Methods of Detoxifying Your Body

Body detoxification, also called body cleansing, is the artificial cleansing of the body through medical equipment, diets and fasting. This is done within the hospital setting for those who have lost the ability to detoxify naturally. Outside the medical community, several controversial alternative health specialists claim that detoxification is necessary for optimum health.

Colonic Hydrotherapy

• Colonic hydrotherapy involves removing stagnated feces that have collected in the lower intestines using a plastic tube and warm water. This prevents the body from absorbing toxins from the colon. This is a controversial procedure that has been discredited in the medical community and can even be potentially dangerous.

Fasting

• Fasts are used to allow the body to remove toxins from the body. Fasts vary in duration, ranging from 1 to 5 days. Some fasts allow that the faster to drink juice, while other fasts only recommend water. Those fasting are told to return to solid food slowly by starting with light foods and working up to more heavy foods.

Raw Food

• Cooked foods, processed foods, and starchy foods are believed by raw foodists to clog the colon. By contrast, raw foods are believed to have natural enzymes that aid in digestion. Raw foodists also believe that cooked food contains toxins that are nonexistent in raw food.

Sweating

• Sweat is believed to contain toxins like lipophillic and other heavy metals. Stored in body fat when the body is incapable of eliminating all toxins from the body, metals contained in perspiration include zinc, lead, iron and copper. Any activity that causes sweating aids in the detoxification process. Alternative health specialists also recommend using steam to induce sweating as inhaling steam helps to clear mucous from the lungs.

Disproven Methods

• A contrast shower is simply a method of detoxification whereby an individual switches between hot and cold water while showering. Another detoxification method involves using foot pads to remove toxins from the skin. Unfortunately, such claims are false as toxins can only pass through the skin through perspiration. A final method of detoxification is known as oil pulling. Oil pulling involves swishing oil in the mouth to cleanse it of toxins. Oil swishing has not been shown to have any effect on detoxification or oral hygiene.

Dialysis

• Dialysis is the only scientifically proven method of detoxification. This is a machine that artificially filters blood for patients who have lost their kidney function. With hemodialysis, the blood is actually pumped out of the body to be filtered. Peritoneal dialysis is when a sterile solution is pumped into the abdominal cavity where it absorbs the toxins that the kidneys would normally filter.