Detoxification is when your body pays attention to the toxins in your body and does something about it. Toxins come mainly, or only, from the foods you eat, and are foreign substances that don't belong in your body and do harm. There are a great variety of types of toxins. The foods an average person eats is toxic, but few are aware of this. I learnt about this when I discovered that food had an impact on me, and that different foods made me feel differently, even if the response may be delayed.
Why are there toxins in our foods?
The main cause is cooking foods. (Learn more on
Living-Foods webpage.) Yes, the ingredients of our foods may be very nutritious and healthy to eat, but people don't realize that heating food items changes them chemically and produces toxins! People just think that cooked foods are 'easier to eat' or 'tastier'.
Another source of toxins is all the additives in foods. Pesticides when the food is grown, additives, preservatives, colourings... and few think of the effect these may have on our body. What we see doesn't exist... or?
People don't see their foods or bodies on a cellular or chemical level, so they are of course unaware of eg. the interaction between foods and the body. But if we saw what impact foods have on us, trust me we would make different food choices and naturally avoid toxic foods. This has changed the way I choose foods.
Are there toxic free food alternatives?
Yes. Raw and living foods do not contain any of the toxins which are produced during cooking. (
Living-Foods webpage) But then the problem of pesticides remains as plants and fruits that are grown are treated with various chemicals that do our body harm. There is of course the pesticide-free alternative in raw foods, and you will have to search for a while until you find a store that provides with these toxic-free, natural yet expensive foods. I personally enjoy raw and living foods for their flavor and the way they make me feel, but don't worry too much about pesticides and such. Of course I buy organically grown alternatives when I can, but if I can't find them I take the next best thing. Eating shouldn't be complicated. It should be intuitive, fun and good yet with responsibility taken of oneself and of the body.
Why detoxification is good
It's good to get rid of toxins, as these do as great a variety of harm as there are various types of toxins. Detox, the getting rid of toxins, makes you more energetic (as your body doesn't have to use as much energy on getting rid of toxins all the time as there aren't as much toxins). It makes your skin younger and healthy. Actually, it can and will cause a variety of positive effects, and it depends on how toxic your body has been before a detox, what type of toxins you've had, and how effectively you rid yourself of these. Your eyesight can improve. Hearing improve. Ageing stop and reverse. Stronger immunity to disease. Increased well-being. Chronical diseases will be cured. And much more. Most of our diseases are caused by toxins.
How to detox
It can be done in a variety of ways, some of which focus on the entire body whereas others focus on part of the body at a time. Here are a few examples of great detoxification methods which I've done myself:
Zone therapy.
Water fasting.
Raw and living foods.
Fruit fasting.
Wheat grass juice.
I will later on elaborate on each method and provide with links to pages with more information about them.
Detox symptoms
Detoxification can be unpleasant. As the body gets the chance to deal with the toxins in your body, you will notice the toxins for a while until they are gotten rid of. Normally, as you keep eating and your body is occupied, toxins are put aside, being gathered in your body and you don't really notice them. And you keep on eating unaware of the harm you are doing to yourself with your foods! And then... as you detox, you feel bad because NOW you sense the toxins and their effects, and then you think it's because you haven't eaten, and you eat and think it's the cure! You'll end up dying prematurely if you continue this way. In fact, toxins are perhaps the main cause of death, as they continue doing harm in your body and you notice them in the form of diseases of various kinds. So don't confuse detox with a disease. What you are experiencing are the toxins that are 'making a last fight' until they leave you. Some of what you may experience:
Headache.
Dizziness.
Palpitations.
Muscle pains.
Tiredness.
Colds.
Kidney and gall bladder stones.
Nausea.
Emotions such as depressions, anger or extreme fury.
Body odor.
Bad breath.
Vomiting and/or diarrhoea.
Pains.
Anxiety.
And other forms of detox symptoms. Don't let this scare you! Is it better to let these toxins keep doing harm inside you? Any discomfort you experience during detox isn't even close to the harm that occurs unnoticed within you, until you notice that you've gotten 'old' or are really sick. And after a detox you will feel great! And your body appreciates it too.
