Natural body detoxification

1. The gastro-intestinal tract is using a well balanced microbial flora that degrades the toxins. The problems arise when the balance goes out of control after excessive use of alcohol, antibiotics or even chlorinated water. Irregular bowel movement does not help either.

2. The liver transforms fat-soluble toxins into water-soluble toxins that are eliminated by the kidneys, or excreted through the bile in the bowels. Any condition that affects the liver (for example chronic alcohol abuse) or the kidney (heavy metals) would decrease the detoxification potential of the body.

3. Some toxins are eliminated through the skin through sweat. By clogging the skin pores with oily substances one can prevent the skin from eliminating toxins. The same goes for the excessive use of anti-perspirants or over heating the body.

As you see, body detoxification is a complex procedure that requires excellent functions of multiple organs: kidney, liver, bowels, skin and even tears and saliva.

What can affect body detoxification?

Here are some of the most frequent reasons for a faulty body detoxification:

1. Overload of environmental toxins

2. Eating the wrong food (low fat food for men, food estrogens for men)

3. Nutritional deficiencies

4. Constipation

5. Bowel flora imbalance

6. Genetic lack or low level of digestive enzymes

7. Alcohol abuse

8. Drug abuse

9. Long term antibiotic therapy

How can you protect your body?

I. Decrease the load of toxins:

1. Eat preferably organically grown raw fruits and vegetables.

2. Eat meats and poultry that are fed organic grains, without the use of antibiotics.

3. Avoid farmed fish and sea food.

4. Drink plenty of water (not chlorinated and not fluoridated) to flush the toxins through the kidneys.

5. Avoid aluminium cookware

II. Help your liver detoxification:

Fat accumulation in the liver and around it will slow the metabolism, lead to more fat accumulation around the waist. Not only are you going to become fat, but the fat around the waistline is the one that is connected to heart attacks and diabetes. We are not talking how to stay attractive and sexy, we are talking about life saving procedures.

Imagine the liver as a gigantic laboratory. Any broken tube, any spilled chemical in the lab slows the work of the entire lab.

Eat liver friendly food rich on essential fatty acids:

1. Avocado

2. Cold-pressed oils, such as olive oil, sunflower oil and linseed oil.

3. Natural lipotropic (liver loving) products like herbs.

Some people believe in short-term liver detoxification benefits.

I don’t.

I believe that liver friendly diet should be a life long diet. Anything that is a 2- 4 weeks rush like rush detoxification or weight loss can potentially do more harm than good if you don’t adjust your life style to a healthier one.

Make sure to include any of those in your daily diet:

Fruits - apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, cherries, grapefruit, grapes, pineapples, melons, papaya, peaches, prunes, strawberries, oranges, lemons.

Vegetables - chickpeas, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, chickpeas, cucumber, lentils, lettuce, onions, pumpkin, seaweed, spinach, tomatoes, watercress.

Herbs - fennel, garlic, ginger, parsley,

Other - barley, sesame seeds, tofu, yogurt

It is a common misconception that only fat foods leads to fat accumulation in the liver and the belly. Any excess of food intake actually leads to fat accumulation. If you only eat a lot of carbohydrates for a month without even touching a fat food the result would be fat accumulation.

My point is that people who want to control their weight should be paying attention to carbohydrates as well.

III. Improve your intestinal detoxification:

1. Add some fiber to your diet or use fiber supplementation in order to have at least one bowel movement per day. Psyllium husks are particularly natural solution.

2. Alginates: component of brown seaweed has the ability to bind toxins and prevent them from being reabsorbed.

3. Take some digestive enzymes after a particularly fatty meal.

4. Eat plenty of yogurt to balance your intestinal flora (the best would be home made to avoid preservatives).

5. No need for enemas. They can only lead to additional flora imbalance and constipation.

In summary my advice is to make the detoxification diet a life style and avoid toxins of any kind when possible.

From Natural body detoxification return to Home page.

Read food and waistline.

Learn why men and women should not eat the same food.

Go to Site Index