Healthy weight
Detoxification imbalance and your weight — a Core Balance approach
by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP
Many of my patients wonder how a detoxifying program can help them shed extra weight.
Detox may seem like a New Age fad, but in reality our bodies are naturally detoxifying
24 hours a day, seven days a week! Sadly, our body’s natural detoxification
system is rarely mentioned in conventional medicine — except when there’s
something wrong. Without this system we would not survive. But living in an environment
that has become more and more toxic, makes it difficult to keep up. And we’ve
seen an increase in several health problems, including toxic weight, because of
it. The good news is that if we understand how our natural detox systems work, we
can more fully enhance these system and lessen the external burdens.
As our bodies have reacted to an increasingly polluted environment, scientists have
discovered that toxicity is a secondary cause of obesity. Some examples of the foreign
molecules responsible are the heavy metals found in our seafood, the dioxins that
permeate our environment, and the many
endocrine disruptors in cosmetics we use. This latter group can mimic the
action of hormones in our bodies to disrupt normal endocrine function and fat deposition.
So when it comes to detoxification, I think it’s hard for many of us to know
where to begin. Here are three areas in the body where a detoxification program
can be helpful in healing this imbalance:
- The colon, by increasing fiber and alkalizing foods, restoring pH balance, and supporting
friendly gut flora.
- The liver, by emphasizing cruciferous and dark-green vegetables, maintaining an
alkaline diet, and using targeted supplements that support the pathways that clear
toxins.
- Adipose tissue, by increasing physical activity and anything else that increases
lymphatic circulation —
even deep breathing!
Many toxins are fat-soluble and accumulate in our fat tissue. Because of this toxic
build-up, I always advise women not to lose too much weight too fast because the
toxins in the fat cells have to be cleared first by the liver, kidneys, and colon.
This is why cleansing the colon and liver before trying to shed unwanted weight
may be a good option.
Another primary way our bodies naturally detoxify is through the skin, so I would
also suggest regular saunas to stimulate the release of toxins and the use a loofah
pad in the shower to scrub excess toxins from the skin. We can also be mindful of
our exposure to toxic chemicals through food, cosmetics, and plastics.
So there really are many ways we can lighten our toxic burden. Every little bit
helps, and many women are amazed by how much better they feel once their systems
are cleared of the toxic burden they’ve been building up over the years. And
again, the weight loss is often a pleasant side-effect of healing the imbalance.
For more information on these connections and a custom eating plan to encourage
detoxification, read my new book, The Core Balance Diet.
Our Personal Program for Core Balance is a great place to start
The Personal Program for Core Balance helps rebalance your body to promote natural and lasting weight loss. At the heart of our Program is The Core Balance Diet, an eating plan designed to provide the body with the foundation it needs to lose pounds along with the digestive and nutritional support needed to maintain a healthy weight.
- To learn more about the Program, go to How the Program works.
- To learn if the weight loss approach in the Personal Program for Core Balance will work for you, take our on-line Weight Loss Profile.
- To start taking control of your weight today, sign-up for a risk-free trial.
- If you have questions, don’t hesitate to call us toll-free at . We’re here to listen and to help.
Related to this article:
References
& further reading on detoxification for restoring core balance
Original Publication Date: 04/16/2009
Last Modified:
08/17/2009
Principal Author: Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP