Detoxing. Cleansing. It’s all so confusing. The question I want to answer is, “is it even healthy, needed and effective to achieve to detox for lasting health?” To sum it up even more, why detox?
The unfortunate reality is that we live in a toxic environment. We can’t escape it even though I too want to believe that I’m clean and otherwise healthy. And to be frank, I agree the world doesn’t need another detox, cleanse or quick fix to add to all of the problems we complain about.
So, why do we need to detox or cleanse out body? We all have a true physiological need to clean house and detoxing can actually lead to a more satisfied, healthy life. Don’t worry this isn’t another pitch for a juice detox, a shot of dark mucky stuff you have to choke down or simply starving yourself with the promise that this is that thing. You know that ONE thing that is going to change everything?
It’s time to end the lies, gimmicks and other false promises on the market telling us it’s as easy as not eating, becoming BFF’s with the bathroom and taking a handful of pills…every hour. Let’s shout it from the rooftops: THERE IS A BETTER WAY AND IT REQUIRES YOU TO BE WELL FED!
Wait did she just put food, good food and detoxing in the same sentence? It can’t be true.
This my friend is what I call the new way to detox and it is hitting the streets never to turn back again. If you’re already with me and believe that yes, we all need to detox even if you’re only eating from your own garden I’d encourage you to download the Simple Detox Guide full of additional tips, tricks, hacks and delicious recipes to keep that ball rolling.
If you are ready to keep digging in to the answer to why we need to detox and check in to see if your toxic then lets keep going.
Toxins – What Are They?
When you hear the word detox, it’s not uncommon to have your mind be flooded of thoughts of supplements, wheatgrass enemas, and just another new-aged, celebrity-based fad. What I’m really referring to when we talk detox is just our body’s way of getting rid of the waste, also known as detoxification.
A toxin is summed up pretty simply. It’s anything that damages your body. Toxins come from a multitude of different areas in our life but can be broken down into six categories:
- Exposure to heavy metals, petrochemicals, residues, pesticides, and fertilizers.
- Food allergies and sensitivities, environmental allergens, molds and toxins.
- Eating the standard American diet.
- Emotional and Spiritual toxins.
- Medications can sometimes become toxins – although also necessary at times.
- Internal Toxins – Bacteria, Fungus, yeast as well as hormone and metabolic toxins we need to eliminate.
That’s a lot of toxins.
Obviously we’re constantly being exposed to toxins and it is worse if you live near a heavy polluted area, someplace they are spraying pesticides (hello my home state of Iowa), eating poor quality foods, drink unfiltered water or live or work in a moldy environment.
In other words, everyday there is a certain amount of body cleansing you must do depending on a number of different variables. And so, detoxification is an essential part of life. Without it over time we build up a clog which leads to sickness, poor functioning systems throughout our body and in the end disease and possibly death.
This is the reality that we are all faced with.
Even more frightening is the toxic load on newborn babies. According to the Environmental Working Group, the average newborn baby has 287 known toxins in his or her umbilical cord blood. Given that this is the one point in our life when we’re suppose to start pure, fresh, and completely clean, one can only imagine how many toxins we build up over time.
This leads us back to that pesky clog. Also known as the most unflattering way to say that we’re backed up. No, not just with number two although for some us that could be the case, but metabolically, physiologically, and mentally backed up. We’re clogged.
SIGH.
But things are looking up, I promise.
How To Get Rid of The Clog
Now that we can all agree that our bodies are the next thing to a toxic waste dump we can move on to better things and that is changing this. I mean it’s kind of offensive to be called a toxic dump.
But one thing I know is that none of us intended or deliberately clogged our bodies up.
I mean who wants to be sick, overweight, moody or tired?
NO ONE!
So that just means it’s time to take steps in the right direction to clean up the mess.
You see the thing about toxins and our bodies is that we’re all unique. So whether we are feeling the effects or even understand the effects all of us are affected to some degree. The difficult part to assess is how each of us are genetically and biochemically unique. Some of us tend to be really good at getting rid of toxins why others have a much harder time.
The unique factor about our body that research is just now beginning to piece together is how everything is all interrelated. Let’s be honest, if we look closely, we didn’t need science to tell us that. We are just ONE big system. A cycle, a collaboration of wires that are all connected to the same circuit.
In knowing this, one thing we have to stop doing and believing is that each system is unique and functions on its own. While it appears that way on the outside what we now know is all of the systems in our bodies are interrelated. When one goes faulty, something else has to pick up the slack and when that gets fatigued, it runs out of steam and we’re down another process and the vicious cycle continues.
This is why we must clean out that clog and get rid of the junk that is backing us up. It prevents toxicity which is essentially just the point at which our body reaches its toxic load. So the issue becomes increasing our body’s natural detoxification pathways by providing the essential and necessary nutrients, living the right lifestyle (aka sleep and movement) that allow lasting healing and restoration all while minimizing exposure to toxins.
No pressure. Nope none at all.
Honestly it’s not as hard as you think. Here are seven steps to get started today:
- Identify and get rid of toxins.
- Fix your GI tract.
- Get moving.
- Get your liver and detox systems working.
- Detox your mind.
- Sleep.
- Be well fed
Now that you have action to take, I wanted to dig deeper into the last step, be well fed. This is important to note as it is kind of twisted from what you normally think of as a detox diet. But who’s kidding when most cleanses shoot for the moon only to end up falling into the pit of deprivation, starvation and restriction and leave you without much energy left to climb out of the pit, let alone make progress.
