Detox Your Body: The Ultimate Guide To Better Health

Your body can be exposed to hundreds of different toxins each day as a result of the type of lifestyle that you live. So it stands to reason that the unhealthier your lifestyle is, the more toxins you will be exposed to and the sicker you will become as a result.

The good news however, is that the body is designed to deal with toxins because it has built-in detoxification systems that naturally allow it to detoxify itself. But although the body does a remarkable job at keeping itself healthy, eventually, things can start to get too much for it if it becomes overloaded with toxins.

Over time, toxins in the body can reduce your energy levels, impair your ability to think and concentrate, weaken your immune system and make you more vulnerable to suffering from diseases and infections. This is why so many people are now turning to detox programs in order to help their body become healthier than it currently is.

Detox programs can involve either stopping certain chemicals from entering your body, such as by making changes to your diet or lifestyle, or by taking steps to remove toxins from your body, such as by going on a detox diet or using detoxification products.

In this article, we shall explore the many ways in which this can be done, in addition to providing you with some helpful tips and advice on what you can expect to happen when you start to detox your body.

Time Based & Targeted Detoxes

In general, there are two main ways in which you can detox your body. You can do so either on the basis of time, or by targeting a specific concern that you may have.

1) Time Based Detoxes

Time based detoxes are done with the intention of making the whole body healthier, but do not specify what part of the body is going to be detoxed or what toxins are going to be removed.

Such detoxes can be done on a short-term basis, such as for one to seven days, or on a long-term basis, such as for one to three months.

Most time based detoxification programs will involve altering your diet, for example, consuming only liquid vegetable or fruit juice for a certain number of days, or by excluding certain food groups from your diet such as dairy or wheat products.

2) Targeted Detox Programs

A targeted detox is done with the intention of detoxing a specific part of the body, such as the liver, kidneys or digestive system, or by detoxing the body of specific types of toxins such as heavy metals like aluminum, mercury or lead.

These types of programs are generally carried out by people who have performed a time based detox, and now what to further improve their health by focusing their efforts in one area.

But they can also be done by people who already know what they want to detox because of a specific health complaint or concern which they have.

It is important to note however, that time based and targeted detox programs can, and often are, done together. Although this is generally only recommended for more experienced people who are already in a reasonable level of health, because detoxing the body too quickly can lead to very unpleasant symptoms and can even be dangerous for you.

Main Sources Of Toxins

Unfortunately, it is not possible to get rid of all the toxins in your body for good, and this is true no matter what detoxification program you follow.

The reason for this is simple. The environment in which we all live simply does not allow for a person to be entirely toxin free. As a result, no matter how much you cleanse your body, there will always be other toxins that will make their way inside of you.

But this isn’t something that you should worry about, because as we said earlier, the body is designed to deal with toxins via its inbuilt detoxification systems.

You should however, be concerned when you are exposed to so many toxins that the body struggles to cleanse itself of them, because this is when you will start to suffer from reduced levels of health and an increased risk of illness or disease.

The best way to minimize your toxin exposure, and therefore, the effects that those toxins will have on you, is to be aware of some of the main sources that toxins can come from. So let’s have a look at some of these now.

Food

A major source of toxins comes from the foods that you eat on a daily basis. However, the amount of toxins you consume will largely depend on the types of foods you eat.

If for example, you eat lots of junk foods which are highly processed or contain artificial ingredients, then you are likely to receive a considerable amount of toxins which your body will then have to process and live with.

On the other hand, if you mainly eat fresh organic foods, then your toxin intake will be greatly reduced but not eliminate entirely because even organic foods are not free from toxins.

Most organic fruits and vegetables, unless you grow them yourself, will contain toxins from the chemicals that are used to grow them. Organic does not mean chemical free, it just means that less chemicals are used during the production process.

If you do grow your own fruits and vegetables, then your toxin intake will be reduced further. But, unless you are using purified water for your plants, you may still be exposed to some amount toxins depending on the quality of water that you use.

However, for completely natural foods that are grown with purified or filtered water, there are still naturally occurring toxins that the body must deal with.

This is because virtually all fruits and vegetables produce some type of natural toxin, but fortunately, these are produced in such small quantities that they usually don’t cause any problems unless you have a specific food intolerance or allergy to them.

So regardless of the type of food that you eat, you will always be putting some toxins into your body and there is very little that you can do to prevent this. You can however, greatly minimize the amount of toxins that you consume by being very selective over what you choose to eat.

Water

The water that you drink can expose you to numerous toxins. This can occur as a result of chemicals, such as chlorine or fluoride, that have been added to the water to control bacterial outbreaks or prevent tooth decay. Or as a result of things that have contaminated the water supply, such as a birth control medication or prescription drugs, which have been flushed down the toilet.

Water can also be contaminated as a result of chemicals leaching into it. For example, lead pipes which were once used to carry water to homes leached lead into that water, a known heavy metal which can result in neurological disorders.

Today however, the greatest source of water contamination occurs as a result of plastics, in particular, plastic water bottles. Some forms of plastic for example, can leach bisphenol A into the water which some scientists have linked to reproductive and fertility disorders.

