Feeling sluggish? Have low energy, frequent headaches, colds and cough or bad, unhealthy looking skin? Too much caffeine or fast food?
The air we breathe is shrouded in pollution. We live and work amid plastics and artificial substances and our foods are made with chemicals, preservatives and artificial coloring. These toxins are inhaled, ingested and absorbed through our pores into our body. Other toxins are the result of our own natural body reactions and mechanisms. No matter what our lifestyle and habits, everyone can benefit from a detoxifying cleanse involving the bowel, liver and blood at least once a year.
Ways to Detox
- Fasting: Try fasting to cleanse the body and detox. This allows the body to rest and renew itself by focusing its energy on all body systems, instead of mainly on digesting and sorting ingested food. When done in a safe way, fasting is very beneficial for the body.
- Hydrate: Drink plenty of water and try a liquid cleanse by drinking fresh juices and eating soup for 2 days or longer.
- Eat More Vegetables: Try a large salad or plate of steamed vegetables for dinner every night for one week.
- Increase Fiber: Add fiber to your diet by eating more whole wheat and whole grain foods, lentils, barley, oatmeal, fruits and vegetables.
- Cleanse: Drink organic apple juice mixed with a spoon of psyllium seed husks once or twice a day, to cleanse the walls of the digestive tract. Also try a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice mixed with water once or twice a day.
A Healthy Liver is Important in Detoxification
The steps needed to take to detoxify a congested liver vary with individuals. Start with the simple dietary and lifestyle measures outlined below and then try herbs that support liver function.
- Start your morning with fresh lemon juice in water; this helps flush and decongest the liver and the kidneys.
- Eat beets or drink beet and vegetable juice regularly. Beets are an excellent liver cleanser.
- High quality protein foods are necessary to restore and sustain the liver. Free-range eggs, fish, raw nuts and seeds and whole grains are beneficial.
- Nutritional antioxidants such as vitamin E, zinc and selenium are essential for protecting the liver from free radical damage.
- Liver restoration also requires plenty of fresh air, exercise, adequate rest, natural foods and plenty of water daily.
Herbal Medication and Spices to Help Detox
Many bitter herbs support liver function and promote the cleansing process. These include dandelion, milk thistle, red clover, bitter melon and artichoke. Remember that herbal medications can interact with other medications; talk to your doctor before trying herbal therapies.
Turmeric, a common spice in South Asian cooking is a powerful healing herb. Curcumin, the primary active ingredient in turmeric, has potent liver protective, detoxifying, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. Other benefits of turmeric include lowering of cholesterol, improvement of fat metabolism and improvement of digestion.
Exercise such as brisk walking and jogging also promotes detoxification. Bouncing up and down on a rebounder is particularly effective for stimulating lymphatic action and is a safe exercise for people of all ages.
Detoxing your body will take patience, persistence and regular maintenance. Incorporate it into your daily, weekly and monthly habits. For persistent symptoms consult your family physician.
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Noreen Kassem - Noreen Kassem is a hospital doctor based in London, UK. She has extensive experience in clinical research and an undergraduate honors ...
