Gentle Detox ~ Getting ready for the Detox

Your body is like a sponge, it can soak up small amounts of just about everything it’s exposed to. From air and water pollution to additives in our food, personal care items and home care products and unhealthy lifestyle choices, your body is flooded with toxins on a daily basis.

Even if you lead a “clean” a life your body can show evidence of accumulated toxicity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted the Fourth National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals, the most comprehensive assessment yet of Americans’ exposure to environmental chemicals, they found around 212 chemicals in people’s blood or urine.
These chemicals and toxins are outside irritants to the body. Inflammation is the body's natural response to injury and outside irritants. When irritants don’t let up, due to diet, lifestyle choices, or too much body fat, as an example , the immune system goes into

overload and spirals out of control. This can cause Chronic Inflammation. Scientists have linked heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, stroke and cancer to chronic inflammation, and they are studying how high-fat foods and excess body weight may increase the risk for these disorders.

Experts say when inflammation becomes chronic it can damage heart valves and brain cells, trigger strokes, and promote resistance to insulin, which leads to diabetes. It also is associated with the development of cancer and various forms of arthritis.

A detox can help your body to rid itself of some of these toxins, naturally, while also giving your body a chance to rest, repair and regroup. Your liver, kidneys, lymphatic system, blood, bowel, and skin, help your body process and eliminate chemicals in your sweat, urine and feces. Detoxing can help to support and enhance this natural process.

Using detoxification diets as a way to help the body to rid itself of unhealthy toxins, has been around for centuries. Hippocrates recommended fasting to improve health. In many cultures, including Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, detoxification has been used to improve skin problems, ease digestion and pain, and boost energy levels while promoting the body’s own inherent healing potential. A good detox diet can do all of these things plus give your body what it needs to heal.

The week before beginning a detoxification diet there are some things you can do to help prepare the body for the detoxification process.

1. There are foods can interfere with the liver's ability to detoxify your body. For 5 to 7days leading up to your detox diet, try to eliminate alcohol, sugar, dairy, refined carbohydrates, artificial sweeteners, trans fats, and packaged, boxed, canned or fast food.

2. If you drink caffeinated beverages on a regular basis, you may experience headaches, tiredness and other caffeine withdrawal symptoms. Here are some tips on how to prevent it: Start to gradually decrease your caffeine intake prior to starting the diet. Try switching to lower-caffeine green tea, white or oolong tea.

 3. Your body needs plenty of water during a detox diet. Drinking lots of water keeps you hydrated and may help flush out toxins. During the week prior to starting your detox start adding more water to your daily intake. By end of the preparation week, try to be drinking at least 8oz a day of filtered water. Check out my Vitamin Fruit Water Recipes for delicious ways to flavor your water naturally. Also start you day with a lukewarm cup of filtered water with lemon in the morning.

4. Do not stop taking any prescription medications while on a detox diet. Discontinuing certain medications can have serious, possibly life-threatening consequences. If you have any health concerns please consult your physician.

Side effects of Detoxing ~ As your body releases toxins stored in its tissues, those toxins are released into the bloodstream and may cause any combination of a number of side effects such as rashes, head and body aches, foul breath, body odor, insomnia, mood swings, diarrhea, constipation and flu-like symptoms. Be prepared for these symptoms.