Why detox your body?
A body detox can help you in many ways, maybe even ways that you haven’t considered. Doing a detox can make you feel a lot better and help you get rid of bad habits. You may detox by drinking more water, going on a water fast, drinking more green juice, or by simply choosing to eat clean.
Detoxing can:
* Jump-Start Your Diet – If you have problems turning down food that is not good for you, and you’re snacking a lot, a planned detox such as a juice cleanse can help jump-start your new diet. It can help you get over cravings, shrink your stomach and deliver more nutrition to your body to help you become stronger.
* Help Prevent Chronic Disease – Many people who go on a detox plan such as a water detox, green juice detox or other similarly strict plan, end up preventing and even reversing chronic disease. People often see marked improvement and a lowering of medication for diseases like type II diabetes and high blood pressure.
* Increase Energy – A good detox can help you get your energy back. This is because you will get rid of bloating, food reactions, and other things that get in the way of a good night sleep, like caffeine or junk food.
* Improve Your Skin – When you let your digestive track rest and drop certain foods from your diet such as dairy, you will improve your skin pretty quickly. Most people see a change in their skin within just a couple of weeks when they restrict their food intake.
* Overcome Addiction – When you have trouble turning down things like wine, French fries, pie and so forth, a detox of some kind can help you get control over yourself and help you overcome those addictions that develop.
It’s clear that if you detox your body, you can improve your life substantially. It’s super important to learn about the different types of detoxes that you can do. Each detox will help you take care of various problems that you may have.
Small things mean a lot
You don’t always have to do a full-fledged strict detox to reap some of the benefits of a detox.
* Try a Breakfast Smoothie – Make a smoothie from spinach or kale, bananas, hemp seed, and plant-based milk or yogurt each morning. You’ll get in some of your veggies for the day, and jump-start your metabolism.
* Drink Fresh Juice – Make your own cold-pressed juice to drink each day for a snack. You can make juice out of cucumber, orange, and ginger with a little wheat grass for added nutrition. Drinking just six to eight ounces of fresh juice a day can help rebuild good gut bacteria and ward off colds.
* Omit Dairy – If you just do one thing to help detox your body, omit dairy from your diet at least 80 percent of the time. Dairy can cause phlegm in adults, acne in teenagers and adults, as well as a myriad of stomach issues.
* Drink Water – You may already drink some water each day; you know it’s good for you. But, did you know that other fluids (even fresh, green juice) isn’t a substitute for fresh filtered tap water? You need at least 64 ounces of fluids per day. If you still feel thirsty, or even hungry, try drinking a glass of water before doing anything else.
* Shop the Perimeter – Eating food as close to its natural form is important for good health. Shopping the perimeter of the store means you’re going to skip the processed food and go straight for the fresh produce.
* Change Your Plate – Make half your plate veggies in order to get the most benefits from them. Veggies are low in calories and fat and have more nutrition per serving than any other type of food.
Very small changes made each day can make a big difference in your life. Try making each change, one at a time, for at least 28 days to see what happens as a result of the change. You can’t know how much well any one change is doing without taking the time to test whether or not the change worked.
Do you have chemical sensitivity?
Many people have allergies, and some people simply have multiple sensitivities. Allergies can actually be life threatening, while sensitivities are usually just an irritant. However, they can become full-blown life-threatening conditions if they’re not identified and treated. The main treatment is to avoid the item in question. Health can improve greatly when one avoids any issues with allergies or multiple chemical sensitivities.
Allergies and sensitivities can cause dizziness, seizures, paranoia, eczema, headaches, and more. If you have any type of reaction going on that is bothering you, it may be a sensitivity issue.
So, how do you find the food or foods that are causing the sensitivity? It’s not always easy, and often you have to test by elimination.
Elimination Diet Steps
There are certain foods that we know cause more issues than others, so you want to get rid of those first.
* Nightshades – This includes potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, tomatillos and goji berries. Nightshades cause inflammation in some people. They can cause bloating, diarrhea, gas, joint pain, headaches, and even depression.
* Sugar – Table sugar in all its forms (coconut, white, brown and so forth) has either no or nearly no nutritional value whatsoever when consumed in normal serving sizes. All it offers is more calories and empty carbohydrate. While it can be a source of energy, the crash that comes after more than cancels out any value in eating it. Plus, for some people sugar can cause severe fatigue, feed cancer, and contribute to diabetes.
* Overt Fat – Fat that is not found naturally in plants is not good for you. Even cold pressed olive oil has as much saturated fat as chicken. Eating fat found naturally in the whole food, such as an avocado, is okay but eating fat that’s been processed out of a plant is not healthy and can cause a whole host of problems, from excess weight to high blood sugar and heartburn.
