Any Time is Detox Time

By now, you have surely heard about detox or detox programs. You most likely know some friends or co-workers who have tried different detox plans and how they helped them or, how they would never do something so extreme again!

When you consider the amount of toxins we are exposed to on a daily basis, it becomes clear that our bodies, while being remarkable machines, need a bit of help to remove the dangerous compounds we come in contact with each and every day.

Polution Air pollution. We live in a very toxin filled society.

The best way to remove a toxic buildup in the body is through a detox program. These programs run from 3 to 7 days, depending on the concept. There are a few detox plans that let you eat green salads, but almost all of them call for a fast - green juice, tea, and water only.

Unless you live on a mountain top, drink from a pure, underground stream, and grow your own fruits and vegetables and raise your own meat animals, you are exposed to toxins.

What Kind of Toxins are We Talking About?

An easy way to identify toxins is to think about our ancestors. Think WAY back, to perhaps the cave man days. While it’s true that our caveman ancestors only lived through their 20’s this is because they frequently fell victim to accidents or became meals themselves!

One thing they weren't exposed to and that was the onslaught of chemicals we are forced to live with today. Their fish did not contain mercury, their water did not contain fluoride (except for a few places and that is natural fluoride) they had no air pollution, there were no antibiotics or pesticides in their food or animals, they had no plastic, no artificial colors, flavors, or processed foods filled with preservatives.

Once you begin thinking in this manner, it becomes clear that we live in a very toxin filled society.

How the Body Removes Toxins

Some toxins are easier for the body to remove than others. The body has 4 basic means of removing toxins:

Respiration You might not think that simply breathing could remove toxins, but it does! Deep breathing allows the body to have improved circulation. When things are moving, they can also be moved OUT of the body.
Urination This is one good reason for drinking plenty of water every day! Imagine a toilet with little or no water and you can see how water will help your body remove toxins via urination. Water keeps things moving, so you need plenty of it every single day.
Perspiration Besides keeping us cool, sweating also removes toxins. Too many of us live in climate controlled environments. Get regular exercise that is hard enough or long enough to make you work up a good sweat, or use a sauna!
Bowel Movement Like urination, bowel movements are crucial for removing toxins and other unwanted or unneeded waste from the body. Constipation means that toxins stay in the body, adding to inflammation of the colon. Eating a healthy diet that includes plenty of detox foods will allow your body to naturally remove those toxins every single day!

Toxin Buildup Can Lead to Leaky Gut Syndrome

You most likely read about this back in high school, but let’s take a refresher course.

The digestion and breakdown of the foods we eat is not actually done in the stomach or even by our intestines. The truth is that, living inside our intestines, are trillions upon trillions of yeast, fungi, and bacteria. It is these microscopic living organisms that do the work of digesting our food and reducing it to material that the body can actually use. This is a truly symbiotic relationship as without them, we could not exist and without us, they would not exist. Works really well most of the time.

We say "most of the time" because this is where environmental, modern day toxins come into play. A typical diet includes a great many carbs, both simple and starchy. These foods are acidic in the intestines, which are already, by nature, chronically acidic. An acidic environment allows yeast, fungi and bacteria to thrive. Since they are all living things, these tiny living organisms also produce waste, which is also acidic.

This overly acidic environment will gradually corrode the lining of the intestinal wall, making it thin enough so that yeast and fungi can actually pierce the intestine and spill their toxins and overgrowth into the abdominal cavity and bloodstream. This leads to a severe overgrowth of yeast, especially Candida, and fungi throughout the body. This is called leaky gut syndrome.

Detox Basics

Polution Alkalizing foods such as drinking delicious green juice is perfect for a gentle detox

A good detox program will help to remove impurities from the blood and intestines. By following a good detox program at least once a year, the organs of the body are allowed to “rest” while fasting, which stimulates the liver to remove more toxins from the body.

When the organs are resting, energy can be then be directed to the intestines and kidneys to remove waste products. Blood circulation will improve as waste and toxins are removed, and the body can be refueled through the consumption of healthy, natural nutrients.

While a detox program should be performed on a regular basis, one can also keep toxins to a minimum by eating and drinking plenty of natural foods which do a “mini” detox, if you will, each day.

Minimizing your exposure to household chemicals, using natural alternatives to many beauty products, such as deodorants and toothpastes, as well as avoiding or limiting stress, will also help the body prevent toxic buildup to begin with.

Detox Guidelines and Tips

Drink plenty of water. Aim for 3 liters each day or more!
Consume alkalizing foods, such as green juice, chlorophyll, and lightly steamed green leafy vegetables, including celery, cucumbers, spinach, etc.
Fiber - Be sure to eat foods that are high in fiber to help support the body's natural means of eliminating toxins.
Drink psyllium husks each night or morning to really help move those toxins and waste out of the body.
If possible, soak for 30 minutes every other day in a hot bath with 1 to 4 cups of Epsom salts, baking soda, or better still, Nigari flakes. This will help to remove toxins through sweat and pull acid out of soft tissues.
Eliminate Trigger Foods - At least one week before, begin by cutting back on caffeine, sugar, refined carbs and processed foods. This way, the body doesn’t go into as much shock when you completely remove these foods from your diet for your detox. These types of “junk” foods not only wreak havoc on your body and zap your energy, but they actually become addictive over time.
After Your Fast - Choose whole, natural foods that your body will be able to digest and metabolize easily. This helps to prevent the build up of toxins to begin with. Always look for organic, fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season, organic free-range chicken or turkey, wild-caught fish, cage-free and organic eggs whenever possible.
Exercise - If you feel up to it;sweat it out! Exercise is another detoxification of the body via perspiration. Really work up a sweat at the gym, or dance until the sweat is dripping off of you! Saunas are also another great way to sweat it out!

Simple 3 to 7 Day Detox Plan

Although a 7 day detox is ideal, for some people, this is too much to handle, especially when you are new to detox. If that is the case, start with a 3 days and try a 7 day in 3 to 6 months.

You don't need to buy any special foods or equipment to do a detox. A very simple plan that will do the job just fine would be:

Squeeze the juice from half of a lemon into 1 cup of warm water. Drink first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.
Try to get in a minimum of 30 minutes of light exercise each day. An hour is preferable, but for beginners, 30 minutes is a good start.
Try deep breathing techniques or yoga to help “detox” the mind!
Drink a minimum of 3 liters of water each day. You may also have green juices, herbal teas (no sugar) and/or detox teas, but these are in addition to the water, not instead of!
Enjoy lightly steamed, dark green vegetables and salads. Dressing should be a squeeze of lemon or lime juice only!
Body Brushing: Before showering or before your bath, remember to stimulate the skin through a process called body brushing. You can use a loofah or a natural fiber body brush. (There are even special brushes for this, but a loofah will work just fine) Staring with your legs and feet, brush up towards the heart. Use firm strokes, but don’t be too hard! Avoid the face and groin. Above the waist, brush downward towards the heart. This will help stimulate the skin to remove toxins as well!
Don't forget to get a minimum of 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.

The process of removing toxins and repairing damaged intestinal walls takes time. You will start to feel better, and notice a tremendous improvement in your energy levels, with each passing day. Eating plenty of vegetables and drinking green juice on a daily basis will go a long way towards accelerating healing and keep toxins to a minimum!