It’s Detox Time again !
by Lisa Young – Salon Director
What’s the point of detoxification you may ask !
Does it mean drinking less in January ?
Do I do it once a year, several times a year ?
Is it just a farce ?
Well, first of all let’s start with what exactly is detoxification !
Detoxification or detox of the human body, is the physiological or medicinal removal of toxic substances. In humans detoxification is carried out mainly by the liver.
We all carry toxins in our bodies and every so often they build up and impair the way that our body functions. We may not even know that they are building up until we get a bout of ill health or tiredness.
In simple terms a toxin is a poison and can irritate or even have a harmful effect on the way that the body functions. This in turn can affect our health and the way that our organs function.
Unfortunately, you can’t avoid exposure to toxins. They’re out there in the air that we breathe, the food that we eat, in what we drink and even what we touch ! Those that we may unwittingly ingest, may come from the way that our food is grown with pesticides and herbicides. Toxins can even come from ingredients within processed or packages food such as oxidised fats, cholesterol preservatives and additives such as flavourings.
Even social activities such as smoking, drinking alcohol, recreational drugs and the stress that we encounter in our daily life and to top it all off free radicals in the air and other irritating molecules can create toxins.
So it’s fair to say that some toxins are and some toxins aren’t within our control. We just can’t avoid them unless we sealed ourselves in a non-toxic bubble and ate nothing !
So how do you know if you are TOXIC ?
Our bodies are designed to naturally remove toxins from our system via the liver, but sometimes it needs a helping hand or even an extra boost when our toxins are on overload.
Symptoms that your system is overwhelmed with toxins include :
- Frequent headaches.
- Impaired mental clarity.
- Congestion.
- Lower resistance to infections such as colds and viruses.
- Excessive seating.
- Lower back pain.
- Aches and pains that move around the body.
- Lethargy and general lack of energy.
- Allergies or food intolerance.
- Bad breath.
- Constipation, diarrhea, sluggish or irregular bowel movements.
- Skin problems (anything from spots and rashes to boils and acne).
How do you begin to detox ?
Our bodies are eliminating waste on a daily basis through the following:
- The Liver.
- The Kidneys.
- The Urinary System.
- The Circulatory System.
- The Respiratory System.
Did you know that your skin alone flushes up to 1 pound of waste daily ?
It therefore makes sense that diet and exercise is always a good place to start. If you belong to a gym you can get good advice from gym. Why not book a one to one training session with a personal trainer who can give exercise and diet advice and set achievable targets to get you started.
HOT DETOX TIP
A glass of warm boiled water as soon as you get up in the morning flushes your system and kick starts your metabolism. Try with or without a slice of lemon or lime for an easy addition to your morning routine. Some even claim that it’s helped them loose the inches! It’s simple and it’s free and it’s a surprisingly refreshing way to start the day !
Detoxification Treatments
If you’re in need a bit of pampering “me time” a trip to the beauty salon with an experienced therapist can provide excellent detox treatments such as massage and body treatments, as well as lifestyle tips to aid the also detoxification process ranging from massage to body treatments.
There are a number of treatments that can be used on their own or even alongside a healthy detox diet to increase results. Professional treatment results will be even more effective if you help with the detox at home such as having a healthy diet, exercising or even regular body brushing. Salon treatments work by accelerating the way that the body works naturally.
- Wraps such as the Shrinking Violet treatment.
- Aromatherapy.
- Massage – all techniques including Hot Lava Shell Massage and Hot Stone massage.
- Specific Massage Techniques such MLD (Manual Lymphatic Drainage) Massage.
- Mineral Salt Scrubs.
- Electrical body massage techniques such as CACI ECM.
A customised treatment programme that is developed to compliment what you do at home will no doubt make you feel and look fantastic, so why not give it a try ?
Quote of the day
“To keep the body in good health is a duty … otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear”
Buddha