What Are Toxins And How Do They Work In The Body?

To eliminate toxins from the body, it is important to eat a healthy diet and stay hydrated. The liver and kidneys are our great allies in this task.

In recent years, all the media have been talking about toxins, the famous detox  diets  or the best way to exercise to eliminate them. However, few people know what toxins really are and why it is recommended that we cleanse our bodies.

Toxins are harmful substances that are produced by cells, whether they are plants, animals or bacteria. In our case, they may have been made by the body or come from outside.

The problem with toxins is that when they build up they cause damage to our cells and tissues. We will therefore, throughout this article, explain to you where these substances come from and what we can do to eliminate them.

What are toxins?

As we mentioned,  toxins are substances that are potentially harmful to our cells and tissues. These can be small molecules, proteins or other elements that come from both outside and inside our body.

First of all, we need to know that in our body toxins are being generated all the time due to the metabolic processes that we need to survive. For example, the mechanism through which our cells obtain energy creates free radicals.

Free radicals are unstable molecules that are considered toxins because they can harm cells if they accumulate. We also generate a lot of toxins when we eat, when we breathe, or when we use a substance like tobacco.

In fact,  we have mechanisms that allow us to neutralize all of these toxins or eliminate them. When they are neutralized, we prevent them from reaching very high levels, which is really harmful for the tissues.

The two most important organs in neutralizing and eliminating toxins are the liver and the kidneys. We expel a large part of it through urine and stool.

It is essential that these organs function as they should for the cleansing to be done properly. Kidney and liver disease interfere with the detoxification process. They delay the elimination of free radicals, thus affecting – for example – aging.

Other important toxins

As we have already mentioned, food is an important source of toxins, not only because of the reactions that take place inside the body to process food, but also because they come from the product in itself. even.

Thus,  foods rich in additives and fat contain a greater percentage of toxins. The same happens with foods that are fried or processed at high temperatures. In addition, substances such as tobacco or alcohol are extremely harmful.

Contaminants, such as heavy metals, which are present in some animals that we ingest, are also considered a source of poisoning. We also cannot forget that the venoms of animals like snakes or insects are also poisonous.

Ultra-processed products, common in today’s food industry, speed up the process of releasing toxins because of the number of steps involved in their manufacture. In a supermarket, the choice of products must be specific in order to minimize health risks.

You may be interested in this article: 8 Symptoms When Your Liver Is Loaded With Toxins

How to eliminate toxins from the body?

Although there is a lot of advertising for many diets and detox formulas , there is still no scientific evidence of their benefits. However, it is true that in order  to be able to eliminate toxic agents from our body, we need the organs to function properly.  Especially the liver and kidneys.

This is why it is very important to stay hydrated and drink between 1.5 and 2 liters of water per day. This helps the kidneys make more urine and cleanse themselves more frequently.

Obviously, if we reduce the toxins we ingest from the outside, that will also benefit us. We can do this, for example, by eliminating alcohol, tobacco, or processed, high-fat foods. In addition, the ideal is to introduce more vegetables and fruits in our diet.

It’s not just diets that are used to detoxify

It is recommended to lead an active lifestyle and exercise at moderate intensity several times a week. We also eliminate toxins through exercise  and, on the other hand, we reduce stress levels, which seem to be related.

We must remember that toxins are harmful substances for our tissues. However, before starting a diet or taking detox products  ,  it is important to be well informed and consult a professional.