Veggie Blog

Body cleansing and detox for body and mind

What people mean by toxins

When we hear the word toxin, we often think of poison in a labeled bottle. Toxins can indeed be poisonous, but the substances we meet in everyday life, such as air pollution, tobacco smoke, alcohol and chemicals in food and household products, are not labeled that way, and we are exposed to many of them without noticing. This is the starting point of most detox plans.

So what happens when the body is loaded with pollutants? Many detox plans say that toxins block the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the body and brain, and that this makes your mind sluggish. There is no good evidence for that. If you feel exhausted after hard mental work, that is normal brain fatigue: the brain uses a lot of energy even when you are just sitting. Poor sleep, stress, dehydration and a poor diet are far more likely reasons for feeling sluggish than invisible toxins.

It is true that we do not always take good care of ourselves, and it makes sense to look after the body’s natural defenses. Your body already has its own system for getting rid of waste, which includes the liver, kidneys, lungs, skin and digestive system. You do not need a special detox to switch it on. The best thing you can do is to help these organs work well by living healthily.

A healthy diet is the safest cleanse

The safest way to “detox” is a normal healthy diet. Cut back on junk, which means alcohol, too much caffeine, fatty processed food and foods with a lot of additives, and replace it with easy-to-digest fruit and vegetables. They are rich in vitamins and give you energy, and the fiber in them supports your digestion. Fresh, cleanly prepared food is best.

Some detox plans include a short fast, with only fruit juice and herbal teas, usually under the supervision of a nutritionist or doctor. There is no good evidence that fasting removes toxins, and it can cause tiredness, headaches and low blood sugar. It is not suitable for everyone, for example during pregnancy or with diabetes, so speak to your doctor first. If you do not feel the need to fast, there is no reason to do it.

Some plans recommend supplements as well, for example fermented soy and algae powder. Fermented soy foods such as tempeh and miso can be part of a healthy diet, and algae powder may make you feel full, but there is no proof that either of them cleans the body of toxins. Supplements can also interact with medicines, so ask your doctor or pharmacist before you try them.

In the end, a healthy lifestyle is the real way to look after your body and mind: enough sleep, plenty of water, whole foods, regular exercise and little alcohol. If you feel tired or unwell for a long time, see a doctor rather than starting a detox.

When you feel drained, achy and low on energy, the idea of a detox is tempting. We are told that a cleanse will give us clearer skin, a sharper mind and a stronger immune system. It is worth knowing what actually happens in your body before you try one, because the gentlest options are also the ones with the best track record.

What does your body already do?

Detoxification is something your body does all day, every day. The liver breaks down and packages waste, the kidneys filter the blood and make urine, the intestines clear solid waste, the lungs breathe out gases, and the skin loses some waste through sweat. You do not need to “switch this on.” What you can do is avoid overloading it, and give it what it needs to work well.

Are juice and water fasts a good place to start?

Many detox plans start with a juice fast or a water fast. The idea is that giving the digestive system a rest will let the body clean itself. In reality, there is little evidence for it. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health explains that juice and detox diets can lead to a quick initial weight loss because of the very low calorie intake, but people tend to regain weight when they return to normal eating. Fasting can also cause headaches, fainting, weakness and dehydration, and drinking large amounts of water and herbal tea without food for several days can cause dangerous electrolyte imbalances.

There are other risks. Juice that has not been pasteurized can carry harmful bacteria, which is a particular problem for children, older people and anyone with a weak immune system. Some juices are high in oxalate, which can matter for people prone to kidney stones, and anyone with diabetes should not change their eating without talking to their health team. You will also see claims that you can lose 30 to 40 pounds on a 30-day juice fast, but that kind of weight loss is neither healthy nor lasting.

What helps lower the load on your body?

The simplest step is to cut back on things that put a strain on your body: cigarettes, alcohol, and too much sugar and saturated fat from fast food and processed snacks. Use household and personal care products as directed on the label and keep your home ventilated. You cannot remove every chemical from your life, and you do not need to, but the habits above make a real difference to your health.

Which gentle habits are worth trying?

Change what is on your plate. Replace packaged and fast food with whole grains, fruit, vegetables, beans and nuts, which are rich in fiber and nutrients and low in fat and sugar.

Sweat a little, if you like. Saunas are used in many cultures, and some people find them relaxing. They are not proven to remove chemicals from your cells. If you have heart disease, low blood pressure or are pregnant, ask your doctor first, and always drink water.

Try skin brushing as a pleasant routine. A soft, natural-bristle brush used on dry skin before a shower can remove dead skin cells and feel stimulating. There is no good evidence that it moves toxins or “stimulates the lymph” in a meaningful way, and you should not use it on broken or irritated skin.

Practice yoga. Gentle yoga has been linked to better mood, sleep and stress, according to the NCCIH review of yoga. Twists and stretches will not “wring out” your organs, but they do relax you and keep you moving.

What is the bottom line?