You can tell whether a plastic is safe or not by looking at the number printed on the bottle. Generally speaking, when dealing with unsafe plastics, toxic substances are most likely to leach into the contents of the bottle or container (i.e., for food) when that plastic is heated, exposed to sunlight for a prolonged period of time or contains an acidic beverage (e.g., coke).

To make matters worse, a lot of the chemicals found in our water supply can turn into a gas when they are heated, such as when you are having a shower, and then breathed directly into the lungs before being absorbed into the blood.

So if you are trying to detox your body, then it is strongly recommended that you invest in a good water filter, such as a Black Berkey, avoid buying bottle water and install a shower filter.

Air

Another major source of toxin intake, is from the air which you continually breathe each day. This is largely a byproduct of our modern-day society which has resulted in numerous toxic chemicals being released into the atmosphere as pollution. But just like with food, the amount of toxins that a person is exposed to from the air can vary considerably.

If you live in a city for example, then you are likely to be exposed to many more chemicals than if you live in the suburbs or in the country where there are fewer cars and fewer factories. This may be one reason why people who live in major cities tend to have shorter life spans than those who do not.

Pollution can also occur indoors as a result of the chemicals you use to clean your home and also from the chemicals you use on yourself such as hairspray and deodorant.

In fact, some studies have found that the air quality in some people’s homes is actually worse than the quality of the air outside! But this tends to apply mainly to those who use lots of chemical products and also to those who do not ventilate their home.

Overall, there is little that you can do to minimize your toxin exposure outside the home, except for wearing a face mask like some people do in China or Japan where pollution levels are high, but there are things that you can do to minimize your toxin exposure inside the home.

Avoiding or limiting the use of chemical sprays can be a big help, and if you do use them, ensuring that you do so near an extractor fan or an open window. The same applies to chemical liquid products such as floor or surface cleaners. As if you can smell a product, then it is basically the same as eating it, only in smaller quantities!

To further improve the air quality of your home, you could invest in an air filter to purify your air. Alternatively, you can keep some live plants in your home as these will act like a natural air filter.

Lifestyle

Your lifestyle largely determines how many toxins you accumulate and how well your body deals with them.

For example, if you smoke or take medication on a daily basis, then you are putting toxins into your body which could very well end up causing you health problems later on.

Furthermore, if you spend most of the day sitting down and don’t get much exercise or work up a sweat very often, then your ability to expel those toxins will be impaired.

Related to your level of activity is the amount of body fat that you carry around with you. This is important because fat can store toxins inside the body for many years, which means that you could be continually affected by those toxins for your entire life until you lose that excess weight.

Another thing worth considering, although not a true toxin in the sense of it being a chemical, is electromagnet radiation. All electronic devices emit radiation, and there are concerns that radiation emitted by cell phones and wireless routers could have very harmful effects on the body.

Overall, the best thing that you can do to improve your lifestyle, is to exercise more and to eat better quality foods. Avoiding junk foods will limited the amount of harmful substances that your body has to deal with, whilst exercising will cause you to sweat and stimulate the lymphatic system so that your body can naturally detox itself more effectively.

Cosmetics

Cosmetics include anything that you put on your body to clean it, make it smell better or make it look better. Whilst cosmetics certainly are very helpful, they can also be a major source of toxins, such as parabens or aluminium, due to the numerous man-made chemicals which they contain.

There are two main approaches that you can take to reduce your level of toxin exposure from cosmetics.

The first, is to use products which contain as few ingredients as possible or only contain natural ingredients. Generally speaking, the fewer ingredients that a product contains and the more natural ingredients it contains, the less toxins you will be exposed to through its use.

The second way that you can reduce your toxin exposure, is by using natural equivalents of commercial cosmetic products. For example, rather than using an artificial face cream, you could use a natural oil such as emu oil or coconut oil. Rather than using an artificial spray deodorant, you could use a rock salt deodorant instead.

The more artificial products that you can replace with natural products, the lower your level of toxin exposure will be.

What Health Effects Do Toxins Cause?

The term “toxin” describes a poisonous substance that is produced by a cell or living organism. Most people however, will use “toxin” to describe anything that is poisonous or harmful to the body including man-made or artificial substances.

Toxins can have many different effects on the body. Some of these effects appear immediately and are short-lived, whilst others need to accumulate to a certain level before they start to cause any noticeable effects.

Below are some of the various symptoms which can occur when you are exposed to a toxin.

• Headaches
• Impaired concentration
• Blurred vision
• Weight gain
• Mood swings
• Depression
• Impaired immune function
• Greater susceptibility to disease
• Greater susceptibility to infection
• Dull skin
• Digestive disorders
• Decreased energy levels
• Disrupted sleep patterns
• Anxiety

These are just some of the health effects that toxins can cause. In most cases, these symptoms are caused by man-made chemical toxins, although there are also natural toxins which can cause the same or similar symptoms.

