7 Signs Your Body Is
Telling You To Detox
By: Your JNH Lifestylist
Have you been listening to your body lately? As we grow older, we should learn to understand the messages our bodies are trying to send us. If you have been feeling out of whack lately, it is important to understand why. In our everyday lives, we are constantly exposed to chemicals in the air, the water we drink, the food we eat and the products that we apply on our skin. These chemicals/toxins tend to build up over time and can interfere with normal bodily functions. This is why it's important to help detoxify our bodies every once in a while and not rely solely on our kidneys and liver. In this article, we'll discuss 7 signs your body may be telling you that it needs help.
You Feel Bloated
One of the most common signs that you need to detox is feeling bloated. This can happen all over your body but it is particularly accentuated in your belly. Aside from the environmental pollutants that normally build up in your body, substances like gluten and lactose, which are in many of our diets, can stimulate this process [1].
Your Cravings Are Out Of Control
It is normal to have a craving every once in a while, like wanting to eat chocolate out of nowhere. However, when this becomes a regular thing and you are constantly craving specific foods, especially sugar, it might be a sign that the hormones responsible for regulating hunger are going a little crazy. A reliable solution to this issue can potentially be detoxing through perspiration [2].
You Can't Seem To Lose Weight
Struggling to lose weight is an evident sign that you need to detox. Sometimes, it seems like no matter how much effort you put in, you're left looking at the same number on the scale. If restricting your caloric intake and working out constantly isn't getting you closer to your ideal weight, there may be a chance that you are having some type of metabolic or hormonal imbalance caused by the buildup of toxic waste in your body. In this case, the best thing is to try a detox diet or treatment to get rid of this waste and hopefully start seeing results.
Issues With Your Skin
Our skin says a lot about our health, in fact, dermatologists can diagnose systemic disorders by just examining your skin. Just like with other systems, your skin can give provide a signal that you need to detox. One of the main dermatological signs is having acne breakouts. These can be a result of many different toxins - from sugar, alcohol and dairy, to those found in processed foods [3].
Changes In Mood
Feeling different out of nowhere without any explanation, or unexplained stressing can be a sign that you need to detox. This practice has been performed to treat many mental disorders such as PTSD, depression and addictions [4].
You Feel Tired All The Time
Once you start to detox regularly, you will learn to listen to your body and realize when it is time to do it. Feeling sluggish and without energy can be a hint that toxic waste has built up inside your body. These chemicals have a detrimental effect on your body, decreasing your metabolism and slowing down all of the chemical reactions that happen in your cells every day [5].
You Are Not Sleeping Well
Detecting changes in your sleep pattern is a reason why you should undergo some sort of detox treatment. This can be beneficial since sleep is the time of the day when your body recovers, and failing to give your body 'repairing sleep' has short-term effects such as feeling lethargic, as well as long-term effects like an increase in blood pressure and cardiovascular risk. That's why it is very important to maintain a good sleep schedule and detoxing can help in a tremendous way.
What Is The Best Way To Detoxify Your Body?
There are many different detox options out on the market and it can be hard to pick one. One method that is showing great promise lately are infrared saunas. These use infrared waves that increase your body temperature by penetrating deep into your skin and transferring heat. This heat transfer ends up mobilizing fat cells which start releasing toxins. Also, by improving the circulation of the skin, infrared saunas make it easier for toxins that are in the bloodstream to be excreted through sweat [6].
There are many ways to help detoxify your body, but studies have shown that sweating is one of the best ways to do so. Certain pesticides, herbicides and chemicals such as cadmium and nickel have a larger excretion rate through sweat than through other body fluids like urine, proving that sweat is an efficient way to detoxify [7].
Including infrared saunas in your weekly routine is an easy and relaxing way to get rid of all the chemicals and toxic waste in your body . However, it is important to not abuse this technique, keep your sessions short and drinking water before, during and after each session to avoid dehydration.
Resources:
[1] Metrus Lindsey. (2019). "9 Detox Water Recipes to Help You De-Bloat." Bloat." Byrdie.com, Byrdie, 3 September 2019, https://www.byrdie.com/detox-water-recipes.
[2] Cole Will. "Signs You Need To Detox + How To Live A Toxin-Free Life." Drwillcole.com, Dr. Will Cole, https://drwillcole.com/detoxing-toxins/signs-you-need-to-detox-and-how-to-live-a-toxin-free-life.
[3] "Why is Detoxing Important for Your Skin?". Instanatural.com, Instanatural, https://instanatural.com/blogs/news/68766595-why-is-detoxing-important-for-your-skin.
[4] Korn Leslie. (2017). "How Detoxification Will Improve Your Mental Health." Psychologytoday.com, Psychology Today, 13 January 2017, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/rhythms-recovery/201701/how-detoxification-will-improve-your-mental-health.
[5] Hyman Mark. "5 Reasons You Need to Detox and 5 Ways to Detox, Lose Weight and Feel Great." Drhyman.com, Dr. Hyman, https://drhyman.com/blog/2014/03/08/5-reasons-need-detox-5-ways-detox-lose-weight-feel-great/.
[6] Gulino Elizabeth. (2019). "Can An Infrared Sauna Really Help You Detox?" Refinery29.com, Refinery 29, 13 December 2019, https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/infrared-sauna-benefits-detox.
[7] Wentz Izabella. (2020). "8 Benefits of the Infrared Sauna That Can Reduce Symptoms of Hashimoto's and Hypothyroidism." Thyroidpharmacist.com, Thyroid Pharmacist, 12 March 2020, https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/8-benefits-infrared-sauna-can-reduce-symptoms-hashimotos-hypothyroidism/.
