How Does Body Detoxification Work?

Introduction

Detoxification is the internal cleaning of the body. It is a way to remove toxins, poisons, chemicals, and other harmful materials. Detoxifying the body promotes self-healing and offers overall good health. However, detoxification is also a way to remove addictive substances from the body like cigarettes, alcohol, recreational drugs, and prescription drugs. Many practitioners of alternative medicine suggest that regular detoxification be made a part of a person's lifestyle. Fortunately, there are several methods of detoxification so a person is certain to find methods that suit her needs and lifestyle.

Methods of Body Detoxification

For those who want to rid the body of toxins and accumulated build-up, detoxification is usually done at home and can last from a few days to a few weeks. It can also become a part of daily life. The many methods of detoxification include fasting, losing weight, colon hydrotherapy, special diets, and herbal and vitamin remedies. Not many people know that exercising and deep breathing are also ways to detoxify the body. Many experts in alternative medicine feel that cleaning out the liver, the kidneys and the colon is a good way to rid the body of impurities.

Fasting, Weight Loss and Exercising

With fasting, no food is eaten for a few days. This allows the body to rest and save energy. Usually digestion requires a lot of energy, but with no food to digest, the body has energy for self-healing. During fasts, only liquids are taken. Water is often the only liquid used, but herbal teas and fruit juices are also used to supply some nutrients during the fast.

Fasting also leads to weight loss. Going on a diet is another way to detoxify the body because toxins are stored in the fatty tissues of the body. When weight is lost, these impurities are released into the body. It is important to make detoxification a part of a weight loss program. While eating organic food does not in itself detoxify the body, it does reduce the amount of chemicals a person gets from eating food.

Aerobic exercise not only helps a person to lose weight, but it also detoxifies the body. Raising the heart rate increases the circulation of blood and lymph fluids. The blood brings nutrients to the body, and the lymph fluids remove waste. Sweating while exercising also releases impurities through the pores. Deep breathing offers a measure of detoxification. As a person inhales, oxygen is taken in; on the exhale, carbon dioxide is released from the body.

The Colon, the Liver and the Kidneys

Cleaning the colon takes many forms. There are many colon cleansers on the market that use herbs to clean the intestines of fecal materials and other accumulated wastes. Colon hydrotherapy also cleans the colon by inserting a device into the rectum that uses warm water to flush out all of the debris. Colon hydrotherapy should only be done by trained professionals.

By cleaning the colon, the intestines have less chance to reabsorb toxins from the feces. The kidneys filter the blood. The removed toxins are released to the bladder and eliminated through urination.

Uva ursi is a popular herb that cleans the kidneys so they function better. The liver carries out many important functions of the body, including detoxification. The liver removes harmful substances that are by-products of body processes. It also removes toxins digested by the body from food and water. The liver detoxifies by metabolizing and secreting these materials. An effective liver cleaner is milk thistle, a well-known herb.