Health & Wellbeing

What are toxins?

Toxins are poisonous substances that are produced by the living cells in our body. The term “toxin” comes from an original Greek word called “toxikon”.

Toxins are small minute molecules, proteins or peptides that are potent enough to cause disease in a living organism. Once toxins come in contact with living body cells or tissues and get absorbed in the process, they interact with the biological macromolecules like cellular receptors and enzymes causing adverse effects.

Toxins generally vary to a large extent based on how severe they are by nature. Toxins can be minor ones or of acute nature to even fatal deadly toxins that can cause death even at the very first interaction. An example of an acute toxin is the common bee sting and botulinum toxin is an example of a deadly toxin that can prove to be fatal.

What is toxin accumulation?

Several complicated biochemical reactions continue taking place within our body and the various body systems. These processes often lead to the production of waste materials which start accumulating in the body in the form of toxins. This process of accumulation of waste products is termed as “toxin accumulation”.

Once such toxins start accumulating in the body it becomes more than necessary to remove these harmful elements from the body for a healthy physical condition. So, all of you need to detoxify your body through a sound process of body detoxification.

Other than the biochemical reactions in the body, there are several other environmental factors as well that contribute to the accumulation of toxins within the body. As we breathe, inhale exhale and swallow atmospheric air, various kinds of toxic substances and dirt enter our body that get accumulated in the form of toxins.

Even the medicines that you consume, though at an apparent stage help you, but it is necessary to cleanse your body of these toxins. If they are not removed from the system as soon as possible they will likely lead to toxin accumulation in no time causing a serious threat. Hence what becomes necessary is the process of body detoxification.

How to prevent Toxin Accumulation?

One of the most effective ways of preventing toxin accumulation is to carry out a vivid body detoxification process. But doctors suggest that before sending an individual on a natural body detox or detoxification diet it is necessary to build on his or her energy level in the first place. This is necessary as often a body detoxification can lead a person to a state over the edge that becomes hard to deal with.

Body detoxification is carried out by particular enzymes that are produced from meticulous genetic details stored in each of our genes. There are several genes involved in the overall process of detoxifying your body. However, the basic processes of body detoxification can be divided into two phases. Here’s a detail of both.

Phase I> The enzymes in the first phase of body detoxification are termed “activators”. The activators are supposed to transform the chemicals in your body that need to be removed through the addition of oxygen molecules and single nitrogen atoms. Though this is a rather small process the activation is necessary as it makes it easier for Phase II to achieve the expected result.

Phase II> Enzymes that become active in Phase II of the body detoxification process are termed “excretors” The excretors take over from the activators. The excretory does the job of binding the transformed chemicals to a smaller substance called glutathione. The excretors make it possible for the body to carry out a natural body detox by removing the substances as they get soluble in water.

In Phase II of the body detoxification process which aims at removing all the toxins from your body, diet plays a very significant and indispensable role. The detoxification diets that you need to follow to detoxify your body may comprise the following,

• Eat cruciferous vegetables: As far as your detoxification diets are concerned, you need to include at least a single serving of cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, kale, radish, rutabagas, turnip, sprouts, Brussels, cabbage and watercress in your diet.
• Need to consume onions and garlic regularly: While you are trying to cleanse your body and carry out natural body detox, you need to make it a habit to eat onions and garlic regularly as a part of your detoxification diet. These can be consumed in the raw form as sandwich filling or in the form of garnishing for the main dishes. These two vegetables are also referred to as the “allium” vegetables which can help increase the actions of the enzymes that take the main role in the Phase II of the body detoxification process. They help in flushing out the toxins a lot faster from the body.  Some of the other allium vegetables that may also help while you detoxify your body are leeks, chives, shallots and spring onion.

Relaxing is one of the most complex and rare phenomena nowadays. It is also not an easy thing to achieve. With so many tensions and stress that go with the modern world, human beings have almost transformed themselves into robots. It is a hardcore truth in everybody’s life that nothing comes easy, hard work is needed in everything and it is the only way to achieve success. But how many people do you think give their hundred per cent to everything they do? In this whole process, most of them lose their peace in life. But people are forgetting the fact that without peace and serenity, no success is worth it.

Like when it is important to work hard and finish your work within the stipulated period, it is also fruitful to slow down for some relaxation and give yourself a phase to relax to recharge and generate energy for the next projects. It only helps you to keep up the productivity but also eases down the pressure of your work from your mind and body. It is necessary to relax in between work to avoid burning out steadily. Working at a stretch can hamper the quality of your work which is simply not helpful to anybody.

Though there are several ways of relaxing like taking a walk, spending time with your loved ones, meditation, doing exercise every day, spending time with your pet, reading books, indulging in some casual interaction or just sitting quietly and closing your eyes. These are the ordinary ways of relaxing but there are some relaxation therapies too that can help you.

Relaxation therapies help you deal with stress effectively through their simple and natural techniques of relaxing the body. Deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, guided imagery and music therapy are the various ways of relaxing. With regular practice, these relaxation therapies make your body quite immune and your body can easily combat all the ailments.

