The Mind-Body Connection to Detox

The mind-body connection to addiction may open up new opportunities for drug-free treatments. It was discovered that certain drug receptors in the brain, as in opiates, are only found in humans and different species of animals that have spines and/or backbones, in particular the limbic system. The limbic system controls emotions in the brain, which is impacted by stimulating the drug receptors. Drugs stimulate these receptors but so does any physical activities.

But the mind-body connection is not limited to drug-free treatments; it can also apply to our overall health as well.

What about all those harmful toxins we are always putting into our bodies? Of course, the detox system can work wonders with assistance. Signs that your body is malfunctioning are: tiredness, dull skin and bad digestion, just to name a few.

Tips for Detoxing

1. Cut down on the caffeine and alcohol intake a few days prior to beginning your diet.

2. Invest in a detox book or choose some excellent detox food recipes to cook. You can begin by searching the Internet under "detox food recipes."

3. Go to the supermarket in advance. Choose the proper foods at hand; you shouldn't have the hungry feeling!

4. Tell your friends and family that you are going on a detox diet. If they know how dedicated you are, then the chances are that they are least likely to try it and maybe talk you into a hamburger fest when they see you!

Suggestion: Consume all fresh fruits, except citrus fruits (tends to be acidic) and vegetables, except corn (can be an allergenic food). Excellent sources of fruits and vegetables are: apples, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, just to name a few.

The Population that Should Not Detox

If you have a history of cancer, heart disease, pregnant or breastfeeding women, seniors or children should not attempt detoxing without talking to your physician.

What are The Side Effects of a Detox

Why do our bodies need to detox?

Our bodies are able to detoxify chemicals without assistance. However, some experts think that the large number of chemicals we ingest everyday through food, water and the environment can accumulate. This is very true--when you really think about it!

This build-up, known as toxic burden, or body burden, can overwhelm the body's ability to detoxify and may lead to hormonal imbalance, nutritional deficiency and inefficient metabolism.

What are the possible side effects of a detox diet?

Many people may experience conditions such as headaches, acne, weight loss or fatigue during a detox. I can bear witness to these experiences! These symptoms generally go away within a few days. As a result, some people take time off to begin detoxing or start the diet on a Friday evening.

Your organs will benefit from any type of rest; you can always go for an in-between option where you replace your biggest vices with other healthier choices.

Side Effects of Detoxing

The following are a couple of the most common detoxing side effects:

1.) Many people experience headaches at the beginning of a detox as his/her body is adjusting to the dramatic reduction of its daily toxins. This is why it is important to cut down on your main vices prior to you beginning the detox diet.

2.) Your energy may decrease prior to it rising, so it is worth starting the program on the weekend to let your body make adjustments.

Should We Drink Caffeinated Beverages?

Why not? Many Americans do. With the stress of our society, it is hard not to. Even if you are not ready to start, a spring and fall detox can give your liver the chance to rest from detoxifying the accumulated caffeine on a daily basis. It can have tremendous physical benefits in terms of having more energy, better sleep and reduced stress. In essence, it can also make it possible to reduce significantly on caffeine after your detoxing experience.

Enjoy all fresh fruit. Reduce your intake on grapefruit, though. There is a compound that exists in grapefruit called naringin, which can significantly inhibit liver detox enzymes and should be avoided during your detox experience.

Choosing an Herbal Detox Diet

Toxins include everything from perfume, alcohol, cigarette smoke to pesticides, mercury, food additives and cleaning supplies, just to name a few. They are transformed chemically to less harmful elements that can be excreted from the stool or urine.

Is there anybody who should not try an herbal detox diet?

Prior to starting a detox diet, consult your physician to find out if a detox diet is right for you. A detox diet is not recommended for pregnant or nursing women, children or people with anemia, eating disorders, heart problems, low blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, or ulcerative colitis, unless recommended and supervised by your physician.

There are so many different detox plans you can follow; choose carefully. Some will consist of complete fasting or juice-only days, but be careful of the health implications and never start this extreme plan without consulting your physician or a certified and qualified nutritionist.

Benefits of Detoxing

*improves symptoms of heartburn, constipation and gas; treats digestive disorders.

*boosts the immune system.

Allergies and Sensitivities

By far, traditional health care only deals with covering up the symptoms of allergies and food sensitivities, rather than resolve them. The first step that many alternative practitioners suggest is to change his/her diet that eliminates wheat and dairy foods, the two common allergens. This is the first step in detoxing. Higher levels of detoxing, as well as additional immune support through nutritional supplementation, have been known to aid many allergy sufferers. However, allergies are a very individualized condition.

What happens after the detoxing process?

Various foods that were eliminated during detoxification can be allergenic. A natural health practitioner can aid in systematically reintroducing food groups, such as wheat, dairy, gluten, corn, and pay attention to identify the food groups that may be aggravating health conditions, as in sinus congestion, fatigue, skin condition, arthritis, bloating and constipation.

It is normal for flare-ups to occur. It is very important for physicians to supervise these conditions.

