Detox juices and routines will make you think its just one of those passing fads, but it’s really much more than that. We’re fairly lucky to have bodies that are designed to get rid of waste and toxins on their own – in fact, this is where we need to give our liver and the lymphatic system a special round of applause. Still, we all need to give our bodies a little helpful push once in awhile to really push those toxins out.
This is especially important if you’re finding it difficult to lose weight. And it’s essential for you to have a clear insight into how toxins affect your weight if you are serious about reversing toxin buildup and shedding some stubborn flab.
How Toxin Build Up Can Lead To Weight Gain
Our food supply is loaded with toxins. Foodstuffs and products come laced with chemicals, dyes, preservatives, artificial proteins, and pathogens to increase the longevity of these items or to make them more appealing to the eye and our taste buds. If these toxins are not excreted properly, they will pile up in your organs and cells over the years. Even if you are currently consuming the same amount of calories as you did about 15–20 years ago, these toxins wreak havoc on your body now.
Synthetic toxins that are fat soluble get stored in our body fat. They attach themselves to the outer cell membrane of our fat cells, constantly releasing a hormone called Leptin. This hormone pushes your brain to signal the process of burning fat for use by our bodies. If toxins keep attaching themselves to our fat cells, they will keep releasing Leptin. This will cause a steady elevation in our Leptin levels over time. When this happens, your Leptin receptors will eventually burn out, which means there will be no one to tell your brain your body needs to start burning some of the stored fat. As a result of this toxin build up and leptin resistance, your body will refuse to shed weight no matter how much you exercise or diet.
[pullquote]The scary thing about this kind of long-term fat storage is that it will begin to secrete its own hormones. These will ensure that we stay fat, no matter how much we push ourselves to lose weight.[/pullquote]
Toxin overload will not only lead to cellulite and excess water retention but will also sap you of all your energy. You will age faster and feel and look much older than you really are because your body is having to work twice as hard.
Of course, there is never a guarantee that it definitely is leptin resistance that is making it tough for you to shed your weight. There are always other conditions that may cause this problem, so always make sure you consult your doctor to see what the real issue is.
How Can You Prevent Toxin Build Up?
Believe it or not, there are ways to remove toxins from your body that are not only incredibly easy to incorporate into your day but are also cheap on the pocket.
1. Exercise Regularly
One of the easiest ways to get rid of toxins from your body is to break a sweat. Moving your body quickly creates the best condition for your body to sweat and circulate oxygen-rich blood that further helps to purge your body of harmful chemicals.
2. Load Up On Fiber
Fiber is one of the most important nutrients when it comes to digestion. Fiber usually makes your stomach work extra hard and takes a long time to digest. As a result of spending a long time in your stomach, fiber not only slows down the release of sugar into the bloodstream but also absorbs much of the toxins in your digestive system. When it is finally excreted from the body, it hauls away all the toxic waste from your colon.
Make sure to eat plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables to get a healthy dose of fiber every day.
3. Eat Organic Foods
You can assist your body in ridding itself of toxic chemicals by avoiding eating foods with such toxins in the first place. For this reason, you may want to consider going organic. Organic foods are grown without the use of chemical pesticides or antibiotic or hormone injections. Nutritionists suggest that picking up fruits, veggies, meat, and dairy at organic food outlets is a good way to minimize the number of toxins you allow into your body.
4. Drink Lots Of Water
You’ve certainly heard this before, and you’re going to hear it again. Try and drink at least 8 glasses of water every day and most of your health problems should be solved. Simply put, water helps you flush out your system and just like fiber, it takes those toxins out of your body and into the toilet. Add a little freshly squeezed lemon juice to your water for some added benefits. This will not only aid in digestion and help ease the flow of waste out of your body but will also rehydrate your system after all the hard work it’s done.
5. Choose Cleaning Products Wisely
Plenty of cleaning products like soaps, detergents, and floor cleaners are made with toxic chemicals. When you use these to wipe your floor, clean your furniture, wash your clothes, or your body, you expose yourself and your family to these chemicals that harm your health over the years. Spend a little more time reading the labels on these products the next time you visit the department store. Look out for the labels that say ‘non-toxic’ or list ingredients that are all-natural or plant-based.
