Is your body overloaded? When body’s primary elimination organs liver, kidney’s, skin, bowel, lungs and lymphatic system become overloaded they get sluggish and less efficient. This results in toxic symptoms to start appearing through the body. Detoxing is the body’s spring clean – it works by cleansing the organs, clearing toxic build-up and returning balance and harmony to the entire system.
Chinese medicine maintains that eating with seasons is crucial for ongoing health. For example, there is a certain time of the year when we should rest and recharge and a more appropriate time for detoxifying. In nature, the growth of plants reflects how the body’s energy changes with the seasons. Greens are the traditional part of the spring diet in most cultures. Being packed with chlorophyll, which absorbs energy from the sun, their use is associated with freshening, cleansing and rebuilding the body. So, spring is the ideal season for detoxifying a congested liver in preparation for the hot summer months.
Water is essential to life and bathing in cool fresh water helps cleanse and purify the body. Fresh cherries cleanse the organs from the inside during the detox.
Before you start any detox programme, it is essential to stock up on the daily essentials such as fruits, vegetable and herbs. Also, this is a good time to invest in some aromatherapy oils and a good quality body brush or loofah to brush and detoxify your skin with. The better you prepare, the easier detoxing will be.
Why go on a detox retreat?
We consume toxins in the air we breathe, and through the pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and preservatives in the food we eat. Though the body detoxes naturally through the skin, liver and kidneys, build up of toxins can lead to excess weight, stressed skin, exhaustion and digestive disorders.
Stepping out of life to do a dedicated detox will not only help you lose weight, reduce stress, clear up skin and digestive problems and massively boost energy levels, but it may help process and let go of (possibly years) of accumulated stress and negative mental patterns – the theory is that as your physical body releases toxins, so all the negative energy that you’ve stored up on an emotional and mental level also starts to release.
What to expect on a detox retreat
Don’t undertake this challenging process lightly, and expect a real low in energy and state of mind before you start to rise. The ideal time is a week to ten days, or in the case of Ayurveda, at least two weeks.
Give up toxins such as caffeine, alcohol, wheat, red meat and (preferably) other animal proteins at least a week before you start, and once home try to sustain good eating habits – overindulging too soon will put you very quickly back into the fug-like state in which you started.
Detoxing can be more fun with a trusted friend, but the process can make you mighty grumpy, and if you’ve stuff to sort out, it’s best to go alone.
Top 5 Detox Retreats
Manaltheeram Ayurveda Rejuvenation Retreat – Kerala, India
Absolute Sanctuary – Koh Samui, Thailand
Six Senses Sanctuary – Phuket, Thailand
Chiva-Som – Hua Hin, Thailand
Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary and Holistic Spa – Koh Samui, Thailand