The word “detox” seems to have subtly made its way into everyday language. Pinterest is filled with homemade infused waters that can magically help us to get rid of toxins that build up in our bodies, or we hear friends talk about how good their yoga routine was and how it’s great because it helps to detox the mind, body and spirit.
How magical is this really, though? It might sound like a gimmick, but the truth is that it is very possible to rid your body of toxins and start feeling better. The best part about it? It can all happen naturally.
You don’t need any kind of expensive surgery or procedure to detox. Yes, there might be some methods people choose to use that can cost some bucks, but you don’t need them. You don’t need an expensive yoga membership or an expensive juice regimen.
All you need is to listen to your body and be open to the possibilities of using natural remedies to help heal the body. As the Ayurvedic proverb goes, “When diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. When diet is correct, medicine is of no need.”
In order to know if you need to try a detox, look for very simple signs. Here are five of them that you can spot just by paying attention to the way you are feeling daily.
1. You lack energy
If you’re consistently getting a good 7-8 hours of sleep (or enough sleep that you know can sustain your energy levels properly), and are still not feeling rested, it might be time to consider a detox.
Here’s why: junk that builds up in your system from sources like the foods we eat and the air we breathe can zap you of energy. Detoxing allows your body to flush out these substances, which can make you feel “lighter” and more energetic. If you’re pounding down coffee and caffeinated sodas in order to stay awake, you’re not doing yourself a favor at all.
Not only do you feel sluggish to begin with, but stimulants like caffeine and taurine often found in energy drinks and coffee can leave you crashing once the “high” is over. Beverages like this can also be hard on the liver, which can also lower your energy levels.
2. You find it hard to focus.
Ever find yourself at work having severe difficulty in concentrating and focusing on the task at hand? This might be a detox red flag.
According to Bembu, “A candida cleanse alone can restore clarity, focus and concentration by ridding your body of excessive and damaging candida fungus”.
Having an overgrowth of candida can manifest into several health problems including: digestive issues, yeast infections, feeling sluggish and finding it difficult to concentrate, having mood swings or feeling depressed, as well as having skin issues like eczema.
3. You’re having trouble losing weight
If you’ve been working hard at losing weight, but you’re not seeing the results you want, the culprit could be the toxins in your body. Foods that you would eat while detoxing include salads with ingredients like fresh spinach, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, avocado, quinoa and chia seeds.
You should also be making your own homemade salad dressing with olive oil, salt and pepper, lemon and fresh herbs and citrus, which will allow you to have a tasty dressing without all of the artificial colors and flavors found in store-bought brands.
Fresh and healthy detox waters, such as water infused with watermelon and mint or cucumber and lemon, will help your body flush out the toxins.
In the process of flushing so much waste out of your body, you will drop pounds and allow your body to feel more balanced and efficient, in terms of getting nutrients from the foods you eat and being able to properly digest them.
Detoxing will also help you achieve a flatter stomach, as it will nix all the bloating, and exercising will be a breeze with all the energy you’ll feel while detoxing.
4. You’re having problems with your skin
All of the sudden, you’re breaking out and getting rashes, which is not how things normally are. Perhaps your skin is feeling incredibly dried out and you can’t explain it. If you notice your skin is changing and topical remedies aren’t working, you might need to look inward.
Have you been eating a lot of processed foods lately? Are you drinking enough water? Are you overindulging in alcohol or nicotine? Are you possibly working in an environment that might have mold or other airborne toxins you’re breathing in?
If the answer to any of these is yes, consider trying to detox for at least a short amount of time to see if symptoms lessen. Excessive toxicity in the body can lead to many skin problems.
5. You find it difficult to sleep
When your body is full of toxins, it struggles to carry out natural functions efficiently. In this case, the buildup of toxins can make your body produce less melatonin, a hormone that is produced by the pineal gland in response to darkness (which is why it’s not good to sleep with the light on!). According to LiveScience, “Levels [of melatonin] remain high during sleep until the pineal gland tapers off production in response to light”.
However, when the body struggles to produce it properly, your sleep cycle is thrown off. You may find it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. Detoxing will allow your body to be more in tune with nature and to work in its more natural, balanced states (unaffected by toxins), which then help to create a healthy circadian rhythm.
What exactly is a detox?
The process of detoxification allows the body to rid itself of toxic substances we are constantly exposed to. This process requires a period of time (sometimes three days, sometimes one month; it depends on the type of process you want to go through) in which you consume natural, whole (unprocessed) foods, drink water and stay away from harmful substances.
Common toxins include food additives like colorings and flavorings, solvents (cleaning materials), formaldehyde, benzene, pesticides, herbicides and heavy metals such as nickel, cadmium, mercury and lead.
How can I detox?
Ways of detoxing includes staying away from harmful chemicals in household cleaning products, cosmetics and personal care products like shampoo. Watching the food you eat will also ensure you are safe from artificial additives found in many store-bought products and fast food.
Yoga is another wonderful way of detoxifying the body because it allows for every part of the body to be stretched, twisted and compressed. New York City yoga teacher Witold Fitz-Simon said, “This facilitates the removal of waste products such as carbon dioxide, lactic acid and lymphatic fluid from the deep tissues and extremities of the body that a jog or a bike ride just don’t reach”.
It’s no wonder that detoxifying has become a part of everyday language. There are so many wonderful benefits this process can have for our body, mind and soul that is has become a word of health and happiness.
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