How To Detox Your Body For Better Health

By Sandy Halliday

It is a must to detox your body these days. A detox program enables you to cleanse your body of harmful chemicals that build up and result in many different diseases. Cancer, Parkinson’s Disease, heart disease, high blood pressure, lung disease, kidney problems, and fatty liver deposits are just a few of the conditions that have been blamed on toxins.

Harmful toxins come from our environment – pollutants from the air we breathe, the water we drink and the products we apply to our skin.  The food we eat is also a source of toxins, like the pesticides that are used in the vegetables and the hormones, antibiotics and other medicines that are injected in the meat and poultry. These are just some of the sources of harmful toxins that enter our bodies.

Although your body has its own detoxification system it cannot cope with the amount of chemicals that we are bombarded with every day. This is a major reason why it is a good idea to take steps to detox your body, to get rid of these harmful substances and eventually optimize your health and well being.

To detox your body, it is important remember that the goal is to help the body in its natural function to detoxify and eliminate toxins via the bowel, the urine and sweat. Planning to detox your body will mean undergoing a special diet regimen that will help support the detox organs.

This diet should include:

• High fiber – fiber provides bulk in the stools, prevents constipation and promotes regular bowel movements. Dietary fiber helps to prevent diabetes, lowers blood cholesterol and risk of heart disease. It also gets rid of harmful toxins which cause colon cancer. 
  

• Organically grown fresh fruits and vegetables

• Foods which are rich in vitamins and minerals that are needed for detoxification and a great source of antioxidants that acts as the body’s cleansing agent.

• Increased consumption of clean pure water to help the kidneys flush out toxins.

The ideal way to detox your body is to start avoiding sugar, processed foods, junk food, fatty food, red meat and alcohol. You should also gradually reduce coffee if you drink a lot of it and replace with herbal teas, green or white tea and pure water.

At the same time you should increase your intake of fresh fruit, vegetables, salads, whole grains, beans and lentils. Then, you can start a week of more intensive detox. Eating abundantly foods that are fresh and organically grown, consume lots of fluid, and avoid eating processed food.

Contrary to what you may think you don’t have to starve yourself or eat unusual foods when you detox your body. Simply changing the way you eat will give your detox system a chance to work better.

Discover more about how to detox your body in The Definitive Detox Diet Plan  by nutritionist Sandy Halliday. She recovered her own health with detox and has coached clients to achieve their health goals for over 20 years.

Detox Yoga | 20 Minute Yoga Flow for Detox and Digestion

Great video - take a look and try it at home!

Detox Cleanse - 5 Reasons Why Everyone Should Cleanse

By Patricia Sand

Cleanses seem to be all the rage these days. Just what is a detox cleanse and why should you be interested?

The main reason to do a detox cleanse is to rid your body of the toxins that have accumulated over the years. These toxins come from the environment, prescription medicines, stress and physical trauma, and poor eating habits. When your body is overloaded with more toxins then it can effectively eliminate on its own, they deposit in your tissues as acid waste. Medical science has demonstrated that it is this acid waste that is the root cause of a variety of illnesses and disease. So, the more acid waste you have in your body, the more likely you are to be unhealthy and overweight.

Modern Fad or Ancient Health Secret

Detoxifying cleanses have been around for thousands of years. References to colon cleansing have been found in ancient Egyptian and Greek medical documents going as far back as 3,000 years. References can also be found on ancient Babylonian and Assyrian tablets, in Hindu medical texts and ancient Roman books. The use of an enema was also popular to rid the colon and intestinal tract of poisons and intestinal worms.

Whereas the ancient Chinese were masters of the use of therapeutic juices and juice fasts. They understood how certain fruits and vegetables could be used to cleanse and support specific organ functions.

Today, the value of a good house cleaning is starting to become understood by the modern Western Medical Community. The practice is employed by many alternative health practitioners. While not the primary purpose of a Colonoscopy, one of the results is a good clean out.

Detox Cleanse - 5 Health Benefits

Detox cleanses come in many forms. Whether it be a 7 day juice fast, 3 day herbal tonic detox, 10 day green smoothie cleanse, or 6 week whole food cleanse, they all share the same goals - to cleanse the body of toxins and improve health and vitality. 

While there are many health benefits of doing a detox cleanse, I am going to focus on 5 of the major ones.

1. Neutralize Acid - Our physical health and vitality is dependent on maintaining the body's delicate pH balance. This is the ratio between the acid and alkaline content of our blood and tissues. Ideally, that ratio should be between 7.35 and 7.45, which is neutral on the pH scale. Today, a lot of our health problems stem from our poor Standard American Diet, which is highly acid-forming. This means that the food we are eating is causing an acid waste buildup in our bodies that is making us sick and fat. A detox cleanse is a great way to flush these excess toxins and make your body more alkaline.


2. Strengthen Your Immune System - The more toxic you are, the harder your immune system has to work. As acid waste builds, your immune system becomes more suppressed until it can no longer fight off the toxic invasion. You get sick as a result. You become more susceptible to colds, flu and allergies. If the acid buildup continues, you are more likely to experience more serious diseases such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, osteoporosis, digestive issues, and cancer. Once the acid waste is neutralized, your immune system can regain the strength it needs to keep you healthy.


