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Detox: Cleansing body and soul
Serene atmosphere at Bagus Jatiâs pool area
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Serene atmosphere at Bagus Jatiâs pool area. (Courtesy of Bagus Jati) (Courtesy of Bagus Jati)
Serene atmosphere at Bagus Jati's pool area. (Courtesy of Bagus Jati)
Detox has become popular with its promise of health and beauty benefits by flushing toxins out of the body.
With the high exposure to negative substances in today's world, which are often believed to be behind ill-health issues, some people are turning to detox for a solution.
Toxins emanate from poor diets, stress, daily habits, chemical products and a polluted environment and they are blamed for making people feel unfit, emotional, lacking in energy or gaining weight too quickly.
In the short term, experts believe toxins can cause minor illnesses, but in the long run, they can lead to more serious diseases.
Human beings need nutrients, water and oxygen, carried by the blood to feed every cell in the body. A lack of these important substances can trigger health issues as toxins can disrupt the organs from functioning well, and so disrupt the body's natural balance.
'We do lead quite toxic lives. We drink coffee, we breathe polluted air and we feel stressed, so a detox helps you feel fresh,' said Judy Chapman, the curator at the Karma Spa.
Chapman, who is also the author of four spa books including the best seller, Ultimate Spa, said a detox could also mean cleansing, refreshing and renewing.
The purpose, she said, was to give the body a break from its usual 'heavy duty' routine, and change dietary habits by consuming healthy food and nutritious juices, which are easily digested, during the detox process.
The process may help the organs to work fully, allowing the body to take care of its own natural waste products and remove toxins through organs such as the skin, lungs, kidneys and colon.
Although the effectiveness in eliminating toxins for health purposes may still be in doubt, indulging in a detoxifying treatment is believed to make a person feel healthier and lighter, while some claim it can help with losing weight.
'Detox cleanses the deep tissues in the body where toxins are stored and where it is hard to eliminate them because there are too many toxins coming in and the body can't cope. That's when the aging process becomes too rapid or we start to get ill,' said Sally Halstead, Como Shambhala Estate's spa and programs manager.
The word detox, she said, might be relatively new, but the practice has existed for centuries, long before celebrities put it in the spotlight.
The Chinese and Indians, for example, were known for their detox practices, such as acupuncture, body cupping or Ayurveda, which were now famous worldwide, she added.
Some religions ' such as Islam, Judaism and Christianity ' also encourage their followers to practice regular fasting, which is believed will not only cleanse the body but also the spirit.
By adopting a detox treatment, meat, dairy products and seafood ' which are thought to burden the body's digestive system ' should be avoided and replaced with healthy cuisine.
In some detox retreats, raw foods and juices are suggested to achieve maximum results.
Halstead explained that raw food had a very specific function for the body. When choosing the food, there should always be a rainbow of colors so that it contains the different vitamins that the body needs.
'When eating a regular diet, some of the food is cooked and some is raw. But that is hard to digest because it has to do two different things. Raw food has a natural cleaning effect on the body,' explained Halstead.
The food restrictions go on, including sugar, caffeine, gluten, yeast, refined foods and alcoholic beverages. In some cases, the permitted diet can be even stricter, leaving only fiber-filled juices on the dining table.
According to Yianni Giannopoulos, a juicologist at Karma Kandara who also served the 2012 Summer Olympic's best mocktails in London, juice is the easiest thing to digest because the stomach directly breaks down the ingredients in it and channels it to the different organs that need it.
For example, vitamin B goes to your bones, C goes to brain or blood, and A goes to your eyes.
'Your system already knows what to do with those elements and where to place them. By drinking healthy juice, you're giving your system something to work with and send to specific parts of your body that are in need,' he explained.
He has also discovered which types of fruits have a natural detoxifying effect on the body.
Pineapple and citrus fruits ' like limes, oranges or lemons, and beetroot are believed to flush out toxins stored in the digestive tract through an enzymatic process.
Lemon juice and coconut water can purify the blood by supporting the liver-cleansing process and they also nourish the body with important electrolytes; while broccoli and green tea not only have detoxifying power, but are also high in antioxidants.
Aside from strict diets, there are also several supporting physical activities that people are advised to do to achieve better results.
Gentle activities ' such as yoga or walking ' are the options to get more oxygen into the body and relax the mind.
People committed to detox, according to Halstead, are not advised to undertake heavy activities or aerobic-type sport because their limited energy should be used for cleansing the inside.
Detoxing the body needs a serious commitment and can be dangerous if the person is not well enough as diet restrictions may be applied.
Some experts suggest that a detox should not make a person suffer by fasting, but it should make them feel lighter and fresher.
There are several methods around, including some that recommend supplements or detoxifying products, but the
safest way is by taking natural remedies that don not have side effects.
According to Giannopoulos, the best results are achieved by doing regular detox.
There's no rule on how often one should do a detox ' it could be done in the morning after a person has had a long night, hasn't slept well, drunk too much alcohol, become stressed from a hard day at work or eaten a heavy meal.
When someone feels their body is too heavy and it needs to be cleansed from the inside, instead of having a coffee or cereal for breakfast, sip a fruit mocktail instead. This can actually cleanse inside the body and offers a fresher feeling.
'It's not a therapy, so to do a detox doesn't require a specific time; it can be done every day. It does good things for your system, going to the deepest parts of your body and cleaning all those areas that you can't see.'
