Detox: The First Step In Changing Bad Habits
Article by Chonticha Marijne
What is detox? We’ve heard about it but there are so many various ways that a person can detox their body that it’s hard to know exactly which someone is talking about. There’s drug and alcohol detox, which is cleansing the body of alcohol and drugs. Then there’s the detox diet and the body detox. Detox is short for detoxification, a process by which your body filters out all the bad stuff and toxins that have built up over weeks, months and in some cases, years.
For many, the first step in detoxification is to stop eating and drinking the things that are bad for you. That means soda, high fat and high sugar foods and the like. Those foods and drinks are replaced by healthy foods and vitamin and mineral supplements. In a short amount of time, the body will begin to flush out the toxins that have built up over time. That’s the idea, anyway. But some detox diets are a little on the extreme side and can cause more harm than good. Some common side effects of detox diets and detox methods that are not carefully monitored can include, but are not limited to headaches, which are common when withdrawing from caffeine, upset stomach, diarrhea and sometimes even fever. Many people experience feelings of lethargy and can grow irritable and moody. While many of these symptoms are normal as the body rids itself of the bad stuff and is adjusting to better foods and beverages, listen to your body. If something seems out of whack, pay attention. Make sure that you drink lots of water when trying to detox to prevent your body from becoming dehydrated. Also keep in mind that your body does need some fats and sugars, so don’t cut these items totally out of your diet or you might experience dizziness caused by low blood sugar, among other symptoms.
Most detox experts state that the amount of time a detox will take depends on how bad your eating and drinking habits were before you began the detox program. A simple detox could take as little as a few days to a more thorough detox, which can last several weeks. Maintaining a healthy diet is very important while undergoing a detox. Some people favor drinking only tea for several days at a time, but this is not a wise move. Make sure you’re getting enough nutrients from what you do eat to sustain normal body functions.
As with anything, use good judgment when it comes to your body. Developing good eating and drinking habits is always a good thing, but don’t push your body past its limits, especially if this is the first time you’ve attempted a detox. If some of the detox symptoms mentioned above don’t go away within a few days, you might want to consider seeing a doctor and give him or her complete information about what you’re doing. A detox can help cleanse the body of a bunch of accumulated waste, but should be done using caution and good judgment. A detox is not a fix-all. A detox is meant to be the first step in changing bad habits.
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