While no one rule fits all when it comes to detoxification, there’s no question about the fact that regular detox has many health benefits. You can use some of the following methods to detox your body.
- Reduce or completely stop drinking alcohol
- Limit your intake of sugary and processed foods
- Exercise regularly
- Eat foods rich in antioxidants
- Drink more water
- Get more sleep
- Eat less salt
What Is a Detox
Detoxification, or detox, is an effective way to remove the toxins in your body and rest your gastrointestinal tract. This usually includes fasting or following a diet regimen for a specific period that is followed by a phased return to your normal diet.
We look at some of the most common ways that you can detoxify your body and how to know the best detoxification methods based on your specific body type.
Why Should You Detox
The modern-day lifestyle puts you in contact with several chemicals that could be harmful. One of the primary examples is the presence of heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, nickel, zinc, cadmium, chromium, and copper.
Although some of these metals are essential for some physiological functions in your body, when present in large quantities, they can lead to severe health risks.
These heavy metals and other pollutants enter your body through natural means and human activities such as mining, sewage discharge, as part of insect or disease control agents sprayed on crops, or even the water that you drink {1}.
A gradual buildup of toxins in our body is unhealthy and may lead to physical and mental health issues including chronic fatigue and insomnia {2}. And if not attended to at the right time, may lead to serious health complications.
One of the most effective ways to eliminate these toxins from your body is through a detox regimen.
The organs that are involved in removing harmful substances include your liver, kidneys, colon, lungs, skin, and lymphatic system. These organs work together to remove harmful chemicals {3}.
The primary purpose of a detox is to remove the toxins in your body to aid the optimum functioning of these organs which leads to effective detoxification.
The ancient system of Ayurveda recommends detoxification based on your body type. The easiest way to do this is to consult an Ayurveda expert who will help you chart a personalized regimen based on your specific needs.
Along with a personalized diet regimen, Ayurveda also recommends herbal treatments to effectively remove the toxins in the body and kickstart the optimum functioning of your entire detoxification system.
You can also detox your body by following some general principles/guidelines. But keep in mind taking an expert’s opinion to get a personalized regimen is the best way forward.
Improve Sleep Quality
In addition to getting enough sleep, you must also make sure that you get quality sleep. This is important because your body detoxifies when you sleep.
Research suggests it’s important to get anywhere between seven to nine hours of sleep to promote good health {13}.
Your brain restructures and refreshes itself when it sleeps and also works to remove many toxic byproducts of many metabolic activities that are collected in your body throughout the day {8} {9}.
To cite an example, beta-amyloid (a protein molecule) is a chemical that is formed in your system due to the breakdown of larger proteins. Research has found that a large quantity of beta-amyloid is linked to Alzheimer’s disease {6} {7}.
Depriving your body of sleep prevents your brain from carrying out these functions and leads to a build-up of these toxins.
Lack of proper sleep also has long-term health implications including anxiety, stress, high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes {10} {11} {12} {13}.
Constant exposure to devices that emit blue light may lead to an increased strain on your eyes and could affect your sleeping patterns. It’s a good idea to stay away from these devices for at least one or two hours before you hit the bed {14} {15} {16}.
Increase Your Water Intake
In addition to quenching your thirst, water also influences several other physiological functions. These include promoting nutrient absorption and digestion, regulating your body temperature, lubricating your joints, and detoxifying your body by removing waste products {17}.
The cells in your body need to be repaired regularly and this results in the production of many chemicals such as urea and carbon dioxide. A buildup of these chemicals in your bloodstream can cause complications {18}.
Regular intake of water eases the movement of these chemicals through bodily processes such as sweat and urine and reduces their toxic effects. This is why hydration is very important for effective detoxification {19}.
The daily recommended water intake for men is around 3.7 liters per day and for women 2.7 liters per day. These recommended levels may change depending on where you live, your activity levels, and your diet {20}.
Limit Sugar and Processed Foods
Sugar and processed foods are considered two of the most central factors for the increasing levels of toxicity in the modern-day.
Eating sugary and processed foods is one of the leading causes of many chronic health conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and heart diseases {21} {22} {23}.
These conditions in turn severely limit your body’s capacity to detox itself by damaging organs such as the kidney and liver that are central to the body’s detoxification process.
Studies have shown that beverages that contain sugar cause fatty liver, a disorder that impacts liver function {24} {25} {26}.
Processed foods also contain several chemicals that harm your organ functions. Replacing processed foods with healthier snacks or even natural options such as fruits is a healthier choice.
Reduce the Intake of Alcohol
Although more than 90% of alcohol is metabolized in your body, keep in mind that the enzymes in your liver break down alcohol to acetaldehyde, which is a known cancer-causing chemical {27} {28} {29}.
Excessive drinking is also the leading cause of several health conditions. Studies indicate that chronic drinking is linked to the onset of ischemic heart disease, also known as coronary heart disease. In this condition, the arteries in your heart become narrow and restrict the blood flow to your heart which could lead to a heart attack {31} {32}.