The various benefits of relaxation therapies are:

• It relieves muscle tension and anxiety

• It also decreases blood pressure

• It also helps to slow and regulate heart rate

• Helps to cure insomnia and fatigue by producing deeper, sounder sleep

• Cures stomach problems by aiding in proper digestion

• Helps to increase focus, memory, concentration, self-confidence and self-esteem

• It helps to keep the immune system healthy

• It improves overall feelings of happiness and well-being

It is better to relax and live life to the fullest.  Do not let this feeling come into yourself that relaxing is nothing but a waste of time. It soothes your inner self and gives you the time when you can indulge yourself in intrapersonal communication. It is not just enough to interact with other people but having a conversation with oneself helps you know more about yourself. It helps to prioritize and plan your things accordingly and also motivates you towards achieving goals. So just be cool, calm and composed while you are relaxing.

The human mind is one of the most powerful things ever used by the human race. The mind can adapt itself to the environment it is exposed to, however, abuse can debilitate the mind. Lack of proper sleep, aging a hectic schedule can all contribute to the mind going into a weakened state. Enhanced mental clarity can help in improving memory, making the person more productive, and effective and helping in handling the stress in a better manner.

Mental alertness can be best gained by accomplishing an optimum balance of the right activity and quality rest time. It is essential to have at least seven to nine hours of sleep to ensure the best performance and health but because of hectic schedules; most people don’t get enough sleep. Sleep is considered essential for ensuring mental clarity as it is during sleep that the brain re-organizes and processes the information and memories that it has acquired over the day.

Along with sleep, regular exercising is also essential for mental fitness and overall good health. While exercising, blood circulation in the body increases and as a result glucose and oxygen supply is also increased. For increasing the level of mental clarity, light aerobic exercises that include cycling, swimming and brisk walking can also be tried out.

Physical exercises help clear the mind and also release positive vibes while eliminating stress. It provides you with a positive halo of energy and is evident in everything you do in your normal day. Stress is directly linked to forgetfulness; thus clearing the brain is essential as it can help in improving mental focus while developing and improving the body. There are brain-strengthening exercises, such as puzzles, writing, drawing and painting that are considered good for fine-tuning the brain.

For ensuring mental clarity, maintaining blood sugar levels is also one of the important techniques that must be adopted. This is so because blood sugar stimulates the brain and a healthy level of blood sugar is essential for ensuring the proper functioning of the brain. Blood sugar level can be regulated by the human body but it is made possible only if the person eats the right kind of food and on time. With well-balanced, portion-controlled and low-sugar food, the body can very well maintain blood glucose levels.

Besides exercising the brain, it is also essential to provide the brain with adequate nutrients. While talking about the brain, not all foods are considered appropriate. The brain demands special nutrition to ensure optimal performance. It is essential to incorporate healthy fats such as omega-3 and polyunsaturated fats in the diet. Saturated fats, hydrogenated and trans fats must be avoided as they can hurt mental clarity.

Insomnia is both a disorder and a symptom of other sleep and mind disorders. A person suffering from insomnia is unable to sleep. This disorder is common among millions of people across America itself. Women suffer from this trouble more than men. Some people face difficulty falling asleep while many are unable to sleep if they get up in the middle of the night. Many others though are unable to sleep after the wee hours of the morning.

Insomnia is also seen in patients suffering from anxiety and depression.  Insomnia can be transient, acute or chronic. Transient insomnia is experienced only for some days while in acute and chronic insomnia the problem persists continuously. Chronic insomnia is also characterized by mental and physical fatigue and hallucinations.

Insomnia can happen to anyone in any age group. Stress is one of the prime causes. Transient or short-term insomnia can be caused by changes in work timings, jet lag, uncomfortable sleeping conditions, stressful times like exams, etc. Many times insomnia is caused by psychological problems, such as anxiety, stress, depression, schizophrenia, etc.

Some physiological causes of insomnia are chronic fatigue or pain, chest pain, nocturnal asthma, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, trauma or brain tumour. People who travel a lot, work in changing shifts and pregnant women are more prone to insomnia. High blood pressure and certain medications also result in insomnia. Intake of caffeine or nicotine just before sleep, alcohol or a sleeping partner who snores can also disrupt sleep.

Try certain measures to treat insomnia yourself. You must not take caffeine, tobacco or alcohol or cut down on its intake. You must not take heavy meals at night and ensure you have dinner at least two hours before you go to bed. Check your sleep environment and ensure that it is comfortable. You can also take a warm bath before going to bed. You can have milk or herbal tea before sleeping. Read a book or listen to music. Don’t think about negative things while in bed. Be positive and tell yourself that things will be fine soon if they are not.

People with insomnia are unable to concentrate during the day. They have poor memory and are unable to coordinate properly. They become irritated and also suffer from fatigue. If the problem persists for more than a month, then you must consult a doctor. You may be troubled with insomnia due to some other medical disorder as well. So, you must never ignore it and consult the doctor soon.