The Lowdown On Detoxing

This article was written by Nutritionist Rebecca Riley
Type ‘Detox’ into Google, and you will see tons of detox programs and products that have paid substantial advertising fees to have their products come up first in the search results.
It can be quite confusing, for those who want to undertake a detox program, to understand the products and programs and find one that is relevant to them. We are all interested in keeping our body’s healthy right?
I am a big fan of going back to basics, so let me answer two main questions, what is detoxing and how is it relevant for optimum health?

Detoxification is defined as ‘the process of removing toxic substances.’  Detoxification is relevant to our health because we are exposed to toxic substances constantly through our food and environment. Our bodies can also make toxic substances. Things like an intestinal imbalance of microorganisms can cause proliferation of undesirable yeast, fungi, and bacteria which all release toxins into our systems that can be detrimental to our health.
What many people don’t realise is that our bodies are in a constant state of processing and eliminating toxins. The mucosal lining in the nose and ears, skin, lungs, colon, liver, kidneys and urinary tract (just to name a few) are all very important parts of the body’s own detoxification processes.
However, if the intake of toxins is higher than what the body can process then the body ends up storing these toxins.  Fat tissue is one of the first to store toxins, as this tissue is less important for bodily functions and the toxins will not do as much damage here than in other places of your body. Now these toxins of course can have some very damaging results including cancer and many other health problems including joint pain and inflammation, thyroid, heart, kidney and liver diseases.
So we have established that toxins can and will hurt your body… BUT… our bodies are also equipped with amazing detoxification processes that occur all the time, and if we equip our bodies with the right tools, it does a fabulous job of detoxification without all the expensive products!
Reducing your exposure to environmental toxins can be hard, but making healthy food choices and increasing the amount of clean, whole natural foods that you have in your diet will make the world of difference to your body.
Ensuring that you eat plenty of fresh fruit, salad and vegetables, as well as whole grains and quality protein will provide you with a well balanced diet to support your body’s detoxification. In a previous article I explained the importance of antioxidants (you can read that HERE) in your diet to help the body fight the damage of free radicals. Including plenty of raw food maximises the nutritional and antioxidant quality so your body optimizes its detoxifying abilities.
Many of the detoxification products out on the market are designed to support the body in processing and eliminating toxins but are often marketed as a quick fix and are quite rough on the body.  Some even require you to stop eating or eat very specific foods for days at a time which can be very dangerous for those with health conditions.
It is important to note that if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or suffer from other health conditions these quick fixes are extremely taxing on your body, can be dangerous and are not recommended.  Always consult a health professional before embarking on any marketed detox program.
The best way you can safely enhance the detoxification of your body is by making healthy food choices, include a quality probiotic for a healthy intestinal balance, and maintain exercise in your lifestyle.  The Healthy Mummy smoothies are nutrient rich and a wonderful inclusion in your diet to help you maintain optimum nutritional support for your body.
This article was written by Nutritionist Rebecca Riley
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