In the modern world, our bodies are under constant assault from various toxins; Toxins we ingest through food and drink, those found in our environment, to those that are made as a by-product within our body.
The liver is the cleansing house of all these toxins but sooner or later its ability to detox efficiently becomes impaired due to continual loading.
When these toxins can no longer be eliminated, they are stored as body fat to be dealt with at a later date. Unless you give your body the chance it needs to process these toxins out of your body, they'll build up contributing to a condition called fatty liver.
By doing a detox or minimising the toxins your body has to process, you give your liver the space it needs to start processing these toxins again. Once processed they are released into the lymphatic system, kidneys and blood to be eliminated. Excessive toxins left long enough in the body can present a whole host of problems and health concerns.
In this blog, we'll be looking at the benefits of detoxing, foods that naturally help your body to detox and what is actually going on within your body that causes the 'detox effect,' or 'healing crisis.'
So, why Detox?
- Help re-balance the body and repair damage.
- Expel environmental toxins that have built up in your body.
- Reduce symptoms of headaches, aches, inflammation, acne and increased body fat, amongst others.
- Reduce your dependency on stimulants like sugar, caffeine and refined carbohydrates.
What's Going on Inside your Body when Detoxing?
1. The general explanation
Everybody will start a detox for different reasons and from different levels of toxicity. When talking about a general explanation it's important to remember that everyone's bodies are unique. As a result, each of us will have different experiences when detoxing and display different symptoms.
"As a general rule, the more toxic the body is, or the more years of poor habits accumulated, the more intense the healing crisis will be."
When starting a detox you may notice a temporary worsening of any current symptoms you have. This is normal and occurs as the body begins to clear out the ‘sludge.' This is a natural part of the bodies process of healing itself via the elimination of toxins accumulated within your cells.
While this is commonly known as a 'detox reaction' we like to think of this as 'a healing crisis' or 'healing reaction,' as it is a necessary evil where you feel worse for a couple of days before you feel better.
...'a healing crisis' or 'healing reaction,' is a necessary evil where you feel worse for a couple of days before you feel better.
The toxins being expelled from your body during this process may have been trapped in the cells (or liver and gallbladder) for years (sometimes even decades). As a general rule, the more toxic the body is, or the more years of poor habits accumulated, the more intense the healing crisis will be. The elimination organs (lungs, skin, liver, kidneys) combine together to eliminate waste products but can be overwhelmed by the process.
It's important to remember that a healing crisis is only temporary and you are on the path to renewed health. Even though a healing crisis is uncomfortable, it is a good sign that the body is working to heal itself and will usually only last between 2 - 5 days.
If you have any concerns or questions please call us on 0800 52 54 52 and of course if you’re not feeling well for any reason during a detox it is always best to check in with your GP.
2. During a sugar detox
If you've ever tried reducing your intake of sugar, you'll be very aware of just how difficult sugar is to cut cold turkey. Commonly referred to as "sugar withdrawals," this is your body's way of detoxing its dependency on metabolising sugar to create energy.
During the sugar detox process, there are quite a few things that are changing and your body now needs to go to the extra effort of breaking down fats to release energy. This is like a muscle in the way it needs to be trained and over time it will become stronger and be able to do this faster and more efficiently. However, in the interim, you'll experience detox symptoms and you may notice increased fatigue.
In addition to this, when you eat a lot of sugar, your body uses the resulting insulin spike to make neurotransmitters you need to feel good. Once you reduce your sugar intake your body has to work harder to make these neurotransmitters. This can cause headaches and strong emotional swings as your body learns to adjust.
If you are looking to reduce the amount of sugar you consume, I recommend reading our blog, 6 tips for reducing sugar easily and gently to minimise the detox effect.
3. During an alcohol detox
Alcohol is essentially a sugar. You're not going to experience a detox effect from alcohol unless you are an alcoholic and you've built up a dependency on this substance. The detox effect you will experience in this situation will be linked to the neurotransmitters component we discussed in the sugar detox example above.
If you enjoy alcohol but would like to know more about how alcohol is affecting your health, the amount you should be drinking or the best types to drink, have a read of my recent blog post, 'how alcohol affects your health.'
