Is Detoxing Overrated? Get the Fact from the Fiction

Most people are burned out on hearing the word “detox.” It’s listed on almost every supplement in every health store as well as anything that appears to be green and fresh in the supermarket.

Aside from the gimmicky angle of detoxification that is used to grab your attention, there really is genuine merit to be had from understanding what true detoxification means and applying the basic principles correctly, even on a gentle basis daily.

Here’s why detoxing matters – and why doing it more than occasionally could improve your overall mental and physical health long term.

True detoxification occurs when a person eats and lives in a way that puts minimal stress on the body.

Detoxing allows the body to cope with the toxic demands placed on it without causing the body to struggle in other areas due to being overburdened. In other words, if your body is full of toxins, your liver has to work extra hard to remove them, which puts unnecessary strain on it. This can eventually lead to kidney disease and other complications.

Detoxing is a term used to describe the basic removal of toxins from the body. Our body is able to cope on its own with many of the toxins found in our environment, and natural food breakdown.

When some experts suggest that we need to detox, what they really mean is that we need to focus our attention on temporarily ridding the body of toxins by using supplements or occasionally fasting or cleansing. But wouldn’t be easier to simply live in a way that takes in as few toxins as possible?

The idea of detoxing isn’t total rubbish. There is a need for it. For starters, getting rid of toxins can enhance liver function and eliminate pollutants from the body. Pollutants can gather inside our bodies from chemicals sprayed onto our food and more pollution levels than ever before are coming from carbon dioxide.

Most detox naysayers will tell you that the body is capable of detoxing itself and doesn't need extra help. While they may be right, keep this in mind: The more you load your body either knowingly or unknowingly with junk, the more precious effort/energy reserves on behalf of your detox organs are needed to get rid of it, which increases the risk of overworking those areas and other areas becoming neglected.

Think of your body like a car. Yes, it is designed to do what it was made to do. But the more you work it, the quicker it will break down. If you want those parts to last you a lifetime, some effort on our behalf is required manually, to take care of them.

It sounds like a hoax, but it’s really not. Living in a true state of detoxification isn’t hippy talk. If you eat an organic diet made up of mostly unrefined plants, exercise regularly, get enough sleep at night, drink purified water and find a healthy outlet for stress, you are there!

Sleep is an important part of the detox process also. It’s the time when your body recovers, so it’s important to aim for at least seven to eight hours deep sleep a night. Developing a healthy routine is a great way to live a detox life. Go to bed at the same time every night, limit phone and electrical use (especially at night), and aim to wake up at the same time every day.

Eating a diet high in plant-based organic foods helps naturally eliminate toxins because they are fertile sources of antioxidants, which bind to free radicals (toxins) and neutralise them. Non-organic foods are sprayed with chemical pesticides, which have the ability to pollute the tissues of just about every living thing on Earth. Pesticides also reduce the nutrient intake in some foods, meaning they are less able to help naturally flush the body.

To gain more information on how to use an alkaline diet to naturally detox, visit the page highlighted here.

You could make the argument that if you are living a life of true detoxification, then you don’t need to supplement. But the thing is that there are some pollutants you cannot control from entering your system. Toxins are around you all the time. They are in the air you breathe when you walk your dog; they are in your car when you drive to work; they accumulate in your body when you become stressed or lose sleep; and don’t get us started on the water that comes out of your faucet.

Because many factors are out of your control, it is a good idea to supplement. The key is to know which products are worth your time. 

Fulvic acid also helps promote the body's ideal pH level and is popularly used as part of detox protocols due to its ability to chelate heavy metals.

Zeolite Plus is another fine detox product. It integrates zeolite, humic acid, fulvic acid and over 70 trace minerals, and is the perfect complement to a cleansing programme.

Check out our full range of detox supplements here.

Ultimately, detox is a process of cleansing and rejuvenating; if done correctly, there's no dispute that it can confer significant physiological benefits. If you're considering embarking on a detox, don't hesitate to get in touch with us; we're more than happy to point you in the right direction or talk through the popular protocols.