All traditional health & healing systems as well as modern, cutting edge wellness and functional / preventative medicine experts understand that the accumulation of toxins (toxic load) can lead to fatigue, weight gain, metabolic dysfunction, disorders and disease.

Cleanses, Fasting & Detox programs are holistic methods that have been used for thousands of years for supporting the health & vitality of the body. These programs, when done correctly, are effective in helping people remove toxins from the body, reduce inflammation and transition off processed foods, sugar or alcohol. The true benefit of these types of programs… are not only physical (optimize health, weight loss, energy levels), but also the healing of the body & mind and the integration of body, mind and spirit.

The more toxic your body becomes, the worse you feel and more difficult it is to lose weight.

In predictable America fashion, detox was understood by a few, then exploited by some, misunderstood, misused and misrepresented by many and demonized/dismissed by the institution it threatens.

Detoxification has been dismissed by mainstream medicine as ‘quackery’ or ‘pseudo-science’ and embraced by alternative healthcare industry who might understand the history & purpose, but are not familiar the science behind it. Both sides propagate false teachings about it and encourage a polarized stance. I found that the truth lies somewhere in between.

The human body is perfectly designed. We’ve evolved millions of years to get where we are today – we are built to be strong, healthy, resilient to certain amount of stress and toxins and not just survive, but to THRIVE!

It’s only been in the last 100 years that we’ve inundated our planet and bombarded our bodies with tens of thousands of man-made chemicals. Toxins in our environment are ubiquitous. Trying to avoid toxins (esp if you live in a city) is like trying to avoid bad 80’s music on the radio. The best you can do is turn off the radio to minimize your exposure and simultaneously strengthen your health & resilience. Unfortunately, we all go to a store, a gym or a friends’ house that will inevitably force us to hear bad 80’s music.

The purpose behind doing a detox is based on undeniable facts about excessive toxic exposure in our modern world – the quantity & quality of new toxins never before seen in human history.

The human body stores toxins in fat. Some toxins cause chaos at the cellular level (cancer), triggering immune response while others disrupt hormonal systems – all of this influences our psychology (mood & brain chemistry) and body fat (accumulation or inability to lose is hormonal) and overall health.

The science behind detox begins with a basic understanding of our body’s natural detoxification system:

Liver – the main organ of detoxification, it performs hundreds of functions and is necessary for metabolism.

Gall Bladder – stores & releases bile which is necessary for digestion and removing toxins

Kidney – Excretes waste through urine. Also involved in regulation of electrolytes, ph balance and blood pressure.

Lungs – intake of oxygen and release of carbon dioxide. Shallow & restricted breathing compromises systems

Colon – absorbs water & some nutrients and excretes waste materials. It houses trillions of bacteria necessary for optimal health

Lymph – part of the immune system, involving many structures, which processes the removal of waste materials.

Skin – absorbs & excretes toxins through sweat.

Steps for a Healthy Detox:

Your body’s natural detoxification system comes installed with an ‘auto run’ feature. Here is how you keep it running clean, efficiently and help you prevent problems of toxic overload.

1 – Drink nothing but clean water. WATER is your auto-run for health, energy & detoxification. Consider a water filter for your tap, and I dont mean a Brita. If you have babies, get a water filter for the bath. CLICK HERE to see more an extensive list of drugs in your tap water.

2 – SKIN – sweat every day. Whether it’s working out or doing something outdoors in the sun. Steam, sauna are also good. Far infrared saunas are best for detox. If you are overweight, DO NOT wear hoodies or sweatshirts when you work out.

3 – Cosmetics & Beauty Products – the insanely unnecessary amounts of harmful synthetic chemicals that are deviously marketed to and misleading women, are some of the most toxic, cancer-causing and hormone-disrupting concoctions that get into the body. Glowing, youthful skin comes from a clean diet and a functional detoxification system, especially the liver and colon.

Whatever goes ON your skin, goes IN your skin.

Choose natural, organic beauty products and especially make up, deodorant, soap and perfumes.
Check out one of my favorite sites:

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

4 – LYMPH DRAINAGE – your lymph system does not have a pump (like the heart), so movement, exercise, massage therapy and dry skin brushing encourage the removal of toxins via the lymphatic system.

5 – LUNGS - First, learn how to breath. Seriously, learn how to breath. Find a Chek practitioner, Naturopath, yoga expert or some type of holistic fitness/wellness expert who has an in-depth understanding of how respiratory mechanics and can teach you specific breathing exercises – you will love it!

6 – Get as much FRESH AIR as possible. Take some time every day to get fresh air, early mornings are best. While your at it, take time each week to do nothing but chill in nature. This will have tremendous benefits not only for your health, but in all areas of your life.

7 – You can also get plants and air filtration systems for your home and office. No matter where you live – get as much fresh air as possible.

Part 3 of How to Detox has foods that detox the body and a few more cool ideas to keep your body’s natural detoxification on auto-run.

Thanks for reading. Please comment below and let me know what you think. And if you have questions or other detox ideas, please share them…

Antonio

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