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Feeling inexplicably tired? Now and then, our body starts being sluggish and we become more prone to infections. What we need is a detox, which replenishes, cleanses, and rests the body. Detoxification improves immunity and maintains good health.
The best thing is to create a diet plan that includes all the healthy foods that keep eliminating the toxins from your body regularly. Consulting a nutritionist is best since they can advise according to your needs and preferences. FITFEAST not only allows you to connect with experts but allows you to track your diet and water intake as well.
Detoxification is not a new practice; you can find elaborate processes in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine systems. The process starts with eliminating toxins from the body and then moving on to consuming foods that replenish the nutrients.
How to Start Detoxification
Begin by reducing the toxins; avoid coffee, cigarettes, refined sugar, saturated fats, and saturated fats that obstruct the healing process. Choose natural alternatives for shampoos, deodorants, cleansers, and toothpaste. Stay away from stress as much as possible. Indulge in yoga and meditation to relieve stress caused by the daily problems in life.
The Process of Detoxification
The whole point of detoxification is to cleanse the blood by improving liver functions; the liver processes toxins for elimination. The liver, kidneys, lungs, intestines, lymphatic system, and skin eliminate toxins from the body as well. When these organs and systems are unable to function properly, the body starts functioning improperly.
A Natural Detox Program May Include
- Fasting to rest the organs
- Strengthening the liver to eliminate toxins
- Increase elimination through the skin, intestines, and kidneys
- Improve blood circulation
- Consume foods with healthy nutrients
The process of detoxification rejuvenates cells individually, which is why it has an overall impact on the body.
Signs that you need Detox
Doing a detox once a year is highly advisable for everyone. However, pregnant or nursing mothers, children, and patients of diseases like TB and cancer should not try it without consulting their doctors.
Bloating, fatigue, mental confusion, infection, puffy eyes, irritable skin, menstruation problems, and others are signs suggesting that you might need to start detoxing immediately.
How to Detox Naturally
The liver enzymes metabolize up to 90% of the alcohol consumed by you into acetaldehyde – a cancer-causing chemical. Then, acetaldehyde is converted into acetate, a harmless substance, which is finally excreted from the body. Low to moderate consumption of alcohol has been found good for health, but excessive drinking can impair liver functions and several other problems. The effects on the liver lead to inflammation, fat build-up, and scarring. As a result, the liver is unable to function properly and waste and toxins remain in the body. Limiting alcohol intake or abstaining completely is one of the best ways to detox.
The body can detox itself and quality sleep is one of the most important aspects of this system. Most importantly, the brain gets the time to recharge and reorganize itself while you sleep. It also allows the brain to eliminate the toxins accumulated throughout the day.
Beta-amyloid is a kind of protein that leads to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Sleep deprivation doesn’t allow the brain to perform the function of eliminating these wastes and can affect the overall health of the body. Several health issues such as high blood pressure, anxiety, stress, type-2 diabetes, heart problems, and obesity among others are associated with poor sleep. Getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night is essential.
Sugar and processed foods contribute to so many health issues that it is better to stay away. They are associated with heart diseases, obesity, cancer, and diabetes. They harm the liver and the kidneys, thereby, adversely affecting your body’s ability to detoxify itself.
Sodas and other packaged drinks have very high contents of sugar and can cause fatty liver. Junk food hinders the detoxification system as well. Limit your intake by abstaining from buying these foods altogether. Replace unhealthy stuff with healthy alternatives such as fruits and vegetables.
Water has several functions in the body; it aids digestion and nutrient absorption, regulates body temperature, lubricates joints, and detoxifies. When cells break down nutrients to create energy, they release waste in the form of carbon dioxide and urea. These wastes must be removed from the body for processes to continue with any glitches. If these wastes build up in the blood, the toxicity increases. Water simply expels these wastes through urination and sweating. That is why drinking around 3 liters of water daily is highly advisable. The quantity varies for individuals as per their body weight and type.
Irrespective of what your body weight or type is, regular exercise is unavoidable. It keeps the body healthy by reducing the risk of high blood pressure, heart diseases, type-2 diabetes, certain cancers, and several other conditions and diseases. Exercising is essential to reduce inflammation in the body. Little inflammation is natural, but excessive inflammation can weaken the body and lead to diseases. Exercise helps in maintaining the body’s functions including detoxification to protect against diseases. 3-5 hours of moderate exercise or 2-3 hours of vigorous exercise per week are recommendable for everyone.
Antioxidants protect the body against free radicals that cause damage to the cells. Free radicals are molecules naturally produced by the body for cellular processes like digestion. Excess free radicals cause oxidative stress. Free radicals are associated with dementia, heart disease, asthma, certain cancers, and liver disease. Smoking, alcohol consumption, exposure to pollutants, and a poor diet increase the risk of diseases.
Antioxidants fight oxidative stress and other toxins that are a cause of diseases. However, take antioxidant-rich foods instead of supplements that might increase the risk of disease. Vitamin A, C, E, Selenium, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin are examples of antioxidants. Include foods like cocoa, vegetables, spices, berries, fruits, and green tea in your diet.
Most herbal teas and green teas are full of antioxidants and must be consumed regularly. Tea also helps in regulating the diet as it reduces the likeliness of consuming the wrong foods. Moreover, the caffeine in tea is much lighter than the caffeine in coffee, which makes it so much healthier.
