All-natural Products for Detox of the Body

Detoxification is the process of the body ridding itself of heavy metals from the environment, the pesticides in many foods and also the normal process of releasing daily waste. From an alternative medical point of view, the idea is that if the body is overburdened by toxins, this can set the stage for more serious illness such as gastrointestinal disorders, colon cancer or other diseases.

Many people do not have more than one or two bowel movements per week. The ideal is to have one daily. Natural products for detox include senna, cascara sagrada, pysillium seed husks and many others that are now easily available in certain "detox cleanse" products sold in health food stores and online. Senna , cascara sagrada and psyillium seed husks help to remove waste from the colon. A bodywide detox will include the lungs, heart, colon, kidneys, liver, gallbladder and the skin.

Identification

All-natural products for detox of the body include many different plants, herbs and other products that can effectively move toxins out of the body. The colon can be cleansed with senna leaf, cascara sagrada or pysillium seed husks. These can be purchased in the bulk food section of most health food stores. Lungs can be detoxed with cornsilk. The liver can be detoxed with silymarin. The kidneys can be detoxed with burdock root (the whole root or from a prepared capsule). The gallbladder can be detoxed with olive oil and lemon after fasting on fruits for a day. The heart can be strengthened and detoxed with burdock or ginkgo biloba, which has been shown to prevent blood platelets from sticking; it is believed to "feed" the heart and the blood. Lastly, the skin, which is the largest organ of the body, can be detoxed with dry brushing. This removes dead skin cells.

Significance

Using plants and herbs to detox the body has been done for many years. Today it is wise to complete some kind of full-body detox as a preventative measure. The symptoms of a body that may benefit from a detox regimen include constipation, daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, overall malaise, a coated tongue, indigestion or flatulence. All these things can occur when you are tired and have not eaten well and exercised regularly to metabolize food and help to move waste out of the body.

Misconceptions

The greatest misconception is to believe that you will lose a lot of weight from doing a whole-body or a colon cleanse. Some people may experience a modest weight loss of one to three pounds but this is generally water weight. To permanently lose weight, eating a healthful diet and getting regular exercise has been the best route for most people. See your doctor if you are interested in losing weight.

Warning

Do not undergo any kind of directed body detox if you have not done so before. Of course, every day, nature will take its course for a colon detox. If you intend to use plants, herbs or prepared products designed to cleanse the colon or the entire body, see your physician.

Prevention/Solution

It is not a good idea to undergo a body detox while you have heavy commitments at work, at home or at school. Often you will need to be near a bathroom during a cleanse and you may feel low energy. It is best to conduct a detox on a Friday through the weekend or while you are not at work or school. You might start by brewing detox teas that can be consumed daily before using a more powerful detox product.

The general rule of thumb is the first cleanse is usually directed at the colon. See your doctor or health care professional for guidance. If you have any chronic diseases or are taking prescription medications, or if you have an eating disorder, do not do any directed detox cleanses unless you are under a doctor's supervision.