Another study that involved 34,304 participants in Europe found a high incidence of cardiovascular disease and mortality rates as compared to people who did not drink alcohol {30}.
Limiting the intake of alcohol or cutting it out completely is one of the best ways to make sure that your body’s detoxification system is healthy.
Increase Your Physical Activity
Indulging in regular physical activity is another way to keep your detoxification system in top shape.
Research has linked frequent exercising to longer life and lower risk of many disorders such as heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer {33} {34} {35}.
An important point to note is that regular exercise is a healthy option irrespective of your body weight. Exercise is generally defined as any activity that burns at least 1,000 calories every week.
Although inflammation is an essential part of your body’s response mechanism to overcome infections and injuries, extensive inflammation weakens your body’s systems.
Exercise reduces the inflammation in the body and leads to improved functioning of your detoxifying organs {36} {37}.
Research also suggests further reductions in risk when you indulge in activities that need more energy. But keep in mind that exerting yourself more than what your body is capable of is not advisable.
You can consult with an Ayurvedic specialist to understand the activities that are best for your body type. Activities such as yoga also have therapeutic effects.
Research on therapeutic yoga found that yoga postures are effective in treating many health conditions and reducing emotional and physiological pain. It improves overall body flexibility, muscular strength, and enhances cardiovascular and respiratory functions.
Yoga is not just exercise, but a holistic approach to health and its benefits are gaining wide acceptance in the Western world {38} {39} {40} {41} {42}.
Reduce Your Salt Intake
Eating too much salt causes water retention in your body which could hamper your kidney and liver functions. When these organs do not function at their maximum capacity, water retention can cause bloating.
Although it may sound contrary, one of the primary reasons for the increased presence of salt in your body is due to not drinking enough water {43}.
When the salt content in your body is high and the water content is low, your body releases a hormone (antidiuretic hormone or ADH) that prevents you from urinating and this leads to a buildup of toxins in your body.
Increasing the water content in your body reduces or stops the release of ADH and eases the release of toxins from your body {44} {45} {46}.
Eat Antioxidant Rich Foods
Antioxidants protect the cells in your body against damage due to molecules called free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that are produced by the body and are highly reactive.
Free radicals play an important role in many physiological reactions like digestion and breaking up invading pathogens as part of the body’s defense mechanism.
But an increased presence of these molecules leads to damage to healthy cells and a condition that’s called oxidative stress. This is believed to be a major contributor to several conditions such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases {4}.
The intake of alcohol, tobacco, a poor diet, and coming in contact with pollutants can generate excessive free radicals. Antioxidants protect your cells against excess free radicals and lower their impact on the healthy cells in your body {47}.
Ayurveda specifies many therapies that help remove harmful toxins from your body. It also recommends eating antioxidant-rich food sources that are suitable for each body type.
Bonus Tip: Improve Your Gut Health
Good gut health is another very important aspect to keep your detoxifying organs healthy. The cells in your intestines detoxify your system and eliminate toxins that may damage your body.
Your intestines and gut are home to millions of good bacteria (called probiotics) that produce nutrients useful for many physiological functions. These probiotics can be replaced by bad bacteria due to poor diet and the collection of toxins in your body.
If the number of bad bacteria in your gut increases, it may lead to a weakened immune and detoxification system and also cause the onset of other disorders. Gut health is based on improving the number of good bacteria and reducing the bad bacteria.
Research has shown that food rich in fiber increases good bacteria. Ayurvedic therapies also remove the bad bacteria from your intestine through effective colon cleansing {5} {48}.
If you’re thinking of going on a diet to detoxify, timing your meals throughout the day while on a diet also aids the process of detoxification. The ideal time to have your meals are:
- Breakfast: 90 minutes after you’ve woken up
- Lunch: Between 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
- Dinner: Latest by 7:30 pm
You can add healthy fillers such as fruits, juices, vegetable salads, and detox drinks between your meals. Eating your meals at the right time is essential for proper detoxification as you’re going along with your body rhythm. Having meals at odd times throws your body off its natural rhythm.
Adding breathing workouts to your daily routine also aids the process of detoxification. Research has shown that pranayama techniques help regulate the metabolic process and improve metabolic efficiency.
Certain pranayama techniques facilitate the optimal functioning of the abdominal organs that boost metabolism and in turn lead to effective detoxification {49} {50}.
Summary
Detoxification is meant to eliminate toxins, improve health, and promote weight loss. You can also enhance your body’s natural detoxifying processes and improve your health by staying hydrated, exercising regularly, reducing your intake of alcohol, and following an antioxidant-rich diet.
Another very effective way to detox your body is by consulting an Ayurvedic specialist who can chart a tailor-made detox regimen based on your specific body type.
You can book an appointment with a specialist at The Happiness Center who can also recommend therapeutic treatments that support the detox process and improve its effectiveness.
About the Author:
Venkat is a freelance writer and an SEO buff. He writes about health & wellness, technology, and finance. He’s also a certified yoga and meditation instructor.
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