Natural Detox
Detoxification is the elimination of toxic substances from the body. Alternative medicines such as Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine have used herbs, diet, exercise and supplements for detoxification for over 3,000 years. Although, there are several detox programs, diets and products available on the market today, there are natural ways to detox the body. Herbs, certain foods, and lifestyle can help to naturally detoxify the body on a daily basis. Natural detoxification enhances the bodies own elimination systems to revitalize health, energy, and vigor. So the next time you are feeling bloated, constipated, or fatigued make some of these simple lifestyle and dietary changes to naturally detoxify your body.
Eat a High Fiber Diet
Most people don’t get enough fiber in their diet, which can cause lowered energy levels, decreased metabolism and slow elimination. By eating fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains such as oats and brown rice you can keep your digestion and elimination regular. Fresh fruits and vegetables are cleansing and provide the body with essential nutrients it needs. Beets, radishes, artichokes, cabbage, broccoli, and seaweed are all high fiber foods.
Cleanse and Protect The Liver
Green tea, and hot water with lemon squeezed into it can help to stimulate liver cleansing. Herbs such as dandelion root, burdock, and milk thistle are also safe and effective against protecting the liver.
Drink Water
Water naturally flushes the body of chemicals, toxins, and impurities through urination, expiration, and sweating. The body is made up of 70% water and needs to be replenished daily. Dehydration can compromise the body’s ability to filter toxins. Drinking an extra quart of water per day will help to eliminate toxins.
Add Vitamin C to Your Diet
Vitamin C is found in many fresh fruits and vegetables and is great at boosting the immune system and staving off colds and the flu. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant, which reduces free radical toxicity within the body. Vitamin C also helps to produce glutathione, which is necessary to cleanse toxins from the liver.
Eliminate Stress
Stress causes the body to release hormones that if left within the body can use up vital nutrients. This leaves the body depleted of essential nutrients, and unable to protect the body against toxins, diseases and infections. Overtime stress can cause physiological changes, which leave the body exposed to the risk of disease. Therefore by eliminating stress or transforming stress into positive emotions or a positive outcome you can naturally flush out your system of toxic hormones and chemicals.
Deep Breathing
This is one way to relax or relief stress. Breathing deeply can circulate oxygen throughout the body, which encourages detoxification through the body’s elimination systems i.e. Skin, expiration, lymph, blood, kidneys, liver, etc.
Contrast Showers
Hydrotherapy is not only relaxing but it stimulates blood circulation throughout the body. Start with hot water for about 5 minutes. Allow the water to run over your entire body. Switch to cold water for 30 seconds. Switch between hot and cold water several times. This encourages detoxification.
Sauna
A sauna is a great way to sweat out toxins. Chemicals, toxins, and impurities can be eliminated through the skin. A sauna uses moist heat to increase the body’s temperature to induce intense sweating.
Exfoliate The Skin
Whether you dry brush your skin or use a texturized glove in the shower, the friction created when you rub the skin with a glove or brush can cause the pores to expel toxins. Detoxifying pads/ foot pads/ patches can also be used to pull impurities out of the body through the pores onto the pads. To dry brush, specialized brushes can be used on the skin when it’s dry. Or whilst in a hot shower use a texturized glove scrubber to scrub the skin firmly. In either case you can see dead skin cells, dirt, and impurities as you brush the skin.
Exercise
Exercising is the best way to naturally detoxify the body. Yoga, martial arts, and tai chi are all cleansing exercises. They focus on breathing which increases circulation and they also increase core temperature, which increases sweating. Elimination of toxins through sweat, urination and expiration are all increased upon exercising.
The Author:
Sarah Labdar graduated with a BA in exercise science and have worked in the medical field since. My focus is alternative medicine however all aspects of health interest me.
