6 Sure Signs You Need to Detox
As a yoga teacher, I see a lot of people with health concerns on a daily basis while interacting with individuals from all walks of life. Some are athletes and martial artists, while some are business people who barely manage to fit a single workout or yoga class into their hectic weeks. Some are struggling with serious health conditions, and they want to treat these issues from a more natural perspective, or augment medical treatment they are already taking from their conventional doctor. While there are many factors to consider, what I find among all of them is a common similar health oversight. They forget to detox.
In days past, our bodies did a fine job of detoxing without aid. This was when we weren’t exposed to so many environmental pollutants which can cause the body’s systems to virtually shut down.
Many people do a lot of the ‘other things’ right – like exercise, meditate, de-stress, spend time with friends, and try to eat organic, healthful diets. But let’s face it, if you don’t regularly detox, then you are likely not experiencing the most optimum level of health you can, and in many cases you are edging closer to developing a serious disease (or already have one).
This is why all Eastern systems of medicine include detoxification in their philosophies. Yogic, Ayurvedic, ancient Chinese and Tibetan cultures, the Greeks, and the Romans, even the Irish all developed ways to detox the body more effectively.
If you aren’t sure if you need to detox, here are several ways your body is communicating that need to you, without you realizing it:
1. Your Digestion is Slow, or in Some Cases, Halted
If you aren’t having a bowel movement two to three times a day, then you aren’t digesting food properly. In yogic and Ayurvedic sciences, your ‘digestive fire’ is inextricably linked to your overall health and immunity. If your gut is sluggish, you have irritable bowel disease, gas, or bloating. This may mean you need to detox, which in this case, should include adding more fiber to your diet. Consuming more fruit and vegetables is one great way to do this, and you’ll get an antioxidant boost, too.
2. Your Brain Seems Like it’s Running on Goo
A hazy mind and general feelings of cognitive malaise are all signs that your body is overly taxed with toxins. You wouldn’t believe how much mental clarity and creativeness you could tap into if your body was clear of all its toxic junk. Try eating chlorella and cilantro to ignite the detox process. The chlorella-cilantro detox combo may even be able to remove 80% of heavy metals from the brain in just 42 days. Heavy metals are especially nefarious when it comes to brain health.
3. You Have a Heavy White Coating on Your Tongue
Ancient Chinese medicine often looks at the tongue as an indicator of overall health. If it is coated with a white, plaque-like substance, instead of being pink, then there are too many toxins flowing in the bloodstream. A simple step is to drink more pure, filtered water, with lemon, since these two elements work together to naturally detox the body. This can also result in increased energy, weight loss, and better digestion along with a beautiful complexion.
4. Your Energy Levels are a 1 out of 10
If you feel sluggish no matter when you go to bed, and after sleeping a good 7 to 9 hours, then you are likely in need of a good detox. Your lymph system can become heavily clogged with junk that shouldn’t be in your body. But by taking some cleansing herbs, you can help to rejuvenate it and get your energy back. Try these revitalization herbs: dandelion (absorbs toxins, stimulate the liver), Echinacea (powerful immune stimulant), red clover (has anti-tumor, blood cleansing properties), and burdock root (prevents toxic chemical poisoning).
5. You Feel Depressed
Many people don’t realize just how much toxins affect their mood. Not only can a depressed mood trigger food cravings which then deplete your energy stores while loading you with more toxins, but the foods you eat and the toxins you are exposed to via other means can really cause a downward spiral in your mental health.
GMOs, glyphosate, and high-fructose corn syrup, along with a host of other environmental pollutants, can make you angry, aggressive, and full of anxiety. Try the spice
6. You Don’t Remember the Last Time You Were Bursting with Life Energy
Even if your digestion is working properly, your sleep schedule is solid, and you feel relatively happy, if you aren’t feeling ‘wow’ that often comes with a truly vital sense of health, then you may need a detox. Our true nature is brimming with energy and happiness. We have become used to varying degrees of sickness and un-health, so many of us don’t even know what that feels like.
If you want to experience ‘you’ at your best, then a detox should be a significant part of your life. Try kitchari – an easy-to-make and easy-to-digest complete meal, made with rice, yellow mung dal, spices, clarified butter, and vegetables that can help detox you – or you can fast for several days or a week with your doctor’s O.K. The kitchari cleanse has been used for decades in ancient India and other cultures as a way to reboot the system.
Search Natural Society’s many other articles on cleansing and detox to add this vital lifestyle choice to your world. You’ll certainly reap the benefits.
Very informative and helpful. Thank you so much.