Energy Detox: for improved health
(Note: this is a long page, designed to be easy to copy and paste.)
Despite recent advances in medicine, modern life
generally does a pretty poor job of promoting full health. Minor physical
symptoms are generally assumed to be part and parcel of life. We tolerate
them rather than looking more closely and considering what they mean.
The body is constantly communicating with us - it
lets us know when it's hungry and when it needs sleep. Without these
signals, how would we know it's time to eat or to rest? It also tells us
when it's too hot or cold so we can take action to feel comfortable again.
We're all aware of these major signals, but there are many other, more
subtle, messages that we may fail to notice or understand.
Any form of discomfort is simply the body's way of
letting us know that something isn't right. Physical discomfort may not be
pleasant, but it's very useful - it's the body's way of communicating its
needs. Headache, a common symptom of physical discomfort, is a useful
example to illustrate this point. It can have multiple causes, ranging
from eye strain and a build-up of emotional stress to cranial constriction
or even a more serious underlying illness.
Yet from a nutritional point of
view, two of the most common causes of headaches are skipping meals (which
results in the body starting to detox - since it is not occupied with
digestion - which in turn creates symptoms) and insufficient water intake
(dehydration is the direct source of many symptoms).
Quite often we simply miss the message and we either resort to eating
something to stop the detox or to taking a
painkiller instead. Whatever caused the situation in the first place is
still there; all we've achieved is a dulling of the signal.
The body's messages extend much further than simply
telling us about the physical aspect of our lives. How do we actually know
we are feeling happy, loving, sad, angry or depressed? It's only possible
to experience these emotions from the sensations we receive from our
bodies. For example, anger usually manifests itself as a tightening in the
stomach and feeling hot, whereas falling in love often gives us warm,
fuzzy feelings in the middle of our chest.
Because we live in a culture that values the mind
above the body, this is a concept that can be quite difficult to grasp.
Try this short experiment to make the concept more real for you. How are
you feeling right now? Just answer with the first thing that comes to
mind. Now try to look a little closer by focusing on how your body is
feeling at this moment. Close your eyes for a few seconds and take your
attention into your body. What physical and emotional sensations can you
observe? It's probable that you noticed a great deal more about how you
were feeling when you took a few seconds to focus on your body.
We tend to live such busy lives that our attention is
mainly focused on the world outside - it's relatively rare to be still,
focus inwardly, and listen to what our bodies and emotions are trying to
tell us. Understanding the body's communication system is akin to
learning a new foreign language - it takes time and practice to know how
to decode these signals into useful information. Furthermore, everyone's
body communication system is different, so there is a unique language to
be learned by each of us.
When we are able to interpret our body's unique
signals, life can become much easier. For example, your body's inner
wisdom intrinsically recognizes the foods that support your health. The
craving for strange food combinations that pregnant women often experience
is an example of this in action - somehow the body knows that a banana
sandwich at 3am is just what the body and the growing baby needs. While
dietary factors are obviously important, symptoms such as headaches,
indigestion and muscular aches and pains also may sneak up on us as a
result of a build-up of emotional stress during the day. When you pay
attention to your body's emotional signals, you are better placed to take
action to change your life for the better.
One of the main, but often overlooked, benefits of
detoxing is that it can put you back in touch with this sophisticated
communication system, and the effect of being able to listen to your
body's messages better can have far-reaching benefits for both your health
and your life in general. Reconnecting with your body's innate wisdom is a
great way of progressing further up the health spectrum - signals of
discomfort no longer need to be ignored and suppressed. Instead, you will
be able to recognize what these messages mean and you can then take steps
to change your diet and lifestyle for the better so the symptoms no longer
occur.
The reason detoxing has this dulling effect is
because of the strong link between toxicity and a reduction in the
effectiveness of the body's ability to communicate to us. Our bodies
process tremendous amounts of information at incredibly rapid speeds. The
electron flow is the classical energy currency of all biological life
forms. It is what allows the energy-creating part of our cells to transfer
energy at about a 98% efficiency rate.
The pollutants suspended inside cells and also within the
cell membranes (or outer walls) alter and interrupt the normal
electron flow of the body, so toxicity messes up the communication network
between our minds and our bodies. This is where the phrase 'drowning our
sorrows' comes from - drinking alcohol can stop you feeling your emotions
in the same way that a painkiller stops you feeling the pain of a
headache. The problem is that too much alcohol doesn't just drown your
sorrows, it drowns your joys as well, because it affects your ability to
feel all emotions - not merely the painful ones you are trying to avoid.
This doesn't mean that alcohol should be avoided
completely - there's nothing wrong with moderate amounts - it's the
underlying reasons for drinking that are important. Unfortunately, the
effects of toxicity tend to sneak up on you gradually until you reach the
point where you accept symptoms such as frequent tiredness, bloating and
headaches as the norm.
It is possible to have very uncomfortable symptoms
whilst undertaking
Energy Detox
although it
usually means that the body is so desperate to detox that it is
overwhelming the main routes of elimination for a while (see "back
up of toxins"). However, the outcome of a major detox is to
make the
communication system much more vibrant.
You will feel more energized and
mentally clear: your body will feel more alive. You may notice how you are
feeling both emotionally and physically on a day-to-day basis. After just 6 or
8 weeks on
Energy Detox you will probably realize how much more aware
you are the ways
certain foods affect your mood, energy levels and physical health. This
has nothing to do with knowing more about nutrition, it's an awareness
coming from the messages your body gives you.
At this level, you can choose which foods to eat
according to these messages, and this can pay big dividends for your
health in the long term. It's an important point, because there's no
single eating plan that is perfect for everybody - each one of us has
unique nutritional needs - and our individual nutritional requirements can
change over time.
For example, your body is likely to require different
types of foods when you're working really hard from those it needs when
you're on holiday. It's much better to follow your body's messages
regarding diet than to follow an eating plan given to you by somebody
else. But, to get to the point where you are able to receive clear messages
from your body, you need to create the right internal environment where
this system can operate properly.
Energy Detox
gives the body the needed boost to start to return integrity to
the body,
enabling it
to reverse the decades of accumulated poisons.
It does not
treat disease.
The information provided is intended for educational purposes;
it is not to be construed as providing medical advice or
substituting for professional services.
(this page partly with thanks to Super
Detox by A Sa\vill and D Hamilton)
