How to Analyze Your Toxic Load

As you may realize if you've been reading our blog posts for a while, your body is a pretty complex organism. It handles many thousands of tasks each day - many of which you’re completely unaware of. When something isn’t right, your body will start sending you warning messages.

The problem is that not many people understand that these warning messages come in the form of symptoms. When there’s an issue, your body tries to get you to address it by causing something to hurt, to swell, or by taking up more energy than it normally would.

Far too many people ignore these messages in the form of symptoms until they reach a point where they feel too poorly to keep up with the tasks involved in their day-to-day living.

Toxic. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One of the reasons that your body can start sending out warning messages is because it can reach a point where toxins build up, leading to toxicity. By the time you reach that point, you’ll feel pretty bad!

You can do a lot to help your body stay in good health by checking to see if your mind or body have been showing symptoms commonly associated with a toxin build up (also called toxic load).

In the mind, the number one symptom is mental fog. When this happens, you’ll begin to experience trouble with the way that you think. You’ll lack the clarity that you once had.

At first, you might not even notice that your mind isn’t as quick as it used to be but as time passes and toxins continue to build up, the mental fog will only grow worse.

Mental fog can vary from one person to the next, depending on the level of toxins you’ve been exposed to and how your body reacts to those toxins. What can be kind of frustrating is that testing for toxins isn’t easy. In fact, many lab tests will come back within normal parameters when you actually do have a problem, because they're not really testing for the things that are causing the problems..

Your body will also show symptoms of fatigue when you have a build up of toxins in your body. This fatigue can reach the point where it leaves you unable to function. This type of fatigue is often attributed to other conditions, rather than looking at your toxic load.

When toxins stay in your body, over time, it takes away your energy stores and that’s why you feel drained of energy. Your body can only handle so much and when your toxic load is high, your system tries to get rid of them, but unfortunately, it often can’t keep up with the volume of toxins we’re exposed to on a daily basis in the modern post-industrial world.

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That’s why your body needs a detox. When you go through a detox plan, you can cleanse your body of all these toxins, even if the toxins have built up over time. You can restore clarity of mind and get the energy that you lost back. However, you need to do this the right way.

Some "cleanses" and detoxification programs can actually cause additional stress to the body - which is not helpful. This month, we'll be discussing some ways to cleanse and detoxify your system gently, and naturally reduce your toxic load. Be sure to check back next week, when we'll be discussing one of the best little-known ways to rid your body of toxins naturally!

In the meantime, grab a copy of our Free Report that discusses some popular means of detoxifying that are NOT healthy for you:

http://www.newholisticliving.com/request-free-detox-e-book-b.html

Video: 20-Minute Detox Yoga Routine

As we discussed on Tuesday, exercise is imperative in your detoxification efforts. Exercise should be done daily as well - not just during a cleanse! This will keep your body healthy, strong, and rid it of toxins on a regular basis. Yoga is a great way to detoxify your body - it detoxifies your lungs, your muscles, relieves stress, calms digestion, and even removes toxins through your skin if you do it hard enough to sweat!

This 20-minute yoga workout is designed to encourage detoxification and improve digestion, as you flow through a relaxing series of poses that will stretch, strengthen, and relax your entire body.

(Note: Remember to consult your healthcare provider or personal trainer before beginning any new workout routine, especially if you are at a low fitness level.)

Detox Yoga | 20 Minute Yoga Flow for Detox and Digestion
Join Adriene for this sweaty cleansing Yoga For Detox practice! This detox yoga sequence is designed to make you sweat as you build strength and twist it out...


 For lots more fun yoga workouts and more, visit our Fun Ways to Exercise page!

Should You Do a Cleanse?

The New Year is often a great time to undertake a good cleansing program - especially after all the rich and sugary foods of the holiday season. With so many cleansing diets and supplements out there, it is easy to wonder what all the fuss is about.  Does the body really need cleansing, and if so, why?  To clear up some of the confusion, here are a few FAQs about cleansing and detoxing to help you decide if it's right for you:

1. What does a detox cleanse do?

Organs of the digestive system (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

• Cleansing generally refers to the digestive tract, but the ultimate intention of a cleanse is to bring health to the whole body.

• The digestive organs are responsible for filtering toxins and other harmful substances out of the bloodstream.  Giving these organs a rest helps them to heal and do their job more effectively.

• By ceasing to take in chemicals or other toxins, the body has a chance to rid itself of them, and will do a better job of filtering once the cleanse is completed.

2. Which organs are involved in a detoxification, and why do they need it?

• The primary organs involved in everyday body detoxification are the colon, liver, and kidneys, but many other organs, such as the skin, lungs, and more are also involved.  

• In our modern age, these organs are faced with a daily onslaught of chemicals, from pesticides on food and clothing to industrial pollution and food additives (such as preservatives, colors, or artificial flavors).

• Unfortunately, such foreign substances are often stored, usually in fatty tissue or in the liver, as the body does not know what to do with them.  A continual replenishment of the toxins from our daily exposure means that these organs never get any "down" time.

