WHAT IS A DETOX AND REDOX??
To understand what detoxing is you must first understand that detoxing is a natural process which starts in the body first on its OWN without the help of outside substances yet. There are different ways to approach detoxing. The first rule is to abstain from toxic foods, behaviors and habits while replacing them with better choices, behaviors and habits and you can do this by changing your diet slowly and completely, fasting (research kinds of fasts to see which is best for you, see my 21 day detox for a safe and fun way to fast), meal prepping, exercising, introducing medicinal herbs into your diet or a combination of them all which is highly recommended. You can do this for 7, 14,or 21 days, once a week, twice a month, 4 times a year or make it a lifestyle, its up to you! People detox for their own reasons. some people just want to lose weight for a wedding, obtain clear skin for a photoshoot and some people just want to live a healthier lifestyle free of sickness and disease.
WHAT IS A DETOX?
a process or period of time in which one ABSTAINS from or rids the body of toxic or unhealthy substances. So simply removing toxic substances alone will kickstart the detoxing process. When you overload the body and its systems with processed foods, alcohol, toxic smoke, cosmetic chemicals, GMO foods, and drugs you make it harder for your body to keep up with the detoxing process that happens daily and mostly overnight while you are sleeping. Think of it like this, if you are cleaning your house while someone is constantly throwing trash on the floor or walking around in muddy shoes, after a while you will become overwhelmed and tired or the dirt will pile up faster than you can clean it and the house will remain dirty until you either kick the person out so that you can clean totally or the person just stops throwing trash all over the place and you can finally catch up on some cleaning, This is what’s happening in the body as you keep adding outside toxins as the body is detoxing daily. We must stop eating toxic foods so often or remove the toxic foods from our diets completely. Strive to clean up your diet and keep it that way for as long as possible. The longer you eat clean, the more toxins will be eliminated and the better your health will get overtime.
. The human body possesses self-regulatory mechanisms which are self-healing and nutrient dense foods provide cofactors for enzymes to function in order to keep our detox organs operating effectively. Eating nutrient dense foods long with herbs and juices ASSIST the body and supports the organs that DETOX you. What makes detoxing complex is the organs and pathways used to naturally detox and eliminate these toxins. If these pathways and organs are clogged or not functioning properly your body will not be able to detox correctly no matter how many juices and teas you drink. To cleanse and unclog these pathways so that toxins can have a way out you must give your body a BREAK from the toxins.
Detoxing organs:
The liver, the skin, immune system, respiratory system, Digestive system, lymphatic system and kidneys promote detoxification in the body day in and day out.
WHAT TO EAT WHILE DETOXING
Juice diets help to give the digestive system a REST and RESET. Juices alone don’t have all the vital nutrients (minerals and vitamins) that your detoxing organs need to start the detoxification process. Juices don’t have fiber, you need the fiber to bind to and push waste out. The LIVER is a major detoxing organ and works with the digestive system to help break down and eliminate toxins. if your digestive system isn’t healthy you will not be able to eliminate efficiently.
Fruits and vegetables support your body’s detox organs so that they can do their jobs well. Most of these detox teas you see in commercial marketing are just filled with laxative herbs that keep you on the toilet but that doesn’t mean you are “detoxing”. Even if your diet isn’t fully plant based your liver will still do its job. If your body is overwhelmed with exogenous toxicants (outside toxins) and xenobiotic compounds (a chemical substance found within an organism that is not naturally produced), the detox organs can store the substances in fat or Connective tissues. It is our job to lessen the burden by avoiding certain toxicants in our products, and diet. Stick to a primarily plant-based diet with tons of fiber to help bind to and remove xenobiotic compounds.
WHAT IS A REDOX?
Redox aka Reduction and Oxidation. Alkaline and Acid. Reduction is like that of Alkaline in that you gain electrons or raise negative charge. Oxidation like Acid on the other hand is the lost of electrons and drop of negative charge. One increases voltage while the other drops voltage. After eliminating all the waste accumulated in the body, the tissue and organs need a redox of vital minerals, amino acids, and vitamins that get lost in the elimination process. Get your redox up through living foods and proper minerals, breathing, sleeping, getting sun (VITAMIN D) , water, herbs, and nature. This will assist with increased energy, even skin tone, improve your sleep, increase cellular energy production, reduce adrenal fatigue caused by stress, enhance nervous system function, normalize immune function, mitochondria repair (free radical elimination) and eliminate inflammation.
WHY A DIGESTIVE DETOX? AND WHAT IS THE PROPER CLEANSE TOOLS?
When we don’t eat foods with enough nutrients, waste accumulates in the intestines. This can cause constipation. the digestive system breaks down and absorbs nutrients from the food we eat via enzymes and acids. The accumulation without proper elimination will weaken the digestive system and can disrupt the balance or homeostasis in the body. Not being able to eliminate the bowels, sweat the toxins out or excrete toxins in general will have the body reabsorbing toxins and that’s what you don’t want. This accumulation of toxins will weakened the immune system. if you are not eliminating you are in fact accumulating and reabsorbing. this is a danger zone. So what can we do to assist the body in eliminating besides eating plant based and abstaining from toxic substances? Consuming herbs that help to purge the digestive system is one way but also intermettent fasting and giving the body a rest will allow it to purge itself naturally. This is why when fasting and juice cleansing you notice an increase in bowel movements and that’s why people mistake juice cleansing as a detox alone.
Also, there is a difference in laxative herbs and Medicinal/purgatory/mucilaginous herbs
Medicinal/Purgatory/mucilaginous herbs help purge the body of toxins by inducing intestinal wall contractions to help muscle the toxins out, soothes intestines from irritation, induces slight sweating, reduces inflammation and decreases cravings while restoring vital nutrients to the rest of the organs and body.
