Going by the dictionary meaning, ‘detoxing’ or ‘detoxification’ eliminates harmful and poisonous elements. In healthcare and also partially in lifestyle, detoxing is the removal of toxic substances from the body. It is a medicinal and scientific way to rejuvenate and recharge the human body through diets and other simple steps.
Detoxification is a natural and ongoing process in the human body that helps a person maintain optimal health. Additionally, it constantly filtrates the body’s organs – liver, colon, kidneys, lungs, lymphatic system, and skin, to remove the unwanted toxins.
Detoxofication as an Effective Method
Medical experts believe that natural and automatic detoxification is all the human body needs. But, as we expose ourselves to toxicity around us from different sources, the body also requires external detoxification to boost the functioning of the organs. The intrusion of toxins or other harmful substances into the human body can be from internal and external sources. In modern times, the exposure of toxicity is proportionately increasing. The rapidly increasing pollution rate in all spheres exposes humans to more and more synthetic chemicals, hard metals, and other harmful compounds. Additionally, fried and junk foods, added salt, refined sugars, trans fats, food additives, pesticides, synthetic skincare products, caffeine, cigarettes, and alcohol all lead to toxins in the body – for which the normal detoxing process gets overloaded.
Detoxification is a process that needs regular practice. However, some symptoms indicate higher levels of toxins in the body and need a boost to detoxify.
- Fatigue
- Gastrointestinal problems
- Skin irritation and allergies
- Acidity and bloating
- Puffy eyes
- Mood swings, irritation, and anxiety
Detox Diet Foods
Detoxing implies following a specific diet plan or following certain things to eliminate toxins from the body. The process of detoxification can vary from person to person and also in terms of activities. A detox diet should be rich in herbal and healthy foods. In addition, the diet should contain vitamins, sulfur, amino acids, selenium, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and prebiotics.
Foods containing Vitamins and Antioxidants
The human body produces a molecule called free radicals to function in the body’s cellular processes, including digestion and others. These free radicals in the body cause the breakdown of the cells and create oxidative stress. Additionally, they are also responsible for ageing. With time, the human body loses its ability to fight these free radicals, leading to more of them and causing damage to cells in the body. Also, alcohol, tobacco smoke, a poor diet, and exposure to pollutants. It is because the external sources produce excessive free radicals and oxidative stress. Thus, a healthy eating diet containing antioxidants can help the body fight oxidative stress caused by excessive free radicals and toxins. The foods rich in antioxidants include berries, fruits, nuts, beetroot, cocoa, vegetables, spices, lemon, brown rice, watercress, coffee, and green tea.
Foods containing sulfur, amino acids, and prebiotics
With more pollution from cars and other machinery, chemicals in water, food colouring, and preservatives in our daily consumed foods, our body needs to detoxify at a cellular level. During the process, the liver uses a molecular structure called a methyl group to do very specialized detoxification processes of Vitamin B12. The primary detoxification that the liver does comes from a sulfur-rich structure called glutathione. It is a mixture of a sulfur molecule and the Amino Acid Methionine. Likewise, prebiotics are an essential type of fibre that feeds the good bacteria in the human body. With prebiotics, good bacteria can produce nutrients called short-chain fatty acids that are beneficial for health. The diet rich in sulfur and other components includes protein-containing whole foods, onions, garlic, eggs, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, and Brussels sprouts.
Things to Do
Apart from the diet, some other activities and practices help improve the detoxification process.
- A regular sleep schedule is always healthy practice for good health. Sleeping is considered a recharge process for the brain to function properly to remove toxins from the body. Therefore, sleep deprivation or a poor sleep schedule affects both short and long-term health issues.
- The human body needs water intake to support the process of rebuilding and repairing cells and performing detoxification. The optimum water intake for men is 3.7 litres and 2.7 litres for women.
- Fasting for 1-3 days or limiting some aspects of the diet is a healthy practice to rest the body’s organs. In addition, limiting sugar and salt intake in the diet contributes to detoxing the unwanted elements.
- Decreasing the consumption of alcohol and other harmful substances helps hugely in the process of detoxification. In addition, less consumption of alcohol means it limits the excessive production of free radicals.
- A healthy skincare routine helps to remove toxins from the body. The skin is considered the third kidney of the body and the largest organ. In addition, nourishing the skin stimulates the turnover of new cells and encourages the flow of lymph fluid, another detoxification pathway.
- A regular exercise schedule eliminates the threat of toxins in the body. In addition, a daily round of moderate and high-intensity burnout of calories can push many diseases miles away.
The detoxification process is cleansing the body, just like cleaning our houses at intervals or becoming dirty. Additionally, the process helps us to eliminate harmful elements from the body. It is medicinal and scientific yet does not need external medical supervision for a simple and basic level of detoxification.
Ancient Detox Methods
Many efficient ancient procedures still exist and are excellent ways to eliminate toxic chemicals from the body.
Native American Cleansing
The Native American tribes use purification ceremonies to purify the mind, cure the body, and invoke visions. The sweat lodge, which promotes profound healing, was the primary source of cleansing. Some tribes drink tea before and after the sweat lodge detox to boost the amount of detoxification. In certain Native American cultures, detoxification includes smudging, which cleans the air using sacred plants. Cedar, juniper, and resins are some of the herbs that they use.
Shamanism Cleansing
Several native rainforest tribes have cleansing traditions that focus on limpias, herbal dietas, and plant medicine rites. Limpias are spiritual and emotional cleanses that use herb smoke to clear the air and cleanse the body with fresh herbs and flowers. The flowers and herbs selected are determined by the disease. For example, white sage alleviates anger and conflict.
