The detox: a practice of purification and healing

Discover the benefits of detox days.

After vacations or after a period of excessive consumption - not only food, but also shopping, travel, social events or working days - the body is heavy and tired, the mind groggy and thick, and the energy very weakened. This is due to the general overexertion of mind and body to receive, digest and generate an excess of external stimuli. Many times, overexposure to this incessant maelstrom can cause disorder, scattering, and even mild illness.

Neither the body nor the mind were designed to be used in an abusive way . They were not created to be constantly running, let alone live outside of them.

However, capitalist society forces them to do so. The constant production of products and services; the endless swing of supply and demand; the obsession with doing and the absence of being are some of the reasons why a large part of westerners know how to work but not rest . They know how to produce but not live.

Detox days or seasons are the ideal remedy to combat this disease. They are accessible to all, since a large part of their tools are found in us. All they need is a small sacrifice: change their routine for a few days and allow themselves the luxury of slowing down the pace of life .

The detox does not only have to do with the type of diet we follow ; It can also be applied to physical, social, work activities... It is a practice that is based on reducing the number of tasks to live them with more presence. In reducing the number of foods, to savor them more carefully.

Detox is the art of pausing time to feel full .

What are the benefits of detox?

• By following a detox diet , based on pure, raw and often blended foods, the body receives vitamins and minerals in their most pristine and nutritious state. Eating seasonal vegetables and fruits provides the body with what it really needs at that time. It balances it again. Our body has intelligent mechanisms to purify itself of toxins on a daily basis. However, the polluted air that we breathe, the grandiose meals that we consume at lightning speed, the excess of cosmetics on the skin or the impurity of the water that we drink, can cause an overload of toxic elements . At this time, the body, overwhelmed by so much impurity, becomes excessively fatigued, causing discouragement, laziness, and even ailments. The question does not lie in excessively reducing food, nor in going hungry excessively . The detox lifestyle is based on eating quality nutrients that help us cleanse: green smoothies, plant-based foods, quality water... It is also important to eat when you really feel hungry . When thinking about food, saliva appears. Another fundamental principle is to do it slowly: give yourself the time and space to savor each bite. And most importantly, incorporate cleansing food gradually . When wanting to incorporate a new habit, both mind and body need training. If a small change is made every day, the result will be maintained in the long term.

• The detox of social life is another fundamental element to rest. After vacations or festivities, after days and days of exchanges and dialogues, one needs to refocus. Reconnect with your space and silence. Because? Because even if it's hard to believe, constantly interacting with the outside world causes fatigue and often depression . If the conversations were pleasant, the news positive, the peaceful exchanges and the silence a friend, these detox days would not be necessary. But this is not usually common: in conversations, struggles to be right abound; the voices are altered, creating a deafening noise; the images do not stop arising in the mind; silence is uncomfortable and scary. The phone also participates in this : it is not necessary to physically see other people to be connected to social life. To be instantly informed of what is happening anywhere.  The question is not to isolate yourself completely ; simply dedicate a few moments of the day to be in silence . The practice of meditation is ideal. Learning to breathe consciously can help us silence the mind. Instead of being overstimulated, she centers and recharges . Walking through nature, alone and consciously, is also perfect. Allowing the mind to calm down and the body to receive the sounds of the sea or the mountains, the salty breeze or the oxygen of a forest, is healing and regenerative .

• The detox through Yoga . In addition to following a cleansing diet and practicing some meditative discipline, body movement can help us purify excesses . The practice of Yoga is perfect for this: through twisting work or through classes that strengthen the abdomen, one activates the internal mechanisms of the body, which, through sweat and exhalation, gets rid of its own waste. The asanas also have an impact on the emotions : they stabilize and balance them. They also help reduce stress, as they have a calming effect on the nervous system. All this helps us to have the courage and desire to slow down the pace of life, appease the obsession to consume too much, relate with compassion and not obsession... By regulating internal energies, one feels more alive and happy; recharged and at the same time serene .

These are some ideas of detox practices that you can gradually incorporate into your day to day. There are many more: painting mandalas, discharging bad vibrations through spontaneous dancing, tidying up a room, going for a conscious run, cooking slowly and with presence, cultivating and caring for a garden... Detox is universal and can be applied to any task if it is Undertake from a state of peace and consciousness . But it is important to start little by little, without accumulating them. Taking care of each one of them; creating space between them.

Mae Knapnougel