Understanding detox part 2: Checklist for whole body stress “detox.”

**“Detox” means different things to different people, but the idea behind it serves a major purpose in whole body health.**

The most direct route to Flat Belly health is through the popular term: “detox”. Additives and processed foods are a simple way to start, but what about the things in our lives off the dinner plate? There are a variety of approaches to detoxifying the body; rightfully so, there are many toxins to be rid of, and lots of parts of the body that can be affected by them.

Toxin types…	Affected areas…
Pharmaceuticals and prescription drugs Chemicals in the home like cleaning supplies Beauty products Heavy Metals found in our air, food and water Pesticides Toxins in bacterial overgrowth (mold) Pollution Food – agricultural bi-products, rancid oils, allergic reactions, mold-contamination Stress – physical and psychological	Skin, hair and nails Digestion Muscles and joints Brain Hormones Emotions Muscles Blood & Lymph Kidneys & Liver Nervous system – cognition and memory Respiratory system Metabolism and energy level

The body is designed to naturally detox itself by repairing and regulating. Because our bodies are overloaded daily with often unavoidable toxins, we need some added protection.

So, do you need to detox? Here’s how to check your levels of toxic stress right now:

Check your mind, emotions and attitude.
*Do you feel mentally sluggish?
*Is your thinking slower or fuzzier than usual?
*Do you have difficulty concentrating?
*Do you feel like you have a generally negative outlook? Feel listless? Have uncontrollable mood swings often?
How is your energy level?
*Do you have consistent fatigue?
*Does regular activity leave you more exhausted than usual?
*Are you tired every morning when you wake up after a night of 7-10 hours of sleep?
Look in the mirror: how is your skin?
*Discolored? Dry? Uneven? Spotty of broken-out?
*Does your skin seem unusually loose or sagging?
Stick out your tongue. (between meals and without brushing your teeth – best first thing in the morning)
*Is it a regular, healthy pink color with a slight milky-transparent coating?
*Is it swollen or about it’s normal size? Is it thin and shrunken-looking in appearance?
Open those big beautiful eyes.
*Any inflammation or swelling?
*Do you consistently have dark circles or bags under your eyes?
*Are they bloodshot?
*Is there any yellow in the white’s of your eyes?
Gut check – how’s your digestion?
*Do you get heartburn or indigestion often?
*Do you bloat easily after a meal? Feel uncomfortable after eating?
*Are you often gassy? (Often = more than 3-5 days out of the week)
*Do certain foods give you an immediate upset stomach?
Bathroom habits
*Are your bowel movements regularly timed? (Once or twice daily).
Consistency should be soft, but shapely, not floating or having intense odor.
*Is your urine light in color with almost no odor?
You should have the urge to use the bathroom about once after each 6-8 oz drink.
How are your joints?
*Bend and twist your knees, ankles, hips, wrists, shoulder joints. Do they crackle or pop? Are they stiff?
*Are you often sore after waking? Pain after only slight exertion? After eating certain foods?
Check your abs and posture
*Does your abdomen tend to hang out?
*If your belly sticks out, does your back often hurt?
*Is the surface of your stomach uneven or irregularly?
Nails
*Check for ridges, splits, spots or crumbling

These are all symptoms of a strong need to detox. With or without them we could all use a clean-sweep. Start with increasing your water consumption and continue steps to detox your whole body with a Flat Belly Nutrition plan personalized for your symptoms.

Sited:
– Understanding Normal and Clinical Nutrition : Rolfes, Pinna and Whitney; 2012