The process of detoxification has been around for ages. In this case, we’re talking about detoxing the body by removing the “bad stuff” that enters your system through various sources. Eliminating these toxins has a number of benefits such as boosting energy levels and losing weight. Detoxing is also known as cleansing.
At a high level, toxins are classified as controllable or uncontrollable. They typically include chemicals, pollutants, metals, and processed foods.
Controllable Toxins
Controllable toxins are ingested through food, drinks, minerals, supplements, etc. These are things that you choose to put into your body. Of course, you don’t always know exactly what you’re eating or drinking, so reading labels and researching ingredients is helpful. Preventing toxins from entering your body is ideal, but it’s not always realistic. A solution to this problem is doing a body detox.
Uncontrollable Toxins
Uncontrollable toxins are those present in the environment. Examples include smog, polluted water, and radiation. These poisonous substances are harder to detect and present a major threat to your health. Since you have little control over avoiding these poisons, detoxing is a must to flush them out of your system.
What Exactly is a Body Detox?
A body detox is a way to rid your body of toxins that have entered your system through controllable or uncontrollable means. Detoxification is achieved using detox diets, laxatives, diuretics, teas, vitamins, and other methods.
While your body is designed to eliminate toxins naturally, detoxing is still useful to enhance and optimize the process. Your liver, kidneys, lungs, and digestive system need to be healthy enough to perform these functions. Detoxing makes up for areas that aren’t doing their job efficiently.
How Do I Detox?
There are natural and unnatural ways to detox. Natural methods are effective enough if done correctly. Unnatural/specialized methods can help when all else fails.
Natural Ways to Detox Include:
- Drinking lots of water
- Limiting alcohol intake
- Sleeping more
- Eating foods rich in antioxidants
- Eliminating processed foods and excess sugar from diet
- Decreasing sodium consumption
- Exercising regularly
Specialized Ways to Detox Include:
- Using laxatives or diuretics to flush out your system
- Taking specialized vitamins and minerals
- Fasting
- Detox diets
How Long Does Detoxing Take?
Some products promise to cleanse your system in as little as 24 hours. More natural methods are thought to take 2-10 days. The correct answer, however, is that it depends. The time it takes your body to detox depends on your overall level of health, recent exposure to harmful chemicals or metals, diet, and more. Therefore, each individual has their own timeline.
Summary
- Toxins are substances that negatively affect our health. They include chemicals, pollutants, metals, processed foods, and more.
- There are two types of toxins: controllable and uncontrollable. Controllable toxins enter the body through food, drinks, minerals, and supplements. Uncontrollable toxins are those present in the environment, such as smog, polluted water, and radiation
- Your system is cleansed naturally by your body’s organs. Detoxification can be a useful way to enhance and optimize the process, however.
- Detoxification improves health, prevents disease, and helps with weight loss
- Natural methods of detoxification include:
- Drinking lots of water
- Limiting alcohol intake
- Sleeping more
- Eating foods rich in antioxidants
- Eliminating processed foods and excess sugar from diet
- Decreasing sodium consumption
- Unnatural or specialized methods of detoxification include:
- Using laxatives or diuretics to flush out your system
- Taking specialized vitamins and minerals
- Fasting
- Detox diets
- The time it takes for the body to fully detox depends on the individual’s health and circumstances
