Why detoxify and what are the challenges?

Keeping your digestion healthy and staying healthy can be a challenge in the modern world.

Your body has a natural ability to get rid of harmful substances through your organs which include the liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract (stomach and bowel) and the skin. Sometimes the demand on these organs is too much. With modern lifestyles you are exposed to a lot of toxins, for example through food (like additives, preservatives, colouring, processed and junk foods), drink (like alcohol and soft drinks), cigarettes, recreational drugs, medical drugs, environmental pollutants (including car fumes, heavy metals and pesticides) building materials in your home, electromagnetic radiation, cleaning products and make-up.

Your body was not designed to cope with the abundance of toxins that are now part of modern lives. A French scientist Dr. Alexis Carrell kept chicken heart cells alive for more than 27 years through a program that fed the cells nutrients and cleansed cellular waste. They only died when his successor stopped cleansing the cells. This shows that both cleansing and proper nutrition can aid longevity and vitality.

Toxins not only come from your external environment, they can also be generated in your body from stress, unfriendly bacteria in the gut, yeasts and parasites in your digestive system. These internally generated toxins can be absorbed into your bloodstream affecting your health and energy. An important strategy for a long healthy life is regular cleansing and nutrition to fuel your detoxification.

Most of us will be lacking in essential nutrients to aid detoxification and sometimes the body just can’t keep up; it gets tired and weary. In 3 generations we have lost 80% of the nutrition in soil and have processed nutrients out of foods. Sometimes you may push your body with excess work, or overload it with junk food but eventually your body becomes run-down and you can end up with chronic or acute illnesses.

Both to prevent and treat illness we can all benefit from a detoxification program.

When you see a qualified health practitioner they will usually do tests on your organs and design a program for you which can include herbs, homeopathy and nutrients. There are many detoxification programs and it can be confusing to know which one to do. I wouldn’t advise anyone to go out and buy herbal products; it is best to do that with someone who knows their stuff. What I will give you are simple safe ways you can detox at home with diet and lifestyle techniques to help you feel younger and more alive however, if you have a medical condition get advice from your health practitioner first.

More energy is involved in the process of your body detoxing than any other process in the body and your body has to do this on a daily basis. By giving the digestive system a rest, your body is able to utilise energy more effectively for getting rid of unfriendly toxins. A detox is needed to increase longevity and achieve quality of life.