“DETOXING” AND “CLEANSES”
PASSING FAD?
COMMON SENSE?
SHOULD YOU EMBARK TO BE CLEANED?
What’s all this talk about detoxing? Is it only for celebrities? Is it a diet or a ”fast” way to lose weight? Is there any research supporting the practice?
There is a growing body of evidence and experience that supports the process of cleaning the toxins out of the body and providing the nutrients and support necessary for the body to heal itself.
WHAT IS DETOX ANYWAY?
Detoxification is simply the cellular, physiologic, mental and spiritual process by which the body identifies, neutralizes and eliminates toxic substances and metabolic byproducts, emotions and habits. Our bodies are designed to handle the normal toxic load and much of this goes on throughout the day and sleep. The liver, intestines, skin, blood and lymphatic system work together to transform toxins to less harmful compounds that are then excreted from the body. Going on a detox diet or plan assists the body by decreasing the work load and providing nutrients for normal function and self-healing.
WHY DO PEOPLE GO ON A DETOX PLAN?
We certainly live in a more polluted and stressful world and toxic exposures come from many places. Sometimes our systems become overburdened and the toxic load can lead to health problems or uncomfortable symptoms. Some people use a cleanse as a way to prepare for a lifestyle change. Toxic symptoms indicative of an over taxed system can include:
- Fatigue
- Sleep dysfunction
- “brain fog”, poor concentration
- Mood disturbances
- Muscle aches and joint pain
- Allergies, sinus congestion, bad breath, canker sores and recurrent head colds
- Headaches
- Bowel issues: heart burn, bloating, gas, irritable bowel, foul smelling stool
- Weight changes
- Fluid retention, aging skin, rashes, body odor
WHAT TOXINS ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?
- Waste products from normal cell activity like ammonia, lactic acid, carbon dioxide, bile, etc
- “Anti-nutrients”: high fructose corn syrup, trans-fats, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, processed food, artificial sweeteners
- Medications: too much, too often, too many types
- Environmental chemicals: pesticides, herbicides, cleaning products, solvents, glues, plastics
- Heavy metals; mercury, arsenic, lead, cadmium, tin, aluminum
- Allergens: food, dust, mold, pollen
- Infectious organisms: resistant bacteria, viruses, yeast, parasites
NUTS AND BOLTS OF DETOX
Going through a cleansing program attempts to do a few things:
- Lessen the workload of the body’s natural detoxification systems
- Phase 1 detox: neutralization of toxins
- Phase 2 detox: elimination of toxins
Components of a typical detox program:
- DETOX DIET: basically this is an elimination diet. Organic produce, plant based protein (nuts/beans) and whole grains are the mainstay. Participants avoid all processed foods, dairy, gluten and other foods that tend to be inflammatory and/or hard for the body to digest. The idea is to minimize the work the body has to do to metabolize.
- SUPPLEMENTS: protein powders, vitamins such as Vitamin C, milk thistle and other liver support, nutritional enzymes to help break the food down, probiotics to restore normal flora to the gut, fiber to aid in the elimination process.
- WATER: lots of it
- SLEEP AND REST
- GENTLE EXERCISE
- SAUNA AND SKIN BRUSHING
- BODYWORK LIKE MASSAGE AND SPIRITUAL WORK
True, it is a tall order, but most people start feeling better within 3 days. It is a limited process usually 7-21 days and requires a fair amount of time in preparation. There are many prepackaged detox systems available on line or in the “health food stores”; however they can be pricey. All the components can certainly be assembled for an affordable cost.
If you are interested in doing a cleanse or simply learning more about it I recommend attending our workshop on 8/24. Other resources include reading the book “CLEAN” by Alejandro Junger, looking online at University of Wisconsin Integrative Medicine or speaking to someone at New Leaf or Felton Nutrition.
Happy Detox