3. Rest and Heal Digestive System - Most of the Standard American Diet is based on bad food combinations. Did you know that the enzymes needed to digest protein are secreted in the stomach? And that the enzymes necessary to digest carbohydrates are secreted in the mouth? Or that once the carb enzymes from your mouth reach your stomach they prevent the secretion of the protein enzymes? So while the carbs are digesting, what do think happens to that protein? Leave meat in a dark, damp, warm place and what happens? It rots creating toxic gas. Think cheeseburger, pizza, turkey club or those popular breakfast sandwiches. While your system is working hard to digest this impossible combination, your organs are battling all of the resulting acid waste. Your digestive system will thank you for even 1 day off.


4. Increased Energy and Vitality - Being overloaded with toxins puts a lot of stress on your body. When your body is in an acute state of stress it secretes the hormones cortisol and adrenaline to protect itself. If this condition lasts long enough, your energy reserves become depleted making you sick and tired. If you are tired all of the time, this could be the reason why. Once all of the excess acid waste is cleansed, your body will return to a natural state of health and vitality. The energy your body normally dedicates to digestion will also be available.


5. Stimulate Weight Loss - Losing weight is almost impossible if your body is overloaded with toxins. In order to protect its vital organs, your body stores excess toxins in fat cells. The more toxic or acidic you are, the more fat you need. So in order to burn fat, you need to cleanse your body of toxins. A detox cleanse does just that. Once the toxins are gone, all of that storage fat becomes unnecessary making it easier for you to lose weight.

Conclusion

Doing a cleanse is a great way to begin a new diet or health regime. Once you rid your body of its toxin accumulation, it's easier to take stock of where you are at and what you need to focus on to improve your health and wellness. Of course, the lifestyle choices you make once the cleanse is over will be the determining factor. Now that you feel energized and rejuvenated, you will want to pursue eating regimes that help you maintain your body's optimal pH balance.

My name is Patricia Sand. I experienced a lot of health problems in my early years and discovered that I was somewhat "allergic' to modern Western medicine. My body does not tolerate most pharmaceutical preparations, including pain killers and antibiotics. As a result, I began a lifelong journey to discover alternate ways to heal myself. I became a Reiki Master and a Signature Cell Healing Practitioner and studied many alternative healing practices. What I have discovered is that we have a lot more control over our physical circumstances than many health practitioners would have us believe. We are not a slave to our genes and family history. Now my purpose is to help others by sharing what I have learned. I write about how to improve health and vitality by maintaining an alkaline lifestyle at http://www.healthyalkalinediet.com and about how to improve and maintain good health through diet and exercise at http://www.exerciseprogramreviews.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Patricia_Sand/895845

3 Powerful Foods To Detox Your Liver Naturally

By Jessica Ann

Liver detox is a practice that has gained increased traction in the past few years. But are you wondering why detoxing the liver is so important? A few key reasons why detoxing the liver is beneficial: the liver is the detox powerhouse of the body. Having a healthy liver means a cleaner, healthier body, feeling and looking younger, revved up energy levels and an overall feeling of well-being. Optimizing your liver function aids in weight loss, now that's a plus!

Your liver does a lot of work on a daily basis, so it's important we include foods that stimulate specific liver enzymes to enhance its detoxification process. There are many natural things you can do to keep a healthy liver such as drinking various teas like dandelion root and milk thistle. It's important to always consult with your health care practitioner before beginning and cleansing protocols.

I want to share a few foods in season this spring that can help keep your liver healthy, naturally.

1. Asparagus - Asparagus cooks quickly and goes well with almost any meal - saute it, steam it, grill it, or roast it. It's packed with antioxidants and natural cleansing abilities - so toss some in your morning omelet or use it as a side dish at dinner.

2. Avocados - Avocado is another powerhouse that is easily added to nearly any meal. Use it in your salads, use it to make sauces such as guacamole, and even use it to make a chocolate avocado mousse that you don't have to feel guilty over!

3. Lemons - The oils in the skin of the lemon are a source of a phytonutrient that can help boost the cleansing processes of the liver. Lemons are fantastic for healthy digestion, an immune boost with the Vitamin C content, and another option that's easily added to your daily life. Squeeze lemon in your water, drizzle on top of your salad or cook your veggies in lemon juice.

Naturally cleansing your body can be something you do on a daily basis with foods such as these. Think about which of these three foods you can make a regular part of your daily life. Consider how you might incorporate them into your day. For example: I personally love to add lemon to my water first thing in the morning and drink a cup of dandelion tea at least 2-3 times per week. In the back of my mind I always think, "how can I add more vegetables to my day?" When asparagus is on sale you can bet I will be grabbing a few bundles and enjoying it for the next few days. Do your best to include healthy foods that support your body, you will feel much better for it and your liver will be happy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jessica_Ann/2408358