{"id":60142,"date":"2020-09-07T16:29:18","date_gmt":"2020-09-07T14:29:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.faithful-to-nature.co.za\/blog\/?p=60142"},"modified":"2020-09-07T16:31:53","modified_gmt":"2020-09-07T14:31:53","slug":"detoxing-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.faithful-to-nature.co.za\/blog\/detoxing-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly\/","title":{"rendered":"Detoxing: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There is a bit of an issue with the \u2018detox culture\u2019 that seems to be rife in the health industry. This notion of \u2018dirty-then-clean\u2019 and that a 3- or 5-day cleanse will make all things in your life better is problematic. It completely misses the bigger picture of how the body functions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, I\u2019m not saying we should shove detox-plans in a dark corner and never speak about them again. What I\u2019m saying is there is a smarter way to understand your individual needs, support your liver and enhance your body\u2019s natural detox processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toxin Overload<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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In a healthy body, the process of detoxification runs smoothly; but the truth is our bodies might not be fully equipped to deal with the toxic burden of modern living. Today, more than ever, we’re bombarded with toxins; from pollution to preservatives, pesticides, hormone disruptors\u2026 the list goes on and on. And while we want to avoid additional toxins and look for non-toxic alternatives, it\u2019s unrealistic for us to believe that we can avoid every single toxin that comes our way. In fact, our bodies produce their own<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>toxins as part of our day-to-day metabolism and it’s completely natural. That\u2019s why we have wonderful organs like the liver and lungs which get rid of these toxins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although we can’t always control the world around us or our exposure to all <\/em>pollutants and chemicals, we can make strategic dietary and lifestyle changes that can help counter their effects by supporting the liver, healing the gut, and lightening our overall toxic load.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is what a healthy detox plan should<\/em> do. And the slower, more consistently this is done, the better for your body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why You Need to Find the Right Detox Regime for Your Genes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Have you ever wondered how one person can drink coffee at 9pm and fall asleep by 9:30pm while another person can\u2019t have coffee after 3pm because they\u2019ll be up all night? Well, it\u2019s probably because of their genes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And you might think that the person who can drink coffee at all hours without worrying has hit the genetic jackpot, but that same individual may struggle with breaking down excess estrogens or medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genetic variations from one person to the next causes detoxification to be highly individualised, which is why mass-marketed short-term detox programs aren\u2019t the wisest decision if you don\u2019t know what\u2019s going on at a genetic level. You are unique. You are complex. There are several hundreds of genes involved in detoxification and your genes don\u2019t work in isolation \u2013 they work with each other and your environment. What we eat, how we move, our stress levels and our emotional lives affect how our genes behave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can\u2019t change<\/em> our genes, but we can influence<\/em> how our genes express themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you actually need to go on a \u2018Detox Plan\u2019?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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You might feel like a seasonal detox is a must-do because every person you know goes on a 5-day juice cleanse in September. And, although the detox industry is booming, there is actually very little clinical evidence to support them. A handful of clinical studies have shown that commercial detox diets enhance liver detoxification, but these studies have flawed methodologies and small sample sizes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To reiterate: There is very little clinical evidence for commercial <\/em><\/strong>detox diets. This doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that detox plans don\u2019t work and are a waste of money, but they should be well thought out under the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The question you should be asking yourself is \u201cWhy do I feel like I need a detox?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of all, don\u2019t ever undergo a detox for the sole reason of weight loss. We can often feel pressurised by what we see in the media or how people we know have had such great results after undergoing their 3-day \u2018cleanse\u2019 and feel energised, lighter, healthier etc. but did you know that there\u2019s a serious risk to your mental health? Always keep in mind that any kind of restrictive eating, has the potential to overflow into an eating disorder long-term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019d love to sit here all day and deep dive into diet-culture and how we\u2019ve been programmed into believing that there is some food\/diet that is better than others and that if you eat a certain way, you\u2019ll never achieve optimal health, but that isn\u2019t the point at hand. But maybe, it\u2019s something that we need to think about with detoxes. Could diet-culture be the underlying reason you\u2019re wanting to undergo an extreme detox plan?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Physical Signs That You May Need A Detox<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Remember that I said we shouldn\u2019t just shove detox-plans into a dark cupboard?  That\u2019s because many people actually do struggle on a physiological and genetic level to eliminate toxins. BUT THAT\u2019S NOT EVERYONE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If on some level, you think you\u2019re experiencing some of the symptoms below, please see a professional healthcare provider before buying a product off the shelf\/internet. There are some excellent products and supplements available, but they are not for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n