4. During a caffeine detox
Caffeine's effect on our body – and especially on our brain – is very complicated. Caffeine constricts blood vessels in your brain and therefore reduces blood flow. When you reduce your caffeine intake, you're increasing the blood flow to your brain which makes your pain receptors more sensitive and causes the classic 'caffeine headache' you experience.
5. When you first begin taking BePure Nutritional Support
While eliminating toxins from the body can start a detox reaction, so too can adding beneficial nutrients. At BePure all of our nutritional support products have been specially created with high-strength, high-quality products, designed to really up-regulate your system – including your detoxification system.
The nutrients and herbs in our products, particularly BePure One, target the enzymes in your liver and encourages them to spin faster, allowing them to start processing the toxins that have built up there.
As the toxins are expelled from your body you may experience an array of healing crisis symptoms. Again this is a necessary evil and some may feel worse before starting to feel much better.
It is fine to keep taking your BePure nutritional support during this process, but make sure you always take them with food and minimal water. You can also have a spoonful of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice in warm water before eating to increase the acidity of your stomach.
In between meals make sure that you are drinking plenty of water to give your body the best chance of eliminating the toxins.
I would also suggest reducing BePure One capsules to 1 or 2 per day and then gradually building back up to 5 per day over the next few weeks. This should minimise your symptoms. I hope this helps you and please don't hesitate to give us a call if you have any concerns or questions, 0800 52 54 52
Natural ways to detox
1. Eat lots of cruciferous vegetables: These are very high in sulforaphane, which is needed to convert toxins into non-toxic waste for elimination. For example, broccoli, brussel sprouts and kale.
2. Eat your leafy greens: These provide beneficial fibre, alkalise the body and help to reduce inflammation. Example: Spinach, silverbeet and arugula.
3. Flaxseed oil: As an essential fatty acid, flaxseed oil is great for raising metabolism, attracting and binding to oil-soluble toxins that get lodged in the liver, carrying them out of the system. The essential fatty acids in flaxseed oil can also stimulate bile production, which is critical for fat metabolism and for flushing the gallbladder.
4. Spices and herbs: Thermogenic spices such as ginger, cayenne, mustard and cinnamon not only provide lots of flavour but also raise body temperature and kick-start metabolism. Herbs like parsley, coriander, fennel and anise, are known for their diuretic properties to flush toxins from the body.
5. Milk Thistle: This can help to increase liver enzyme production and repair damaged liver tissue.
6. Dandelion root: This and other bitters are used to improve digestion and reduce toxin loads back-flowing to the liver. Dandelion contains nutrients that have been shown to stimulate the liver to produce bile to send to the gallbladder and also contract the gallbladder to release stored bile, increasing fat metabolism.
7. Drink diluted, unsweetened cranberry juice: Cranberry is a major diuretic and targets water retention for detoxification. Arbutin, the active ingredient in cranberry, pulls out the water stored in fat to be excreted by the kidneys. Cranberries are also filled with emulsifying enzymes to help digest fatty globules in the lymphatic system. Because the cranberry is full of flavonoids it can also improve cellulite by improving the strength and integrity of the connective tissue and help to keep the lymphatic system working smoothly.
8. Lemon water: This helps bile formation and supports energy production through the citric acid cycle, essential for fat metabolism and to help regenerate the liver. Lemon water also promotes peristalsis to regulate bowel movements and to keep the waste moving quickly through the digestive tract for elimination.
How to assist your body's detox
- Keep up your fluid intake
- Get enough sleep and allow your body to rest
- Reduce intense exercise during a detox and focus on walking, yoga and other gentle forms of exercise that get your blood flowing without putting additional stress on your body
- Dry brushing and exfoliation
- Bowel movements. It is important to make sure that you are moving 30 cm of faecal matter per day. This will ensure your body is clearing out toxins and prevents them from being re-absorbed back into the system.
- Ensuring your body has adequate daily nutrients in your body to assist your organs with the elimination of toxins
If you have any concerns or questions please call us on 0800 52 54 52 and of course, if you’re not feeling well for any reason during a detox it is always best to check in with your GP.
