www.womanthismonth.com January 2017 43 says: “There are many ways of detoxing; fasting is one of the best. The form of fasting [juice fasting, water fasting, intermittent fasting] and its duration depends on the individual, the purpose and also on our schedules. Fasting may be a challenge for novices and is definitely not recommended without professional advice from a certified alternative therapist or naturopath, especially for the first time. “Juice detoxing is one of my favourites, and is suitable for people who are not very deficient in nutrients. Fresh juice brings a lot of bio-available nutrients [nutrients that your body can use very easily] while detoxing you at the same time.” First-timers should opt for a gentle detox, eating very light foods such as only soup or only raw vegetables and fruits for one or more days. Another technique that naturopathy advocates is colonic cleansing, which removes the built up of toxins and faeces that line the large intestine. Dejana says this build-up harbours parasites and pathogens that further damage the lining of our intestine. Of the various types, she recommends enemas as the safest and best form of colonic cleansing, as a part of a detox. “Depending on the state of one’s health, coffee or herbal enemas can be administered. Only by removing this build-up in our intestine can we regenerate its lining and heal a leaky gut,” she says. Before you embark on ‘Mission Detox’, remember to first detox the body’s major filters – the liver, kidneys, intestine, lungs and skin – with herbs. “Each one of these major filters is responsible for throwing out different kinds of waste. If you are planning to do a fast it is absolutely crucial to detox your filters before it. Otherwise, all the toxins that your body will put into circulation from the tissues and organs will have nowhere to go,” warns Dejana. If you are mentally calculating the loads of toxins you battle daily, don’t press the panic button just yet. The body has an innate healing ability and will go into detox mode, given a chance. “As soon as we free it of some of the foods that are non-specific to us as human beings [which is roughly 80 per cent of the modern diet today!], it will naturally go into the ‘detox mode’,” says Dejana. Pregnant women, children, elderly or weak individuals should not detox. Dejana reminds us that the mind plays an important role in our health. Science has proved that our thoughts are capable of changing the chemistry in our body. The body, mind and the soul are so closely interlinked we cannot act on one without having an effect on the others. “If you notice, when you detox, your mind and your spirituality become clearer and better,” she states. Beware your favourite personal care products. Toothpaste, lotion, soap, shampoo, conditioner, perfumes and make-up can be full of toxic chemicals that you slather on every day.
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