Welcome dear friends! I am so thrilled that you have found your way to my blog and I can’t wait to share tips, ideas and recipes with you.
But with so much to share, where do I start? To coincide with the launch of my FREE 4-week online detox program I thought where better than with an explanation of detoxification and how to know if you need to undertake a cleansing program.
Detoxification (detox) is a process that the body actually does all by itself on an ongoing basis. The purpose of this is to neutralise and excrete unwanted substances from within the body – including things like perfume, alcohol, cigarette smoke, pesticides, mercury, food additives, pharmaceutical drugs, and cleaning supplies.
Although people commonly think of the liver when it comes to detoxification, there are other systems and organs involved in this complex process – mainly the intestinal tract, skin, lungs, kidneys and lymphatic system. Despite the fact that the body is working very efficiently to constantly detoxify, our environment as well as diet and lifestyle choices can lead to an accumulation of toxins, which means it can sometimes need a little support. So how do you know if you need to detox? Here are some of the common signs and symptoms:
- Poor energy – not feeling refreshed when you wake in the morning, energy slumps throughout the day, or peaks late in the evening.
- Weight gain – unexplained weight gain, or difficulty losing weight
- Allergies – increased severity of existing allergies, or reacting to new triggers
- Frequent illness or infection – multiple colds/flus throughout the year, inability to shake infections when they occur
- Bloating or gas – sensation of bloating or gas, particularly after meals
- Dull skin and eyes – dry, itchy, blotchy skin, breakouts, bloodshot or dull eyes
- Mood swings – frequently feeling teary, snappy, or unmotivated
- Constipation – irregular or incomplete bowel motions
- Body aches and pains – not recovering from exercise quickly, generalised feelings of pain throughout the body
- Fluid retention – feeling or looking puffy, particularly around the abdomen and face
There are most certainly other underlying conditions that can produce these symptoms, however supporting your body by doing a gentle detox/cleansing program will help to determine what else needs to be addressed.
Oh, and one last thing… the word “detox” can have many different connotations, and is often thrown around interchangeably with words like“diet”, “cleanse” or “fast”. To clarify, I will be running a 4-week clean eating program with the aim of reducing stress on the digestive system while supporting the major organs of detoxification ☺ I look forward to having you on board!