WHAT IS DETOXIFICATION?
HOW CAN YOU REVERSE AGE THROUGH DETOX?
Detoxification. This is one of those words that are used quite a lot and quite a lot of time in a clearly wrong way. To understand what it really means, we must first wrap our heads around some principles of metabolism that our body goes through.
Anything that you put into your body, or anything that the body itself produces, is fundamentally composed of two components. The useful component and the waste. This waste is many a time, dangerous or toxic to the body. Therefore, to put it simply, the mechanism of getting rid of this waste or rendering it harmless is what we call detoxification.
This idea of removing waste can be extrapolated to our existence’s mental and spiritual domains just as easily. In these cases, the toxic waste isn’t something material of course. It can comprise thoughts, ideas, perspectives, or beliefs that are detrimental to a healthy state of being in mind, body, and spirit.
Our body has natural mechanisms of waste removal and detoxification that work quite efficiently. That is if we allow them to. Our artificial lives; mottled with processed foods, unnatural schedules, and skewed perspectives; mess up these natural mechanisms to such an extent that renders us helpless against the toxicity within and around us.
Here, we’ll go through some of these mechanisms that can be easily enhanced to detoxify our beings and keep us healthy. To begin with, I have to clear up another term that is a stand-in for detoxification casually thrown about in the global discourse. This term is Self-care.
SELF CARE:
Self-care is defined by Dorociak as a multidimensional, multifaceted process of purposeful engagement in strategies that promote healthy functioning and enhance well-being.¹
It is a conscious effort undertaken to fulfill the body’s physical requirements through proper diet, sleep, exercise, etc. It also involves adopting habits that positively influence mental stability and emotional well-being. These include adopting a positive attitude, maintaining relationships, having a healthy social boundary, sharing your emotions, etc.
Detoxification is a step up from self-care. It is what regular self-care leads to. It is the goal that any regimen of self-care habits aims to achieve. And I believe that without setting our perspectives right in relation to our goals and understanding the process that would take us there, we cannot truly begin the long trek towards detoxification.
So let’s get into it. Detoxification 101…
NUTRITION:
When it comes to natural detoxification nutrition is key!
We can assist the body in removing toxic substances through many simple dietary modifications. Take a look;
Fasting
Fasting gives rest to the body and helps it get rid of the toxins. The nutrient-deprived state also initiates the process of autophagy in cells, through which it engulfs old worn-out organelles for energy. These processes ensure cellular and DNA repair. It also combats fatty liver disease by modulating the fat absorption in the intestine.²
You’d be surprised to know that this practice of fasting has been a part of many old cultures and religions for millennia. A bit of old wisdom that we were ready to lose as a cost of modernity…
Detoxification Diet
This is the idea that revolves around the concept of naturopathy in which we allow the body to selfheal through natural remedies. Such detox diets not only detoxify toxins but also assist the body in maintaining energy balance, promoting health, providing resistance to diseases, and helping in weight loss.
Anti-Oxidant Diet
Our bodies are constantly exposed to oxidative stress in the form of free radicals which are generated as a result of metabolism. These are the major culprits of the ailments we get.
The body has its own natural mechanisms to get rid of the free radicals it produces, which can be enhanced through a proper diet. Surprisingly, you can bid farewell to diseases and their complications through the consumption of fruits and vegetables and a diet rich in Vitamin A and E which are known for their antioxidant properties.
High-fat low-sugar Diet
A high-fat low-sugar diet can help in weight loss and protection from diseases. A study conducted at Aarhus University has solved the mystery behind this.
A metabolite of Fat, Ketone acetoacetate, binds Methylglyoxal produced from the metabolism of Sugar. The latter is involved in the process of aging and the complications of diabetes. Therefore, this weight loss regimen provides an additional benefit of promotion of health and longevity of cells.³
Protein Pacing Calorie Restriction (PCR)
Arciero et al. conducted a study that proves that a Protein Pacing Calorie Restriction (PCR) diet not only helps in weight loss but also in detoxification of toxic substances. These toxins are produced from the breakdown of fat during weight loss. Therefore, it reduces oxidative stress and enhances detoxification.⁴
Pollutant Detoxification
The modern era of industrialization comes with a cost i.e. Air Pollution. These air pollutants are responsible for the development of various diseases and cancer.
No need to be alarmed though. Because science has discovered a way to avert this harm too! And yes, it’s through diet, yet again. Cruciferous vegetables, e.g. broccoli, produce Sulforaphane upon chewing, a compound with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Moreover, it induces enzymes that eliminate cancer-producing chemicals from the body.⁵
BREATHING:
Seriously? Breathing?
