While we “lather-rinse-repeat” on the outside, the inside of our body functions as a self-cleaning machine. Generally speaking, this self-cleaning process is called detoxification.
“Detox” has become just another marketing buzzword. Google the term and you’ll find official articles from the big authorities on medicine to posts by blogging mommies. Google Maps will show you to the nearest physical locations offering detoxification services. You’ll see detox products to support a projected $70 billion dollar market share. Click “images” and you’ll view millions of photos of these products and endless stock images depicting fruit floating in pitchers of water, beautiful women in fitness attire sipping green smoothies, and silhouettes of bodies facing an epic landscape or ocean scene with their arms outstretched as they absorb the glory of life and freedom from toxicity.
In all this money-making madness, no one mentions our bodies are miraculous machines that are perpetually in the process of detoxifying. The entire system participates, but the liver holds the limelight and the burden is big, literally. Metabolic waste, processed foods, pharmaceutical drugs, cosmetics, excessive calories, environmental pollutants, caffeine, recreational drugs, and sugar are just the tip of the toxic burden iceberg – – – add stress, lack of hydration, and sleep deprivation and we’re in a world of hurt!
Most people are experiencing symptoms of toxicity and don’t even know it. Headaches, joint pain, fatigue, allergies, immune weakness, mood swings, constipation, sinus congestion, chronic backache, bloating, blood sugar dysregulation, sexual dysfunction, skin conditions, hormonal imbalance, abdominal pain, difficulty concentrating, and weight loss resistance are just a few from the list! Some diseases associated with toxicity include cardiovascular disease, infertility, diabetes, autoimmune disease, cancer, and numerous neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s, depression, anxiety, ADD, and ADHD.
So what can we do?!
It would seem the sales teams want us to believe we are banking toxins until an expert can assist via the purchase of their detox tea, cleanse cookbook, slimming solution, fitness flush, or other lotions and potions, many that are costly and cause us to hang within a close radius of a restroom.
By definition, detox means, “abstain from or rid the body of toxic or unhealthy substances.” Catch that? ABSTAIN FROM – – – that’s the first step.
- Reduce toxic input by doing a personal inventory of what your’e putting in, on, and around your body.
- Hydrate. Water in imperative for flushing toxins.
- While your blood has a pump, lymphatic fluid must be pumped by the motion of your body. Jumping exercises are especially beneficial for this purpose.
- Your body does most of its repair process while you’re resting.
- Supplemental Support. Love your liver, but don’t get lost online! Talk to your doctor or health professional about how to utilize pharmaceutical-grade supplements to provide the nutrients necessary for your body to most efficiently and effectively do what it was designed to do.
Lastly, try not to stress about toxicity. After all, stress adds to your body’s burden. Work with a professional to assess your current status and proceed with an appropriate plan or program for YOU. Remember, as Ann Wigmore said, “The food you eat can either be the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.”
Jamie Belz, Nutritional Therapist & Owner of Revolution World Fitness