What Are Blood Cleansers? Ways You Can ‘Detox’ Your Blood
There are so many teas and supplements
available on the market that claim they will rid your body of dangerous
toxins piling up in our bloodstream but are they actually doing what
they claim and do we need them to begin with? The truth is, most of
these products probably don’t do much and their effects are so difficult
to measure since our body does all the heavy lifting on its own when it
comes to blood cleansing. To learn more about blood cleansers and ways
you can support your body and help it detoxify itself with things you
already have at home, continue reading this article.
What Are Blood Cleansers?
Good news, you already have everything you
need to cleanse your blood, as the most powerful blood cleansers are the
organs that filter the blood, namely the liver, kidneys, and lungs.
The liver is like a sponge that absorbs all
the waste products and toxic substances found in our bodies and breaks
them down into harmless compounds. These substances include hormones,
medications, and food. These compounds either leave your body during the
process of digestion or are further broken down by other organs, such
as the intestines and the kidneys and are subsequently excreted.
The kidneys further clean our blood from toxins and byproducts that are
then excreted through urine. Finally, the lungs release toxic gases,
such as carbon dioxide from our blood when we exhale, which is an
essential function of the lungs. Other organs and systems, too, like the
lymphatic system, for example, help clarify the blood of microbes.
Nearly every organ that participates in the process of metabolism, e.g.
our spleen or intestines, and even the skin all help clean out the body.
All of these organs work hard around the
clock to help your body stay clear of toxins and infections, and so
making sure you support the health of these organs is the best thing you
could do to keep your body free of toxins. The best way to do that is
through healthy nutrition, as well as a few extra ways we’ll discuss
below.
Foods and Drinks That Help Keep Your Blood
Clean
Hydration is the number one thing you should observe when it comes to
detoxing. No need to go on a juice cleanse for a week or gulp down
gallons of water every day, though, as this may actually have the
opposite effect and wash out essential nutrients from your body.
Simply drinking enough is just perfect, and you’ll know you’re doing
well if your urine is either clear or a very light color during the day.
Having slightly darker urine after sleep is okay, as we usually don’t
drink and go to the bathroom for several hours when we sleep and our
metabolism slows down during the night. A benchmark of liquid intake is 8
glasses of water a day (which equals around 2 liters or 0.5 gallons).
Apart from staying hydrated, though, you
can make certain dietary adjustments, too, that will help you keep those
organs healthy. Warm herbal drinks, such as chamomile tea or chicory,
have been found to aid metabolism and boost the kidneys.
Some fresh fruits, herbs, and spices, too, help metabolic processes:
Citrus fruit
Onions and garlic
Turmeric
Ginger
Pomegranates
Blueberries.
Keep in mind, however, that none of these are a quick fix, and
maintaining a healthy whole food diet that’s low in highly processed,
salty, sugary and fried foods and drinks combined with the healthy foods
and drinks we mentioned above over a long period is what will make a
real difference in your health and well-being.
Other Ways You Can Detoxify Your Body
Maintaining liver health and the health of
other organs is the primary way you can make sure your body is
toxin-free. Apart from a healthy diet and sufficient liquid intake,
other things to consider are your body weight, exercise and harmful
habits, such as smoking and alcohol abuse.
Drinking less is essential, as alcohol damages both the liver and
kidneys, as well as other organs. Similarly, obesity can cause
nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, which impairs the function of the
liver. Finally, exercise boosts digestion and blood circulation, as well
as sweating and breathing, all of which will help your body get rid of
toxins better.
In the end, the takeaway of this article is that slow and steady wins
the race, and maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle is more than
enough to keep your body toxin-free even without all of those
premium-priced detoxifying products.