits.  

Things that put extra stress on your liver and can seriously interfere with the livers ability to make bile and to detoxify include:

• Sugar and artificial sweeteners because they have no nutritive value and processing them burns up vital nutrients your liver needs to function properly (soda is a HUGE culprit in the American diet).
• Trans-fatty acids because their extra toxic nature burns essential
  nutrients like a blowtorch and directly interferes with both bile
  production and detoxification.
• Most over the counter pain relievers and practically all prescription drugs, including blood pressure and cholesterol drugs which are now prescribed like candy.  These substances put a HEAVY toxic burden on the liver.
• Regular alcohol consumption, because ultimately alcohol will pickle your liver and a pickled liver is a dead liver.
• Constipation, because the liver empties toxins into the colon and if
  the colon is backed up, the liver dumps the toxins into fat cells, and
  the toxins are retained in the body.

To start your bodies detoxification process, use cleansing formulas (like Zands cleansing formula) to detoxify the bowels, liver, kidneys and blood.

Always start a detox by cleansing the bowel. The aim is to improve its efficiency so you have regular bowel movements (ideally once each morning and after each meal (I did say ideally!) and the bowel is free of yeast (candida) overgrowths but plentiful in 'good' bacteria.

Take a complete fiber supplement such as TwinLab's Fiber/Digestion/Regularity capsules which includes psyllium husks. It also contains Betaine Hydrochloride which helps with digestion and destroys the bad bacteria.

While taking supplements drink plenty of water and herbal teas (iced herbal tea is great too - no sugar or artificial sweeteners though).  Also include lots of fresh fruit and vegetables in the diet, avoiding red meat, alcohol, caffeine, wheat and dairy products. Continue for around 10 days or until you recover regular bowel movements. Once the bowels are 'happy' you can move onto the rest of the body. Take an herbal supplement containing cleansing herbs such as milk thistle. Continue drinking plenty of fluids, eating fresh fruit and vegetables and avoiding the triggers mentioned above.

The following foods are also great to include in your diet during this time (eat organic as much as possible  - and since there are many organic resources there should be no excuse); carrot juice, beetroots, watercress, super foods such as wheatgrass and barley grass, garlic, lemon juice and nuts and seeds.  Detoxification teas can also be extremely beneficial while detoxifying your body, try Yogi Tea Wellness Detox Tea.

Another great detoxification aide is have weekly sea salt baths. Abra Herbal Hydrotherapy Baths Cellular Detox is especially good as it includes essential oils and vitamin antioxidants.  There are many great resources on the internet about how to do a “proper” detoxification and you can spend lots of money on complex programs that promise the world.  The truth is that you must do what feels right for your body.  And most often, that includes simple steps like drinking plenty of water and eating plenty of fresh whole food, avoiding processed and sugary foods.