Natural Toxins

Toxin	Main Sources	Main Effects
Aflatoxin	Rice & peanuts	Cancer
Ergot	Rye & related grains	Hallucinations, convulsions, death
Goitrogens	Soybeans, peanuts, spinach and many vegetables	Interferes with thyroid gland functioning
Hydrazine	Shiitake and white button mushrooms	Cancer
Lectins	Nightshade members (e.g., pepper, tomato, eggplant, potato), grains (e.g., corn, rice, barley) and legumes (dried beans, peanuts)	Intestinal, liver, kidney and heart damage
Ricin	Castor bean	Death
Phytate/Phytic acid	Grains, nuts & seeds	Acts as anti-nutrient by inhibiting absorption of minerals such as calcium, magnesium and zinc
Psoralen	Parsnips, celery & parsley	Premature skin aging, increased skin cancer risk
Solanine	Green parts of unripe potato	Gastrointestinal and neurological disorders
Trypsin inhibitors	Soybeans, raw egg whites & lima beans	Interfere with protein digestion & metabolism
Chlorine	Water – drinking & showering	Reduced immune function & cancer
Mercury	Dental fillings, tuna, swordfish	Neurological disorders, depression
Aluminium	Soda cans, water, antiperspirant deodorants	neurological disorders, cancer

Man Made/Synthetic Toxins

Toxin	Main Sources	Main Effects
Artificial sweeteners	Aspartame (NutraSweet), Sucralose (Splenda), Saccharin (Sweet n Low) & Acesulfame Potassium (Sunett): low sugar/diet foods	Vision problems, neurological disorders, increased cancer risk
Monosodium glutamate (MSG)	Potato chips, yoghurt, restaurant foods	Brain damage, hyperactivity, Parkinson’s & Alzheimer’s disease
Bisphenol A (BPA)	Plastic water bottle, lining inside cans, baby bottles	Reproductive & fertility disorders, gender confusion & increased breast cancer risk
Parabens	Cosmetic products – shampoo, makeup, deodorants, moisturizers	Increased skin aging (methylparaben), increased breast cancer risk, reduced sperm count
Fluoride	Toothpaste, water & vegetables	Dental fluorosis, decreased bone density, neurological disorders, cancer
Hydrogenated Fat/Trans Fats	Potato chips, margarine, cookies	Cardiovascular & autoimmune diseases & cancer
Sodium Nitrate	Processed meats	Colon cancer
Recombinant bovine growth hormone	Cow milk	Breast cancer, autoimmune disorders
Teflon	Non-stick frying pans	Cancer, heart disease, birth defects & death

Body Detoxification Symptoms

If you have led a relatively unhealthy lifestyle, then when you first start to detox your body you are likely to have a difficult and unpleasant experience.

The reason for this is because when you stop putting certain toxins into your body, or remove them from your body, you will undergo a period of withdrawal which then causes symptoms that are typically associated with detoxification.

Some of these detox symptoms include:

• Headaches
• Feeling weak
• Feeling tired
• Feeling irritable
• Blurred vision
• Inability to concentrate
• Depression
• Cravings
• White coating on tongue/teeth
• Constipation
• Brain fog
• Metallic tastes in mouth
• Stomach pains
• Anxiety
• Insomnia
• Changes to skin (e.g., increased sebum, acne)
• Respiratory problems
• Gas

As you may have noticed, some of these detox symptoms are exactly the same as the symptoms that toxins can cause! There are two main reasons why this is the case.

The first, is that during a detoxification program your body will release stored toxins. This means that you are going to experience those same symptoms again until those toxins have been removed.

The second reason is because over time your body becomes used to certain toxins, and when it no longer has that toxin it will start to crave it again and leave you suffering from withdrawal symptoms.

The best example to demonstrate this is smoking. Anyone who has tried smoking knows that the first time they smoked it tasted horrible, and that they had to continue smoking for weeks or even months before they started to enjoy it.

If a person has been smoking for many years and then suddenly stops smoking, that person can feel weak, irritable and crave a cigarette, even though cigarettes are filled with hundreds of toxins!

This process of withdrawal is why detoxification can be difficult to do, because the more toxins that your body has been exposed to, and the longer it has been exposed to those toxins, the more severe your detoxification symptoms are likely to be.

The good news however, is that physical withdrawal symptoms usually only last for a relatively short period of time. So most people undergoing detoxification, should be over the worst of their symptoms after a maximum of one week.

Keeping A Detox Journal

Anyone who is intending to do a detox for more than one day, or plans to do more detoxes in the future, should ideally be keeping a detox journal in order to help them record their symptoms and experiences.

Keeping a journal can be extremely useful if you are going on a long detox, such as one or two weeks, as it will allow you to keep track of what symptoms you have experienced so far and also help to motivate you to complete your detox program in full.

A journal can also be very useful if you intend to continue detoxing on a regular basis, as with a journal, you will be able to reflect back on your past detoxes and remind yourself of what could happen so that you can better prepare yourself for it.

What To Write In Your Journal

You can use anything that you like for your body detox journal. So whether it’s a scrap piece of paper, a notebook or even your computer, just use something that you will be able to record your thoughts on and that you can keep safe for future reference.

The first thing that you should do, is to record the type of detox program that you are going on. This includes whether you are doing a whole body or targeted detox, your reasons for wanting to detox and what you are going to use to assist your detoxification efforts.

As you progress through your detox, write down any symptoms that you are experiencing, both physical and mental. Writing your symptoms down at the time that you are experiencing them, will help to remind you that your body is going through a detoxification process which will then help to make those symptoms easier to deal with.

This is especially true if you have never done a detox before, because novices often get put off or worried by the symptoms which they are experiencing which can then cause them to end their detox prematurely and never go on another detox again.

