Doing A Body Cleanse: Tips For First Timers
Television and magazines have a lot to say lately about the benefits of doing a full body cleanse to rid your system of toxins. There is, in fact, so much information on it that it can be hard to figure out how to move forward. Which one should you try? What should you expect? What do you need? How do you prepare? For every question there are a thousand different answers.
Luckily, it doesn’t have to be that difficult. Your body is already doing it! The body naturally, and continually, cleanses itself of toxins. All you need to do is help it along a bit. There’s no great need for fasting, fancy equipment or pills. You just need to give your system a break and let it do its job.
The first thing to understand is where the toxins are coming from and how they get in your system. We absorb most toxins from our environment. Air particulates, chemicals in our food, cleaning solutions, even lotion! Chemicals are everywhere. Toxins can build up inside or bodies if our organs cannot process and eliminate them faster than we are taking them in.
A build-up of toxins can be extremely dangerous to our health. They can result in everything from simple fatigue to heart disease. This is why health experts are so adamant about cleansing the body. If possible, you should make it a regular part of your life and not just something you do every once in awhile.
But how do you do it? It’s simple. Just keep the stress and demands on your system to a minimum. The best way to do that is to eat easy-to-digest foods such as fruits and vegetables. They are easy to process because they are mostly water. Foods high in fat as well as proteins like nuts, dairy, eggs, meat and beans are hard for your body to digest. All whole fruits and vegetables are great for a body cleanse, so stock up on the ones you love most. Go ahead and eat until you feel full, but do not over eat. Eating too much can slow your metabolism and put extra stress on your digestive system.
The other thing you should do to help your body cleanse detox is to drink a lot of water. Filtered tap water is just fine. Most filters are efficient at screening out toxins in the water. If plain water is difficult for you to drink, try hot or iced tea. Add citrus juice (fresh squeezed) instead of sugar, and try to drink only decaffeinated tea. The water will help your system flush the toxins as well as make sure your organs are properly hydrated so they can work the way they are supposed to.
For a really effective detox, you really should avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine. These substances are stimulants and can stress your system. If you want to try to give them up for the duration of the cleanse, give yourself a week or so to taper off. Otherwise you will suffer from withdrawal symptoms that may make sticking to your cleanse more difficult. If you feel you cannot give these things up, it’s okay. Do not give up on your cleanse! You will still get a lot of benefits from the fruit, veggie and water program. One more thing; never stop taking prescribed medications without the express permission of your doctor.
It’s that easy! Get rest, drink as much water as you can, and eat foods that are easy on your system. If you plan to do this for a couple weeks or more, you will need to make sure you are getting some protein. Research how vegans get adequate protein and work that into your diet. If you are pregnant or have any serious health problems, please consult with your doctor before starting any body cleanse. You may not like it at first and you will probably spend a lot of time in the bathroom, but your body will definitely thank you for the detox.
