After enduring a long, hot summer, the body's nutritional reserves have been significantly depleted. With the arrival of autumn, people finally regain their spirits and their appetites improve. However, medical experts point out that appropriate "autumn weight gain" is beneficial for restoring energy, but it is crucial to focus on detoxification at the same time. Grapes are abundant in the market this season, and eating more of them can effectively aid in detoxification. Question: How do toxins get into the human body?
According to experts, if you eat three meals a day but do not have regular bowel movements, food residue in the large intestine will spoil and rot, producing a large amount of toxins. The intestine is generally 5 to 6 meters long, with a bend every 3.5 centimeters, and it also has countless small protrusions. In these bends and between the protrusions, up to 6.5 kilograms of fecal matter can accumulate. This occupies space in the intestine, slows down and weakens intestinal motility, and prevents the timely expulsion of newly formed food residue, leading to eating more but excreting less, and even no bowel movements for several days. If you do not have a bowel movement for more than two days, the weight of the food residue in the body must be no less than a 6-pound bowling ball. Expert explanation: How do toxins wreak havoc in the human body?
Experts say that the toxins produced by fecal matter wreaking havoc inside the body can cause headaches, significant weight gain, constipation, bad breath, dark spots on the face, loss of skin luster, insomnia, lack of concentration, unexplained depression, acne, and other issues. It can even lead to "central" obesity. This is because the accumulation of fecal matter causes excess fat to be deposited on the intestinal walls. At the same time, under the action of putrefactive bacteria, a large amount of gas is produced, increasing the volume of the abdomen and expanding the waist circumference. Over time, the abdominal skin becomes loose, the abdomen protrudes forward, becoming larger in the middle and smaller at the ends, resembling a date pit. When the intestinal wall absorbs, it cannot distinguish between good and bad substances, so toxins are inadvertently reabsorbed, spread throughout the organs via the bloodstream, and increase the burden on organ function again. This repeated cycle can lead to various chronic diseases in the human body. [Chinese Cuisine]
Furthermore, when food residue stays in the large intestine for too long, water is gradually absorbed by the large intestine, causing it to become dry and hard. This can scratch the large intestine, rectum, and anus, creating wounds. It is very dangerous for the toxins produced by the food residue to pass through these wounds every day.
Experts state that health maintenance must be combined with cleansing the human intestine. No matter how good health supplements are, their effectiveness will be greatly diminished in a body environment full of toxins. Experts point out that eating fresh vegetables and fruits is a good method, but 90% of the removal of toxins from the blood and internal organs still relies on normal bodily excretion. To achieve intestinal cleansing, the first step is to maintain smooth bowel movements. It is best to develop the habit of having a morning bowel movement, as it is abnormal not to. Morning is when the large intestine's peristalsis is fastest. Expelling all the food residue from the previous day in the morning will make you feel energetic all day. Expert advice: Use exercise for intestinal cleansing to stay healthy in autumn.
Exercise can enhance gastrointestinal motility and reduce the occurrence of constipation. Those who sit for long periods should get up and move around every 1 to 2 hours. You can also try the methods introduced below:
Abdominal Massage: While sitting, place your left hand on your hip (thumb in front, four fingers behind). With your right hand, start rubbing from the stomach area down to the lower left, then across the lower abdomen, up the right side of the abdomen, and back to the stomach area. This is one repetition; perform 36 massages in total. Then, switch hands: place your right hand on your hip and use your left hand to massage 36 times, following the same method but in the opposite direction. You can also perform this massage while lying on your back (one hand does not need to be on the hip). During the massage, relax naturally and apply appropriate pressure. It is not advisable to perform the massage when overly full, very hungry, extremely fatigued, or emotionally unstable. Persisting with abdominal massage over the long term can enhance the stomach's digestive function, promote intestinal peristalsis, and prevent constipation.
Abdominal Breathing: Inhale slowly, causing the lower abdomen to expand (the upper abdomen will also rise accordingly). Exhale slowly, causing the lower abdomen to contract. This can be practiced anytime, anywhere, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down. Through the rise and fall of the abdomen, this can achieve a massaging effect on the internal organs, enhance gastrointestinal motility, and prevent indigestion and constipation. In addition, doing sit-ups can also increase abdominal muscle strength and improve bowel function.
Dietary Detoxification: Simple and Convenient
"Toxins" include various substances that are detrimental to health, some from the external environment and some produced by the body itself. Traditional Chinese Medicine considers the toxins from fecal matter to be the root of all diseases. Western Medicine, on the other hand, believes that the main sources of toxins in the body are the metabolic waste products of fats, sugars, proteins, and the decay products of food residue in the intestines. While improving the environment, one should consciously choose some detoxifying foods.
The liver is an important organ for detoxification. Through a series of chemical reactions, various toxins are transformed into non-toxic or low-toxic substances in the liver. In our daily diet, we can eat more carrots, garlic, grapes, figs, and other foods to help the liver detoxify.