Finally, at the end of your detox, try to summarize your overall experience in a few sentences. In the future, you will then be able to look at this summary as a quick reference to remind you of what happened on a particular detox session, such as what worked well for you and what didn’t work well for you.

Are Body Cleanses Safe To Do?

In general, body cleanses or detoxes are considered to be very safe for healthy individuals. There are however, some guidelines that you should follow to ensure your safety.

Start Slow

When you detox, toxins get released into the body and can cause a whole host of unpleasant symptoms. The body then has to process these toxins so that they can be removed, but there is a limit to how much it can process at any one time.

If you release more toxins into the body than it can deal with, you may actually end up causing yourself more harm than good. So to prevent this from happening, start slowly and take your current and past lifestyle into consideration.

If you have lived a very unhealthy lifestyle for example, you may want to try doing a 3 or 7 day juice fast. This will benefit your body tremendously, whilst also allowing for you to become familiar with the detoxification process.

If you are already quite healthy and have detoxed before, then you might want to try going on an extended fast such as a two or four-month fast.

Get Medical Approval

If you are suffering from a pre-existing medical condition such as diabetes or heart disease, then it is strongly recommended that you talk with your doctor about your intention to go on a detox program. This is important because your doctor will be able to tell you if what you are thinking of doing is actually safe for you to do.

In addition, if you are going on an extended detox program, such as two or three months, then meeting up with your doctor will allow them to monitor your progress, such as record any changes to your weight, heart function and blood pressure, and then adjust any medication which you may be taking in accordance with those changes.

Many people for example, find that when they complete an extended detox program they no longer require their medication or require much less of it than they once did.

Pregnancy

It is not a good idea for pregnant women to detox as this may harm the developing fetus. You can however, detox before you get pregnant and eat healthy foods while you are pregnant.

Natural Ways To Cleanse Your Body

Below you will find listed some of the many natural ways that you can cleanse your body and obtain better levels of health as a result.

Eat Fiber

Since many of the toxins that you are exposed to will come from your diet, if you can speed up the rate at which food passes through the digestive system you will reduce the duration of your exposure to toxins which could potentially cause you harm. For example, slow passage of food through the digestive system has been linked with an increased risk of developing colon cancer.

One way in which you can encourage more regular and solid bowel movements, is by incorporating more fiber into your diet. Fiber can be obtained by eating fruits and vegetables, taken as a supplement or by eating wheat bran.

Dry Skin Brushing

Your lymph system is a major way in which the body detoxifies itself. The lymphatic system however, relies upon physical activity to move the lymph fluid under your skin. So if you are fairly inactive throughout the day because you don’t exercise very much, then your lymph system won’t be very effective at detoxifying your body.

You can help this natural detoxification process by exercising more often or by dry brushing your skin, sometimes called lymph brushing or lymphatic brushing. Dry brushing, which involves lightly brushing the surface of your skin, encourages the lymph fluid underneath the skin to move and carry toxins with it.

To dry brush your skin, start on one area of your body, such as your legs, and brush towards your heart. If you don’t have a brush, you can also do this with a towel when you come out of the shower.

In addition to encouraging lymph flow, dry brushing also acts like a mechanical form of exfoliation by removing dead skin cells from the surface of your skin. This will result in new skin cell regeneration and clearer looking skin with an improved complexion.

Once your skin has been cleansed of dead skin cells, excess oil and dirt, the skin, which is also the largest organ in the body, will be able to more effectively expel toxins via sweating.

Some of the benefits that you may experience from detoxing your skin include:

• Reduced skin congestion so that your skin looks clearer and skin cells turn over faster.

• A reduction in the amount of breakouts and spots on your face.

• Improved immune functioning, which can help to benefit autoimmune skin disorders such as psoriasis, eczema, rosacea and seborrheic dermatitis.

• A reduction in chronic conditions such as yeast overgrowth.

• Improved skin tone giving your skin a much richer color.

• A reduction in the dryness of your skin, which then makes you less susceptible to wrinkles.

• A reduction in the rate at which your skin ages. If your skin is healthy it can detoxify itself, which means that it will suffer from less inflammation which is one of the major causes of aging.

• An elimination of rashes and spots on the face.

Epsom Salt Detox Bath

Having an Epsom salt bath is a great way to relax and de-stress at the end of the day. It is also a good way to detoxify the body because Epsom salts (Magnesium Sulfate) help to soak away toxins that are near the skin’s surface.

If you don’t have Epsom salts, you can use baking soda instead. Baking soda helps to neutralize acids and is also a good remedy for itching skin.

Rebounding

One of the simplest and most effective ways to detoxify your body, is to buy a rebounder. These small trampolines allow you to jump up and down, and by doing so, encourage the movement of lymph fluid throughout the body.

Rebounding can help the body to remove toxins, improve your cardiovascular health and also helps to boost your metabolism.

Sweat!

Sweating is one of the ways in which the body naturally detoxifies itself. This can be achieved by taking hot baths, using saunas or through aerobic exercise.

Once you have worked up a sweat, be sure to have a shower afterwards to remove any toxins from the surface of your skin.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar can be extremely beneficial for those who tend to eat a lot of sugar, because this type of vinegar helps to kill bad bacteria in the body and fungi such as candida.

