Our bodies are exposed daily to a variety of chemicals and substances that can be harmful to our health. The air that we breathe, the food that we eat, the drinks we consume, the products we use on our skin, and the items we clean with. We require daily methods of detoxification to enhance our body’s natural ability to detoxify and renew.
What is a toxin?
Any substance that the body cannot use in a purposeful way, that requires energy to be removed, or that can cause harm in sufficiently large doses, qualifies as a toxin. Our bodies are incredibly resilient – but if we push too hard, it can break! Toxins can come from inside the body as a by-product of metabolism or from the external environment.
There are 3 ways toxins can enter – 1) Ingested orally 2) Inhaling toxins 3) Taking toxins through the skin
Synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers are meant to help grow our food, but they can accumulate in our organs and our tissues.
More than 80,000 chemicals are released into the environment every year, many in the form of gas. We cannot always avoid where we are breathing in
Why is it important to detox?
Our bodies build new cells and detoxify toxins on their own; however, our body’s ability to eliminate toxins is not limitless. Our bodies can become overburdened with toxins, and therefore, our body’s natural detox mechanisms could use a little help.
The amount of toxicity in the body is dependent upon your genetic makeup, nutritional status, lifestyle, history of antibiotic or drug use, and emotional wellbeing.
Fat soluble toxins are stored in your fat cells, releasing toxins into your bloodstream. Abdominal fat secrets chemicals that can cause inflammation throughout your body. Affects your heart, and increases your risk of cancer, arthritis and stroke.
Common symptoms of toxic burden:
- Fatigue, headaches, muscle and joint pain
- Mood changes: anxiety, aggression & depression
- Cognitive: reduced memory & brain fog
- Immune: chronic infection/severe allergic reactions
- Digestion: constipation, nausea, bloating, weight gain
- Hormones: infertility, PMS, blood sugar imbalance
- Skin: allergies, eczema, psoriasis, and acne
There are 4 main areas of the body where detoxification takes place:
Liver, Kidney, GI Tract, and Skin.
Liver– Our metabolic gateway. Our largest glandular organ. It metabolizes carbohydrates, protein and fat, vitamins and minerals. Regulates cholesterol and blood sugar imbalance. Creates bile to aid in digestion, breaks down red and white blood cells, regulates hormones.
Kidney– Process about 200 litres of blood and eliminate waste and excess water as urine. They are responsible for keeping the composition of the blood stable. Every day the kidneys filter between 120 and 150 quarts of blood to eliminate waste through the urine. They also balance sodium and potassium levels in the body. Urine is excreted from the kidneys and stored in the bladder before elimination.GI Tract – Home to 100 trillion friendly bacteria. Aid in digestion and absorption of nutrients, prevent infections, and balance autoimmunity.
GI Tract– The best sign of functionality in the GI tract is regular and proper elimination. Digestion problems likely mean you are not absorbing nutrients properly or detoxing efficiently. This is also home to 100 trillion friendly bacteria. Friendly bacteria aids in nutrient absorption, prevent infections and balance auto immunity.
Skin– Serves as an important barrier that keeps many toxins from entering your body. Window to the digestive tract. Toxins become overloaded and are looking for a way out of the body. Skin conditions usually clear up with proper elimination. Sweat glands are housed in our skin (great for detoxification)
Recommendations for optimal detoxification:
- Eat organic produce
- Avoid farmed fish and consume wild only
- Eat grass fed, hormone and antibiotic free meat and poultry
- Avoid sugar
- Refrain from heating food in plastic containers
- Use natural personal care products and cleaners
- Stay hydrated with clean, filtered water
- Drink morning lemon and turmeric water
- Physical exercise for a minimum of 20 minutes per day
- Ionic foot bath – purifies the body through electrolysis of negative ions in the water
- Infrared sauna – heats the body’s core temperature to deeply detox on a cellular level
- Epsom salt bath – encourages the body to efficiently flush out toxins
