With the festive season to hand and a new year upon us; it’s an ideal time to detoxify the body. Indeed, what better opportunity to clear out your system and prepare your body for making good on all those healthy new year’s resolutions!

Many health problems can be made worse by a dose of toxins or the accumulation of toxic compounds within the body. Many common health complaints such as headaches, feeling run down, lethargy, fuzzy thinking, fatigue, digestive disturbances, bad breath and excessive body odour could be attributed to exposure to toxic substances which have accumulated within your body.

Toxic exposure – a side effect of modern life

Toxic exposure is seemingly unavoidable in our modern world. Every day we are exposed to a wide range of artificial or processed food additives as well as toxins such as heavy metals, pesticides, chemicals, and pollutants. Toxins are not only an external problem; they can also be generated internally by ‘unfriendly’ bacteria, yeasts, and parasites that may be in your system.

Your body has numerous complex mechanisms to help eliminate all these toxins, but these systems can be overwhelmed if you produce, consume or absorb more toxins than you can easily clear. A detoxification program supports toxin clearance through these pathways, leaving you feeling healthy and energetic.

The process of cleansing or detoxification is easy, but it is important that it is undertaken in the right manner. Haphazard methods or those that focus solely on the liver or fail to consider your environment can leave you feeling sick and tired as the released toxins move through your body potentially overwhelming organs and systems.

Part 1

Neways Detox Program

To minimise the onset of this aptly called ‘healing crisis’ reaction; the detoxification of each body system needs to be done in the right order and with the appropriate nutritional and herbal support.

The correct method and support will enable your body to detox naturally, so your repair and elimination systems function efficiently, without causing undesirable side effects.

Clinically speaking, detoxification is a complex physiological process whereby biochemical processes throughout the body eventually transform toxins into a form where they can be eliminated via excretion. Detox isn’t a single reaction, it’s a process that involves multiple reactions and multiple players. Despite the complex biochemistry involved, detoxification can be simplified into three phases focusing on the digestive system, liver and kidneys.

Detox – as simple as 1, 2, 3

Preparation Stage

Detox exercises your body systems so it’s important to ‘warm up’ first. Prepare your system by taking a natural laxative or aloe vera juice washed down with two large glasses of water. This can help to quickly remove a large amount of material from the bowel. Although this step is not required if you have any inflammatory condition of the bowel or diarrhoea, it is advisable if you have a history of constipation.

Stage 1: Clean

Primarily focused on the digestive system, this first stage aims to remove dysbiotic organisms (parasites, fungi etc) and waste from the digestive system.

The following ingredients can prove beneficial: wormwood, mugwort, clove, pawpaw, garlic, pumpkin, aniseed, pomegranate, white walnut, grapefruit and pau d’arco. Colostrum can be of particular help as it contains immunoglobulins which aid in the removal of toxins and foreign microbes from the gut by binding to specific antigens.

Stage 2: Revitalise

Because the first stage will have removed both good and bad gut flora, you will need to replenish your natural healthy bacteria. A quality probiotic containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis strains will help to maintain good digestive function. Probiotics have been shown to bind to and eliminate toxins1.

We also need to support the kidneys and help the pH stasis of various bodily systems. Potassium and magnesium aspartate as well as vitamin B6 can help with the regulation of water and electrolyte losses2.

Stage 3: Support

Now we need to support the liver so it can release toxins at maximum efficiency. There are many substances that can help here.

St Marys Thistle protects the liver and aids in the nourishment and renewal of the liver3. Broccoli, vitamin E and alpha lipoic acid may also be of assistance. Grape seed extract, vitamin C and beta carotene act as powerful antioxidants which are beneficial for all tissues and will aid the detoxification process.

Detox Eating

As well as the specific substances recommended at each of the three key stages, a healthy diet reduces the toxic load on your body. Simply, the better the fuel you provide your body, the more efficiently it can operate.

Look for fresh organic seasonal fruit and vegetables — emphasis on fresh. Wherever possible avoid packaged and processed foods, reduce sugars and salt, and eliminate artificial colours, flavours, additives, stabilisers, flavour enhancers and hydrogenated fats. Pay attention to what’s on the label!

Better milk options are soy, goat and rice milks, but if choosing soy make sure it is made from whole soy beans not isolates.

By looking at your lifestyle and environment, you can minimise the amount of toxins entering your body and reduce the overall effect they can have on your wellbeing. You only get one body, it’s up to you to give it the best possible care!

1. Shah NP. Effects of Milk-derived bioactives: an overview. Br J Nutr 2000;84 (suppl) 1:S3-S10

2. El-Nezami H et al. Bindig rather than metabolism may explain the interaction of two food-grade Lactobacillus strains with zearaleone and its derivative (‘)alpha-earalenol. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2001 Jul;68(7):3545-9

3. Phytotherapy Desk Reference. M Thomsen ND., MSc. Pg 167

Detox lifestyle tips

1. Exercise regularly, ideally 30 to 40 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise every day.

2. Avoid recreational drugs, including nicotine and alcohol, which interfere with detoxification.

3.Drinkpurefilteredwater,ideallyatleast2 litres per day, or more in hot weather or intense activity.

4. Detoxify your environment, eliminate or minimise your use of potentially harmful products.

5. Avoid toxic emotions and stress. Choose to be positive, optimistic and focused on improving your health.

6. Dry skin brushing. Before showering, spend fivetotenminutesbrushingalloverwitha firmbristledbrushinthedirectionoftheheart.

7.Massagecanassistwithdetoxification, particularly lymphatic drainage.