An herbal detoxification program is a mild and natural way to encourage our body’s organs to detoxify our body. Nature’s herbs can work wonders in curing many diseases and can also alleviate many health problems without the side-effects present in most prescription drugs.
Herbal detoxification is gaining a considerable level of popularity nowadays because of scientific discoveries that everyone is carrying a certain level of toxic substances that can be hazardous to our health over time.
Our body has its own natural detoxification mechanism and can perform cleansing functions by itself. But with many toxic substances that we add to our bodies everyday, it becomes overloaded, making it less efficient, and this is leads to chronic and degenerative health problems.
Researchers have come upon the fact that the body organs can be made more efficient in cleansing the body by supplying it with certain nutrients that help it in its detoxification functions. An ideal detoxification diet may not be enough by itself to stimulate the organs to cleanse the body, which is why herbal supplements are given to support it.
Herbs are usually mixed together because of their synergistic properties, and this makes for a more potent detoxification supplement. These supplements can give support for all major cleansing organs including the liver, kidneys, lymph and bowel.
Herbal detoxification supplements are often manufactured in capsule form, but can also be seen in tablets, powders, or in fluid form like juice or teas. Liquid extracts are usually pigments that contain traces of alcohol. They are said to be better than herbal capsules because they are absorbed faster by the body.
Herbal detoxification teas have a mild cleansing action and also perform body balancing functions. They are also easily absorbed by the body and can boost the body’s energy levels when taken in conjunction with a liquid detoxification fast.
Herbs used for colon detoxification
Herbal detoxification programs generally need to start with cleansing the colon because this is one of the primary paths of elimination of toxins which have been processed in the liver. One of the best colon cleansers include herbs that not only gets rid of harmful substances inside the colon, but also in the lymphatic system and bloodstream as well.
These colon cleansers often contain herbs that have laxative-like effects such as chia seeds, cascara and rhubarb. They can be combined with a natural plant fiber called psyllium husks, which can come in whole or powdered form, and help in the movement of waste matter in the bowel more smoothly. Enough water needs to be taken in order for this to be effective as the psyllium husks swell up with the water it has absorbed in the bowel. Other types of fiber can be recommended by some dieticians as well. Examples are rice bran, oats, flaxseeds or pea fiber.
Herbs used for liver detoxification
Herbal liver detoxification can help this important body organ perform its everyday cleansing function. With it, toxic substances inside the body can be more easily flushed out of the body through the bile and bowel, or through our kidneys as urine. Production of bile can be stimulated by herbs like berberis, gentian, centaury and artichoke, while burdock, yellow dock and dandelion root are liver cleansers. Milk thistle or silymarin functions as liver protector and detoxifier with its antioxidant properties. Studies also show that turmeric can stimulate a particular detoxification pathway.
Herbs used for kidney detoxification
Colon detoxification can help greatly with kidney problems as toxins inside the bowel can overload our kidneys. They can also benefit greatly from herbal detoxification as they usually get little medical attention unless they are seriously damaged. Herbs can treat recurring kidney or bladder infections and some can even dissolve kidney stones.
Parsley, buchu, dandelion, juniper berries, uva ursi and birch are all known as diuretics. They help flush out fluid more effectively. Hydrangea and gravel root, birch and yarrow tea help in dissolving kidney stones and clear it of impurities. Uva ursi and chamomile on the other hand are known as antispasmodics and help ease the passage of kidney stones.
Herbs used for lymph detoxification
The lymphatic system is responsible for carrying toxins and harmful substances from the cells and into the bloodstream, and will ultimately be transferred to the liver or the kidneys for processing and excretion. It is also a vital part of our immune system. Once our lymphatic system accumulates too much toxins, the functions of our immune system gets impaired. With proper cleansing, the lymphatic system can help improve a lot of health conditions. Herbs like astragalus, cleavers, Echinacea, wild indigo root, goldenseal, burdock, red root, red clover and mullein leaf are also used to effectively cleanse the lymphatic system.
Herbal detoxification can be more effective if combined with proper diet that mainly focuses on organic and natural foods, taking in adequate amounts of clean water and getting into a regular exercise program.