Detox Teas: Are They Helpful For Detoxification?

With more and more people putting more concern on their health and wellness, detoxification products such as detox teas are becoming all the more popular.

Why Detoxify? The human body is created with its own detoxification system, which includes the skin, liver, kidney and the colon. The liver and the kidney filter out the toxins in the body which goes out through the urinary system, the digestive system or as sweat through the skin. The body's waste management system works well under normal circumstances, but given today's fast paced lifestyle and extensive exposure to waste and toxins, the body can only deal with so much. This brings us to the need to detoxify, or cleanse the body and get rid of toxins and waste.

Detox Teas Help Detoxification There are plenty of ways to detoxify the body and detox teas are just one of them. Regular consumption of these detoxification teas produce a number of positive effects on the body, and these include:

1.Healthier Organs. Drinking this types of tea help speed up the detoxification process, which lessens the pressure and the load on the liver, kidney and the colon. This, in turn, reduces conditions such as acne, bloating, indigestion, menstrual problems and other organ-related problems.

2.Better Bowel Movement. These teas wash away plaque and waste formation on the colon, making bowel movement easier. This also aids in the reduction of water retention and better weight loss results.

3.Better Skin and Hair. A body that is full of toxins manifests itself in numerous ways such as acne in the skin or brittle nails and hair. Drinking detox teas can help balance the body's system, and clears out the skin making you look better and giving you that overall glow.

4.Calm and Relaxation. These teas do not only detoxify the body and cleanse it, but also give you a feeling of calm and relaxation. This is very helpful especially if you are always stressed out.

Detox Teas To Use Choosing detox teas isn't really difficult as there are plenty of flavors and varieties in the market. Some types of herbal teas include green tea, ginger tea, chamomile tea, peppermint tea and Hawthorne berry tea. Each of these teas has its own distinct taste and has varying effects on the body, which is great considering the fact that you can try each of them for the purpose of variety.

If you're thinking of trying detox teas to cleanse the body, start with one variety first and drink just one cup a day. This is crucial so that you can see its effects on the body. When you have finally settled with a tea that you like, you can eventually amp up your intake to at least two to three cups. Drinking three cups is the maximum for herbal teas, so make sure that you do not go beyond that.

To make sure that your detoxification is a success, drink detox teas along with a healthy and sensible diet to make sure that you get the best effects of the cleansing and detox process.


About The Author

Kate Adams has spent the last five years learning all the inside secrets to improving her own health and well-being. To learn more information on detox teas. visit her website at http://www.detoxdiethq.com/detox-teas/.

The Evils of Caffeine

 
Charles Czeisler, a neuroscientist and sleep expert from Harvard Medical School explains: “When the nature of work changed from a schedule built around the sun to an indoor job timed by a clock, humans had to adapt. The widespread use of caffeinated food and drink—in combination with the invention of electric light—allowed people to cope with a work schedule set by the clock, not by daylight or the natural sleep cycle.” In addition, scientific studies have shown that the power boost of caffeine is connected with its interference with adenosine – a chemical in our bodies, which has hypnotic effect and works as a natural sleeping pill. Caffeine actually ceases adenosine and in this way our alertness gets increased and our sleep habits are disrupted. As we all know, there’s no such thing as a free lunch and we pay for this extra wakefulness.

Health concerns:

Experts from the FDA claim that our health is in danger as long as the consumption remains between 200 mg to 300 mg of caffeine per day, which is equal to around two or three cups of coffee. They also say that caffeine contains components such as Niacin, Magnesium and Potassium, which play a vital role for our health: Potassium is essential for nerves function, Magnesium is of importance in our bones and teeth and Niacin aids in the metabolism of sugars and has an essential role for the proper function of intestines. If consumed moderately, caffeine acts as an anti-oxidant, sucking up free radicals. Unfortunately, the refreshing effects of caffeine urge us to constantly increase consumption in order to eliminate brain fog and fatigue.

Caffeine is an addictive drug, which alters our brain’s natural state and stimulates it in a manner similar to mechanisms employed by cocaine and heroin: it provokes a release of adrenalin, so that the body remains active and alert. It also manipulates dopamine production and that’s how we experience temporary high levels of energy; our productivity improves and we become more coordinated. Caffeine affects our whole body, stimulating the cardiovascular system, raising our blood pressure and heart rate. This process speeds up our basal metabolic rate and we burn more calories. As a result we obtain a wakeup jolt, because caffeine evokes a stress response in our adrenal hormones, the so called “fight-or-flight” response. This is how our body prepares for action and remains in the state of alertness, no matter if we are sitting on our desks, or reading our newspaper on the sofa. When stress hormones remain elevated for long periods of time, our bodies experience chronic stress, which provokes exhaustion and craving for the next sip of coffee, coke or soda.

Exactly how caffeine affects us depends on many factors, including the amount ingested, our individual peculiarities (sex, weight and height, age) and whether we are smokers or non-smokers. Studies show that some people are more sensitive to its effects than others. However, when consumed frequently our body develops tolerance to caffeine and this represents a significant health risk. At doses of 600 mg, or 6 cups of coffee, caffeine can lead to:

- Restlessness and anxiety
- Heartburn – caffeine is alkaline, which spurs the stomach to react by dumping more hydrochloric acid as a neuralizer

- Severe headaches and sweating
- High blood pressure
- Heart problems and rapid palpitations

- Nausea
- Muscle stiffness – caffeine increases the loss of calcium and magnesium, which has a negative impact on muscle tissues, impeding their relaxation mechanism.