Plant medicine rituals link to the use of berries, flowers, and fresh plants. Ancient people relied entirely on nature to meet their needs. A medicine man, also known as a shaman, conducts the ritual using self-produced herbs. Certain “power” plants that the Shamanistic culture uses are poisonous, and only an expert should handle them.
The ‘Rainforest’ tea
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp freshly grated/powdered turmeric
- 3 tsp Chanca Piedra powder
- ¼ tsp Boldo leaf powder
- 2 tsp Moringa powder
- 1 tsp Powdered nettles
- 1 tsp Pau D’ Arco
Preparation Process
- Mix all the herbs in one-litre water and let it infuse for some time.
- Mix it well, so the ingredients activate.
- Drink the mix on an empty stomach in the morning
Russian Detox Method
The Russian method of cleansing and detoxifying the liver is through the use of raisins. Although there have been no formal studies on the efficacy of this technique, the Russians rely on this method devotedly. The essential item to look for in this method is raisins not treated with sulphur dioxide. You can get raisins at any market. However, make sure to check that it doesn’t contain sulphur dioxide. If you fail to find natural raisins, you can create your own by drying organic red grapes in a food dehydrator.
Preparation Method
- Soak 1/2 cup of raisins in hot water for 15 minutes.
- Rinse them well with cool water.
- Boil water again and let it cool down until room temperature.
- Store the raisins in a jar and pour boiled water into them. Let it stand for 24 hours.
- Eat the raisins and drink the water in the morning on an empty stomach.
- Lie down for 1-2 hours with a bottle of warm water placed on the right side of your abdomen.
- On detox days, avoid consuming any oils, dairy, meat, or spicy meals. It is essential to set aside one day a week for cleansing.
Ancient Indian Detox Methods
Smudging is an integral part of the Indian detoxification process to cleanse the body. For example, smoke made from white sage, juniper, cedar, and resins, cleanses the body, removes negativity and excess toxins, and purifies the surrounding air.
Ayurveda Cleansing
Ayurveda is a holistic healing method that originated in India. Toxins erase from your body through two primary techniques in this system: panache karma and palliation. Panache karma includes physical procedures like medicinal enemas and purgatives, whereas palliation uses pungent herbs to induce a hot digestive activity that burns away impurities. Other heat treatments, such as sunbathing, are used to induce the release of toxins. Enemas and heat have long been in use to remove toxins. However, always exercise caution if you have any stomach issues before using these detox treatments.
Ayurveda Detox
Ayurveda is one of the best and oldest detoxification systems in the world. It relies on the belief that good health depends on a delicate balance between mind, body and spirit.
Ayurvedic Detox Tea
- green tea
- seeds of fennel
- coriander seeds
- seeds of seeds
- fresh sliced ginger
- lemon juice
- turmeric root.
You can mix spices like cinnamon, cloves or cardamom. Drink tea throughout the day. It helps to remove body toxins and also restores metabolism.
Activated Carbon
Activated carbon is a kind of carbon with a large surface area and has a high negative charge. It has been in use for thousands of years. In modern times, activated carbon is used in emergency rooms to treat poisoning. Charcoal eliminates pollutants, heavy metals, and toxins from the stomach and digestive system. However, it is also capable of removing beneficial components like vitamins and minerals. As such, it is recommended not to take it within an hour of taking other supplements.
Things to Note While Detoxing
Toxin buildup in our body harms both our physical and mental wellbeing. Detoxification of the entire body will help to balance it from time to time. Holistic treatment always favours the body as a whole beyond a single symptom or disease. Toxin buildup is not something that should be handled individually or in isolation. It is a symptom of a more significant problem with the body as a whole and the body as a whole needs restoration to health. However, there are a few things that you should keep in mind while adopting a detoxification method.
- Avoid dairy, meat, oils, and spicy meals on detox days since they disrupt the process. To keep up with primary bodily care, setting aside one day a week for cleaning is essential.
- You may combine other items with basic detox procedures such as teas. To boost the effect of the herbs, try sweat lodges, steam treatment, or sauna heat therapy. Experiment with varied detoxification therapies and techniques to figure out what is best for you.
- If you adopt an aggressive detox, consider using enema treatments to assist your body. However, be sure that the enemas procedure is safe and sanitary. If you have any digestive health issues, consult your doctor before having an enema.
Detoxification
- Drink plenty of water. Being hydrated assists your body in naturally removing toxins. It also enhances the degree of your detox. To get into the habit of drinking more water, substitute water for your other regular beverages, like soda.
- Practise breathing techniques to help you breathe more deeply. As the body’s circulation improves when it gets more oxygen, deep breathing will help a lot. Spend a few minutes each day practising deep breathing.
- Hydrotherapy can be beneficial too. Take a five-minute hot shower, allowing the water to flow down your back. After that, rinse with cold water for around 30 seconds. After you’ve done this three times in a row, lie down for around 30 minutes.
- Consume many whole foods. The lesser chemicals you feed the body, the fewer toxins you will acquire. Cleansing is more effective when there are fewer toxic chemicals in the body, and you will feel better too.
Conclusion
Today, we see and understand that we don’t seek the best in health or modern medicine through detoxification. It is actually the coordinated mind and body fine-tuning with the environment. Ancient detox procedures are still in use today because of their benefits to those who employ them.
Examine these ancient techniques to see which ones are best for your health and lifestyle. Try traditional detoxification techniques to help you get your body and mind in better shape. Also, eliminate junk food, chemicals, and fried fast food from your diet and live a healthy lifestyle. Happy Detoxing!
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