How to Detox Your Body

Have you been feeling down and out lately? As if your body is not quite responding normally? Perhaps you feel uncharacteristically fatigued or apathetic towards life. Maybe you are experiencing recurrent bouts of headaches, insomnia, diarrhea, gastritis or constipation. Before alarming yourself and diagnosing yourself with a dreadful disease, before becoming depressed, ask yourself a few questions. Is your diet genuinely balanced? Have you been recently exposed to noxious substances? Do you smoke? Have you been partying too hard? Are you getting enough sleep? If the answer to any of these questions is yes then maybe it is time you consider detoxing. If you want to recover your vitality and start feeling like yourself again, then read on, because I am going to tell you exactly what you need to know. I am going to show you how to detox your body.

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In this day and age, it is tragically common becoming exposed to toxic substances. Everywhere we turn, our bodies are being bombarded by contaminants; the atmosphere is riddled with pollutants, heavy metal byproducts of industrial processes are often pumped into the environment with little regard for consequences, we regularly eat processed foods that have been contaminated with additives and preservatives, and pesticide-soaked vegetables fill our supermarkets. It has become almost impossible to avoid such blatant toxicity. And although our bodies have excellent and efficient mechanisms to cleanse and naturally detoxify themselves, they were not designed to cope with such exaggerated levels of contamination.

To be able to manage the vast quantities of toxins that accumulate daily in our organisms, you will have to resort to a more methodical approach and manually detoxify your body. Remember that our digestive system provides our bodies with the macro and micronutrients it needs to perform all its functions efficiently. It is through our digestive system that we will attack the toxicity that plagues us.

Once you achieve a complete detox, you will start noticing results almost immediately. Soon you will start feeling like your old self again and recover your energy levels, improve digestive health, significantly lower inflammation levels of all your bodily tissues as well as boost the effectiveness of your entire immune apparatus.

Here are 4 of the best methods to detox your body.

1. Fasting
   
   Fasting is the fastest method you can practice to detoxify your body and promote good health. Fasting consists of abstaining from consuming all types of food and drinks except water during a limited period. Fasting is a challenging way to detox because over the course of our lives we have all developed an addiction to food. Eating food feels good, it stimulates the pleasure receptors in our brain not to mention that we have associated the consumption of food with all manner of social interactions. During the fasting period, we provide our digestive system with a break and the energy which would typically be used up during digestion is instead applied to other organs such as the kidneys and liver which are in charge of expelling toxins from our bodies. Just as no solid foods or drinks are permitted during the fast, drinking water becomes necessary and indispensable. Maintaining the body hydrated will guarantee the continued metabolic processes, proper circulatory function and chemical balance of the body. Also, water plays an essential role in the actual removal of the toxins from the body as most of these will be expelled through urine. Six to eight full glasses of water must be consumed per day. Initially, you should only fast once a week so that your body becomes accustomed to the process.
    
2. Juice Detox
   
   The second detox method available is a juice detox or cleanse. It is similar to a fast in that you are not allowed to eat any solid foods with the main difference being that as the name suggests your dietary intake will consist entirely of fruit and vegetable juices. Consumption of natural, organic, additive free, freshly squeezed juices is ideal for detoxifying your body. Many nutritionists prefer this method over a complete fast because it is less aggressive and because juices provide a rich source of micronutrients and chemical compounds that can significantly accelerate the removal of toxin-laden waste products from the body. Juices for this method of detox should be made from a mixture of fruits and vegetables. Fruits will provide antioxidant properties while the vegetables will aid in the rejuvenation of cellular tissues. Carrots, Beets, Cucumbers, Celery, Spinach, Ginger, Apples, Strawberries, Blackberries, Pineapples, Grapes, Apricots, Peaches, Prunes, and Oranges are all fantastic options for this method. Juices should be consumed immediately to reduce oxidative damage as much as possible.
    
3. Mono-Food Detox
   
   This method is a quite simple yet highly effective detox. It consists of consuming one food item exclusively during the entire detox period. Usually, apples or grapes are used. You are allowed to eat them solid or drink them in juice form. If you find a full-on fast or juice detox too difficult then a mono-food detox is a perfect method for you.You will receive the same benefits without the added difficulty of dealing with hunger pangs.
    
4. Whole-Food Detox
   
   This is not so much a method as it is a change in lifestyle. For this method, you will no limit your dietary intake beyond ensuring that all the food products you consume beyond abstaining from consuming processed and refined products. Refined sugars, flours, and saturated fats all present our bodies with increasingly hard to digest ingredients and thus negatively affect our bodies' natural detoxifying abilities. Processed foods are riddled with preservatives, added artificial food colorings, artificial flavors, hormones and other additives that pollute our body beyond its ability to cope.  A whole-food detox is about consuming natural, organic and unprocessed foods to eliminate as much as possible toxin consumption.

Remember that the human body defends itself against toxicity induced damage well enough, so the best methods of detoxing are based on naturally easing the strain our bodiesare submitted to by modern living conditions. Simple yet effective changes to our nutrition will go a long way to help your body detox and rid itself of all manner of harmful toxins.
 

References:

1. Bailey, Christine. The Juice Diet: Lose Weight, Detox, Tone Up, Stay Slim & Healthy. Watkins Media Limited, 2011.
    
2. Klein, A. V., and H2 Kiat. "Detox diets for toxin elimination and weight management: a critical review of the evidence." Journal of human nutrition and dietetics 28.6 (2015): 675-686.
    
3. Vasey, Christopher. The Naturopathic Way: How to Detox, Find Quality Nutrition, and Restore Your Acid-alkaline Balance. Simon and Schuster, 2009.