that the body's natural system of cleansing it itself of toxins and waste is being thwarted by the person walking around in it? Are you also aware that  a healthy, well-balanced, detoxified body is a body that has more energy, more ambition, and glowing skin, to boot? It does not ache with joint pain, nor does it crave foods that do not contribute to its health.  This might not be news to many of you who have dealt with all kinds of physical imbalances, including weight loss, by the way.  However, you might not know exactly how the body rids itself of poisons, and why yours might need a bit of help to do the job right. So, today, let's talk about just that!

 

The human body is in a constant state of cleansing, ridding itself of toxins and waste.  Although this should be a very natural and easy process, your body has nearly about had it! The foods we choose to consume have made the job of cleansing almost more than the body can handle on its own! 

 

Here is a brief, simplified overview of the major players in the clean-up game along with a look at the symptoms presented by a body that is out of balance.

 

Your Lymphatic System is basically a trash collector.  The lymph cell is a milky white blood cell that moves around the body.  When it passes through one of the many lymph nodes in the body, toxins are filtered out from the lymph.  This is where infections are fought and poisonous material is also prevented from going back into the bloodstream. 

Symptoms - A toxic lymphatic system can result in colds and flu, puffiness and dark circles under the eyes, cellulite, and an overall feeling of fatigue. 

 

The Liver deals with basically everything that comes into the body. It cleanses the blood of poisonous substances, such as alcohol and pesticides that might build up in your bloodstream.  It actually absorbs them, changes them chemically to make them water soluble, and then excretes them into the bile (a kind of nasty greenish-brown fluid).  The bile carries this waste away from the liver to the intestines to be excreted. 

Symptoms - A toxic liver might result in bloating, nausea, indigestion, and even a furred tongue.

 

The Intestines break down and also absorb food and water into the bloodstream before excreting the waste from digestion and liver metabolism.  This process should occur quickley, generally from 7-14 hours after eating. 

Symptoms - Toxic intestines present as constipation and gas. 

 

The Skin is the body's largest organ.  People tend to forget this.  The skin can be a great indicator of what might be amiss within our bodies.  Sweating skin allows the sebaceous glands to remove toxins that might not otherwise be released.

Symptoms - Toxic skin might appear blotchy, with blackheads, cellulite, whiteheads, or pimples. 

 

The Kidneys filter our blood and produce urine; they also remove the toxins and waste created by the breakdown of proteins.  The kidneys are also responsible for the body's acidic level and the water level.  They also replace any nutrients that need to be recycled back into the body.

Symptoms - Toxic kidneys result in dark-colored, cloudy, strong-smelling urine that might come with or without pain when urinating.  Urine should be as clear as water, especially in the daytime when you are drinking water constantly!

 

Lastly, we have the Lungs.  The lungs are made up of millions of tiny air sacs.  When we breathe, oxygen enters the blood and the waste products of respiration, which is carbon dioxide and water, are removed.  The lungs also have to deal with a lot of airborne pollutants, like carbon monoxide from cars, nicotine from cigarette smoke, and formaldehyde from building materials and fabrics!! 

Symptoms - Toxic lungs cause inflamed mucous membranes, runny nose or constant sneezing, clogged sinuses. 

 

There you have a brief synopsis; not enough to get you through medical school, but enough to be helpful, I hope.  You might wonder why I would think that this information is germane to a weight loss site.  Well, I think that if we feel good, if we're healthy, then we will tend to care more about what goes into our body. We will be more likely to work to maintain our good health, avoiding substances that can make us toxic, substances like certain processed foods, sugars, fats, caffeine and so on.  

 

How we feel physically is connected to our emotional state of mind. It is hard to pinpoint the exact degree to which physical health influences our sense of well-being, but I find that the majority of women and men who come to see me come not for only weight loss, but also because they want to get healthier and stay that way.  Tuning into what our body is telling us is a perfect way to begin eating in a cleaner, healthier way. 

 

In the upcoming weeks, I shall be adding more information on how you can easily detoxify certain organs. The better your understanding of the hows and whys of cleansing, the better you will feel, and your body will thank you! 

 

 Eat clean food, and Just Lose It!

 

*Some  references in this article came from, "The Detox Plan", by Jane Alexander.

 

Yellow Chickpea Lentils with Long Squash