* Salt – While we all need a little salt and iodine for health, most of the time if you eat enough raw plants you’ll automatically get your quota without even trying. Too much salt causes high blood pressure, bloating, and general discomfort.
* Soy – Other than when it comes to food sensitivities, soy is relatively healthy. However, those who have issues with soy can have an increased incidence of skin problems and asthma.
* Nuts and Seeds – All nuts and seeds have a lot of fat, and are very prone to cause problems with people who have sensitivities. Some nut allergies are so bad that they can cause death. If you have stomach issues and eat nuts, eliminate them first.
* Meat and Fish – A lot of people have trouble digesting meat and fish. It can cause constipation, skin issues and other problems for those who are sensitive. If you have bumps on the back of your arms, this is likely caused by meat.
* Dairy – There isn’t enough room to note all the issues with dairy. This should be the first food eliminated on any elimination diet. Acne, eczema, stomach issues and more can all be made worse by dairy.
* Fake Food – Fake sugar, fake fat, processed food is rife with problems that can contribute to a multitude of health issues from headaches, to skin rashes, to stomach problems and more. If you can’t pick it, you shouldn’t eat it on an elimination diet.
* All Beverages – When you’re on an elimination diet, your only beverage should be water.
* Chocolate – As much as we love it, chocolate is actually an allergen for many people and can cause stomach issues, headaches, heart palpitations and more.
Try to eliminate all these foods first, for at least 21 days. You can try one at a time, 21 days each, or do all of them at once – adding back each item one at a time every 21 days to find out what causes a reaction.
Types of detox diets
There are more types of detoxes than we can list, but these are some of the most healthful and popular.
* Juice Detox – This is literally what it sounds like. You make homemade juices from plants like peaches, cucumbers, and apples. You can even add greens to your juices to make them even more healthful.
* Water Detox – A water detox is exactly what it sounds like. You fast and drink nothing but water. This is a difficult detox to do but one that, under the right circumstances, can be very helpful to figure out what is causing problems.
* Plant-Based Detox – Eating a whole food plant-based diet can work as a detox without having to suffer deprivation. Simply eat plants without a lot of additives, fat, sugar or salt, and you will reap the benefits.
* Raw Food Detox – This is also what it sounds like, but it doesn’t include raw eggs or meat. However, do eat raw plants, fruit, veggies, berries, and in some cases even honey. Enjoy these foods to your heart’s content.
* Elimination Detox – Cut out the foods you think are causing the problem such as dairy, gluten, fat, sugar, salt and so forth until you find the culprit. Remember, sometimes the culprit is a combination of ingredients, so don’t start adding things back until you figure out what it is. Then add food back slowly.
Detoxes can be a very important part of determine what is causing your symptoms. If you have skin rashes, headaches, general fatigue, body pain, acne and other issues, trying a detox is important. If you do have diagnosed illnesses such as psoriasis, fibromyalgia, diabetes, and even cancer, a detox can make a huge difference in your life. Check with your doctor before starting your detox, though.
Try an elimination diet first, and then get stricter until you figure out what is causing your issues.
What can juicing do for me?
Juicing means that you extract the juice from fruits and veggies to make a very potent and healthy drink sans fiber, so that your digestive system can rest.
The resting of your digestive system while still ingesting an enormous amount of vitamins and minerals is very powerful for generating healing on your body. Your body gets the same benefits of water fasting without starvation. Sometimes starvation is good, believe it or not, but in most cases you can heal yourself without going that far with a juice fast.
Many people who juice for at least three days experience:
* Higher mental clarity – If you find yourself feeling cloudy sometimes, juicing will increase your mental alertness.
* Weight loss – Push yourself off a plateau or jump-start your weight loss journey.
* Elimination of addictions – If you find it hard to say no, going “cold turkey” will help you get a handle on your addictions.
* Better hair – More vitamins mean glossier and better hair that grows faster.
* Improved skin – Many people eliminate acne and even psoriasis with a juice fast.
* Brighter eyes – Regular juicers seem to have whiter eyes than those who don’t.
* Lowered blood pressure – If you have issues with high blood pressure, a juice fast can eliminate stress on your organs and decrease your blood pressure.
The benefits of juicing correlate to the length of time you choose to juice. It’s important to be mindful of how you feel during the experience to ensure that you’re not having any symptoms of danger. Some people who have underlying health issues that they did not know about, will realize it during a juice. This can include hypoglycemia. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to how you feel, and don’t be afraid to break your fast earlier than you planned with fresh fruit or dates.
