The body has a natural ability to rid itself of unwanted toxins. Every now and again however some help is required and particularly
when the toxic load has been excessive. Detoxification can be carried out at any time of the year but after the period of Christmas celebrations it is not a bad time to consider the workings of the body and its current state of health.
First let’s establish what we mean by detoxification & why we should consider it at all.
The body is constantly attempting to cleanse itself of unwanted substances and has three main exit routes to achieve this. – The bowel, The Urinary Tract & The Lungs. Toxins come from many sources but can be classified as those the body produces as part of metabolism- i.e. the cells absorb nutrients and excrete waste, and those the body absorbs from food, drink, through the lungs and skin. All this waste has to somehow find a way out of the body which it can do, but only if the exit routes are working properly. Any misuse of the main organs that the body uses for the cleansing process could certainly lead to sluggishness, headache, muscle ache, joint pain, fatigue, skin problems, congestion, heavy periods, urinary tract infections, allergies and possibly flu like systems.
The bowel disposes of toxins that have been processed by the liver, the urinary tract deals with those the kidney have processed, and the lungs offload carbonic acid which helps to keep the Ph acidity of the bloodstream balanced. If any of these routes are not working properly, then the toxic load will increase in the body. The body also has a couple of “emergency exit” routes if the liver, kidneys and lungs become blocked, i.e. the skin, the mucous membranes and in women the menstrual blood.
So what do we do to reduce the toxic load?
It is imperative to have the exit routes in good working order to allow detoxification to take place. So here are five steps for detox preparation:-
- Drink plenty of water – 1 ½ to 2 litres a day to flush out the urinary tract.
- Wean yourself off tea, coffee and fizzy drinks. Introduce nettle tea as an alternative.
- Take a 10 minutes brisk daily walk. This will get the lymphatic system working (it depends on muscle movement to work) & your lungs.
- Cut down on processed and refined foods as well as alcohol. Add short grained brown rice to the diet & if your bowel is particularly stubborn add Lepicol to get it moving.(Also contains probiotics).
- Learn to unwind for 30 minutes each day before bedtime.
Doing this for about two weeks is an excellent way to give the body a mini clean up prior to any other additional detox programme.
If you need to go further then here are a few excellent herbs and supplements to give you greater vitality and health and will help to spring clean your organs that are continually bombarded with toxins – the bowel, liver, kidneys and lymphatic system. Let’s give them a little attention and they will respond to your needs more effectively.
- Alpha Lipoic Acid – Binds to heavy metals & helps to transport them out of the body.
- Artichoke – Can improve fat breakdown and is an effective tonic for many digestive problems including nausea, constipation, dyspepsia, abdominal pain, flatulence, belching and gallbladder conditions.
- Burdock – Digestive herb used for cleansing.
- Vit C – Helps in the recycling of naturally occurring glutathione which studies have shown attach to toxic compounds in the liver, enabling them to be excreted.
- Cleavers – One of the few herbs to have a beneficial help to the lymph system and gently assists the body in eliminating excess fluids.
- Dandelion – Has a gentle and diuretic action stimulate initial digestion and gastric juices and is involved in the release of bile from the liver to the gall bladder.
- Fibre – Soluble fibre is essential for any detox programme, cleansing the digestive tract and assisting the overall digestive function.
- Green Foods – Chlorophyll, the green pigment in green foods increases peristaltic action thus relieving constipation and normalising the secretion of digestive acids.
- Flax & Hemp Seed Oil – Rich in Omega 3’s and adds to the digestive system, boost skin clarity, support hormonal & joint health.
- Milk Thistle – Inhibits Liver damage & stimulates new cell growth and supports gall bladder function.
- Probiotics – Will help to restore normal gut flora & helps to prevent the formation of toxic compounds in the digestive system. (Particularly advisable after antibiotics).
- Sellenium & Zinc – Two excellent minerals to improve liver function.
There are a number of proprietary Detox products that incorporate a selection of the above readily available for sale at Appleseeds Health Store.
Look after yourselves Naturally.