Cleanse Your Body With These Detoxification Foods

Considering the environment in which most of us find ourselves, with air pollution, open defecations that threaten the purity of underground water supply, and unethical farming practices that tend to
poison the food chain, there is persistent and unmistakable need to regularly detoxify our systems.

Experts say in order to ensure wellness, virtually everybody needs medicinal removal of toxic substances from their bodies — which is what detoxification entails.

How do you know you are in need of detoxification? According to researchers, it is when you start feeling sluggish or out of sync; when you are struggling with skin problems, aches and pains, digestive problems, and when you can’t seem to lose weight even when you try to.

Endocrinologists contend that detoxification is about resting, cleaning and nourishing the body from the inside out.

“By removing and eliminating toxins, and feeding your body with healthy nutrients, detoxification can protect you from diseases and renew your ability to maintain optimum health,” a medical expert, Prof. Oladapo Ashiru, informs.

Unknown to many people, many day-to-day activities we engage in can pollute our system; and these include the consumption of alcohol, coffee, cigarettes, refined sugars and saturated fats.

Again, the use of chemical-based household cleaners and personal health care products such as cleansers, shampoos, deodorants and toothpastes can have far-reaching consequences for our health.

The online portal, naturalnews.com, says under the supervision of a competent physician, extreme detoxification measures such as liver cleansing coffee enemas, heavy metal removal, or periods of fasting can be performed briefly every few months, or as needed for treating a debilitating disease.

However, experts say, an appropriately consistent slow detoxification programme could be part of our daily diet. In this case, eating only whole foods is absolutely essential.

Needless to say, sugary and caffeinated drinks are a no-go area as you work to rid your body of junks. Here’s how to go about it…

Lemon

Using lemon for detoxification was first introduced by Stanley Burroughs in the 1940s, and, it is a modified juice fast that permits no food. Here, the individual subsists on tea and lemonade made with maple syrup and cayenne pepper.

“The vitamin C in this drink will boost your immunity, while it also helps in rebalancing the levels of acid and alkaline in the body. The ensuing bowel movements will ensure that the waste accumulated in the intestinal walls is totally removed,” Omotunde assures.

Green vegetables

Experts say here, the idea is to give your body a break from processed foods, dairy and animal products — all of which make the digestive system to work overtime.

By eating your vegetables raw or slightly steamed, the vitamins, minerals and other plant-based body-nourishing substances they contain will rid your body of toxin build-up and clear your digestive system of undesirable elements.

Garlic
Regarded as a natural antibiotic and promoter of liver enzymes that aid detoxification, experts at naturalnews.com say it’s best to chew garlic raw or squeeze raw cloves onto freshly prepared foods. While the smell can sometimes be nauseating, Omotunde says allicin, an organosulfur compound in garlic, naturally reacts with the blood to create a product that is capable of killing many harmful bacteria and viruses that your body may be harbouring.

Beans

Experts at the webmd.com say beans are not only a great source of fibre, they are also an important detoxification food as well as a major source of protein. Any of the species of beans will serve your purpose, and they include the kidney beans, pinto beans and soybeans.

Other dos and don’ts

Try to avoid fried foods during your detox period. Maintain the habit of eating lots of baked —rather than fried — fish. Again, instead of using butter, experts advise you to use olive oil-based product.

When you choose to eat fresh greens such as salads, avoid salad dressings and try using olive oil and a small amount of vinegar as dressing. Minimise your salt intake, and avoid processed foods such as cakes, cookies and other flour-based products.

Most importantly, before you start a detoxification exercise, consult your physician, who will also help you to plan your detoxification exercise so that it is done at a convenient time.

“You don’t want to shock your body; so, begin to make gradual changes once you have made up your mind that it is time to clean up. And by all means, ensure that you are properly hydrated during the process,” experts advise.