Apple cider vinegar can be added to water and drunk as is, or mixed with lemon juice, honey and cayenne pepper to create stronger detoxification effects.

Roll Around

One way to remove toxins from your muscles is to simply roll around on the floor. This helps to remove toxins by acting like a deep muscle massage.

To get the best results however, a deep muscle massage is recommended.

Stretching

Yoga, and other forms of stretching, flush toxins out from your muscles and body fat. Aim to do stretching exercises at least 2-3 times a week.

Have A Shower

Having a shower is a great way to detox your skin and your entire body, but before you jump into the shower, you should know that this is not the type of shower that you normally take! The type of shower that can bring detoxification benefits is an alternated hot and cold shower.

Hot water causes your blood vessels to dilate which draws blood nearer to the surface of the skin. Cold water has the opposite effect. It constricts your blood vessels and causes blood to be drawn deeper into the skin.

The alternating effects of hot and cold water have tremendous benefits on your circulatory system, and over time, can be a great way to improve blood circulation throughout the entire body. The better your blood circulation becomes, the easier it will be for your body to expel toxins and expel them from deeper regions of the body.

To do a detox shower, start by having a regular warm shower until your body feels warm. Then turn the temperature down as cold as you can. The first time you do this, it will probably be quite a shock. But after a few hot-cold alternations, you will easily be able to tolerate the cold water and will actually find it very enjoyable.

Note: A detox shower should not be done by people with a heart condition. Also, as stated at the start of this article, you should install a shower filter to remove chlorine and other contaminants from the water.

Clay Mask

Using a clay mask once a week, as part of your regular skin care routine, is a very effective way to remove toxins from your skin, because as the clay dries it will absorb toxins into it. The less toxins you have in your skin, the better it will look.

Hot Towel Treatment

Place a warm, wet towel over your face for 5 to 10 minutes to open up the pores in your skin and make your face sweat. Afterwards, wash your face to remove the toxins that came up in the sweat.

Facials

Having a facial done by a professional is an excellent way to detoxify facial skin. If you can afford it, try to get a professional facial 3-4 times a year.

Water

Drinking water can help to flush toxins out of the body. This is especially important if you are undergoing a detox, as water can help to reduce the severity and duration of any detoxification symptoms that you may be experiencing.

Detoxing Herbs

Below are listed some herbs that can be used to detox the body.

Psyllium Husks

Psyllium seeds or husks are used primarily for colon cleansing. They expand when consumed with water, and will sweep the insides of your intestines removing excess fecal matter. In addition, psyllium husks can also help to absorb toxins from the bowels as they pass through.

Psyllium husks can be an effective and inexpensive way to cleanse your colon. They may not however, be suitable for people who suffer from constipation as they may make constipation worse due to the already narrowed size of the intestines.

Cascara Sagrada

Cascara Sagrada is a laxative that is designed to stimulate bowel movements. As such, it tends to be used with other colon cleansing products such as psyllium seeds.

However, whilst laxatives certainly can be useful when used occasionally, they should not be overused because they may cause problems controlling bowel movements if used on a continuous basis.

Milk Thistle

Milk thistle is a popular herb for detoxing the liver, and some studies show that it actually helps liver cells to regenerate more quickly after suffering damage, such as through alcohol abuse.

In most cases, no side effects are experienced from taking milk thistle, although some people report diarrhoea or loose stools.

Nettles

Nettles are a diuretic, which means that they draw water out of the body. This can be useful to increase urine secretion, which itself is beneficial for cleansing the urinary system.

Because of the diuretic properties of nettles, it is generally not recommended to consume too many nettles for a prolonged period of time as this may lead to dehydration if you do not drink enough water.

Nettles are usually made as a herbal tea and drunk.

Burdock Root

Burdock root has a similar mode of action to nettles in the sense that it acts as a diuretic. However, it tends to offer stronger detoxification benefits of the bladder, urinary tract and is also reported to help assist the removal of heavy metals from the body.

Coriander/Cilantro

Perhaps one of the best natural herbs that you can use to detox heavy metals from your body, is coriander or cilantro leaf. Coriander helps to release heavy metals that have been stored in the body, which then makes it easier for them to be expelled.

The effects of a coriander heavy metal detox are further strengthened when combined with garlic or chlorella, as both of these can bind to the released toxins thereby assisting in their removal.

Dandelion Root Tea

Dandelion is a naturally occurring plant which many people regard as a weed. However, dandelion has many uses. For example, its leaves can be used in salads and its roots and leaves can be made into a tea.

Dandelion helps to detox the gall bladder, kidneys and also helps to purify the blood.

Turmeric

Turmeric is perhaps one of the most beneficial herbs that you could ever take. It has numerous health benefits, one of which is supporting the natural detoxification systems of the body thus making it more effective and better able to deal with and expel toxins.

Turmeric can be added to food, although if you plan on taking it everyday, it is best to mix some turmeric powder with boiling water, allow to cool, and then drink it. To enhance the effectiveness of turmeric, combine it with black pepper and drink your turmeric after you have eaten some fat, such as after a meal.

Alternatively, you can take a turmeric (curcumin) capsule with your largest meal.

Fennel

Fennel seeds help to relax the muscles in the intestinal tract and can therefore be used alongside other laxatives to allow for easy and frequent bowel movements. Fennel seeds, when consumed as a tea, also act as a natural diuretic and can therefore be useful for cleansing the kidneys.

