One of the popular health trends going around is doing a body cleanse or detox, and ridding your body of the harmful toxins that have built up in your body as a result of modern food and exposure to our environment. In the shape of a detox diet, these often include avoiding artificial food ingredients, alcohol, and caffeine. However, detoxing also means ridding ourselves of certain metals, chemicals, and pollutants that we come in regular contact with over the course of our lives. The more detoxed our body is, through a body cleanse or other body detox method, the better our body can process these harmful substances that we inhale or ingest. Detoxing may also cause you to lose some weight, which further helps your body’s energy and processing abilities — but be sure that you’re losing weight at a healthy rate (anything faster than one pound a week can lead to other complications).

How Losing Weight Can Help Your Body

Many of us might be typed at “overweight” or “obese.” Generally, doctors say that someone is overweight when their weight is 10-20% higher than what’s considered normal on the body mass index chart. The normal range is between 25-30 BMI and based on height and weight. On average, the American dieter will try to lose weight four times a year — and with some good reason. Not only do people tend to feel more confident about their body when they lose a few pounds, it also has practical reasons.

Even losing just 5-10% of your weight can reduce your risk of getting heart disease and can also help bring down your blood pressure and cholesterol. You may also find that you have more energy, can move and breathe easier, and reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, or diabetes.

What Good Are Dietary Supplements?
Around two-thirds of adults in the United States take at least one dietary supplement, often in the form of vitamins. Over half of those who use supplements say that they do so for “overall health/wellness benefits.” Furthermore, almost eight out of 10 Americans say that they think dietary supplements are a good idea in order to lead a healthy lifestyle. Almost 85% of Americans are confident in the safety, quality, and effectiveness of the dietary supplements on the market.

These can help you get essential nutrients or help maintain your health. Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and calcium are all popular dietary supplements, for example. The first two are antioxidants and can help fight off illness and many pregnant women take an iron supplement. Calcium and Vitamin D can help keep your bones strong, especially as you age.

In some cases, dietary supplements can be used as a weight loss tool. Around 15% of adults in the United States have used a weight-loss dietary supplement. Generally more women tend to use these supplements to lose weight as compared to men (almost 21% versus just under 10%). There are plenty of weight loss tablets or pills that serve as an appetite suppressant supplement, but you want to make sure that these will be beneficial and not harmful to your body.

How Do I Go About a Body Cleanse?

To go about a detox cleanse, you want to take a look at the food you’re eating. Organic vegetables, fruits, and meats should be at the top of the list. Eliminating processed foods — yes, bread and pasta count — GMO food, or foods that might have been compromised by pesticides or other toxins is a great first step. Remember to be drinking plenty of water as well.

Exercise, meditation, and following a strict diet (such as going vegan or raw for awhile) are also useful during this time. A cleanse will help you become more focused and disciplined in all aspects of your life and you’ll wind up feeling much stronger and healthier than when you started.

If you’ve been feeling sluggish and like you want to make a change, try a body cleanse. Once your cleanse is over, make sure that you don’t fall back into your old habits — the idea is to maintain your health!