If you want to feel better, the plan is not exotic. Eat more plants, drink water, sleep, move, and limit alcohol and tobacco. Read the full NCCIH guide to detoxes and cleanses if you are considering a program. Our posts on body detox the easy way, detox herbs, balancing pH and detox and body cleansing and detox for body and mind go into more detail.

Detox 4 Women focuses on getting rid of Candida, a problem Rose had seen growing rampant among women in her practice. In doing this, she eliminates fruit and nuts permissible in her former book. She allows some animal products which I don’t agree with (all fish contains mercury and also see The China Study) and incorporates the the principles of proper food combining which I think is great. Her tone is very girlfriend’s guide and she is excited about what she’s doing which gets you excited. Her flexibility on animal products as well as red wine and chocolate might ease some people into the program who may otherwise feel overwhelmed.

Women long for the kind of beauty and health that can only come with clean cells. Yet many women find detox plans difficult to follow and are disappointed with the results. In her ten years of working privately with celebrity clients at leading Manhattan spas, Natalia Rose has discovered that traditional detox plans don’t work for adult women because their microbial balance is completely out of whack. In fact, doing the wrong kind of detox can make their symptoms even worse!

Here is the solution. Rose has formulated a very specific detox prescription for women that is easy to follow and gentle on the system, yet yields fantastic results that are both immediate and lasting. In Detox for Women, she brings you her powerful step-by-step plan that will help you shed weight, look years younger, and radiate energy in only 28 days.

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You know how it is. That special event just around the corner and you can’t fit into your designer jeans. You need a fool-proof, emergency weight-loss method that really works and works fast. So how do you safely and quickly lose those extra pounds?

Once again, renowned health pioneer and bestselling author Ann Louise Gittleman has a quick, no-strings-attached solution that is also good for you. She is always on the cutting edge of developing new methods to rejuvenate the body and facilitate weight loss and she’s done it again in The Fast Track One-Day Detox Diet. Gittleman takes the age-old method of fasting and incorporates it into a safe and healthy one-day plan that helps you lose weight fast, gets rid of toxins, and gives your body a cleansing boost to prepare it for even more weight loss down the road.

Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD., C.N.S., is the author of more than a dozen health books, including the bestselling Fat Flush Plan. Her books have sold over 3 million copies. Ann Louise has been named one of the country’s Top Ten Nutritionists by Self Magazine and has also been named a Pioneer in the 21st Century Approach to Optimum Health by Total Health for Longevity Magazine. She maintains a private practice, consults for medical establishments, contributes regularly to national magazine features, and is a popular guest on television and radio.

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The Tao of Detox: Daniel Reid’s natural way to purify the body

Most people believe that they are completely safe in their homes, or in any other place they are used to. But it may be time to think twice. Why?

Our world is no longer the planet it was a very long time ago. When civilizations were just beginning to form, there was no industrial pollution. Because of the rapid changes that have taken place in almost every part of the world, our air, water and food now carry pollutants that earlier generations never met.

Who would not want to live a long life? Very few people reach 120 years or more, and despite popular legends, people did not routinely live that long in the past either. In fact, average life expectancy today is far higher than it was a century ago, thanks to better hygiene, nutrition and medicine.

Still, modern lifestyles take a toll on the whole body. With the hectic way of life many of us have grown used to, the body takes in more alcohol, additives and pollutants than is good for it. Normally the liver and kidneys clear these substances efficiently. Detox advocates such as Reid argue that when the body cannot keep up, these chemicals stay in the body and form build ups.

According to this view, such build-ups create imbalances in the body, and over time complications may arise. You may wonder how this could happen, but the answer, Reid says, lies in everyday habits.

Look at your daily life. Many of the foods you are used to eating contain additives, and drinks like soda, coffee and alcohol are not good for you in large amounts. Smokers take in harmful substances with every cigarette, and everyone breathes in exhaust from cars, trucks and other vehicles. Some hygiene products and the side effects of medicines add to the load. Note, though, that the idea of an “acid build-up” from these sources is not supported by medical science; your body keeps its acid balance within tight limits.

With so many harmful things around us, it is no surprise that many people get sick and look for a natural way to stay well. The wish for natural healing is shared by a great many people.

A body detox, in Reid’s view, is a way to rid your body of harmful chemicals that have been inside it for some time. A healthier lifestyle and better eating habits can certainly undo some of the damage caused by unhealthy habits, although no detox can reverse it all.

There are many detox resources you can turn to for guidance on the road to a healthier life. The book The Tao of Detox: The Natural Way to Purify Your Body for Health and Longevity, written by Daniel Reid, offers a holistic approach to cleansing the body. Reid argues that we need to clean our insides just as we need to clean our environment (and the whole planet).

The book offers a way to build up and look after your own health, which Reid believes is best achieved through detoxification.

If you want to lead a healthier life, this book may be a helpful guide to detox habits and to changing an unhealthy lifestyle. Talk to your doctor before starting any strict cleanse or fast.

Book: The Tao of Detox by Daniel Reid
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