5. Smell sensitivity: Many people actually experience a smell sensitivity when their bodies become overloaded with toxins. Our bodies communicate with us, and one of the ways they do so is by making us sensitive to chemical smells when they have had enough. If you have frequent headaches or nausea due to scents, your body may be trying to tell you something.
6. Muscle pain: Have you ever woken up sore but couldn’t figure out why because you couldn’t recall doing any strenuous activity? This could be because your body is beginning to store extra toxins in your muscles because it can’t expel them.
7. Skin reactions: Acne, rashes, puffy eyes, eczema and psoriasis are all signs that you may have an excess of toxins in your body. Make sure you take inventory of your skin care and makeup products, many of which have chemicals and parabens that can get absorbed into your system through your skin.
Where Do I Go From Here?
If some of these symptoms relate to you, you may wonder what to do next. We all have major organs in our bodies that are designed to work together and help keep your body clean. These major organs include the stomach, small intestine, pancreas, lungs, large intestine (colon), liver, kidneys, heart, brain and skin. As we discussed, when these organs are overloaded with toxins, we can feel fatigued, sluggish and even ill.
The colon: Naturopathic doctors tell you to begin with the colon (or “gut”) when you consider detoxing. Health care professionals call the gut “the second brain” since it plays such an important role in the overall body. It has also been said that 90 percent of disease starts in the colon. A sign of a healthy colon is having two or three bowel movements a day.
The liver: The liver is your second-largest organ. Its function is to help you with digestion by producing bile. The bile helps break down fats into smaller units, which makes them easier to metabolize. It also processes carbohydrates, lipids and proteins and aids in the detoxification of the blood. The liver stores nutrients, vitamins and minerals that assist in the production of vital proteins and keeps our immune system strong. I have learned to pay close attention to my liver by how I’m feeling. If I begin to feel sluggish and tired, I know it’s time to give my liver some tender loving care. If we don’t keep our livers healthy, they can cause a trickle-down effect on the rest of our organs. When you are keeping your liver healthy, you are keeping the rest of your body healthy as well.
The skin: Your skin is actually the largest organ and one of the most important ones you have. It is what keeps everything in place and held together. Thankfully, this is a simple organ to detox. Water is your skin’s best friend because it helps to keep your skin hydrated and healthy. This means making sure your diet includes a lot of foods that are high in water content, such as cucumbers and melons. Sweating is also a key component to keeping your skin toxin free. It’s your body’s own way of detoxing and eliminating toxins that have built up. I highly recommend using an infrared sauna, which helps your skin by making you sweat and is said to remove heavy metals and radioactive particles as well as improve the oxygenation of blood.
I cannot stress enough my belief in the importance of keeping your body clean and detoxed. Whether you use foods or good supplements to detox, try to make detoxification a part of your life. When you work at keeping your organs clean, your body will be an efficient, well-working machine, and it will help your journey to health immensely.
Beni Johnson, along with her husband, Bill, is the senior pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, California. Together they serve a growing number of churches that have partnered for revival. Beni oversees Bethel’s intercessors and Prayer House.
A Resource on This Topic:
In Healthy and Free: A Journey to Wellness for Your Body, Soul, and Spirit (Destiny Image), Pastor Beni Johnson shares how anyone can start walking in holistic health—body, soul and spirit. Find this book on amazon.com, christianbook.com or anywhere Christian books are sold.
