Detoxing the body: clean body, clean mind
Do you remember the seven deadly sins? Among the seven we all have at least three in my opinion. I think gluttony is a sin we all have lurking behind us ready to get out whenever the food is on the table. We keep eating even when we are exhausted and our bodies can take no more. We eat what tastes good and avoid what is good for us. We keep devouring the doughnuts and the cheeseburgers without knowing what it's doing to our body. It is turning our temple-like body into a place filled with complex toxicities. But wait. That does not mean that you are in serious danger as your body can easily get rid of these pollutants by simple methods of detoxing.
The organs of our body work together, to form a cycle of cleansing the body of its wastes through the various systems. For example, the circulatory system circulates out the harmful carbon dioxide form the body and the digestive system get rids of the unwanted and undigested food which gets out of the body through the help of the renal system. But the problem here is, due to the environment that surrounds us and our reckless eating habits, that cycle is disturbed and we often get sick. Detoxing brings back the balance and resumes that of cycle of cleansing.
Detoxing is widely popular among health-conscious people but for those who don't have much knowledge about detoxing and its benefits, no worries.
WHAT IS DETOXING AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
Detoxing is a process of getting rid of the toxins which our body have been exposed to - environmental pollutants, cancer-causing chemicals, preservatives, pesticides, heavy metals, industrial waste, and junk food, by following some well-known methods of dieting, fasting, exercising, avoiding certain food, colon cleansing, etc. It works by filtering the body of the various wastes and purifying the blood in the liver where all the toxins are processed for elimination. If, however, the toxins fail to get out of the body, it adversely affects each and every cell of the body causing allergies, fatigue, unexplained sluggishness, skin irritation, menstrual and bowel problems.
METHODS OF DETOXING:
As someone who is health-conscious, in my opinion a very easy method of detoxing and a fun way of starting your day is by doing the honey-lemon cleanse: after you wake up, make sure this is first thing you drink. Take a glass of lukewarm water, and add a few drops of fresh lemon juice and a spoonful of honey. Stir it before drinking. This cleanses your body from within and gives off a vibe of mental clarity. You are refreshed and headed for an awesome start to your day. But the most popular methods are the detox diets. They are known to help the most in getting rid of toxins. Generally people gorge on food that is hogged by contaminants such as flavour enhancers, food colourings, pesticides, and preservatives deemed unnecessary for human life. The diets include consumption of extremely limited sets of foods: fasting with only water or juices and eliminating certain processed foods which induce allergies. The diets should be high in fibre. It makes the body burn accumulated stored fats, releasing fat-stored "toxins" into the blood, which can then be eliminated through the blood, skin, urine, and faeces. Other ways of detoxing include taking more vitamin C tablets, drinking at least three litres of water a day, including more fibre in your diets, going to a sauna, doing yoga and even practicing meditation.
BENEFITS OF DETOXING:
In some circles, the whole process of detoxing is considered a myth; nonetheless it leaves you feeling positive and stress-free. It could be because your body is no longer subjected to the toll that highly processed food (added sugar and solid fats) leaves on it. It releases stress and makes one feel better from the inside. Besides, there are other important benefits of detoxing.
Strengthens the immune system - if detoxing is done regularly, it helps the immune system to function better and it becomes quicker to fight off infections.
Prevent conditions and diseases- Overloading your body with toxins may lead to developing certain harmful conditions or even diseases. Heart attack, strokes or cancers are some instances of such and with detoxing, those very toxins are flushed out minimising the risk.
Increases energy - avoiding certain food and adding herbs and vitamins to your diet can help increase energy. Moreover, exercising and mediating can give the body power to do more.
Improves the quality of the skin - the pores of our skin open up when we sweat and creates a medium for the high toxicities to get out. This reduces acne, nourishes the nails and the hair and gives the skin a natural glow.
Helps lose unwanted fat - during the process of detoxing, we tend to avoid certain fatty foods. The diet we follow increases metabolism and due to proper intake of vitamins and minerals, our bodies burn more fat and battle high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart diseases.
Increases focus and provides mental calm - we might have heard that the body and the mind are intricately connected to one another and hence, when you cleanse the body, the clarity of the mind follows. It brings more positivity, balances the thought process and increases concentration.
We can see how some simple methods of detoxing can benefit both the body and the mind, overall improving the quality of life and bringing back its balance. Ramadan is just around the corner and fasting is a way of detoxing in itself. But make sure you don't cram just about anything when you break your fast as that will bring you back to the starting point and your effort to detox will be rendered useless!
By Mormee Mahtab
Photo: Collected
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