The time flies, doesn’t it? We are already in the second month of 2020! Many of you may have spent the long, wet and cold January trying to detox the body from the over-indulgences of last year’s festivities, which now seem like a distant memory. Were you one of these people who punished themselves with a juice cleanse or raw food detox diet (or whatever the latest diet trend currently is), because you allowed yourself some festive enjoyment? Did you cut out everything “bad” from your diet in January to feel better again? Are you back to your normal routine now, allowing yourself to indulge again in those yummy treats and drinks that were the very reason why you decided to start “detoxing” in January? Not only are these restrictive diets and regimes extremely hard to do, particularly in the cold winter moths when your body craves and needs warming, comforting and nourishing foods, but they can also do more harm than good. And even more so if you went back to your unhealthy ways as soon as the last day of January had passed. You and your body really don’t need such punishment; instead give your body some love and respect, and not just in January, but all year round! Detox is not a job for the body just in January; if it was, you would be dead during the other months! So if you take this vital physiological function seriously, you need to start helping it every day all year round! Every day, our bodies are exposed to thousands of compounds, naturally occurring and synthetic, that need to be eliminated safely from the body. Some of these compounds are naturally occurring in the body as by-products of metabolism, such as ammonia, hormones and neurotransmitters. Some come from the diet, e.g. alcohol, caffeine, heavy metals, pesticides, carcinogenic compounds from burned foods… And some come from the environment and the lifestyles we lead, from smoking/vaping, medications, air pollution, plastics, scented candles, cosmetics and cleaning products, home furnishings etc. These lists could go on and on, there are literally hundreds and thousands of toxic compounds we are exposed to every day! For instance, here are some figures I’ve found: Although of course we can’t be sure these figures are completely true, but I can believe that they are not far from the truth. Just have a look at the labels of some of the packaged foods, toiletries, cosmetics and cleaning products that are lying around in your cupboards, and you will be able to see that the number of additives and synthetic chemicals that we come in contact with every day is not insignificant. In the most general meaning, the word “detox” refers to abstaining and withdrawing from the use of drugs or alcohol to which one has developed an addiction. However, in personalised nutrition and Functional Medicine we often talk about (metabolic) detoxification, referring to the body’s physiologic process of rendering chemicals, compounds, hormones and toxic compounds less harmful. The body has several systems that are working hard every single second to make all the toxic compounds that end up into the body less harmful and ready for removal from the body. These are organs such as the liver, kidneys, skin, lungs, lymphatic system and the gut microbiome; the liver being the body’s main detoxification organ. But all of these systems need our support every single day to function optimally. If they aren’t functioning optimally, it can lead to a myriad of health issues, some of which I’ve listed below. o Tiredness, irritability, mood swings There may also be an association between poor detoxification and many chronic conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, infertility and other hormonal issues (e.g. PCOS and menopausal symptoms in women, and gynecomastia or man boobs in men), cardiovascular disease, auto-immune conditions and autism. A short-term restrictive detox diet or juice cleanse is not going to help these vital systems of the body in the long run. It’s much better to help them every day with simple, sensible dietary and lifestyle choices that are much easier to adopt and sustain than any restrictive diets. There is so much you can do every day by making small changes in your diet and lifestyle to help the body do its crucial detoxification functions. These are my top tips for supporting detoxification all year round: **** To get personalised advice and recommendations on how you can support your health with nutrition and lifestyle medicine, please book your free 20 minute discovery call to learn how nutritional therapy can help you. You can also contact me via the contact form or [email protected]. Join my FREE Facebook Group Healthy You – For Life for health and nutrition tips and advice and delicious healthy recipes.Forget Detox Diets!
…How to Support Your Body’s Detoxification Naturally Every Single Day in Our Toxic World
I really hope not!
Our Toxic World
o In the last 50 years alone, an estimated 5 million new synthetic chemicals have been created, 75,000 of which are in daily use and only under 10% have been tested for toxicity.
o Around 400 toxic chemicals circulate in the average home.
o Scientists estimate that the average adult carries within her or his body at least 700 toxins and that a newborn’s body can contain over 200 toxins.
o An average woman puts 515 synthetic chemicals on her skin every day!
What Is Detoxification?
Symptoms Of Sluggish Detoxification & Poor Elimination
o Poor concentration, foggy mind
o Bloating, gas, constipation, bad breath
o Aches and pains
o Skin problems; acne, eczema, rashes
o Difficulty losing weight
o Food cravings, especially sugar and salt
o Headaches, migraines
o Difficulty sleeping, waking up really tired
Dietary and Lifestyle Changes Can Make a Big Difference!
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