Detoxing…the Right Way | Part One
With the holiday season now officially over for another year, detoxing from all the heavy meals and celebratory drinks is probably at the forefront of your mind. And with good reason: Detoxing is important, as it helps eliminate the unwanted build-up of toxins, from both internal (natural by-products of daily functioning) and external (pharmaceutical drugs, pesticides, etc.) sources in our bodies.
Although the human body has an incredible ability to withstand these toxins, in this day and age the extent of our exposure is typically more than our body can handle. As toxins accumulate in the body’s tissues, they can disrupt our health. Studies have shown that excess toxins can be linked to a plethora of health issues, including headaches, asthma, mood and mental status changes, weight gain, allergies, insomnia, joint pain and so on.
The organs responsible for the elimination of toxins include the liver, kidneys, digestive tract, lungs and skin through urination, healthy bowel movements, exhalation, and sweating. A proper detox should both support these organs and protect tissues from the by-products (mainly nasty free radicals) produced in detoxification.
But how then does one decipher which of the numerous detox methods posted on the Internet, advertised in health food stores, or championed by friends, to use? Are the Master Cleanse, Wild Rose Herbal D-Tox Program, juice fasts and colonics all created equal? The answer is NO. Some can actually do more harm than good.
Realistically, detoxes don’t have to be as hard and strenuous as we often make them out to be. In fact, the harder they are, the more damaging they tend to be. There’s no need for drastic changes or starvation. A detox should simply take any excess burden off of the eliminating organs, and encourage them to do what they do best: detoxify.
To do this, a detox should include diet, exercise and some supplementation. But remember, supplementation without any dietary and lifestyle changes, will only amp up the body’s detoxification processes without lightening the burden, and therefore, will not give optimal results.
DIET
Despite the ads preaching that starvation or supplementation is key, diet is the most important part of a detox. Foods play a large role in providing the body with the necessary building blocks to support the body’s detoxification function, and also nutrients like antioxidants that protect the body’s tissues from damaging free radicals and toxins.
Today’s North American diet is high in red meat, dairy, gluten, soy, corn and refined sugar. Unfortunately, these foods are known to cause inflammation in many people and are often ridden with pesticides, growth hormones and additives, which leads to toxin build up. The diet is also high in processed foods, which have essentially been stripped of the nutrients the body needs for detoxifying.
So when thinking about doing a detox, first take the time to think about what you’re eating, and look at the ingredients of the foods you purchase. You’ll probably be surprised with what you find!
Eat as much fresh, organic whole foods as possible. This will encourage a diet of optimal nutrients and contain less external toxins. Incorporate dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, bok choy, spinach and collard greens, carrots, celery, cucumbers, zucchini, asparagus, Asian mushrooms (shitake and oyster mushrooms), legumes, sprouts, quinoa, and brown rice. Protein sources can include salmon, chicken, turkey and lamb.
Try to avoid inflammatory foods such as pork, beef, potatoes, gluten, soy, corn, refined sugar, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, dairy, coffee and alcohol, or foods that are void of nutrients and full of additives, such as pre-packaged or processed foods.
And don’t forget to drink at least two litres of water a day, to encourage cleansing and hydration.
Check back on Friday for part two of Dr. Cristina’s blog on detoxing. If you have any questions or would like to speak to Dr. Cristina about an individualized detox program, she can be reached at drcristina@thehealthloft.ca.
