Detoxification typically implies following a specific diet or using special products that claim to rid the body of toxins, improving health and promoting weight loss. In the real sense, the body is well-equipped to eliminate toxins and doesn’t require special diets or expensive supplements. That said, it can enhance the body’s natural detoxification system.
Detox diets are said to eliminate toxins from the body, improve health, and promote weight loss.
They often involve the use of laxatives, diuretics, vitamins, minerals, teas, and other foods believed to have detoxing properties.
Although the term “toxin” in the context of detox diets is loosely defined, It typically includes pollutants, synthetic chemicals, heavy metals, and processed foods, which can negatively affect health. However, popular detox diets rarely identify the specific toxins they aim to remove or the mechanism by which they supposedly eliminate them.
Moreover, no evidence supports the use of these diets for toxin elimination or sustainable weight loss since the body has a sophisticated way of eliminating toxins that involve the liver, kidneys, digestive system, skin, and lungs.
Still, only when these organs are healthy, can they effectively eliminate unwanted substances.
So while detox diets don’t do anything that the body can’t naturally do on its own, one can optimise the body’s natural detoxification system by
LIMITING ALCOHOL INTAKE
The liver metabolises more than 90% of the alcohol we consume. The Liver enzymes metabolise alcohol to acetaldehyde, a known cancer-causing agent. Recognising acetaldehyde as a toxin, the liver converts it to a harmless substance called acetate, which is then eliminated from the body.
While low-to-moderate alcohol consumption benefits the heart, excessive drinking can cause many health problems. Excessive drinking can severely damage liver function by causing fat buildup, inflammation, and scarring.
When this happens, the liver cannot function adequately and filter waste and other toxins from the body.
GETTING ADEQUATE SLEEP
Ensuring adequate quality sleep each night is a must to support the body’s health and natural detoxification system.
Sleeping allows the brain to reorganise, recharge itself, and remove toxic waste byproducts accumulated throughout the day. One of those waste products is a protein called beta-amyloid, which contributes to developing a brain condition known as Alzheimer’s disease.
With sleep deprivation, the body does not perform those functions properly, leading to toxins build up.
Poor sleep has links to short- and long-term health consequences, such as stress, anxiety, high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.
DRINK MORE WATER
Water does so much more than quench thirst. It regulates body temperature, lubricates joints, aids digestion and nutrient absorption, and detoxifies the body by removing waste products.
The body’s cells must continuously repair themselves to function optimally and break down nutrients for your body to use as energy.
However, these processes release wastes such as urea and carbon dioxide, which can cause harm if they build up in the blood. Water helps transport these waste products, efficiently removing them through urination, breathing, or sweating.
REDUCE YOUR INTAKE OF SUGAR AND PROCESSED FOODS
High consumption of sugary and highly processed foods leads to obesity and other chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
These diseases hinder the body’s ability to detoxify naturally by harming organs that play an important role, such as the liver and kidneys.
EAT ANTIOXIDANT-RICH FOODS
Antioxidants protect the cells against damage caused by molecules called free radicals. Oxidative stress is a condition that results from the excessive production of free radicals.
The body naturally produces these molecules for cellular processes, such as digestion. However, alcohol, tobacco smoke, a low-nutrient diet, and exposure to pollutants can produce excessive free radicals that can damage a range of cells leading to conditions such as dementia, heart disease, liver disease, asthma, and certain types of cancer.
Eating a diet rich in antioxidants can help the body counter oxidative stress caused by excess free radicals and other toxins that increase disease risk.
Examples of antioxidants include fruits rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E. These can be gotten from juices and smoothies. Check here for 100% smoothies, berries, nuts, cocoa, vegetables, and beverages like coffee, green tea, and so forth.
EAT FOODS HIGH IN PREBIOTICS
Gut health is essential for keeping the body’s detoxification system healthy. Intestinal cells have a detoxification and excretion system that protects your gut and body from harmful toxins, such as chemicals.
Good gut health starts with prebiotics, a type of fiber that feeds the good bacteria in the gut. With prebiotics, the good bacteria in the intestines can produce nutrients called short-chain fatty acids that are beneficial for health. Using antibiotics, poor dental hygiene, and diet quality can all alter the bacterial balance in the gut. This unhealthy shift in bacteria can weaken the immune and detoxification systems and increase the risks of disease and inflammation.
Eating foods rich in prebiotics can keep your immune and detoxification systems healthy. Good food sources of prebiotics include tomatoes, artichokes, bananas, asparagus, onions, garlic, and oats.
DECREASE SALT INTAKE
For some people, detoxing is a means of eliminating excess water.
Consuming too much salt can cause the body to retain excess fluid, especially if there is a condition that affects the kidneys or liver or if you don’t drink enough water.
While it may sound counterintuitive, increasing your water intake is one of the best ways to eliminate excess water weight from consuming too much salt.
That’s because when you consume too much salt and not enough water, the body releases an antidiuretic hormone that prevents you from urinating and detoxifying.
By increasing water intake, the body reduces the secretion of the antidiuretic hormone and increases urination, thus, eliminating more water and waste products from the body.
STAY ACTIVE
Regular exercise, regardless of body weight, is associated with a longer life and a reduced risk of many conditions and diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and certain cancers.
While there are several mechanisms behind the health benefits of exercise, reduced inflammation is vital.
While some inflammation is necessary for recovering from infection or healing wounds, too much weakens the body’s immune system and promotes disease.
By reducing inflammation, exercise can help the body’s systems, including its detoxification system, function properly and protect against disease.