The problem is that this is also the same advice that modern diets lead us to believe. They teach you that calories matter more than anything else, which we have to understand, grasp and cling to the fact that this is absolutely FALSE. It is not, nor has it ever been about the effort just to eat less. Instead we have to go back to quality and the life-giving nutrients that you can achieve from the food you put in your body.
It’s important to take note that deprivation, starvation and calorie restriction only make things worse. This is a short-term solution to a long-term problem.
On the other hand, efficiency, also known as having a healthy metabolism or good working system (and that is just one system) all comes from being well fed on quality foods.
Tweet it and believe it:
[Tweet “Quality matters more than quantity every single time.”]
So there you have it, seven very practical, realistic and attainable solutions to clean the inter-workings of your body so it no longer has to be backed up. Just think for a second what it would feel like to be efficient, have a good metabolism, lasting energy, an enjoyment for life and a desire to eat healthy all without pain?
Not to mention, doing these simple things can prevent the catastrophic spiral out of control when the system backs up and overflows toxins all over your body. This happens when our detox system gets overwhelmed and overloaded. It is also the equation for how we get sick, overweight and develop annoying symptoms we can’t seem to shake living the life we are.
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the simple detox guide
9 Signs You’re Toxic
So now it’s time to do a little body check and see if we have any signs that we are toxic and if it’s time to start thinking about a cleanse.
1. You suffer from constant fatigue
Fess up, if you’re the person who can’t make it through the day without your caffeine fix, find yourself sluggish in the afternoon, your mind stops working at 5:00 pm (or even worse 10 am), think of naps daily and you dread working out, it’s time to think about the new way to detox. Unless your growing a little one, the need for naps should be few and far between.
2. You’ve put on a few pounds, hit a plateau or simply can’t get any weight to budge
It’s not uncommon to have stubborn unfriendly weight creep on when your body is in a state of overflow. Plus, a safe storing house of toxins your body hasn’t been able to clear or keep up with clearing is your adipose tissue. The prime dumping grounds for toxic build-up.
3. Bad breath and body odor
Excess bacteria can come out in bad smells. This bacteria isn’t necessarily harmful it’s just out of balance and has built up overtime. This is the type of odor deodorant or five pieces of gum doesn’t help mask.
4. Sensitivity to scents, lights and sounds
Do the smells, bright lights and excess chaos that is going on around you can make you feel nauseous, give you a headache or make you want to run back to bed and cover your head with a pillow? This can mean multiple things but one being your body is an overstressed and overstimulated state leading to external symptoms and problems.
5. Aches and pains
Achy joints or muscle soreness that occur whether you work out or not is a sign of lactic acid build-up and an increase in inflammation settling around your joints. You’ve probably guessed it, this is all a part of the clog as well. The good news, a simple detox can clear the path getting rid of these pesky pains.
6. Skin reactions
Anything from aches, to eczema, dandruff and even dry and oily skin is a good indicator of what is happening internally. Given that our skin is our largest organ it also happens to be one of the best indicators of how our body is functioning. If it isn’t looking good on the outside you can almost guarantee the inside is just as rough.
7. Insomnia
Sleeping is the power hours of cleaning and rejuvenating. We could even say your body works harder during the sleeping hours than it does during the day. If you’re not reaching deep sleep you can guarantee that your body is not getting rid of the junk and the clog sets in. Sleep is critical but as the vicious cycle unfolds if you’re not getting enough sleep, the clog builds which makes it harder to reach deep sleep and you can see how this continues.
8. Mood swings
Plagued by highs and lows and wondering what happened to the person you used to be? Trust me, between the mental fog and annoying little headaches, moodiness and irritation are a common symptom of brain overwhelm. Toxic build-up in the brain shortens your fuse leading you to blow up at any and all times throughout the day.
9. GI distress and constipation
The could range from heartburn, bloating, constipation and even irritable bowl. If you’re not digesting you’re allowing more toxins in and more toxins means a more fatigued system. Good GI movement is a critical indicator of the health status of your body. This also means going number two is essential and totally not gross at all.
So, do you need a detox?
The reasons we need to detox are apparent. We live in a dirty environment with no way to escape it. This junk builds up inside of us creating the clog that eventually causes us to reach our toxic load or the point in which your body can no longer keep up with the toxins that are coming in. Toxic load is when we start to see the small, annoying symptoms creep into our life. The ones we could shrug off, forget or tell ourselves aren’t really that big of a deal.
We can only ignore them for so long before fat stores build (in most of us), illness appear, and inflammation takes root, all eventually leading to a host of diseases, some in which we can never overcome. Toxins in your body are serious business. The process of detoxification is not one to take lightly.
It is a real thing and quite essential for lasting health.
So the question is no longer why detox, but why not?
If done in the right way, with the right nutrient profile, lifestyle modifications and correct mindset, this could be the greatest leap you’ve ever taken for your health. What is even better is finding a system that doesn’t just look at the quick fix to get rid of the clog, but supplying the nutrients to build your body back up into optimal functioning, all while helping you to create lasting habits and ultimately a life you love.
You can detox for life and it will change your life but only if you choose the new way to detox.
How do you get started? I’ve put together a free guide that gives you all of my best tips on how to detox the right way. All you have to do is hit the button below and I’ll send it right to you.
