by Jean Sidden

Created on: January 09, 2010

Our life in the twenty-first century is not nearly as pure as it was one hundred years ago. Every day we breathe air tainted with pollutants, eat food loaded with chemicals and additives and work with chemical compounds in our normal day-to-day life. Our processed foods fill us with an excess of toxins that our bodies react to with an impaired metabolic process. Being aware of how toxins affect our health has lead to a recent focus on the benefits of de-toxing.

Not only do toxins invade our bodies from food and air, they are present in our system through the constant use of chemical substances, such as household cleaners and pesticides, plastics and medications. Many of the medications we take have a side effect of building toxic residue in our system. The twentieth century was marked by a substantial increase in the uses of chemicals in everyday living.

Toxins impair the function of the liver and thyroid and increase inflammation and therefore oxidative stress. Inflammation causes our systems to react strongly in the effort to heal. Sometimes the war waged on inflammation can be so strong it is as if our body is attacking itself. The result is a much greater risk of chronic disease and a malfunctioning metabolism. Malfunctioning metabolism makes it more difficult for the body to process the food we eat and therefore prevents us from keeping our weight in check.

De-toxing includes any method taken to reduce or rid the body of toxins. Minimizing exposure to toxins is the first and simplest way to reduce your intake. By changing your diet to include more vegetable proteins you reduce your exposure to the additives present in meats and fish. However, when eating vegetables it is best to eat those that are free of pesticides and commercial fertilizers. By drinking purified water you reduce exposure to chemicals and metals present in our public water supply.

Other methods of de-toxing include drinking plenty of pure water to keep your system flushed out, making certain bowel movements are regular and sweating. Sweating is a highly efficient form of de-tox. Strenuous exercise followed by a warm shower, taking regular saunas or sitting in hot baths are ways that you can achieve this invaluable and relatively easy way to de-tox.

A natural supplement such as milk thistle has an excellent reputation for helping the liver process an overload of toxins. Anyone who drinks alcohol or who works with and is therefore exposed to solvents and toxic chemicals should consider taking this herbal remedy.

Though it may be impossible to stay completely away from toxins in our modern world, there are methods to at least help us combat exposure and rid ourselves of the internal build up. Most of these methods are relatively simple to implement and should become part of a healthy lifestyle. By doing so we keep our metabolism functioning properly and reduce our risk of chronic disease.

Resources: 1.  Hyman, Mark, M.D.  The Ultra Simple Diet.  New York: Simon & Schuster. 2007.  2. Weil, Andrew, M.D. Healthy Aging. New York: Anchor Books. 2005.

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