What are Detox Diets?

Detox diets are the latest craze in terms of dieting. The thing is that more people are looking to these detox diets on a daily basis. I am sure that you have heard of toxins, detoxification, cleansing, purifying--they are all in correlation with detox diets.

What in the world are toxins?

Toxins are these harmful chemicals that has a negative impact on your body. They are everywhere you go or do, such as when you eat food, drink water, breathe air, etc. They are also inside your body, such as waste products of metabolism. Your body eliminates most toxins and the rest are stored in the body fat.

These toxins in your body along with stress can affect your health in very atrocious ways, as in:

*weight gain
*headaches
*fatigue and weakness
*heartburn
*sore muscles
*joint pains

These symptoms will diminish after you start detoxing. This is normal to feel some discomfort during the first few days.

If you are feeling headaches or sore muscles, this is due to the toxins are being released faster than your body is able to eliminate them. If detoxification occurs on a regular basis, you will not have these symptoms again.

Detoxing and Weight Loss

Detoxification refers to the process of releasing and getting rid of the stored toxins through the elimination organs of your body, which includes the intestines, liver, lungs, kidneys and skin. These diets are dietary nutritious plans that use detoxification. This aids you in the weight loss process via cleansing your body and improving your metabolism.

Disease Prevention with Detoxing

Detox diets are recommended for improving resistance to disease, mental clarity, digestion, strengthens the organs involved in detoxing. It can help prevent serious diseases, as in cancer, ADD, ADHD, chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple chemical sensitivities. It also treat heart disease, fibromyalgia and autoimmune disease.

Detox Foods

Foods that are recommended for the detoxification process include organic foods, fruits and vegetables. Not only that, it is also beneficial for your health and pivotal to losing weight. You should drink purified water and reduce eating processed foods, as well as giving up alcohol and smoking.

Detox Diet Types

Fasting: involves drinking only water, juices, broths, or eating one type of food for a certain period of time. Your body begins to burn fat for energy.

Nutritional supplements: consist of nutritious products, vitamins and packaged protein snacks.

Hydrortherapy: detoxification through your skin pores by taking special baths.

Specified detox diets: type of detox diet that lasts between seven and thirty days; these are fast detox diets for one to three days; longer detox diets are for up to eight weeks.

Things You Should Know About Detox Diets

They are pretty restrictive. When you begin a detox diet, it is best to follow it on a strict basis. Prior to beginning a detox diet, you should consult your physician.

The Coffee Enema Detox

We all know that your colon is big news in terms of health and for good reason. Our colon goes through some of the most trying times, as in stress, poor diets, such as junk foods, which can contribute to harmful bacteria and unequal levels of digestive enzymes that give off partially digested proteins and starches to the colon. As a result, they may become fermented, the antibiotics are overused to the point where they destroy the intestinal flora, or not being able to empty the bowels when nature is calling. The colon is that organ 
that the body counts on for some serious healing.

Enemas play a pivotal role in terms of helping the body to do what it desires.That mission cannot be accomplished because of the many stresses that our body goes through on a daily basis. Enemas assist the body to get rid of these harmful toxins very quickly. The reality is that coffee enemas are often criticized and at the same time very beneficial.

Here are just five ways that coffee enemas are beneficial:

The reduction of toxicity: 

According to a study by the National Research Council, or NRC, coffee enemas can reduce the toxicity in your system by up to seven hundred percent. This is due to caffeine and other healthy elements are found in coffee. Coffee stimulates the liver to boost the production of gluthathione S-transferase, or GST, a detoxifying enzyme that aids with bonding and flushing out existing toxins in the body.

Digestion Improvement:

When food is not properly digested, it is possible that it will be fermented, putrefied or become rotten in the colon. These processes make toxins become absorbed in the liver. It is one of the main causes in terms of health complications; it can involve impaired digestion. By boosting the bile flow and allowing the release of toxins from the large intestines, coffee enemas help in making sure that the body does not re-absorb these toxins. Having more bile represents more alkaline in the small intestine; this aids in improving the digestive process.

Soothes chronic pain:

The coffee enema was the idea of a nurse from a German army during World War I. During this time, painkillers were hard to find. The nurse administered this enema to badly injured soldiers. As a result, they received almost immediate pain relief. Prior to that, their pain was excruciating.

The Prevention of Illnesses:

The benefits of the deep cleansing and detoxification process of regular enemas not only assist in healing pre-existing health conditions, it also help the body to conduct its innate healing functions smoothly. A properly functioning internal atmosphere is less likely for chronic or degenerative illness to come into existence.

Increases Energy:

Due to its detoxifying effects, coffee enemas change the tired and fatigued body that is dominated by toxicity into a cleaner and a much better eliminator. Therefore, it can leave you feeling more rejuvenated, with a much clearer mental capacity and being happier.

Coffee is always being accused of having too much caffeine and being too addicting--I always knew that it was hope for coffee--it's good for our health--in moderation, that is!