To experience the best benefits from the juice fast, juice only organic produce, in a masticating juicer that will not heat up the juice past 105 degrees Fahrenheit. You want it to stay cold or room temperature in order to keep the active digestive enzymes working. The sooner you drink the juice after preparing, the more benefits you’ll receive from it.
Benefits of detoxing
* More Energy – When you detox your body and get rid of all the sludge that’s holding you down and making you feel heavy and sluggish, you’ll feel more energetic than ever. Usually it takes at least a three-day cleanse to get these benefits, so don’t expect one day to make it work. Shoot for at least three days.
* Emotional Release – During a detox, when you are restricting your diet severely, you have less opportunity to drag yourself out of thoughts that make you think. This will often cause pent-up emotions to be released. It’s shocking how food acts as a drug on your body to hide your emotions.
* Less Anxiety – After experiencing an emotional release, you’ll start to feel less anxious about your life and the things that happen in it. You’ll realize how much you really do control different aspects of your life.
* Feeling More Connected – Getting in touch with nature can make you feel connected to the physical world and to other humans on a whole new level. You’ll increase your connection to the earth, and that will make everything better.
* More Control – The act of putting yourself through a detox may seem impossible, but if you take it one day at a time you’ll make it through. You’ll learn that you have so much more control over yourself than you ever thought possible.
You can reap all these benefits and more detoxing your body. There are many types of detoxes you can try, and you’ll have to decide which one best addresses your issues. But pretty much all of them will give you these benefits.
How massage can assist with detox
Massage is a tried-and-true method of eliminating toxins from your body, pushing them through your lymphatic system.
Your lymphatic fluid system is essential to your good health. It works directly in concert with your cardiovascular system. When you get a massage, the rhythmic pressure and movements work to push things through the system faster. This is good because if your system becomes sluggish for some reason such as illness, it will make you feel worse. A good massage can help you get well faster.
Massage can assist with:
* Chronic Pain – Many people report less pain when getting regular massage. It’s one reason chiropractors have added massage to their services. Massage is a proven way to help loosen muscles, push toxins through your system, and make you feel better almost immediately.
* Muscle Pain from Exercise – When you exercise, toxins can get stopped up and stored in your joints and muscles. Getting a post-workout massage can help avoid that tight feeling you sometimes get after a lot of exercise. This is why sports professionals get a lot of massages.
* Colds – Even allergies can be lessened with regular massage. Certain types of massages can clear sinus cavities and passageways, making it easier for you to breathe. This in turn helps you sleep better at night and get well sooner if you have a cold.
* Puffiness and Swelling – Most of the time puffiness and swelling has to do with being dehydrated, but it can also be due to a build-up of toxins. Drink a lot of water before your massage to help clear your system even faster.
* Fatigue – If you find that you’re tired a lot, it may be due to a build-up of toxins in your body that is preventing you from getting a sound night’s sleep. A massage as close to bedtime as you can manage will help you sleep better at night. And, sleeping better will give you more energy.
* Headaches – Most headaches are caused by tension and if you think about it, tension is a type of toxin that you don’t want to have inside your body. A good massage will help you release all that tension and thus help you lower incidents of headaches.
For some people, the idea that they have toxins in their body making them sick seems ridiculous. But, for those who practice regular body detoxes via juices, water fasting, or eating clean – along with regular therapeutic massages – it’s a magical experience. If you want to be serious about detoxing your body, adding massage will help.
Why water is your most important beverage
Hey, it’s understandable that you want to drink tasty beverages like soda, tea, alcohol and other flavored beverages – especially those with a lot of sugar and fizziness in them… but the truth is, this is the worst thing you can do with your health. These things may taste good (but do they really?) but the long-term effects are bad.
Think about this: every cell, organ and tissue in your body uses water. You can go a lot longer without food than you can water, and still live. Water is as important as blood to your survival. Thankfully you can get water into your body in a variety of ways, but nothing is as good as some good, filtered tap water.
Many of us are so used to ignoring our thirst that we no longer even notice the signs that we are becoming dehydrated.
If you…
* Have dark urine
* Little urine
* Dry mouth
* Fatigue
* Thirst
* Hunger when you’ve eaten
* Headache
* Confusion
* Light-headedness
* Lack of tears
…you may be either dehydrated or getting close to being dehydrated. If you’ve been ignoring your need for water and hydration for some time (maybe years), it’s very important that you start measuring what is going in.
