How To Detox Your Body

Simply defined, a detox is designed to cleanse the body of unnatural pollutants and chemicals that can be a detriment to health, impede the weight loss process, and cause damage to vital organ systems in the body.

Yet, there still appears to be a host of misinformation about detoxes that can make it hard to understand what a detox truly is and what it is designed to do. Let’s take some time to outline some common detox myths and how to safely detox.

How to Detox Your Body will examine :

• Common Detox Myths
• Reasons Why People Detox
• How Detox Helps with Weight Loss

Common Detox Myths

Myth #1: Detoxing is a remedy for over-indulgence.

Fact : The truth is that there is no quick fix for overeating, binging, or over-indulging- that includes a detox. The true remedy for poor habits such as over-indulging, overeating, and binging is making long-term lifestyle changes to eating habits, exercises habits, and other habits that are more sustainable and long-lasting. Detoxes should be used to jumpstart sensible wellness plans and not used as a form of regular maintenance.

Myth #2: Significantly increasing water intake will detoxify the body.

Fact #2: There is some truth to the idea that drinking water can detoxify the body. Water intakes help the kidney and liver function more efficiently, which can boost the processes of cleansing out toxins and chemicals. However, all things must be done in moderation. Consuming too much water can negatively impact the electrolytes in the body and increase the amount of work the kidneys must do. There should be proper balance in order to ensure the body remains healthy.

Myth #3: A detox must consist of a system of special juices and/or teas.

Fact #3: Juices and teas can be a good way to detox, but the body doesn’t need a special tea or juice to cleanse itself. There are a variety of foods that can naturally cleanse the body without a special program or system. Adding items to the diet such as fruits, leafy greens, lemons, and sesame seeds can significantly boost the detox. Green tea and ginger are also great items that can be added to promote the body’s process of detoxification.

Myth #4: Detoxes are the best way to lose weight.

Fact #4: While detox can jumpstart the weight loss process and cause you to lose some pounds in a short period of time, without a plan to sustain that weight loss, most of that weight will be regained at the end of the detox plan.

Reasons Why People Detox

Millions of people feel sick and have various symptoms they cannot place or attribute to a specific cause. Some people experience aches and pains, headache, fatigue, joint pain, allergies, bloating, or brain fog and difficulty concentrating.

Other people experience more serious symptoms like autoimmune disease, migraines, acid reflux, irritable bowel syndrome and other complicated illnesses.

Top three reasons for a full body detox are :

• common illnesses
• kick start a weight loss regimen
• food allergies

Common Illnesses

Here are some telltale signs that indicate you may want to consider doing a detox :

    Craving sugars or carbs

·     Experiencing bloating and digestive upset

·     Feeling spacey or foggy

·     Feeling exhausted

·     Having achy joints

·     Stress

Kickstart a weight loss regimen

Many people have trouble losing weight and have been told that calorie counting and cutting back on calories will lead to weight loss. But this is not always the case. According to science, calories from sugar and from flour react differently in the body. Specifically, these foods promote inflammation and storage of body fat. Sugar and white flour are both major insulin triggers. Neither has any nutritional value, so they are empty calories that only make you fat. When on a detox program many of these items are eliminated and this helps assist with weight loss.

Food Allergies

A food sensitivity is not as severe as an allergy which yields a  dramatic reaction like swelling or hives, and therefore sensitivities are often overlooked. But the reactions within the body as a result of food sensitivities can cause other issues that can leave you feeling lethargic, cause bloat, create inflammation and cause other issues in the body.

Gluten and dairy are common culprits in the food sensitivity category and can cause inflammation and a variety of other symptoms in the body. A detox which eliminates food can help you identify which foods you might be sensitive too and your reactions to them, such as bloating.

How Detox Helps With Weight Loss

People who want to lose weight often try a variety of methods but should always be sure to stay healthy and not compromise their health in order to lose weight. Toxins and bad dietary choices can lead to obesity and can increase symptoms of bloating, constipation, and fatigue.

A detoxification diet is not just designed for weight loss but living a healthier lifestyle and making healthier food choices can impact the weight and lead to weight loss. Calorie control is one of the most significant and effective approaches to weight loss. Overeating, especially junk foods and processed foods, can lead to rapid weight gain.

Detox diets are short cleanses that begin the process of engaging in a healthier lifestyle and may lead to weight loss, but in order to keep off weight, it is important to implement healthy eating habits and keep weight off through a change in behavior.

Choose high quality organic foods including lean proteins and grains that are high in fiber, as well as organic vegetables and fruits. Increasing exercise will lead to burning more calories which will help with lean body mass. Controlling stress levels can also improve weight loss because stress often leads to binging and overeating unhealthy carbs and foods. Get plenty of sleep and drink a lot of water to stay hydrated.

Detoxing is a good way to jump start health and reduce food and sugar cravings. In order to lose weight and keep it off you will need to adopt a healthy lifestyle with behavioral changes.

Final Thoughts

Before starting a new health regimen always consult a medical professional. So, while a detox can be considered as a good way to jumpstart health or weight loss journeys, it is not the quick solution to a larger health or weight issue. Key things to remember : eat whole foods, organic produce is best; rest well; keep well hydrated. Rather than relying on a detox to solve health problems, it should be used to gain momentum and help you begin the process of more sustainable lifestyle changes that will lead to prolonged health and weight loss benefits.