Black Walnut Hull

Black walnut hull is often found in many parasite cleanse formulations because of its antifungal and antiparasitic properties.

Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper is a moderately hot spice. It increases blood circulation and has anti-fungal and anti-parasitic properties. It can be added to food or consumed with tea or water.

Specific Body Detox Programs

Below we discuss some of the most popular and well-known detox programs.

Fasting

Fasting involves not eating any food for a certain period of time, and is something that is practiced by various religions throughout the world. By not eating food, your body can use the considerable amount of energy that  it normally devotes to the digestion of food to other things such as healing and detoxification.

However, although fasting without food can be an extremely powerful way to detox your body, it is not something that is recommended for novice detoxers or people who have an existing health problem.

This is because fasting can produce very powerful detoxification symptoms, and some people may not physically be able to cope with the toxins that are released.

If you feel that it necessary to go on a fast, and haven’t fasted before, you may want to try going on a one day fast and gradually increase the length of your fast in subsequent detox sessions.

Depending on how toxic your body is, fasting is likely to make you feel very tired, give you mood swings, cause cravings and give you headaches. For this reason, you should only fast if you are able to remain at home and do not have any other commitments during the duration of your fast, such as having to go to work.

In addition to cleansing your body, fasting can also be a useful way to identify a food intolerance which you may have.

A food intolerance describes a food which reacts badly to your particular genetic makeup, and when you break your fast, you can gradually reintroduce different foods into your diet to identify anything which causes you to experience an adverse reaction.

For example, skin rashes/breakouts, reduced mental clarity, headaches or psychological symptoms such as depression.

The strictest form of fasting involves consuming only water during the duration of your fast. Another type of fasting, juice fasting, will be discussed next.

Juice Fasting

Juice fasting is like regular fasting except that you are allowed to drink fruit or vegetable juices in addition to water and herbal teas during your fast.

If you have never fasted before, juice fasting is a good type of fasting to start with as it is less severe in terms of detoxification symptoms than a regular fast, but still provides many of the same benefits.

In order to do juice fasting, you will need a juicer and a supply of fruits and vegetables to last you throughout the duration of your fast.

It is recommended to use a cold press juicer to get the most benefit from your juices, as cold pressed juices will retain more nutrients and live enzymes.

Vegetable juicing tends to be better than fruit juicing as vegetables are naturally low in sugar, unlike fruit, which can cause candida overgrowth if you drink too much.

Some of the best vegetables to juice for detoxification are green vegetables such as cucumber, kale and broccoli. If you grow sprouts, you can also juice them such as broccoli sprouts and alfalfa sprouts.

During a juice fast, you will have more energy than you would with a normal water fast, but you are still likely to feel weak and experience detoxification symptoms especially during the first few days of your fast.

Generally, days 1-3 tend to be the hardest, but once you get to days 4-5, you should find it quite easy to continue your fast without craving food.

All forms of fasting are also an excellent way to lose weight, which itself is a good way to detox the body. This is because some chemicals and toxins can be stored in body fat, and unless you get rid of that fat, those toxins will continue to affect you.

To see some of the benefits that juice fasting can bring, I recommend watching the movie “Fat Sick and Nearly Dead”.

The Fruit Detox Diet

This detox diet plan is like a light fast. It involves not eating any food for a period of time except for a different type of fruit for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For example, at breakfast you eat two apples, at lunch a banana and for dinner two oranges.

Following this type of detox diet will give you many of the benefits that fasting would, but you won’t feel as weak because you are still getting some energy from food.

Also, because you are not eating very much, your body won’t have to devote so much energy to the digestion of food. As a result, your body will be able to use that energy for healing and detoxification.

How much fruit should you eat? The idea is not to eat too much fruit, as this detox diet plan is basically a type of fasting. Try eating one or two pieces of fruit for each meal and see how you feel. If necessary, increase that amount to something which you are comfortable with.

If you have never gone on a detox diet before, try carrying out this program for 3 or 7 days. For more experienced people who have tried fasting before, you can extend this to two weeks or longer if you feel able to do so.

Body Detoxifying Soup

To add some variety to your detox diet plan, try making some freshly prepared vegetable soup for lunch or dinner.

To make a detox soup, add avocado, red onions, bell pepper, broccoli, cucumber and garlic to water and boil for 10-20 minutes. This will create a watery soup that contains the nutrients from your vegetables in an easily absorbable form.

If you want a thicker soup, take these ingredients and put them in a blender. The resulting mixture can then be heated to produce a lovely detoxifying soup. It is a good idea to add some butter or olive oil to your soup, as fat helps you to better absorb the nutrients found in vegetables.

Body Detox Kits

Body detox kits contain a variety of natural ingredients, usually herbs, that are known to help the body detoxify itself and which also support the natural detoxification systems of the body.

One of the main advantages of using body detox kits is that because they are already pre-prepared for you, they are extremely simple to use and so are very convenient if you don’t have the time to make your own detox concoctions.

Also, because they are ready-made, you will know that you are getting the right quantities of the ingredients which you need to detoxify yourself. As a result, you can be fairly certain that you will receive detoxification benefits from using such products.

