- Make It Yourself Lavender Heart-Shaped Bath Bombs!
- 20 Things You Never Knew About “Down There”
- 12 Best Foods For Those Suffering From Arthritis Pain
- 12 Personal Hygiene Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes (Mom Never Told You About #4!)
- 15 Medicinal Plants And Herbs From The Cherokee People
- 12 Mind-Blowing Benefits Of Drinking Coconut Water During Pregnancy
- 12 Outstanding Winter Foods That Won’t Fatten You Up Like A Christmas Turkey
Simple Detox Strategies
Photo credit: bigstockphoto.com
Many people have heard about “detoxing.” Every day in the Internet or on television, there are advertisements for some new “cleansing” beverage, product, or therapy that supposedly removes “toxins” that build up in our bodies without our knowledge. But what does this even mean, and which approaches are really worth your time? Let’s get to the bottom of this and give you some legitimate methods for successful detoxing.
Understanding Toxins
Toxins accumulate in your body as a result of exposure to chemicals and other compounds in your environment which, over time, can have a deleterious effect on your health. This can happen by skin contact, eating or drinking, and by breathing in pollutants in the air. Many times, people are unaware how they were exposed. You do not necessarily have to inhale clouds of smoke or dip your finger in slime to be exposed to toxins in significant quantities.
One example of toxins are the pesticides found on vegetables and fruits. These chemicals are put on crops to protect harvests from being spoiled by pests, but it has been well documented that these same chemicals can cause health problems in humans who consume them, even in trace amounts. For this reason, it’s a good idea to always wash your produce.
Another is bisphenol-A, commonly referred to as BPA. This chemical is often used in plastic bottles and containers, as well as the in the lining on the inside of canned goods. Unfortunately, BPA has been linked to higher blood pressure and an increased risk of developing certain forms of cancer.
Heavy metal toxicity can occur when people are exposed to metals like lead, mercury, cadmium, or arsenic. These metals can cause all kinds of serious health problems and in some cases, can even be fatal.
It’s easy to see now why detoxing so appealing to so many people. But what are some detox methods worth looking in to?
Continue to Page 2
Photo credit: bigstockphoto.com
Strategies for Detoxing
- Drink more water. This is pretty basic, but it’s the first and easiest step to take. Drink more water, and give your body’s natural detoxification system (your kidneys and liver) the hydration it needs to do its job effectively.
- Eat more clean, detoxing detoxifying foods. Did you know that a lot of fruits and vegetables are good for you not only because of their nutritional content, but because of what they help remove from your body? Eating more cruciferous (leafy green) veggies like spinach, kale, and collard greens can help cleanse out toxins that have accumulated in your system. Other good options are berries like blueberries, blackberries, and pomegranates. Their high concentration of antioxidants helps clear out toxins.
- Sweat. Everyone knows that being physically active and getting lots of exercise is good for you, but most people don’t realize that sweat isn’t just a byproduct of those activities — it can actually be a benefit as well. Perspiration can help your body release toxins that build up in tissue through the sweat glands. Going to a sauna is also an option.
- Tea. It’s not just a milder alternative to coffee — it can help clear toxins out of your system as well. Like berries, many kinds of tea are packed full of antioxidants that can flush toxins out of your system.
- Special greens. Consider trying beverages made with chlorella or wheatgrass, as numerous studies have shown their effectiveness at reducing the concentration of toxins in the human body and improving overall health. These are available in supplement form as well.
READ MORE: Top 15 Detoxifying Fruits For The Inside-Out Body Cleanse Infographic
Try some of these simple approaches, and don’t be surprised if you feel better and more energetic in short order. Remember, reducing toxins, just like improving over health and vibrancy, is the result of making lifestyle changes. Only by making a commitment to adopting newer, healthier habits, and eliminating older, unhealthy ones can you benefit in the long term.
References:
