How’s your body running? Sluggish? Erratic? Stalling out? It may be time to detox your biological operating system.
According to naturopathic physician Beverly Yates, toxins commonly present in our homes, offices and foods impair body function. The results include fatigue, illness and chronic disorders such as allergies, asthma, eczema and arthritis.
“So many people are showing up younger and sicker than ever before,” says the Mill Valley, Calif. practitioner, adding that inflammatory-response conditions serve as red flags of systems thrown off-kilter.
“All of the chemicals developed to improve convenience are not promoting quantity of life or quality of life,” she says. Furthermore, overly pristine environments — windows that don’t open, HVAC systems — compound the problem, trapping us with toxins from carpet fibers to mites to microbes.
“We get used to feeling crummy,” Yates says, who offers “toxin survival” tips so people can rediscover “what ‘good’ feels like!”
On a daily basis, we can limit exposure to most culprits — including overlooked toxins such as dry cleaning and upholstery chemicals, cleaning products, processed foods, and caffeine- and chemical-laden beverages.
Dietary changes such as switching to whole grains, pesticide-free foods, and plant-based/vegetarian fare have reduced incidence of maladies minor and major, from brittle hair and nails to bad breath to respiratory disorders like asthma, arthritis, diabetes and heart conditions. “Good sleep hygiene” reduces stress while improving health; going to bed and awakening at the same time each day, Yates explains, helps brain and body do their “housekeeping.”
Expecting stress tomorrow? As a preemptive strike, take a warm bath in magnesium-rich epsom salts and cut up healthy veggies tonight. These, and deep breathing, will prove more fortifying than toxic tactics involving coffee, cola and doughnuts.
At least once a year, detox to open up bodily “exit routes” — the kidneys, colon, lymphatic system and liver. These organs eliminate toxins from the body — but when our lifestyle crud backs up, they operate in low gear, leaving us feeling sluggish and prone to illness.
Yates recommends all-in-one detox kits such as Enzymatic Therapy’s Whole Body Cleanse. It’s easy to find, simple to use, contains no harsh laxatives, does not interact with medications, and is safe even for those with irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes and other medical conditions.
“We wouldn’t expect a car to run 24/7 all year without maintenance,” Yates says. Considering what our bodies endure, spring cleaning might just avert a spring breakdown.
