Why a Detox?

Are you thinking about doing a detox because that seems to be the “in” thing?  Do you have friends who swear by doing a detox but you have no idea what the fuss is all about?   Over the past 3 decades, the use of chemicals has increased dramatically.  Today, the average person will breath dirty air, consume pesticide residue on foods we deem to be healthy for us, apply skin care products that are filled with chemicals, and ingest chemical additives in all our favorite boxed foods.   “We currently have more than 83,000 chemicals being used in the United States, with well over 74 billion pounds being imported or produced in the United States every single day.  That’s more than 250 pounds per person per day!”  (sited from The Elimination Diet Book)

Data continues to pour in showing these chemicals are contributing to our undisputed rise in diseases.  Some data has even linked these chemicals to negatively influencing our metabolism.  And with the rise of obesity and disease, it has become more apparent it needs to be addressed.  “Harvard Public School of Health tested the impact of personal care product use on phthalate levels in 406 men, they found that the use of one single item like cologne or aftershave was shown to increase phthalate levels in the urine by 33 percent.” (sited from The Elimination Diet Book)   That’s with just one item, think of what you’re are absorbing just getting ready for work after showering, moisturizing, putting make up on, using an antiperspirant, and hair products?  And I haven’t even mentioned foods yet.  Yikes!

We live in a toxic world and thus we won’t be able to clean up our environment entirely, but we can certainly make it better to lessen the load our body is taking.  Ideally, we should be eating healthy, naturally detoxing foods daily.  However I realize that that isn’t always what happens.  So, focusing on a period where you give your body what it needs to rid itself though a detox is the next best thing.

Doing a detox or a cleanse can:

1. Remove toxins from the body. Toxins get stored in our tissues and fat.  Long term exposure to toxins can affect our metabolism, lower our immune system, cause disease and change our behavior.
2. Improve skin quality. Detoxing can improve acne giving us a natural healthy glow. It can also strengthen hair and nails.
3. Enhance immune system function. Do you suffer from multiple colds and flu’s each year? Detoxing helps strengthen the immune system, and decrease your chances for chronic disease.
4. Lose weight. Have you or someone you know ever have difficulty losing those last 10 pounds?  Cleaning up the toxins can help with weight loss.
5. Increase energy. You will gain more mental, physical, and emotional energy after detoxing. And, people tend to sleep better.

There are several things you can do to help your body detox naturally.

1. The first thing to do is go over your personal care products and ditch the ones that are most toxic. You can see how toxic your products are by going to the EWG.org site.  This site will tell you how toxic your favorite product is.  I use Ava Anderson personal care products, check them out and compare the ingredients to your personal care products!
2. Shop for organic products. The more organic the food is you eat, the less pesticide residue you will consume.
3. Hit the gym! Your body rids itself of toxins by sweating as well as urinating and pooping!
4. Support your body’s natural detox abilities by eating foods that assist in the process. My 12 Day Detox teaches you the foods to be eating and those to be eliminating.
5. Change out some of your kitchen utensils for less toxic ones. Replacing all your plastics with glass is a great first step!  Look at replacing your non-stick cookware too!

Don’t feel like you have to do it all at once.  That would be too overwhelming.  Just start by looking at your home and finding those things you can replace over time.  In the meantime, sign up for a detox to get your body running smoothly and with less toxins.