- Withdrawal symptoms may also occur, even when moderate amounts of caffeine are withdrawn for 18 to 48 hours. One may feel severe exhaustion, depression and poor concentration.

Strategies for reduction of caffeine intake and tips to give it up completely:

In order to gradually reduce the amount of caffeine intake a good tactic is to reduce the number of coffee cups by one every week (For example: 4 cups a day in the first week, 3 in the second, 2 in the third, 1 in the fourth). In this way the withdrawal symptoms will be much less severe.

Another strategy which can help our body get rid of caffeine addiction is to use less coffee. Every morning we should use put less teaspoons of coffee into our coffee machine, until it is so weak that we can live without it.

We can also switch to tea, as it has lower amounts of caffeine. Every day we can switch over one of our coffee breaks to tea. Once we achieve a successful transition to tea, we should repeat the process to transition to caffeine-free tea.

Sleep is a very important natural source of energy and that’s why we need to ensure a quality and regular sleep while we are transitioning to our caffeine-free state.

In addition we could include morning aerobic exercise, like cycling or running. This will make us feel full of energy, because sport unlocks the production of endorphins (one of the hormones of happiness) and we will be able to start our day on a natural high.

We also have to make sure that we don’t lose our connection with nature. In fact, many people suffer from depression because of the unnatural life our modern society leads us into. Thus, make it a ritual to go outside and deep breathe fresh air in the morning.

Change your diet. Drink orange Juice, or eat fresh fruits in order to nourish your body with vitamin C. Coffee is a habit. Replace it with a small glass of fresh pressed orange juice. Have a grain or oats based breakfast (with a low glycemic index). It will keep your brain nourished all morning. Avoid sugary breakfasts like donuts or high sugar cakes or muffins. They lead to a rapid buildup and slump in our blood sugar levels. Also, have an afternoon snack. Keep an apple or banana or a handful of cashew nuts ready for the mid-afternoon snack time instead of coffee. Finally, drink more water: carry a water bottle around and take sips regularly.

Source:   Nikoletta Ven for ArticleCity.com

Foods That Boost the Immune System

Recommendations for foods that boost the immune system vary. The Chinese diet to boost the immune system includes a chicken soup tonic that contains chicken, deng shen, broomrape, and sliced ginger. Prevention magazine recommends beef, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, tea and yogurt. Other experts recommend avoiding beef and eating a diet rich in vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower, because of the enzymes they contain. Any or all of these diets could have merit. The primary goal should be overall good nutrition.

There are a number of vitamins, minerals, plant components and herbs that are beneficial to the immune system. Finding specific foods that boost the immune system can be complicated, because certain vitamins work best when taken with other vitamins. For instance, vitamin C, probably the most commonly recommended vitamin for infection resistance, works best when taken with calcium and magnesium. Calcium, among the other vital roles that it plays in the body, helps the cells absorb Vitamin C and other nutrients more efficiently. Magnesium plays the same role and is also essential for proper function of the muscles and nerves. So, an effective diet to boost the immune system must include foods that contain Vitamin C, magnesium and calcium, or a combination of foods that contain these important nutrients.

To further complicate your search for foods that boost the immune system, calcium and magnesium, which are necessary for the proper absorption of Vitamin C, work best when taken with iron, manganese, and Vitamin D. The body cannot absorb calcium, if Vitamin D is not present, which is why milk is fortified with Vitamin D. In addition, a lack of Vitamin A in the diet can lead to frequent infections and Vitamin A works best when taken with zinc, calcium, B-complex, and vitamins C, D and E. You may at this point give up on a diet to boost the immune system and just take a multi-vitamin instead, but not all multi-vitamins are the same. Some do not contain calcium or iron. Some are properly balanced for men, but not for women.

Even if you take a good daily multi-vitamin, it is still important to eat a healthy diet and there are some interesting foods that boost the immune system, according to recent studies. Edible mushrooms, for example, are a valuable source of biologically active compounds called beta glucans and could benefit a diet to boost the immune system. Numerous studies have shown that beta glucans stimulate the immune system, providing protection from colds, influenza and infections, as well as AIDS by inhibiting viral replication. If you prefer not to eat mushrooms, beta glucans are found in numerous plant foods, including oats, barley and yeast.

Crabmeat, lobster, oysters, salmon and tuna are all foods that boost the immune system. Because, they are good sources of calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron and vitamins A, C, D, E and B complex. Dieticians and nutritionists often refer to salmon as a "super food". It not only contains all of the vitamins and minerals necessary to maintain a healthy immune system, but is also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are believed to be beneficial in preventing heart disease, cancer and arthritis. Omega-3 supplementation can improve overall mental function and reduce symptoms of depression. Dietary experts recommend two servings of salmon per week or four servings of tuna, not only to be included in a diet to boost the immune system, but also to provide adequate amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.

Certainly, there is no specific diet to boost the immune system, but eating a well balanced diet will improve immune system function. There are foods that boost the immune system because of the vitamins and minerals that they contain, but of utmost importance is overall good nutrition. The best protection is obtained by eating the right foods in the right combination whenever possible, supplementing with a daily multi-vitamin and possibly a natural immune system enhancer during cold and flu season or whenever you feel you are at risk for infection. To learn more about natural products that can boost the immune system, visit http://www.immune-system-booster-guide.com/



***Patsy Hamilton has more than twenty years experience in health care and currently writes informational articles for the Immune System Booster Guide. Read more at http://www.immune-system-booster-guide.com


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