We hear the word “detox” a lot these days, but what does it really mean?
Detoxification isn’t a modern idea—it’s actually been practiced for centuries, and it means cleansing the body from the inside out.
Detoxification is about getting rid of toxins in the body. The human body has its own natural cleansing process, which can be boosted with a detox program.
How do you know when it’s time for a detox? Some of the symptoms to look out for, according to naturopathic doctor Linda Page, are:
- Unexplained fatigue
- Skin irritations
- Allergies
- Menstrual issues
- Slow elimination
- Brain fog
So just how do you help your body detoxify? There are many ways, such as fasting, going on a detox diet, and dry brushing, but the most important is exercise, says naturopathic doctor Peter Bennett.
How Exercise Detoxifies the Body
Moving the body encourages breathing, circulation, and sweating, all of which speed up the detoxification process.
Specifically, exercising:
- Flushes out the lungs
- Opens up the sweat glands and promotes perspiration
- Circulates blood and lymph, allowing certain organs to cleanse these fluids
- Jump-starts the kidneys, which filter toxins, when you drink water
- Improves digestion and bowel movement
The Best Exercises for Detoxification
To help your body detoxify through exercise, you want to get your breathing going and your heart pumping. Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, a few times a week.
Rebounding
If you’ve never heard of rebounding, it’s simply bouncing on a mini trampoline. It’s a great exercise for detoxing because it stimulates the lymphatic system.
According to naturopathic doctor Bruce Fife, when you bounce up and down, your body tissues and fluids are compressed and decompressed. Lymph fluid is pushed throughout the body, and toxins are squeezed out of your cells and tissues and flushed out.
Rebounding can be practiced by anyone regardless of fitness level. However, if you have flat feet, you’ll want to do it mindfully to avoid pain and discomfort. Or you can wear anti-pronating shoes.
Yoga
Certain yoga poses stimulate your lymphatic, circulatory, and digestive systems, helping your body remove toxins.
For example, sage twist pose squeezes the abdominal organs and stimulates the kidney and liver, thus promoting digestion and removing waste from the body. Inversions like shoulder stand pose drain accumulated lymph fluid from the lower and upper body. Toxins are flushed toward the heart, where they are oxygenated and cleansed.
And because yoga is calming and centering, it can also help with mental and emotional detoxing.
Qigong
Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice that aims to restore the flow of qi or life energy in the body. Through breathing techniques and slow, deliberate movements, qigong can help eliminate the toxins that cause physical and mental illness.
Qigong is good for detoxing because it assists the body in cleansing the lymphatic system and metabolizing oxygen more effectively. In addition, breathing techniques increase oxygen in the body. The extra oxygen binds with free radicals and neutralizes them, thereby preventing sickness.
Kickboxing
Kickboxing is a serious workout for the entire body. Burning 350-450 calories per hour, this high-impact workout keeps the heart pumping and increases circulation.
Kickboxing also enables you to sweat out toxins, but remember to take care of your liver and kidneys by staying hydrated, as these are the main organs responsible for filtering most of the toxins from your system. In other words, drink lots of water to detox more efficiently and sweat more.
Almost any form of physical activity will help your body detoxify, including walking, bicycling, running, and dancing. At the end of the day, the exercise that you’re most likely to stick to is the one that you enjoy, so find what you like doing and do that.
References:
http://www.gaiam.com/discover/146/article/10-ways-detoxify-body/
How to Rebound Your Way to Health, Fitness AND Detoxification (and What to Beware Of)
http://www.chopra.com/articles/7-yoga-poses-to-detox-your-body
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/a-z/kickboxing-benefits
http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/men/sweating-odor/does-sweating-cleanse-your-system.htm
Author Bio:
Being obsessed with running, Chau Nguyen decided to build his own blog Running Addicted. Here you”ll find a whole lot of information, from helpful tips and advice to the best gear for running.
Exercise Image by Unsplash