Laxatives are mostly diuretics which just flush the body by increasing the excretion of water through bowels or urine. diuretic herbs can be dangerous because people think they are detoxing because they are on the toilet all day not knowing that in flushing toxins they are also flushing water and vital nutrients out the body along with the toxins and if they do not replace these nutrients they will be nutrient deficient and this can cause problems as well.
Herbs are used to cleanse, revitalize, strengthen and protect. Medicinal herbs have been used since ancient times to treat diseases and ailments by merely extracting their healing properties through methods like decoction to make a tea or tonic.
WHO NEEDS TO CLEANSE?
Anyone who can breathe, uses cosmetics on skin and hair that have chemicals in it, anyone who eats meat, dairy, processed foods or products. Everyone! But of course people over a certain age (adults) and who is not pregnant or lactating/breastfeeding or on medication (speak with your health care provider first!).
If you experience constipation, acne, infertility, impotence, skin problems, digestive problems, body odor etc. these are called symptoms and should not be ignored and you should consider detoxing and redoxing for at least 21 days because it takes 21 days to create a habit. Once good habits are formed and bad habits are no longer practiced you can prolong your healthy life by making a temporary detox/redox into a permanant LIFESTYLE. A lifestyle of eating healthy, working out, loving yourself, going out into nature and creating art for the rest of your long life. Listen to your body, just like we take our cars to mechanics when lights (symptoms) come on we must fix the problem ( the source or root) asap or your vehicle (body) will break down!.
CAN I EAT THE SAME WHILE DETOXING?
You can eat while detoxing but eating a plant based diet is recommended because plant based foods, and non processed foods don’t make your body work harder to break down and rid toxins. Supplementing helps if you feel you aren't able to eat fresh produce but supplements are just that. So try the best you can to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. After a meal is digested you should be eliminating your bowels shortly after. If you find yourself not eating mostly plant based its ok! we are human it takes time to create healthy habits, be patient with yourself and do the best you can with what you have, just be more conscious and aware of the things you eat, put on your skin and in your hair as toxins enter the body these ways also. Everyday try to do at least 1 healthy thing and increase it as time goes on while eliminating unhealthy things. Remember too much of anything is not good and some things in moderation is better than nothing. Compromise with yourself, healthy alternatives come with practice!
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A DETOX/REDOX?
BEFORE,DURING, & AFTER.
Before you detox you will feel overwhelmed, you will feel like you are about to put yourself in food jail but it shouldn’t feel this way. beginning a detox should feel like a new journey, like you are about to start a new job that you’ve always wanted. it is the beginning of a new healthy lifestyle. If you are the only one detoxing amongst family and friends it is normal to feel pressure of being outcasted but its ok, its no one else’s journey. Its your body and your life. you must be willing to take control and be prepared to have bad days and good days but most importantly look forward to the rewarding outcome which is a lifestyle with no health complaints and the knowledge and wisdom of healing thyself with nature.
SIDE EFFECTS ARE NORMAL
It is normal to experience some side effects during a detox. Usually, the more toxins there are in your body to expel, the more side effects you can expect to experience. When you offer your body new nutritious foods, and digestive aids to help your organs push out waste, your body goes into minor shock. The body tends to resist by craving toxic foods, feelings of irritability may arise, and not wanting or having a taste for healthy foods may be a mood but its cool, expect it and try to neglect it. This is a GOOD sign though, this means the detox is working. The impurities, toxins and parasites will try to upheaval and cause chaos because they know their time is up!
BOWEL MOVEMENTS & HEADACHES
During the first two to three days of your detox, you can expect to experience frequent bowel movements as waste is moved from your intestine and colon. Diarrhea and constipation have also been known to occur. This is a sign that your body is trying to adjust to the new rules and regulations. Some people get slight headaches but in some cases a headache can mean dehydration so be sure to drink plenty water. If you aren’t thirsty, drink when you feel hungry first before eating or do a quick workout to induce thirst. Sometimes headaches arise when abstaining from caffeine or sodas, this is withdrawal from the drug; SUGAR. Things have to get bad before they get better. The bad stuff has to find its way out one way or another.
GAS & BLOAT
As your body tries to reach a balanced state, it can create gases that will cause you to bloat and have excessive flatulence. It is another way that the body is ridding itself of waste. Trying to prevent yourself from passing gas during a detox can result in a upset stomach and digestive problems. Although not pleasant, you should rid yourself of this gas whenever possible.
BODY ODOR & SKIN
Toxins are expelled either through our bowel movements or through the pores of our skin. The toxins being released can irritate the skin. You may experience skin breakouts and in some cases rashes or hives because dirt and toxins are exiting through your pores.
FATIGUE & REST
Make sure you get good nights rest every night because the body is working hard. You can expect to feel fatigued as toxins exit your system and your body works to heal itself from anything that is out of balance
After about 1-2 weeks maybe even a month in some cases, you start to feel a whole lot better. People have reported that their mind is clear, no more brain fog or brain fart, their skin looks clearer and brighter, they feel increased energy levels, they no longer have issues with bowel moving, their body odor is decreasing, they have less bloat and gas, no more irritability or bad moods, decreased cravings and cramps, better appetites and they feel healthier and happier.
However, if any side effects become too severe, try weaning yourself off of things you are trying to eliminate instead of cutting them out completely or going cold turkey as some like to call it especially if this is your first time detoxing. Listen to your body. WELL WISHES ON YOUR NEW JOURNEY TO A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
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