Tired, can’t sleep, overweight and burned out? Then you’re like many in today’s modern society, and this likely means it’s time for a detox.
- But what is detoxification?
- What’s all the hype?
Detoxification is one of the most important natural processes going on in our body every day through the liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, skin and lungs. We face toxins continuously in the form of toxins in our food, pollution in our air, and toxins our body actually creates in its normal every day processes.
Our body is awesome at detoxifying. But there’s only so much it can handle if we continue to burden it with toxins. I’m talking about toxins like air pollution, pesticides, herbicides and hormones in our food supply, and medications (and even supplements). And don’t forget about the toxins many eat excessively every single day – sugar, fried foods, and artificial or genetically modified ingredients.
Chronic health conditions like heart disease, diabetes and obesity and can be dramatically improved with better lifestyle choices that aim to help the body detox. Many healthy foods have nutrients that actually counteract everyday toxins. A 2002 study showed that a number of substances in fruits and vegetables, for example, assist the detoxification process in our bodies.
Add regular exercise to the mix, and you are in the ideal detox mode. A 2014 study showed when we exercise, tissues release toxic materials, and that the combination of exercising and eating well helps make us more efficient at removing toxins.
People do detox diets and cleanses based on the newest talk show topic or celebrity trend. In reality, we just need to detox 24/7 by avoiding toxins in the first place while boosting our detox systems with regular exercise and healthy eating.
If you’re ready to make a healthy change, start by doing a short 10 day detox. You’ll be amazed how you’ll feel – better energy, restful sleep and even lighter on your feet. Also, aim to do a detox cleanse quarterly. Sort of like when you bring your car in for an oil change every 3 months. We take great care of our cars, why don’t we do the same to our bodies, which are worth tens of billions more in value?
