Detoxification - Do You Really Need It?

Detoxification can be a controversial subject with experts weighing in on both sides of the argument. In this article, staff writer Marilyn Wallace presents some of the arguments in favor of cleansing the body through detoxification.

When people talk about detoxification and cleansing the body of harmful toxins, it's often seen as an example of extremism. Most of us really don't like to think about harmful toxins building up in our colons or arteries, but that's often a by-product of a highly carnivorous diet. Diets high in fat and processed foods tend to slow down our digestive systems, and our elimination processes become less efficient.

This can allow harmful bacteria and toxins to accumulate and can create a general feeling of sluggishness, as well as a host of digestive disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome or colitis. When we begin eating a more healthy vegetarian diet, or add more vegetables and grains to our meals, we automatically consume more dietary fiber, and within a short period of time, our digestive systems start to work better.

When you eliminate high-fat meat and processed foods from your diet, much of your body's energy is freed from the intense work of digesting these foods. Everything becomes clearer – your blood, your organs, and your thinking. You become more aware of the toxic nature of the food you'd been eating before.

Toxicity is of much greater concern in the twenty-first century than ever before. There are many new and stronger chemicals in general use, as well as higher levels of air and water pollution, radiation and nuclear waste in our environment. We are constantly exposed to new chemicals, use more drugs of all kinds, eat more sugar and refined foods, and regularly abuse ourselves with various stimulants and sedatives. The incidence of many toxicity-related diseases has increased as well. Cancer and cardiovascular disease are two of the main ones.

Arthritis, allergies, obesity, and many skin problems also fall into this category. In addition, a wide range of symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, pains, coughs, gastrointestinal problems, and problems from immune weakness, can all be related to toxicity. When you start a detoxification program, your body gradually cleanses itself of the harmful effects of these toxic substances and you begin to feel healthy again.