The Basics of a Natural
Body Detox

Have you ever wondered how to do a natural body detox? There really are some simple ways to incorporate natural cleanses for whenever you feel the need to do some extra spring cleaning on the divineness that is you.

Do you need a natural body detox?

Most of us will agree that we are subjected to many toxins in the air that we breathe, the foods we eat, and the environment we live in day in and day out. These toxins build up in our body, cluttering it up and cleaning it out is a kind thing to do for yourself!  There are basic things we can do each day to help our systems work more efficiently.

If you have been reading some of the articles on the Natural Health Cafe site, you will have already read some information on how a natural body detox is achieved through lifestyle choices.

Starting with what we eat is a main concept that begins with being aware of the many toxins that are in our foods that we are eating today. This is one of the many reasons that organic and homegrown foods are recommended more often.

Okay. So lets talk about the icky stuff. Our bodies are in a constant mode of cleansing itself by exhaling, sweating, daily bowel movements, and urinating. These systems are built in to help keep the body flowing properly. When these systems are not working efficiently, toxins build up and these systems slow down.

Have you ever noticed how often a baby feeds and how regularly a baby eliminates? A baby typically is fed simple and nourishing liquids and foods. As we get older, we begin to put in a lot more substances into the body that we would never put in a baby. Things like sugar, chemicals, caffeine, alcohol, junk foods, etc. These substances can cause our bodies to get bogged down as it must work overtime in a grand effort to try to get rid of these toxins.

It is a common belief in the natural health arena that we begin to have allergies, fatigue, frequent illnesses and many other health issues, some very significant,  that can be a reaction to the many toxins that build up in the system.

Some basic Natural Body Detox ideas:

• Exercise - Include some form of exercise on a regular basis. Exercising your body will help the lungs to expel stagnant air that can build up while shallow breathing such as sleeping or sitting for hours at a time. Have you ever noticed that when you are stressed (even if its a little stress) that you are now breathing shallow? Note that you are not breathing deeply and take some deep breathes. Exercise helps with circulation of the blood, lymph's, lungs and muscles of the body. And exercise helps the body perspire which is another way the body can releases toxins.
• Breathe - Take time to note how you are breathing. Shallow breathing creates a buildup of toxins in your lungs.  Every morning when I groan and turn off the alarm, I then take a few moments and take several large breathes to bring more oxygen into my body. I focus on my breathe and kindly dismiss the brain chaos, you know the million things that I want to get done that day. I then put my feet on the floor and let my mind take off running!
  
• Nourishment - Add an abundance of greens in your daily meals such as spinach, collards, kale, cucumbers and a variety of vegetables and fruits each day. Fruits and vegetables provide the body with many nutrients and they can be steamed, juiced, smoothies, or eaten raw. Aim for 25 - 35 grams of fiber each day to help the body to eliminate efficiently each day. If you are not having at least one regular bowel movement a day, then your system may be showing signs of constipation which is stagnation in the bowels. So you will want to make sure you are consuming sufficient amounts of fiber from whole foods each and every day. Be aware that meat, dairy and most processed foods do not contain much, if any fiber.

There are many raw foodists that believe that drinking a green juice first thing in the morning detoxes the digestive tract, supplies immediate nourishment, and is a wonderful way to start your morning right.

• Drinking proper amounts of quality water -  will help the system stay hydrated which is important as the body expels water and toxins through exhaling, bowels, urine and perspiration. So aim for 1 ounce of water for every 2 pounds of your body weight to help replace the loss of fluids from these daily body functions. And ladies..coffee and tea does not count!
• Dry brush your skin once a day -  This will encourage circulation to the skin and lymphatic system, the two most important detoxifying organs in your body. 
• Take artichoke leaf extract - This increases the flow of bile and protects the liver cells from damage.

There certainly are more in-depth practices to do deeper cleansing and we will explore them in the some of the following articles.

Additional Articles which can be part of a Natural Body Detox

Clean Body Detox-Herbs and Diet

Importance of Excercise

Types of Exercise

Juicing Benefits

Raw Food Lifestyle

Plant Based Diet

Return to Living a Healthy Lifestyle from Natural Body Detox page