Probiotics are getting more and more press these days and they are good for just about everybody to take in order to obtain and maintain optimal health. Many people ask us, “How do I choose a good probiotic?”, and with good reason: the gastrointestinal (GI) tract contains more bacterial organisms (trillions) than there are cells in the entire human body.
Detoxification is a term used to describe all the processes involved with the processing and elimination of toxins from the body. These toxins may be generated outside the body (like pollution, artificial sweeteners, artificial colors/preservatives, alcohol/drugs, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, etc.) or inside the body (including metabolic byproducts due to the digestion of excess sugar or fats, infection and normal repair processes).
Detoxification isn’t normally one of the first things a person thinks about when considering gastrointestinal (GI) health, but it probably should. In addition to providing a physical barrier between us and the largest source of toxins we are exposed to (i.e., the things we put into our mouths everyday), the GI tract is responsible for about 20-25% of the total detoxification that occurs in our bodies every day. Therefore, providing proper support for detoxification can be a fantastic method to help almost anyone with GI disorders – including acid reflux, indigestion, IBS and/or constipation – improve their GI health.
Our lives seem so full of things to worry about and/or do that we don’t even realize that our health is slowly but steadily slipping away from us. Even if we can find the time to exercise, many of us perform exercises that fatigue and drain us even more. Rather than relieve stress, most of our activities have the effect of fueling a state called Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) dominance. Periodic detoxification can help calm down an overactive sympathetic nervous system. The key is to perform a detoxification program properly. Read more…
Weight loss is tricky. One of the things that haunt even the most dedicated person trying to lose weight is the dreaded weight loss plateau. Almost everybody that tries to lose weight will hit at least one weight loss plateau, usually after losing 15-20 pounds, and most of us will hit several of them if we are losing a significant amount of weight. These can be trying times – you are doing everything “right” and/or the same as you were, but weight loss stops.
When most people hit a weight loss plateau, they double down on workouts and/or become stricter with their diet and/or calories. Rarely does this work and motivation starts to take a hit. Many people give up, as it doesn’t seem like anything they try is helping.
But there is a solution.
Getting Over Your Weight Loss Plateau
When you hit a weight loss plateau, it is almost always due to an imbalance in detoxification. A little background will help you understand why.
Everybody is full of toxins. We live in a toxic world. Even if you eat only organic food and live in the country, you cannot escape the toxins that are all around us. Luckily, our bodies have several mechanisms to help us deal with these toxins. These include modifying and eliminating them; if this is not possible (due to nutritional and or other deficiencies that limit detoxification or due to toxin overload) the body can store these toxins away so they don’t have as great an impact on our health.
And it stores them in body fat.
Herein lies the difficulty with weight loss. When a person begins to steadily lose body fat, there is less and less fat to store these toxins and inevitably, some of the toxins are secreted back into the circulation. At some point, the body recognizes that it cannot safely handle any more toxins and it puts the brakes on fat loss. No matter what you do at this point – whether that is hitting the gym until you can’t move or restricting calories until you are nearly starved – you will not lose significantly more body fat until you support proper detoxification.
This is why detoxification and help you get over your weight loss plateau.
Detoxification – The Key to Getting Over Your Weight Loss Plateau
Supporting proper detoxification will allow the body to rid itself of the accumulated (and newly released) toxins due to previous weight loss. Once this occurs, it can also help the body eliminate stored toxins from existing body fat. Once that happens, the body can then begin to shed this excess body fat again and get you off of your weight loss plateau.
The key is proper support.
Detoxification is a heavily nutrient dependent process, meaning that it takes a lot of nutrients to do it right. Once more, everybody has different imbalances in regards to weight loss. Now, there are tests that can help you determine your specific imbalances (such as the Organix Comprehensive Profile with or without a Fatty Acid Bloodspot). However, many people don’t want to run these profiles. Luckily, there is a kit available to help you cover all your bases which will allow you to safely and effectively address your detoxification imbalances and gets your weight loss moving again in the right direction.
The Dynamic Detox 10-day Detoxification Program is a great way to jump start any weight loss endeavor and/or get you off a weight loss plateau. People that are actively engaged in weight loss would benefit most by doing one of these 10-day programs every 1-2 months, whenever they lose 10-20 pounds or whenever they hit a weight loss plateau, whichever comes first.
Doing a Dynamic Detox 10-day Detoxification Program in this way will keep you losing weight in a healthy way and get you over your weight loss plateau.
Periodic detoxification is a great way to keep your system running at top efficiency. If you are in the process of losing weight or regaining your health, a formal detoxification program can keep you going along the right path. However, there are three important things you need to think about when planning a detoxification.
Detoxification is a heavily nutrient-dependent process. This means that the organs and systems involved in the remove of toxins from your body require a LOT of nutrients in order to function properly. Therefore, be sure that your dietary recommendations include lots of nutrient-dense foods, including plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, clean sources of protein, (only) healthy fats and plenty of water (see Hydration below).
In addition, you should strictly avoid anything that will slow the process of detoxification down, including sugars, white flour, gluten, red meat (beef and pork), packaged meats (i.e., hot dogs, sausage, deli meats, etc.), caffeine, alcohol and anything with artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or sweeteners.
If you start on a food-only detoxification plan and begin to feel weak or otherwise unwell or if you’d just like the added assurance of getting all the nutrients you need for optimal detoxification, use some supplemental support (like the 10-day Clear Change Detox Program Kit).
During any detoxification program, your body will be throwing off a lot of toxins. You need to facilitate the removal of these toxins as quickly as possible, and one of the best ways to do that is to drink plenty of water.
How much? A good general rule is to drink one-half your body weight in ounces per day plus 16-32 ounces during the detoxification. For example, a 200 lb. person would drink 100 ounces plus 16-32 ounces throughout the day. It is best to drink water every 30 minutes throughout the day to optimize hydration.
During a detoxification, you want as much of your energies as possible to go towards the detoxification process. Therefore, it is very important that you schedule plenty of down time during the detoxification program. This includes at least 8-10 hours of sleep each night, reducing exercise to walks and mild-moderate activity, incorporating some deep breathing exercises throughout the day and giving yourself the time (if you need it) to rest and relax during the day.
A detoxification is also a wonderful time to unplug and disconnect to all the chatter around you. Try an “information holiday” as much as you can – skip the news (TV, internet, paper) and reduce/eliminate electronic connections (Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc.). Use that time to do some breathing exercises, make some great food, catch up with old friends and/or do anything else that serves you and helps you to relax.
Periodic detoxifications can be fun and enjoyable as long as you plan ahead. Keep these three things to think about when planning your detoxification and you’ll be well on your way to a healthier, happier you.
Give the gift of health!
