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A water detox is designed to remove toxins and waste from the body through methods of reduction or introduction. With this type of detox, the toxins are able to leave the body through sweat and elimination. This is done by increasing a person’s water intake and reducing salt and fat intake.
Toxins that are found in processed foods will not only impair a person’s quality of life, but they can also reduce the longevity. In order to enhance the quality of life, it’s important to detoxify the body from time to time. Some immediate results a person will see, as a direct result of a detox include improved mood, improved digestion and increased energy. The long term results involve reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer, and a longer life expectancy.
Water for Weight loss
This type of detox is more intense than other popular detox programs, but only because it will require a larger degree of commitment from the person going through the diet process. This detox will work much faster than other diets and the results will be immediate. It is also significantly more affordable, because it will require no changes in purchasing habits or any type of expensive supplement.
Typically, the water detox shouldn’t last longer than five days and even doing this process for only one day can allow a person to experience positive changes. A person should always discuss changes in their diet with their primary care physician, especially if they are considerably overweight or if they have pre-existing health conditions. This type of detox is a period of fasting, so there are a number of options available to prepare your body for this type of change.
To start, two days prior to the detox, drink only organic juices, with no sugar added and eat only raw soft food. This can help your body’s digestive track to adjust easily. Once you begin the detox process, you will only be ingesting water, during the duration of the detox. In order to increase the expulsion of toxins from your body, spend time sweating it out in a steam room or sauna.
What you’ll Experience during a Detox
During this time a person can experience some discomfort, as the pollutants and toxins exit the body. Many people have reported feeling tired or lethargic during the first twenty-four hours of the detox process, while others claimed to have more energy.
It’s helpful to have many distractions around your during this time, as you will be likely to go through cravings for certain foods that are high in sugar or carbs. You can choose a type of meditation or prayer before you begin this process, in order to aid in its completion. Once a detox has been completed, it will be best to reintroduce foods slowly to your system as well as fruit juices. Begin in the same manner as when you were preparing for the detox and consume only soft, raw fruits and veggies and organic fruit juices.
Losing Weight and Keeping it off
According to studies, approximately forty percent of people who try to lose weight will increase their daily water intake. Many studies have shown that increasing your water intake can encourage weight loss and help you keep the pounds at bay.
Drinking more water daily can increase the amount of calories you burn, a process which is referred to as resting energy expenditure, or REE. In adults, REE has been proven to increase by thirty percent within ten minutes of consuming water and lasting as long as one hour after.
A study regarding overweight and obsess children found that a twenty precent increase in REE occurred after drinking ice water. Another study regarding overweight women showed that over a twelve month period, women who increase their water intake by one liter a day lost around five more pounds than women who did not increase their water intake at all.
Additionally, these studies have indicated that just drinking half a liter results in the body burning off around twenty-five calories. There have been several other studies that have monitored obese people who consumed fifty ounces of water daily for one month. Researchers found significant reduction in body mass index, weight, body fat and waist circumference. These results were even more impressive when study participants drank cold water. When you drink cold water, the body will burn additional calories in order to keep body temperature normal.
When it comes to dieting, many people can agree that they increase their water intake because it works to reduce their appetite, especially when done before a meal. Studies have shown that drinking water before you eat can increase weight loss by as much as five pounds in a three month period. An additional study showed that drinking one eight ounce glass of water before breakfast reduced the average amount of calories consumed by as much as twenty percent.
Water is generally linked with reduced calorie intake since it’s naturally calorie-free. When most people diet, they tend to avoid their usual surgery beverages, choosing water instead. Studies have shown that people who mostly drink water have up to a ten percent lower calorie intake. Drinking more water can also help you to avoid long-term weight gain. On average, a person will again about three to four pounds every four years.
So after your detox is over, how much water should you drink on average to keep losing weight or for general weight maintenance? Many experts recommend drinking about two liters of water daily, while others argue that drinking around a gallon a day is more accurate. How much you drink daily should depend on a number of factors including your age, weight, activity level and even the weather. If it’s hot out or you just completed a workout, consume an extra sixteen ounces of water in order to avoid dehydration. As a good rule of thumb, always drink plenty of water when you’re thirsty. If you’re feeling hungry all the time, have trouble concentrating or often get headaches, drink an additional thirty-two ounces of water a day.