Category Archives: detox

The Wrong Way to Detox

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1 – What is Detox?

Our definition of Detox is Getting rid of toxins in the body in order to improve physical and mental health, increase energy, boost the immune system and assist with losing weight.

There are various ways to detox. It is very important that you choose a method that is suitable for you, as getting it wrong can cause more problems than it solves.

We are focusing on methods of detox using diet, as these have most relevance to digestion and digestive health.

Methods of detoxification include:

· Cutting out certain foods (such as processed foods, foods containing artificial additives, preservatives, fried foods, caffeine, alcohol, wheat, dairy, sugar or artificial sweeteners, spices, red meat and pork) and eating more whole foods (such as fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, fish, oils, herbs and herbal teas)

· Fasting (this may be a complete fast, a liquid fast, such as water or juice or a single food fast, such as one variety of fruit, vegetable or wholegrain)

· Eating more fish

· Food combining

· Restricting calories

· Herbal detoxification

· Master Cleanse (a regime created by Stanley Burroughs based on drinking a combination of lemon or lime juice, maple syrup, water and cayenne pepper)

· Only eating raw foods (raw foodism)

· Veganism

· Detox teas, containing ingredients which are considered beneficial to the body, such as ginger, fennel, liquorice and dandelion.

2 – What are the dangers?

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Problems and pitfalls of detoxing

Beware of these when detoxing:

· Lack of essential nutrients can cause symptoms such as tiredness and lethargy.

· Long-term detox diets and fasting can cause headaches, constipation and bad breath, which may be caused by the body burning muscle instead of fat.

· Fasting actually slows down the rate at which toxins are eliminated.

· Restricting calorie intake too much slows the metabolism and inhibits liver function, leading to decreased weight loss.

· High mercury content in some fish can cause a wide variety of health problems. If you choose a diet that emphasizes fish it is important to choose varieties that have low mercury levels. Low mercury fish include: anchovies, pollock, haddock, hake, herring, sole, salmon, sardines and freshwater trout.

· Water fasting, Master Cleanse and other very restricted diets may result in nutrient deficiencies. Particularly dangerous is lack of protein, which may cause wasting of muscle tissue.

· Radically changing your diet can cause toxins to be released into the bloodstream faster than the body can eliminate them. If this happens, the body can become polluted, leading to the Herxheimer reaction, with symptoms including fever, chills, headaches, muscle pain and skin lesions.

· Many detox diets advocate drinking at least two to three litres of water a day, with the aim of helping the kidneys to flush out toxins. Drinking a lot more than the recommended two litres of fluids a day can be damaging to the body’s natural fluid control systems, flush the body of sodium and lead to water intoxication (hyponatremia) and potassium deficiency (hypokalemia).

Liquid detox diets generally need to be balanced with supplements. We at Aqualibria strongly recommend that you consult us before undertaking an all-liquid diet, and that the diet should not exceed 7 days.

How to detox safely

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Taking the mindful approach

Most importantly, remember that your body is incredibly well designed for getting rid of toxins on its own. If your body is out of balance, you can assist with detoxifying, but take care not to disrupt the system.

· Make small, well considered changes to your diet. This is the best way to detox.

· Make sure any detox diet that you choose provides enough nutrients.

· Add more fibre to your diet to promote regular bowel movements and help to keep the colon cleansed and healthy.

· Avoid diuretics and laxatives. You may get rid of more waste, but they can cause dehydration which may lead to a variety of health problems.

· Speak to Aqualibria about any changes that you are considering making to your diet.

· A thoughtfully planned diet based on fresh, natural wholefoods, used in combination with a course of colon hydrotherapy treatments is a very good way to gently detoxify the body.

Detox diets vary in length from one day to a week or more. We at Aqualibria do not recommend undertaking a detox diet for more than two weeks.

We recommend a body detox diet, comprising of a combination of lightly steamed or raw vegetables, fruits, pulses, sprouted seeds, grains and beans (particularly mung beans), fresh juices and well-cooked wholegrains. Emphasize local, seasonal foods.

To support your body during the detox and assist with cleansing the system you may wish to include supplements such as:

· Antioxidant vitamins and minerals
· Digestive and liver cleansing herbs
· Fresh root ginger
· Fresh lemon juice
· Cider vinegar

Aqualibria Tip!

If you really want to get things moving, rhubarb provides a highly effective natural laxative. Try it gently stewed in a little water and drizzled with honey as an accompaniment to porridge for breakfast.

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Why Detox with Colon Hydrotherapy

A healthy colon is key in many aspects of your wellbeing. If waste materials build up in the colon, not only do they prevent proper absorption of nutrients, they also begin to putrefy and provide the ideal breeding ground for bacteria and toxins. The gentle cleansing of Colon hydrotherapy removes the build up of waste, as well as mucous, gas and parasites, assisting in the treatment of a wide range of physical and mental conditions.

Detox done the right way can be ideal for:

  • Those who suffer with constipation, IBS, candida or bloating: consider at least a mini-detox, and we would recommend a full course of treatments to see you through the coming colder months.
  • Those who wish to enhance their wellbeing, achieve healthy weight-loss and improve the vitality of their appearance, the transition to autumn is the perfect time to detox and a great time to re-new or continue a regular maintenance programme of colonic hydrotherapy treatments.
  • For our clients who are over-worked and over-stimulated, consider this: if you are not able to absorb the strengthening foods that give you vitality if your body is clogged up with waste and toxins. A detox combined with a series of colonic hydrotherapy treatments, can help you bring your energy levels into line with the the demands of this time of the year and leave the sluggishness of the coming colder season behind.

Check out our prices and opening times and our current special offer , and if you are thinking about a course of treatments, you can find out more information about our colon hydrotherapy courses here.

Finally

Making considered choices about what you put into your body can have a positive impact on other areas of your life. Practicing kindness to yourself and others can allow you to release emotional toxins that can have just as much of an impact on your digestive health as physical toxins.