Yes. Breathing. Something as simple as this can play a significant role in the natural detoxification of our minds and bodies.
Breathing is a process through which we take in oxygen and exhale CO2, N2, and other gases. The mere process of breathing that goes unnoticed by us harbors great value. It ensures an adequate supply of oxygen to the tissues and removes harmful gases which are toxic to the body if present in large quantities. Additionally, the process of breathing expands the chest wall and allows venous return to the heart for appropriate circulation.
Deep breathing contracts the diaphragm and opens up lymphatic channels for proper lymphatic circulation. This effectively removes toxins from the body tissues.
Several breathing exercises that relax the mind and body, slow down heart and breathing rate, alleviate anxiety and ameliorate negative thoughts are described in my book “Lead A Horse To Water.” ⁶
SLEEP:
Sleep is a necessity for survival. It is food for the mind and a sleep-deprived mind is predisposed to various insults. What happens during sleep that gives it so much importance?
The waste material, accumulated in the brain as a result of the activity during periods of wakefulness, is removed during sleep. Scientists recently discovered the Glymphatic system that is activated during sleep. This system allows the flow of CSF through channels made by foot processes of astrocytes (a type of brain cells) and ensures the effective removal of waste substances from the brain. Amyloid and tau proteins that are accumulated between the brain cells in Alzheimer’s disease are removed by the Glymphatic system. ⁷ ⁸
Additionally, REM sleep (rapid eye movement sleep) activates the brain’s antioxidant mechanisms to relieve oxidative stress. It also promotes cellular and DNA repair through the production of hormones and growth factors. You can read about the various protective effects of sleep here.
MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL DETOX:
We have come to understand a simple fact. We can try all the material means for detoxification but the truth is that health comes from within. If the mind is not healthy, the body will suffer.
A mental detox means to free the mind of negative and stagnant emotions and replacing them with positive ones that bring peace and joy. This involves self-reflection i.e. evaluating the vices that we indulge in, analyzing the triggers of self-destructive behavior, etc., and then dealing with them accordingly.
It can also help if you indulge in mentally soothing activities such as yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises that relax the mind and reduce anxiety and stress. Sharing your emotions or penning them down helps you get over past trauma. And the most important step, without a doubt, is to ask for professional help.
Apart from these regular exercises, you need to revitalize your mind and promote positive thinking and emotions. This is a sort of energy detox, as the term goes, which is concerned with shedding the negative energy within us due to emotions of hate and anger, among many others, and replacing them with those of love and kindness.
This isn’t all about changing perspectives and whatnot. There are some other means. For example, quality sleep and a diet composed of fruits and vegetables have been proven to have beneficial effects on the mind.⁹
OTHER METHODS:
Several other methods promote detoxification and aid in healing. These include naturopathy and homeopathy that amplify the body’s healing mechanisms through natural remedies. Acupuncture, chiropractic care, massage, cupping are other techniques that have healing properties for various purposes. You can read about them in more detail in my book “Lead A Horse To Water.” ¹⁰
ENDING NOTE:
Taking care of ourselves is the first and foremost right and duty that we have to ourselves. This care, at the basic level, comes down to one thing only i.e. maintaining our health in mind, body, and spirit. This requires a mindset of self-care that we mean to grow here at LiveYounger. Why? Because to us, a healthy life is a happy life!
“WE ALREADY ESTABLISHED THOUGHTS, EMOTIONS, RESPONSES, AND REACTIONS MANIFEST THEMSELVES AS CHEMICALS AND HORMONES AFFECTING BODY ORGANS FUNCTIONING AND HEALTH. MANAGING THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS CAN GO LONG WAY TOWARDS MENTAL, SPIRITUAL, AND PHYSIOLOGICAL DETOXIFICATION AND OVERALL HEALTH ”
— NIDAL SAKR
Bibliography
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- T. Salomón et al., “Ketone Body Acetoacetate Buffers Methylglyoxal via a Non-enzymatic Conversion during Diabetic and Dietary Ketosis,” Cell Chem. Biol., vol. 24, no. 8, pp. 935-943.e7, Aug. 2017, doi: 10.1016/J.CHEMBIOL.2017.07.012.
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- N.Sakr, “Lead A Horse To Water”, pp.29-30, 2021.
- J. J. Iliff et al., “A paravascular pathway facilitates CSF flow through the brain parenchyma and the clearance of interstitial solutes, including amyloid β,” Sci. Transl. Med., vol. 4, no. 147, Aug. 2012, DOI: 10.1126/SCITRANSLMED.3003748.
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- N.Sakr, “Lead A Horse To Water”, pp.31-32, 2021..