People everywhere slowly kill their bodies by living with high levels of toxicity and not understanding the process of detoxification. Detoxification means removing toxins from the body. While some detox programs are included in rehabilitation centers for individuals with drug addiction or substance abuse problems, there is another form of detoxing that anyone can do to simply improve overall health. Detox is often only viewed as something done by extreme “health nuts,” and the common misconception is that not everyone needs a body cleansing experience. However, the facts show that implementing a detox regiment holds value for any type of person and can help with many different ailments or problems, proving especially useful in our diverse, constantly changing American society.
The process of cleansing the body is done not solely to lose weight, like the commonly attempted “diet.” The goal here is removing toxins. Toxins are essentially poisons entering the human body through certain foods and environmental substances. These harmful wastes build up in your body and do not allow the internal systems to work properly, causing some of the more common, less life-threatening symptoms many people experience today. Fatigue, food cravings, skin problems, joint pain, acne, weight control issues, and heartburn are often signs of too many toxins in your body. However, chronic toxicity connects with many more serious diseases of our current society as well, such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease, cancers, food allergies, arthritis, and several more. Many of us live with high levels of toxins in our bodies and simply try to deal with the unpleasant symptoms that come along with toxicity. Realizing the benefits is a good starting ground for fixing the problem.
The issue of detoxing is important to me because people do not realize the damage they currently cause their bodies. I am especially frustrated by this unawareness because the relief or solution to many problems caused by high toxicity is one often reached in a natural way. Many people seem to think that simply trying to eat “right” will keep them healthy, or trying to walk more throughout the day provides enough exercise. In reality, similar to how the human body uses many different functions to create one fully operational person, we have to take care of our bodies in more way than one (food intake, fitness, awareness) in order to achieve overall health and well-being. If everyone took the time to really care for their bodies, including paying attention to what goes into it along with doing activities to improve their internal systems, we would see big changes overall. A less dramatic increase of obesity in America would surely be one of the major changes. Similar positive outcomes would include a decrease in diseases (especially diabetes), people would spend less money on medical expenses and prescriptions, and everyone would benefit from a healthier and most likely happier lifestyle.
Comparably, a cleansing routine is favorable for numerous general, overall health reasons. For instance, using specific detox regiments restores balance to the many systems that make up the human body. The digestive system, nervous system, and hormonal system all work together to create optimum health, but when overloaded with unhealthy foods and toxins, they begin to stop functioning as they should. The proper functions are especially important in order to prevent us from getting sick. Besides what detoxing can do on the inside of your body, the effects become reflected immensely on the outside of your body as well. While losing weight is still one of the main benefits, other areas of appearance are often improved. For example, you will notice changes to your skin, nail, and hair quality after assisting your body in removing the harmful toxins. Detoxing strengthens hair and nails while also improving the noticeable appearance of acne, and provides you with a more natural glow, giving you a healthier overall look. Basically, every part of the human body shows positive signs of enhancement when the toxins are removed through assisted detox.
America’s current population is undeniably a hodgepodge of many different people, and detoxing can help the diverse lifestyles and medical needs that commonly exist. People today live differently than ever before, either by choice or by a strong recommendation from a medical professional. For instance, some individuals elect to remove all gluten from their diets and proudly claim the title or lifestyle of “gluten-free,” while others have no choice but to eliminate certain items from their nutrition regimes if they are clinically diagnosed with a medical condition, such as diabetes. The end of the spectrum you fall on does not matter when toxicity is the subject of debate. No matter how careful we are, everyone takes in some forms of toxins whether they are environmental or from poor food choices. A detox plan is a more effective natural cleansing tool to create optimum health for every individual.
Medically, detoxing can work wonders against many current diseases and also to prevent many from occurring in the first place. If you have a systemic degenerative disease or ailment, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, or high cholesterol, your body is sick and full of toxins. While most bodies can do a certain amount of cleansing on their own, a body with medical problems like these is unable to properly detoxify without help. Toxic waste builds up and stores itself in cells and tissues throughout the body, even in the brain, and often stays there for years. Furthermore, the larger population of people who have diabetes may not realize that clearing the toxins from their bodies often helps lower blood glucose levels. A person can limit the harmful materials going into the body and therefore reduce blood sugar, making his or her life much more manageable and increasing the energy level. Even mental illnesses or problems such as anxiety have the ability to be relieved through detoxing. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America shows that anxiety is the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting 40 million adults. A body cleansing is the best way to relieve much of the stress and unrest relating to anxiety by restoring the natural balance back to the body. Overall, detoxing is both a mind and body healing technique.
Although there are many immediate, obvious benefits to detoxing, removing toxins is a process that may take time. For that matter, the process might confuse you if negative reactions are seen at the beginning of the process. Depending on the toxicity level in your body, you may experience some symptoms which are often mild, but can sometimes be more severe while the toxins are on their way out. For instance, when a toxin such as sugar or even cigarettes is removed from your system, you may experience reactions such as headaches, muscle pains, anxiety, or even nausea. It is completely normal to experience some of these symptoms when first doing a detox program, and you do not want to stop the process when these signs are seen. If you stop the process, you will have to start at the beginning in order to start seeing the many positive results. Your body will look and feel much better if you are able to follow through with and complete the entire course of toxin removal.
After learning the many positive results that can come from a detox plan and who it benefits, the final step is to comprehend how to detoxify successfully. While some individuals may wish to implement a more hardcore detox process, beginners can easily stick to the basics and make the plan both practical and easily achievable. The first step begins with maintaining constant and consistent hydration. Next, eating organic produce (and animal products) helps to ensure the elimination of toxins from food intake. If the body does not seem regular on its own and able to have bowel movements once or twice a day, a couple tablespoons of ground flax seeds is another good idea. Also, the individual wishing to successfully rid his or her body of toxins must make sure an adequate amount of fruits and vegetables, eight to ten servings, is consumed each day. An additional beneficial practice to make into a routine is eliminating white flour and white sugar. There is no nutritional value in those items and they are essentially processed foods providing the body with bad carbohydrates. Finally, consistent exercise (cardiovascular), sweating (saunas), the use of multivitamins, and relaxation are the final steps to a successful beginning detoxification process. These steps will help to maximize the body’s natural detox system, along with safely getting rid of many stored toxins.
In reality, most people have the same common misconceptions about detoxing, until they become aware of the truth. The countless, life-changing benefits hold significance for everyone in one way or another. Whether it is a serious medical concern or someone is simply not happy with his or her current energy level, cleansing the body is the natural way to fix a wide range of issues. Once people begin to realize they are suffering from many of the symptoms related to toxicity in the body, they can then implement the many detox methods to improve their lifestyle and overall health. Until then, countless Americans will continue their day-to-day routines, blissfully unaware of the amount of waste building up in their bodies.
***
Gina McBroom is a writer from the Colorado Springs area.
