Supporters of detoxing believe that many illnesses or conditions that you may experience in your body are simply a result of built-up wastes that have not been properly eliminated. According to the website, the-natural-path, a natural detox may help relieve symptoms or diseases ranging from insomnia to cancer. However, there is little scientific evidence to support these claims. Do not attempt detox or cleansing if you are pregnant, nursing or emaciated. Talk to your doctor before trying any detox plan.
Detox Methods
There are a variety of natural methods that may help detox your body. These include methods that induce sweating, such as a sauna; oxygen therapy through deep breathing or hydrogen peroxide; supplementing with vitamin C; fasting and special diets; body brushing; and exercise, which combines the benefits of induced sweating and deep breathing. Talk to your doctor before starting any detox plan
Cleansing the Internal Organs
The-natural-path recommends detoxing by cleansing the body's main elimination organs -- the colon, kidneys and liver. Since these organs are responsible for filtering out wastes, they may be the most likely to get clogged with wastes and toxins. The-natural-path recommends first cleansing the colon with fiber and enemas, and the kidneys with raw unfiltered apple juice so that toxins eliminated from the liver will have a clean path out of the body. There are a variety of herbs that are traditional liver cleansers. The-natural-path recommends a combination of grapefruit juice and olive oil to detox the liver. Consult your doctor before using any herbs.
Cleansing Diets
Special diets may help detox your body by gently eliminating wastes left over from meats, greasy foods, drugs or other chemicals. Deborahann Smith, author of "10 Ways to Detoxify Your Body," recommends eating a high-fiber diet to help cleanse the colon. Consuming organic produce and other foods may keep more chemicals out of your body and help eliminate the ones that are there. Adding cleansing herbs, such as dandelion and yellow dock, to your diet may also help your body detox. However, do not take any herbal products without consulting your doctor first.
Fasting
Fasting may be a very effective cleansing method. The idea is to give your eliminative organs a chance to rest. When you are not taking in any food, they do not have to work on eliminating it and may be able to eliminate built-up wastes instead. Drink plenty of water during a fast or fast on freshly pressed vegetable and fruit juices. Talk to your doctor before attempting a fast. Pregnant or nursing mothers, individuals who are emaciated and young children should not fast.
Considerations
While MayoClinic.com reports that detoxing may not be necessary since the kidneys and liver filter wastes out of the body, detoxing naturally may help when these organs are clogged by too many toxins. Smith recommends eliminating sources of toxins by avoiding smoking, alcohol and strong drugs while cleansing. Any cleanse or detox program may result in a healing crisis. This may occur as your body eliminates harmful bacteria, viruses and other harmful substances from fat deposits and could manifest in symptoms such as fatigue, muscle soreness or headaches. Drinking lots of water may help to resolve a healing crisis quickly.
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