This is especially important if you haven’t detoxed before, as you won’t have to worry about overdosing. This is something that can happen if you try to make your own detox kits and get the quantities of the ingredients wrong.

In such a case, you could end up detoxifying your body too much too quickly, or not detoxifying it enough to gain any benefit. Either way, the end result is that you could end up with a completely ineffective detox.

Oil Pulling

Oil pulling involves sipping a small quantity of oil, such as sunflower oil or coconut oil, and swishing it around in your mouth for 10-20 minutes or until the oil turns to a watery liquid.

Interestingly, there are several studies which have been done on oil pulling that show it to be effective in reducing the number of bacteria in the mouth, especially between the teeth and underneath the gums, in addition to improving overall oral hygiene.

Salt Water Flush

A salt water flush involves adding one or two tablespoons of salt to a large glass of water (1 pint), mixing it until the salt dissolves and then drinking the water as quickly as possible. The effect of this concoction is to act like a laxative, and within 30-60 minutes you will experience a sudden urge to have a bowel movement.

Although effective at cleansing the colon, a salt water flush isn’t the most pleasant type of laxative that you can take as the salt water will make you gag and you will probably feel sick after drinking it.

The Master Cleanse

The master cleanse is perhaps one of the most popular detox programs around, largely due to various celebrities, such as Beyoncé, who have given it their seal of approval.

To do a master cleanse, you need to mix freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 tablespoons) into a glass of water with maple syrup (2 tablespoons) and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Ideally, you should drink 6-12 glasses of this mixture each day for a period of 10 days as a juice fast.

For the full program, it is also recommended to do a salt water flush in the morning and have a herbal laxative tea, such as peppermint tea, in the evening.

You are likely to experience significant weight loss from this cleanse, but don’t expect it to last, as most people quickly put back on weight after the fast is over.

Liver Flush

A liver flush, or liver cleanse as it is sometimes called, is one of the most impressive types of detoxes that you can do due to the very visible results that it produces.

To do a liver flush, you drink 2-8 oz of olive oil and 2-8 oz of freshly squeezed lemon juice mixed with 4 tablespoons of epsom salts. You then lie down on your side for 30 minutes and massage your abdomen.

You are likely to experience an urge to go to the toilet shortly after drinking this mixture, but it will take a few hours before you see any actual results. For this reason, a liver flush is usually done at night before going to bed so that a bowel movement can be achieved in the morning.

Supposedly, a liver flush flushes out gallbladder stones. However, doctors who have examined these “stones” have found them to be made up of bile that has hardened into a stone shape as a result of consuming oil and lemon. Doctors also say that it is not possible to expel gallbladder stones in this way.

As a result, the current medical consensus is that liver flushes are not effective, and whilst they may produce impressive looking results, they do little, if anything, to actually detox you.

Bentonite Clay

Bentonite clay is another popular type of detox that produces very impressive looking results. It involves consuming a mixture of bentonite clay with psyllium husks to remove the build up of mucoid plaque from the walls of the intestine.

When you have a bowel movement, the result can be seen as a very long and rubbery looking excrement.

Most medical professionals however, believe that this is simply a result of the bentonite clay bonding with the psyllium and the mucous of the intestinal walls. Mucous which is naturally secreted as a lubricant and does not form into a plaque.

Enemas

An enema involves inserting a tube into the anus to flush warm water, or sometimes coffee, into the rectum with the intention of cleansing the colon of fecal matter.

After the liquid has been inserted into the colon, it is then kept there for as long as possible before excreting it out. Alternatively, this may be done mechanically and professionally via a colonic irrigation device.

Enemas are very effective in cleansing the colon of fecal matter, largely because feces breaks down rapidly when it comes into contact with a warm liquid. Enemas however, should only be done once or twice a month at most, because if done too frequently, they can result in a lazy bowel and an inability to control bowel movements.

The Alkaline Diet

As a result of eating unhealthy foods, such as processed and refined foods, the body can become overly acidic. Many health experts now believe that there is a link between how acidic your body is and the likelihood of you suffering from disease.

Alkalinization of the body can be promoted by eating green vegetables, drinking green vegetable juices, drinking apple cider vinegar and juicing lemons.

To check how acidic your body is, purchase some inexpensive pH strips. These will tell you your acidity level, and will also allow you to judge the effectiveness of any measures you may be taking to alkalinize yourself.

How To Go On A Detox Diet

Most people who choose to go on a detox diet do so because they are concerned about their health. This may be because they aren’t feeling as healthy as they used to, have been eating unhealthy food for many years or simply because they feel as though they are currently living an unhealthy lifestyle and want to make a change for the better.

Whatever your reasons are for wanting to go on a detox diet or body detox program, going on one could be one of the best decisions that you ever make! Not only will it help to encourage you to live a healthier lifestyle and make you more aware of your health, but it will also have remarkable positive benefits on your body.

Some of the benefits of going on a detox diet include increased energy levels, better sleep, reduced levels of toxic substances in the body, improved mental clarity and a reduced risk of suffering from illness and disease as a result of a stronger immune system.

How To Start A Detox Diet

The first stage of going on a detox diet involves making an assessment of your current state of health and your current lifestyle. For example, if you predominantly eat junk foods and exercise very little, then you may want to consider gradually cutting out the amount of junk foods that you consume and start exercising more.

