Gregg Soup

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I held a seminar today that shocked me. We discussed the benefits of detoxing and what it actually meant to detox. It seems to me, that we use the word so regularly in everyday language that the literal meaning has been somewhat diluted and to some end misconstrued. If nothing else, there seems to be some confusion around what detoxing is, how it is done, and what the actual benefits are to us.

In short, Detoxing is the act of cleansing our internal system.

When we consider our bodies, and what they are made up of, it essentially comes down to 2 primary constituents – cells and organs.

How you function has everything to do with how effectively your cells and organs are coping and working. Nutrition is the fuel that allows your body to grow and function as it is meant to. If this was put in the context of a car, the smooth running, the economy and the lifespan of a car will be affected greatly by the way we treat our pride and joy – regular maintenance, quality fuel and engine additives all go a long, long way to making a car function well – the same principle applies to our bodies.

Through our daily activities and lives, our bodies are fuelled by food & liquid, with the body absorbing quality ‘fuel’, and expelling the waste and harmful toxins (again – think cars – an efficient engine will use the fuel required to function at an optimum level, with the waste being pushed back out through the exhaust).

However, even the most careful will to some degree absorb or develop toxins in their bodies through the cellular process our bodies undertake, if not directly consumed.

So, Detox is the process of expelling the toxicity within your cell structure and prevent the oxidation process accelerating, which in turn will promote a healthy metabolism something many of us seek, to ensure we have the energy to live the lives we aspire to achieve and keep us trim and healthy in the process.

We will feel lighter and healthier on account of the better consumption of cellular nutrition as all our nutrients will be absorbed more effectively and the waste expelled in the manner it should be.

Our skin, the largest organ of the human body, will keep its elasticity better as the nutrients are actually feeding the skin and ultimately, we are assisting in slowing down the potential of degenerative diseases that include:
cardiovascular diseases
Cancers
eye conditions
digestive illnesses

The Acai Berry has shown that the high levels of Antioxidants it contains, (actually the highest ever recorded of any food), will contribute to any detoxification process.

Detoxing doesn’t have to be all about eating cabbage soup for a week. It is about preventing the oxidation process occurring, and eating a fruit that has the highest levels of antioxidants in the world is probably the best place to start. What’s more, the convenience factor is a big consideration – we still need to operate in the real world, and I for one hate cabbage soup, so I know which option I prefer!

Throughout the history of humans on earth, there have been many sacred healing systems that have brought us healing, peace and comfort. From the earliest herbalists, indigenous medicine people, those who used light, energy and sound, to those who practice physical manipulation techniques, humankind has been blessed with a wealth of knowledge by which we can heal ourselves. And the canon of healing techniques is by no means full, because there is still so much more to learn and discover. The healing star system of healing known as Rising Star healing, is one of the newer techniques that has been channeled for use in healing.

Some people seek out new forms of healing because they have entered a crisis or unhealthy state, while others who are already on their healing path are open to and embracing new ways of being and healing while continually seeking to upgrade their state of being and striving to achieve greater health on all levels. Physical health, mental health, emotional health, and spiritual health are all individual components of and also parts of the same whole. No one part can be out of balance without affecting the others. And so in healing, it is necessary to care for and heal all parts of oneself to be truly healthy. One of the benefits of healing systems that address the whole self on an energetic level is that it helps to heal oneself on all levels. Often, people undertake such healing having no idea how interconnected all the issues or symptoms they have been experiencing really are. In these cases, people are surprised at the healing that takes place on different levels, making hindsight may 20/20. Another one of the benefits of this type of healing system is that one need not have psychological insights or understanding in order to heal, one need only be open to allow for the healing to happen.

Being open to and allowing healing might sound to many like an easy proposition, but yet many cling to their dis-ease, or their thought and behavior patterns that have caused their symptoms and/or illness. Sometimes, these are beliefs that developed in childhood and are firmly rooted in a person’s way of thinking and being. It can be very frightening to let go of these beliefs, not because they are the preferred way of thinking, but because somewhere along the line, value was attached to them; they became part of one’s perceived means of survival. The key to ridding oneself of those beliefs that are detrimental to the good health and balance of the individual, is to not stop at simply identifying and disowning those beliefs, but to also adopt a new set of beliefs that are specifically and consciously chosen to replace the less than healthy ones.

A natural detox diet is set to get rid of all the toxic materials from your body in a natural way. This will help you to flush out all the chemicals and other unwanted substances from your body without using any medicines. This detox plan also includes physical activities such as exercise.

Where do toxins come from?

You may ask how your body gets filled up or contaminated by all these harmful substances. Well the answer to that is easy. In today’s busy world people live on junk food, take outs, and microwave meals as they haven’t the time or energy to cook from scratch. They revert to comfort eating, alcohol, tobacco and drugs to relieve stress and tension. These are like poison for the body. They might put you in a dreamy state for sometime but they do no good for you at all.

Chemicals in products you use on your skin and for washing your clothes get absorbed into your body.

Chemicals in household cleansers and air fresheners pollute your home and you inhale them.

What symptoms do they cause?

These substances harm the liver, which detoxifies everything that goes into the body. So this results in headaches, stomach aches and stomach trouble, cold and general weak and fragile health. In some cases they cause heart disease, diabetes and even cancer.

So you can see that there is a need to detox and one of the easiest ways to do it would have to be naturally. Whatever state your health making simple changes in your diet will help you to detox naturally. It may take more time but you will begin to see changes if you stick to it.

How do you get rid of them?

If you stop putting toxins into your body your liver will have a chance to catch up with the backlog. Also by eating foods that help support the detox process you will be supplying your cells with the nutrients that they need to cleanse themselves.

This means giving up processed and junk food, food high in sugar and fat, pre-prepared meals, sausages, hot-dogs, deli counter meats, candy, cakes, cookies etc. Reduce coffee, regular tea if you drink a lot and sodas. Give up alcohol, smoking and recreational drugs.

What’s left? Don’t panic there is plenty to eat. Fresh fruit, vegetables of all kinds, free range meat, poultry and eggs, a little mercury free fish, whole grains, beans and lentils and a few fresh nuts and seeds. Drink fresh fruit and vegetable juices or make some green smoothies. Drink filtered or good bottled, non carbonated water. Make some soups too. Use natural personal care products and household products.

Detox reactions

When you first start with the detox diet, you may notice a few cleansing reactions like skin eruptions or loss of energy or you may even get headaches. But this will slowly disappear as your body gets adjusted to it.

After you have been on the diet a while you will start to notice your skin getting better and that you will have more energy than usual. The number of times you fall sick will also decrease. The natural detox diet helps in increasing your immunity to other diseases.

Move those toxins with some exercise

It’s also important to get some exercise to help mobilize the toxins and get them to the liver. Gentle exercise such as rebounding on a mini-trampoline or brisk walking or swimming is good as it helps to increase the heart rate without putting too much stress on the body. It’s a great time to learn yoga or Pilates.

So although you may have to sacrifice the things you love to eat, the end result will mean more to you than those trivial things. You can learn to love healthy food in time. So now that you know all about a natural detox diet, it’s time to start planning it.