• Some health experts believe that the toxins build up in the system, causing a wide range of unpleasant but vague symptoms.  Still others note the "mucoid plaque" build-up in the intestines, claiming its presence as a cause for all sorts of disease.

Healthy foods can help the body detox. (Photo credit: epSos.de)

3. How does a detox diet or cleanse work?

• A cleanse gives the body a chance to release these toxins. It frees up the colon, liver and kidneys from the daily assault of toxins ingested with foods and alcohol.  Cleanses usually result in some weight loss, so the toxins stored in the fatty tissue are flushed from the body.

• Fasting is a usually component of all cleansing, whether it is targeted toward the kidneys, colon, or liver.

4. Are supplements used when doing a cleanse?

• Sometimes, supplements are used to augment the cleanse.  Psyllium husks and bentonite clay are popular detoxification supplements that act as bulk laxatives, and are said to bind to poisons in the body as they move along the digestive tract.  

• Some people take probiotics while undergoing a cleanse, in order to re-populate the colon with friendly, helpful bacteria that may be lacking due to toxic build-up, or previous use of antibiotics.
  
•  Supplements aren't always necessary during a cleanse, but can often be helpful.

In summary, doing a cleanse can be one way to detoxify your body of accumulated toxins.  Those who undergo cleanses claim they have renewed energy and focus, and feel healthier, so it may be something that you want to try this year.

Our favorite cleanse program doesn't involve any supplements or weird juice diets - it focuses on feeding your body whole, natural, clean foods that give it the tools to detoxify gently and safely. Check out The Total Wellness Cleanse for more information.

Start The New Year With A Clean Body & Mind - Safe Detox Tips

I don't know about you, but after this holiday season, I'm in serious need of a detox! All that rich food, sugary treats and desserts, way too many snacks, a few too many holiday martinis.... It's all catching up to me. I've been feeling overly stuffed and sluggish for a couple of weeks now, so I decided before the holidays that once January hit I would do a good cleanse and get my body back in tip-top shape for the rest of the winter. I tend to stay away from the weird extreme cleanses that are really hard on your body, and opt for the more natural and gentle detox diets which eliminate sugars and other junk completely for a period of time. I find these safer and more natural, as they help the body support what it does naturally, without causing it too much stress. (Click here for more info on my favorite detox diet - the Total Wellness Cleanse.)

Detoxing is a wonderful way to get healthy and accomplish some of your New Year's goals. It can help you lose weight. It can give you back your energy. And it can help you improve your brain function. However, detoxing also comes with risks if not done properly. Here are 5 tips for detoxing safely.

#1 Get doctor approval. If you have an existing health condition make sure you get permission from your doctor. Diabetes, pregnancy, kidney disease and anemia or low blood pressure may be reasons to avoid detoxing.

#2 Start slow. Detox too quickly and you can experience serious side effects. They include dizziness, headaches and stomach upset. Diarrhea isn’t uncommon. If you experience an onslaught of symptoms consider stepping back your detox plan. Symptoms are the result of too many toxins being released into your system at once. They can also be a result of withdrawal from processed foods or chemicals. If you normally drink a lot of caffeine or diet sodas you may experience withdrawal as your body adjusts.

There are two approaches to detoxing. You can ease into it. For example, you might drink one juice meal and eat two solid meals the first day. Juice for two meals the second and third day with one solid meal. And then juice for the next two or three days to complete your detox. You might also ease back into eating solid foods by reversing the process.

The other approach is to be aware of your body’s reaction and make adjustments as you go. For example, if you’re juicing and have a detox reaction you might eat one solid meal during the day.

#3 Keep a journal. Journal your symptoms and side effects. Also journal what you ate/drank before you experienced the symptoms. That way you can recognize patterns in what you’re eating or your symptoms.

#4 Detox when you don’t have to be “on.” Detox when you can rest and relax. The weekend or an extended weekend is a great time. You can take it easy on your body and mind while you’re detoxing. If you have to go to work or tend to family while you’re detoxing it can be extra stressful. Get plenty of rest and treat your body well.

#5 Drink water! Water helps flush the toxins out of your body more quickly. The faster they’re out of you, the faster you’ll feel better. The faster you’ll have renewed energy, focus and mental clarity.

Finally, make sure to follow a trusted detox plan. If you experience any unusual symptoms or side effects, contact your physician or nutritionist. Don’t detox without a solid, safe and proven plan. To your great health in the year ahead!

Video - Introduction to the Total Wellness Cleanse

This quick video gives a 3-minute overview of what is, in my opinion, one of the best detox cleanse programs out there. It works with real, whole, natural foods to enhance and support your body's natural detoxification processes. This is more effective and puts a lot less stress on your bodily systems than a lot of the juice cleanse or supplement "detoxes" out there, and it's also easier to maintain and help eliminate cravings along the way.

Watch the short video below, and click the link below the video if you are interested in learning more.

Detox Diet: Total Wellness Cleanse
Yuri Elkaim, BPHE, CK, RHN & Amy Coates, RHN, BSc. Cleansing your body does not require fancy pills or s...
 

Click Here to Learn More About The Total Wellness Cleanse...