Cleanse Yourself And Do Body Detox For Better Health

If you're hearing more about body detox these days, it's no accident. Detox ain't just for drugs or alcohol. It's for all of us. We live in a world of air pollution, water pollution, and bad habits. The chemical revolution is still going on, and chemicals, both healthy and not, surround us everywhere.

The US Department of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Disease Control, performs a survey called NHanes that assesses the health and nutritional status of adults and children in the United States through interviews and direct physical examinations. They found that, in 2003-2004, two-thirds of adults in the U.S. were overweight or obese. Almost 20% of teenagers were found to be overweight or obese.

In today's busy life, we bombard our bodies with fast food, processed food, and a mountain of preservatives and additives every day. And now, we hear about genetically altered "designer" foods whose impact on our bodies is still largely unknown.
Despite the popular focus on health and lifestyle choices, most of us are walking a very thin line when it comes to our diet. The current obesity epidemic is clear evidence that our diets and our lifestyle are out of control. Given this bleak picture, the good news is that people are becoming more aware of the foods they eat.

When we talk about "detoxification," we're talking about the process of removing toxins from our bodies. For our purposes in this article, body detox refers to the use of diets, herbs, and other processes to remove toxins and achieve better health.

If you're concerned about your health and the amount of toxins you may be carrying around with you, it may be time to consider body detox. It's a healthy choice in an otherwise unhealthy world. But don't be fooled. Body detox means a change in lifestyle. It means eating a more balanced combination of healthy, natural foods. It means drinking more water and less coffee and soda. It means regular exercise. It means avoiding fast food, junk food, and processed prepared meals (including frozen dinners and canned goods). These changes will not be easy, and you probably won't want to take it all on at once. But you can begin today to change the way you approach food.

Changing your lifestyle and undertaking body detox also means more and more regular
exercise. You don't have to join a gym and buy a bunch of new exercise clothes. You just need to get up and move more! Take brisk walks, go bowling, walk when you want to ride, carry your own groceries to the car. There are a million ways to get more exercise without even noticing it.

If you're more serious about detoxing your body, you may want to investigate a detox diet. It will reduce the toxins in your body, relieve aches and pains, reduce the discomfort of allergies, improve digestive problems, and increase your energy level. You can find many body detox recipes on the internet. A trip to your local health food store is also a good way to learn about body detox foods and recipes.

When you're committed to body detox, eat as many fresh fruits as you can. Favor nuts, beans, rice, and grains over fried foods and gravy. And try to avoid sugary desserts, caffeine, alcohol, yeast-rich dishes, and processed foods that contain many questionable preservatives and additives.

A one- or two-day fast is a good way to transition in and out of your body detox effort. Be sure to get plenty of liquids, especially water, during your fast. And don't push it. If hunger becomes an obsession, have a piece of fruit or a few carrots or celery sticks. You don't have to punish yourself during your body detox.

There are many other ways to detox and to change your lifestyle to one that promotes personal health and happiness. Re-acquaint yourself with nature. Go outdoors and enjoy the fresh air. Take a long walk at the beach or in your neighborhood park or nature preserve. Incorporate "me time" into your daily schedule, and make it a family affair too. Keep active and interested in the yoworld around you. Get involved.

For a real body detox treat, go to the spa. Have a relaxing massage or deep-cleaning facial. When you shower, use a brush to accelerate the detox process. Brushing your skin gently will improve your circulation and help you shed those layers of toxin-rich dead skin.

Help your body eliminate toxins naturally. Drink at least four quarters (or liters) of water every day. Eat fiber-rich foods like raspberries, blackberries, broccoli, apples (with the skin), spinach, almonds or peanuts, and good old stone-ground whole wheat. And when you stop by that health food store, look for teas and other herbs that will encourage regular bowel movements.

Body detox involves some mind detox too. Negative thinking, believe it or not, contributes to the production of toxins and over-acidity in the body. Rid yourself of worry, anger, and pessimism. They serve no positive purpose, and they are unhealthy. Smile until you want to smile.

There's no bad time to start body detox. Today's hurried, high-stress pace cries out for a little personal self-care. And your family deserves the same healthy lifestyle. Body detox may be as simple as working on your attitude, ridding yourself of negative, destructive thinking that compromises your health. It can be as easy as taking a walk in the park or treating yourself to a long, hot shower. It can also be as complex as adopting and sticking to a strict detox diet that cleans your tissues and organs of harmful pathogens and over-acid chemistry. It's your choice. The important thing is finding a way to cleanse yourself.

Whatever approach you choose, you're doing yourself and those around you a favor. You're bringing some sanity back into your life and setting an example for your children and your social circle. You're living better and enjoying life more.

How much would you pay to have that miracle? Well, you don't have to pay a thing! You just have to change your approach to your day - each and every day.