The history of Ayurvedic medicine may span over millennia, but this ancient science offers some of the most insightful solutions for modern day problems. Unlike Western medicine, which has traditionally focused on disease treatment, Ayurveda has primarily concerned itself with the maintenance of health and disease prevention. These concepts are only now being appreciated in modern medicine. One of the cornerstones of maintaining health and preventing disease is said to be regular detoxification. This is because the buildup of ama or toxins and associated vitiation of doshas is regarded as the starting point of all diseases.
If anything, the importance of detoxification has only grown in recent decades as we are increasingly exposed to pollutants, unhealthy diets, and behaviors that increase toxicity in the body.
The Importance Of Detoxing Your Body Regularly
Strengthens Digestion
Healthy digestion is regarded as the cornerstone of good health in Ayurveda. Due to our high consumption of processed foods and the contamination of natural produce with pesticides and chemicals, the digestive system is assailed with a high toxic load (1). Regular detoxification can help to strengthen agni and improve digestion, promoting gastrointestinal and bowel health, as well as better liver function. This not only reduces digestive problems, but it also helps with appetite regulation and nutrient absorption.
Boosts Immunity
Healthy immune function has never been more important than it is today and high toxicity is known to compromise immunity. This has led to increased recognition of the importance of detoxing regularly. When your body struggles to eliminate and resist damage from toxins, its ability to fight of disease-causing pathogens is severely compromised, increasing the risk of infections.
Clear Skin
Having clear glowing skin may not be seen as a health essential, but blemished skin is strongly associated with toxicity and this highlights the importance of detoxifying the body regularly. Indulging in a regular detox routine helps cleans your body, including the skin as many detox procedures include sudation therapies that encourage perspiration and cleansing of the pores. Moreover, healthy digestion and detoxification of the body reduces the strain of waste elimination via the skin.
Better Heart Health
Heart disease is the leading cause of mortality across the world and this alone underscores the importance of detox programs. In fact, evidence shows that Ayurvedic detox therapies like Panchakarma can help in the management of heart disease, as well as conditions like diabetes (2). This is thought to be on account of better blood pressure regulation and management of lipid levels when the body is detoxified.
Healthy Liver Function
The liver suffers the brunt of toxicity as it plays a critical role in metabolism and the elimination of wastes. Because of increased exposure to toxins, liver disease incidence has been rising dramatically over the past decade (3). There is therefore no question about the importance of body detox in liver protection as it directly reduces the burden on this vital organ. By reducing the toxic load on your liver, heart health is also improved as the liver can better manage cholesterol levels.
Balanced Hormone Levels
Much of the food that we consume today is known to contain a significant amount of contaminants, including pesticides and growth hormones. These chemicals can wreak havoc on the body’s hormonal glands, giving rise to hormonal imbalances that cause a range of health conditions including fertility disorders, metabolic disorders, diabetes, and thyroid disorders. Doing a regular body detox with Ayurvedic herbs and treatments like Panchakarma can help eliminate ama, restore the balance of Doshas, and regulate hormone levels.
These effects of detoxification illuminate the importance of detoxification on a regular basis, but they are not the only benefits that you can gain. Regular detox importance is hard to measure as the process affects functioning and health of all the organs, as the human body works in unison and no organ functions in isolation. Regular detoxification therefore benefits all of the organs, rejuvenating the body and mind, raising energy levels, and boosting your mood.
This article is reviewed by Dr. Jyoti Lakhani