It is important however, to do things gradually and not to rush into things. Very often you will find that people feel so bad for living an unhealthy lifestyle for so long, that they want to immediately detox their body and start living a healthy lifestyle by cutting out all the bad things from their life at once.

In reality, this tends not to work and has a high rate of failure. One of the reasons for this is because if you only eat junk foods and then suddenly try to cut out all of the bad foods which you normally eat, you are likely to feel that you are making a sacrifice which can then cause you to strongly crave the foods that you are trying to give up.

As a result, you will be much more likely to find yourself giving in to temptation and snacking on the junk foods that you promised yourself you would avoid. Before long, you are back on your old diet and your detox diet plan becomes a thing of the past.

One Step At A Time

A far more successful approach to detoxing your body is to gradually eliminate the bad things in your life over a period of time. For example, if you eat a chocolate bar for lunch and another during the evening, try only eating one a day rather than two.

Alternatively, if you are eating many different unhealthy foods, try cutting out one of those foods for a few weeks. Over time, you will be able to eliminate the bad foods from your diet without feeling as though you are making such a sacrifice.

Cutting out the junk from your diet gradually also has another major advantage. When you stop eating junk foods, the toxins from those foods that have been stored in your body can create withdrawal symptoms.

By making gradual changes you will find that those withdrawal symptoms will be much easier to deal with and far less severe than had you tried to make a sudden and dramatic change.

Finally, as we have mentioned before, detoxing your body slowly is also important in order to allow your body to process and expel the toxins which your detox is cleansing your body of. If you release too many toxins at once, this could be harmful to your health and end up doing you more harm than good.

Steps To A Successful Detox

Use the following steps to help you detox your body.

1) Why do you want to detox?

What benefits do you hope to gain? Are you suffering from a health problem you want to correct, or any symptoms you want to get rid of? Do you have any specific goals that you would like to achieve?

The more benefits that you can think of, the stronger your motivation will be to stick to your detox plan.

2) What type of detox do you want to do?

The type of detox you do will determine the results you get and the withdrawal symptoms you could experience. Determine whether you want to cleanse your whole body, such as by fasting, or whether you want to target specific areas of your body such as your colon or perhaps cleanse yourself of parasites.

Are you aware of the withdrawal symptoms that you are likely to get from your detox? If not, find out from other people what symptoms they experienced, because if you are not prepared for those symptoms, then they will probably cause you to end your detox early or cause you alarm and panic.

3) How long you can devote to your detox?

The longer you detox the better the results that you will get and the more your health will improve. However, longer detoxes are much harder to do than shorter detoxes and will often mean experiencing more withdrawal symptoms.

If you want to do a long detox, such as for one or two months, do you have any work commitments which could prevent you from doing this?

If so, you may want to consider doing a 5 day detox instead and taking a week off work. During the week you can detox your body in the comfort of your own home, and then give yourself the weekend to recover before you return back to work.

Finally, determine whether you want to make your detox a one-off event, or whether it is something that you would like to continue doing for the rest of your life by eating healthier and exercising more.

If you just want to make it a one-off event, could you do short detox sessions once a month or once every two months? Some people for example, choose to fast one day a week to give their digestive system some time to rest.

4) How will you detox?

Once you know what type of detox you want to do, and how long you can do it for, you next need to determine exactly how you are going to detox your body.

For example, what will or won’t you eat or drink on your detox? Are there any special herbs that you will need, such as to detox heavy metals, or products that you will need to detox your colon?

5) What support do you have?

Detoxing is much easier if you have someone to support you through the process. So try to find a friend or relative who you can talk to about your detox.

Alternatively, look online as there are many forums and message boards where people share their experiences of detoxification and provide support for those who need it.

I know that when I did my first detox, this was a real big help as it gave me a much better idea of what to expect and also helped me to better cope with my withdrawal symptoms.

6) What else will you do on your detox?

When you go on a detox there will be more to your life than just detoxing. Sure, the times when you are feeling really bad from your withdrawal symptoms you will probably just want to spend most of your day in bed. But there will also be times when you are feeling really good and positive about yourself as your body starts to cleanse and heal itself.

What will you do during such periods? Will you watch TV? Read a book? Do some work? Go on a walk? The more things that you can think of the better of an experience you are likely to have, and the less likely you are to find yourself bored and with nothing to do.

7) How will you end your detox?

All detox programs must eventually come to an end. How will you end yours? For some types of detox, you will need to end gradually.

For example, when you end a fast, you must reintroduce food back into your diet gradually rather than just stuffing yourself with one large meal.

Does your detox have a particular way that it should end?

8) What will you do when you have finished detoxing?

Your intentions after detoxing are extremely important to consider, but something that many people overlook. This is why it is not uncommon for people who lose weight on a detox diet to rapidly gain it back after their detox is over. They never thought about what they would do after their detox was over, and so ended up gorging themselves on junk food and getting fat.

So determine whether you just want to do a one-off detox and quickly return back to your old habits and old ways of thinking and feeling.

Or whether you are using your detox program as a springboard to a new and better lifestyle? If you want the latter, how will you achieve this? Are you willing to make the sacrifices that it will take?

Cleansing & Detoxification Videos

The following videos discuss toxins, cleansing and detoxification.