Many experts have shown the benefits of detoxification of the body. What medical professionals don't like is that people usually go about this the wrong way. Fasting is the most common way to detoxify, but it can be very unhealthy. Relaxing in a sauna can give you even better detoxification benefits while protecting your body from adverse effects of starvation. This is especially great for people who live in urban, polluted areas or eat a lot of processed foods.

(see Body Detox)



Fruit and Vegetables

Antioxidants and phytochemicals are found mostly in plant foods. They neutralise potentially harmful free radicals, bolstering the immune system, and reduce the risk of and repair cell damage (including liver cells). Plus, they protect the skin and lungs and stimulate the liver's detoxification enzymes.




Eat plenty of plant food because it provides a mix of soluble fibre (which helps to regulate appetite and blood sugar levels) and insoluble fibre (which stimulates bowel movements and encourages waste excretion). Help beneficial lactobacillus bacteria to flourish by eating bananas, asparagus, onions, leeks and chicory.



An easy way to get your optimal mix of fruit and vegetables each day is to include different colours for a broad range of body-protecting antioxidants. Buy organic if you prefer. Try garlic, onions, broccoli, sprouts, cabbage, watercress and pak choi to stimulate the liver's detoxification enzymes.



Detox With Sauna Therapy!

The utilization of heat stress for removal of poisons from the body dates back to ancient times. Through a variety of non-invasive detoxification modalities such as sauna therapy, nutritional detoxification, and other supportive physical therapy procedures, toxic residues can be significantly reduced from the body.




Most environmental contaminants are fat soluble, thus they have an affinity for body lipids or fatty tissue. The body uses metabolic systems, particularly the liver, to convert fat soluble substances into water soluble chemicals to facilitate excretion. Sauna therapy enhances this process by mobilizing poisons from body storage sites into general circulation, where they are then transported out of the body through various excretionary pathways such as perspiration.




A recent study on 200 participants of sauna therapy revealed blood chemistry changes consistent with the detoxification process. Lab analysis included elevated liver enzymes, as well as decreased glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. Many cases reported an absence of chemical sensitivity following the program!



Sauna Kills Viruses

The most fascinating prevention brought about by saunas was discovered in a German study in 1989. Researchers found that people who used a sauna only two times a week got half as many colds as those who didn't use saunas. They don't know exactly why, but they think that breathing in air of more than 80 degrees kills any cold and flue viruses.