Detox has become quite the buzz word in the last 5 years. What does detox even mean? Is it something that you should be doing? Is it just a trend? I will be answering all your detox questions in the next few weeks, starting today with “What is a detox and is it really necessary?”
What is a Detox?
The word detox has taken on so many meanings. It can be as simple as reducing your toxic exposures to something more extreme such as a 5-7 day juice cleanse. The theory behind detoxing is to reduce or eliminate the number of toxins coming into the body. One of the biggest questions I get asked about detoxing is “doesn’t my liver do that already on its own”. The simple answer is YES! Your liver is essentially the filter for your body. It works to make the toxins in your body more water soluble so that they can be eliminated via your urine and stool. Your liver is VERY busy. Along with filtering the blood and eliminating toxins the liver also
-Aids in processing nutrients that the intestines absorb
-Breaking down and metabolizing alcohol
-Produces chemicals that help the blood to clot efficiently
-Regulates blood sugar
-Destroys and “cleans up” old red blood cells.
Our liver’s have a tonne of work to do. In the past, before we were exposed to the 60,000 environmental toxins that have been introduced since World War II, our liver’s were able to keep up with the break down and elimination of toxins. Now our liver’s are having to work overtime. A detox can be beneficial as a way to greatly reduce toxin exposures for a period of time. During a detox it is important to give the liver the nutrients it needs to break down the toxins into the water soluble form so that they can be eliminated. One of the key messages I want to get across is DETOX DOESN’T HAVE TO BE EXTREME. You can benefit greatly from a food only detox, and it is a great place for beginners to start.
You Could Benefit From a Detox If You Have:
-Difficulty Losing Weight
-Acne
-Trouble Regulating Blood Sugar
-Constipation
-Painful and/or Irregular Periods
-Brain Fog
-Bloating/Gas/Heartburn
In next week’s blog I will be talking about which foods to include and which to avoid while doing a detox.
Do you have any questions about detox? Please leave them in the comments below.
Want to learn simple ways to detox when you have small children? Join me September 8th for my FREE webinar. Reserve your spot, as space is limited.
Talk Soon
Dr Alexis
Dr Alexis practices in Carleton Place at Healthy Impact Naturopathic. She is currently accepting new patients
