Detoxification is a process by which harmful toxins are eliminated or neutralized by the body through liver, lungs, lymph, gut, skin, colon and kidneys. Internally, the body detoxifies automatically but there is overload of toxins due to various external factors and the drastic increase in the harmful chemicals present even in the food, air and water today. If these harmful toxic substances are present in excess, they can cause various degenerative and chronic diseases. Toxins are inevitable and we need to carry out external detoxification methods to keep the chemicals under check.

Many of the organs in the body help in eliminating the toxic substances. In order to help them function normally, we need to know the required nourishment to be provided for their normal functioning.

Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts help the liver in detoxifying the harmful substances. Other food items include bright colour vegetables and fruits like peppers, tomatoes, lemons, berries and apricots and also foods containing sulphur like onion and garlic.

The kidneys dilute the toxins; filter the blood and the remove harmful substances and excess water from the body. Hence, one should drink plenty of water for the kidneys to function properly. In addition, parsley leaf, juicy fruits, herbal teas and vegetables are vital for the normal functioning of kidneys.

The gut filters the harmful ingredients present in the stomach and then sends the filtered content to the liver for further processing. The bowels excrete the harmful toxins along with the faeces. Abnormal functioning of bowels can cause reabsorption of toxins back into the blood stream. Fibrous foods, beans, oats, barley, lentils, vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and carrots, fruits like berries, dried fruits, prunes and apples are the required nourishments for the guts to detoxify.

The skin plays a huge role in getting rid of the harmful toxins through sweat, oil and shedding of dead cells. Flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, walnut, water, fruits and vegetables help the skin in detoxification.

The lymphatic system helps to remove the waste products and toxins from the body. Water is highly essential to help in the detoxification of the lymphatic system.

Lungs remove carbon dioxide and other harmful and toxic gases from the body when you breathe out. Onions, blackberries, apples blueberries and raspberries help in the normal detoxification process of the lungs.

In addition to the normal detoxification of the body, other external methods help in removing the harmful substances:

• Epsom salt baths and Dry skin brushing help the lymphatic system detoxification

• Herbal tea, also called healing tea helps in eliminating the toxic waste and faecal matter from the colon

• The algae called Marine Phytoplankton helps in cell detoxification

• Zeolites, a natural detoxifying mineral, is known to eliminate heavy metals like cadmium, mercury, arsenic and lead in addition to herbicides and pesticides

• Calcium Montmorillonite Clay, used in clay bath is used in detoxification in addition to treating pain, acne, anaemia, open wounds, colitis, diarrhoea, intestinal problems, stomach ulcers, and haemorrhoids

• Green juices and wheatgrass help in cleansing the lymph system, detoxify cells and nourishes the blood, kidneys and liver

Jonathan Pitts

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