Measure It
Purposely drink 64 ounces of fresh water each day. Get a big glass and fill it up in the morning, and make sure you drink all the 64 ounces by the end of the day. Keep water with you at all times. In reality, 64 ounces is not that much. It’s only about 1/2 of a gallon of fluid. Ensure that you get this minimum amount for at least seven days before trying to add more, so that your body can adjust.
Eat Fluid-Rich Foods
Fruit and vegetables have a lot of fluid in them. The more of these you eat, technically the less water you have to drink to get your minimum hydration. But, if you keep drinking the 64 ounces of water, plus water-rich fruit and vegetables, you’re going to be that much more hydrated and feel even better.
As you get used to being fully hydrated, you’re going to start notice that your thirst comes sooner than it did in the past. Do not ignore it. Drink when you’re thirsty so that you can stay hydrated, and the cells in your body will stay healthier and function better.
Seven reasons to eliminate caffeine
In addition to a big cause of dehydration, you’ve probably heard all the reasons in the past about why caffeine is not good for you. Yet, most people have an addiction to caffeine – hence the high sales of almost any coffee shop that opens. But is it really that bad? In short, yes.
Eliminating caffeine will:
1. Reduce Hunger – Some people think that caffeine is an appetite reducer, but the truth is most people drink their caffeine with a lot of sugar and dairy products (fat), which is a hunger stimulant. Drink less coffee, and you’ll be less hungry.
2. Improve Sleep Quality – You may not even realize that your morning cup of coffee is affecting your night-time sleep, but it is. Numerous studies have shown that even one cup of coffee or one soda with caffeine changes your quality of sleep at night.
3. Lessen Anxiety – Caffeine can make you feel extra anxiety. If you drink even one cup a day or one serving of caffeine in other forms (like hot chocolate, soda, or worse, an energy drink) and you have any stressful moments in your day, they’ll be worse and more likely to bring anxiety to your day.
4. Reduce the Risk of Early Death – People who drink a lot of caffeine, especially teenagers, may even have a greater chance of dying young. The reason is that most people who drink beverages with caffeine have no idea that they can overdose on caffeine. It’s best to avoid it entirely.
5. Lower Blood Pressure – Since caffeine is a stimulant, it can make you have high blood pressure. By stopping the use of caffeine, you can lower your blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke.
6. Help Prevent Gout – This disease is caused by an overabundance of uric acid in the blood, which can cause very painful deposits of stones that manifest as painful gout in the joints, especially the knees and toes. This hurts very badly. Not drinking caffeine may help stop gout from developing.
7. Stop Heartburn – One of the biggest causes of heartburn and indigestion is what you put into your body, and caffeine is a big cause of this condition. Most people who eliminate tea, coffee, hot chocolate, soda and other caffeinated beverages from their diet get rid of heartburn quickly.
In addition, too much caffeine can lead to dehydration because people tend to substitute these highly sweet, sugary and caffeinated beverages for water. Aim to slowly cut down on your caffeine ingestion over time, because if you stop it suddenly you will experience horrible withdrawal.
Detoxing with exercise
If you are in the middle of a detox diet, it’s essential that you still keep exercising. However, the type of exercise you do should take into consideration the kind of detox you’re doing.
* Water Detox – You don’t want to move around too much and use up too many calories. So, the best exercise to do while water fasting is to do easy stretching exercises and posing exercises like yoga. The reason is that you will not have enough energy to do much more. But, you want to avoid too much muscle loss, so incorporate some very careful resistance moves using bands, or your own body such as planks.
* Raw Food Detox – The great thing about the raw food diet is that you do not need to slow down the type of exercise you do. In fact, you should be able to work out harder than ever. Consider bike riding, rowing, rebounding, and pretty much any type of exercise. Don’t forget to hydrate in advance and after.
* High Carb Plant Based – This diet incorporates a lot of cooked starches, and you will need to burn off the extra calories you may ingest. You’ll have a lot of energy, so you can do anything during this type of detox. Perform exercises that make you sweat for extra results.
* Juice Detox – When you do a juice detox you will still be eating enough calories to exercise. However, you may experience some measure of weakness so you should be careful about the type of exercise you do until you’re sure about how the juice detox will affect you. Try careful exercises like walking, stretching and swimming.
Even if you aren’t doing a specific diet detox for your body, you can use exercise to help detox by doing work that make you sweat. Stay hydrated the entire time before, during and after the exercise, and make sure that you listen to your body as you work hard enough to sweat. Take a shower after to wash all the toxins away and off your body to avoid rashes associated with sweat.
Detoxing your body is good for you, will improve your health, and make you feel great. You can get started today.
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