Detoxification | Everything you should know

Quite often health experts and medical doctors refer to detoxification (elimination of dangerous toxins from organism).

As toxins begin to accumulate in organism, the dysfunctions caused, may lead to health problems.

First, do we know what are the toxins ?

What is the importance of detoxification ?

How often an organism has the need of this “cleansing” ?

How detoxification relates to slimming and the loss of kilos and points ?

To understand the importance of detoxification,it is necessary to understand first what exactly toxins are, how they “enter” our organism, what they cause and how we can eliminate them.

Toxins

In general, toxins are chemicals originating either from the environment, from food, or from the water. Toxins may enter our organism- not only via our diet – but also via the air, we breathe (due to pesticides or general air pollution) or even via the skin (trans-dermal) (through the various cosmetics and other chemicals used on a daily basis).

As it’s clear, due to modern lifestyle, nowadays the need for organism’s detoxification is much greater compared to 1 century ago.

Furthermore, today’s detoxification should be more frequent, so the organism is free of all these harmful elements.

Toxins and Organism

Upon toxins entering the organism – as already mentioned – a variety of dysfunctions caused since the organism generally tries to filter the information received from its environment, to maintain the beneficial elements and to eliminate the non-beneficial elements (the toxins).

The elimination of toxins is usually done through basic physical functions of the body such as sweating, defecation, urination or even respiration.

For eliminating toxins, some important organs of the organism undertake the “filtering”. The liver and kidneys are the 2 most basic organs refining the elements and separating them into beneficial and non-beneficial.

The sweat glands, the digestive system, and even the lungs help on the removal of dangerous chemicals, so preventing their accumulation in the various tissues of body.

When toxins eventually enter the digestive system through the bloodstream, the liver and kidneys undertake their filtering.

For example, water contaminated with various chemicals is “cleaned” so is not harmful to the health and function of the organism.

Detox Diets & Weight Loss

Specialists (doctors, nutritionists, dietitians, wellness specialists, alternative therapists) will draw your attention to the importance of detoxification. Even for slimming and weight loss, detoxification is crucial. We would even say that detoxification and weight loss are in a way interrelated concepts.

This means that the central line in a detox diet (you find many of them on the internet) is the restriction from consuming any harmful food. Sugar, meat and its by-products, fats (mainly animal), salt (in large quantities), alcohol are some of the basic nutrients discarded in a detox diet.

Even drug abuse can lead to the organism accumulating toxins that in the long term are very likely to cause minor or even more serious health problems (a shocking example, the various forms of cancer).

Though we do not pay so much attention on the matter, even our daily lives are affected by the “consumption” of toxins.

Many times small & insignificant discomforts felt (headaches, bloating, discomfort, digestive disorders, and even depression) are due to poor diet and the consumption of many chemicals.

Preservatives, flavor enhancers, dyes, fats, pesticides, hormones feeding the animals consumed, as well as air pollution, cigarettes, processed foods and canned foods are increasingly charging our health.

Is there the so-called “Healthy Detoxification” as well?

Accumulation of toxins may lead to hormonal abnormalities, psychological disorders, and disorders of blood glucose levels, bad cholesterol level disorders or even poor digestive function, poor functioning of lymphatic system, serious but malignant diseases and fluctuation of body weight.

Therefore, a detoxification (detox) diet – for being healthy – should reduce all these organism parameters dramatically and enhance its proper functioning (at every level and sector).

The mistake usually made, is to find a random diet on internet and apply it without further research and control.

A detox diet (as well as a weight loss diet) cannot be appropriate for everyone.

Young children, adolescents and people with health problems should not follow detox diets without medical supervision.

The same applies to pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Finally, anyone following a detox diet should be very careful (especially if there is no prior experience).

In case of problems (unexplained fatigue, digestive disorders, headaches, nervousness, sleep disorders, psychological disorders, the diet should be discontinued at once.

Possibly a milder diet – with no strict limitations – may be more ideal for this person (something judged by a doctor or a nutritionist).

A proper detox diet – despite dietary restrictions – should make you feel stronger, more energetic, healthier, and more active.

A diet that makes you feel bad and weak is not right for you.

Hydration & Detoxification

Water is one of the most important factors for a successful detoxification (detox). The more water a person consumes per day, the easier it is to filter and eventually eliminate harmful chemicals from organism.

Sweat, urination & defecation require adequate water intake to perform properly.

Nevertheless, apart from water (being the No. 1 means of organism’s hydration); there are other extremely healthy and beneficial detox drinks.

Natural juices (fruits & vegetables), tea (mainly green tea containing many antioxidants), various herbal teas and Kombucha, are some of the basic drinks that could be added to daily diet when following a detoxification and wellness diet.

Some dietitians even suggest a glass of lukewarm water with a little squeezed lemon or a glass of lukewarm water with 2 tablespoons of honey for a dynamic breakfast start.

Water is generally recommended to be consumed lukewarm (neither too cold nor too hot) to facilitate the removal of toxins.

However, fruits and vegetables also play an important role in hydrating organism (as large part of them consists of water).

A person following a detoxification program should make sure that its diet is based mainly on the consumption of fruits & vegetables (preferably organic, i.e. with no use of pesticides or other chemical elements).

A minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day are necessary for organism to get the energy, vitamins & nutrients needed, while staying hydrated and healthy.

Foods promoting the natural elimination of toxins

Here are certain foods you definitely should include in your diet:

• water
• fruits (especially orange, grapefruit, apple, pineapple, kiwi, strawberries, figs, bananas, plums, sea buckthorn and all berries)
• vegetables (especially broccoli, peppers in all colors, leeks, artichokes, cabbage, cauliflower, beets, beans, watercress, arugula, asparagus, nettle, lettuce, sprouts Brussels, the tomato)
• legumes
• nuts
• whole grain foods
• yogurt (NOT other dairy products)
• wild rice
• soy
• eggs
• greens
• ginger
• lemon
• garlic
• onion
• green tea
• cocoa
• herbs (especially basil, turmeric, cardamom, coriander, taraxacum, parsley, oregano, thistle, burdock and valerian)
• algae
• kombucha

What I Should Watch Most to achieve Detoxification:

• drink too much water (some suggest even water with lemon)
  
• always set realistic goals
• say no to extremes
• discontinue any process at once if I feel any side effect or disorder of my health
• follow a healthy eating plan
• combine healthy nutrition with physical exercise
• do not eat (or eat as little as possible) processed foods, canned foods, red meats, animal fats, dairy, sauces & dressings, sweets, savory, alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, commercial juices)
• prefer lean meats
• consume fish
• eat whole grains
• add fresh virgin olive oil in my food
• avoid unnecessary consumption of drugs
• quit smoking
• prefer walks in countryside and in fresh air
• eliminate stress
• sleep well (especially at night, sleep is very important)
• keep my psychology elevated
• meet people who make me feel positive