From our Wellness Department Director, Gonca Yarımer...
‘Toxin’ literally means poison. Substances that damage our body’s natural harmony diminish our health and quality of life and can bring us to death unless eliminated.
Life is already toxic. At 80, who would not like getting on a bike for Sunday brunch, dressing up for a dance party, or having your favourite book by your bed instead of an 18-compartment pill box? Who doesn’t wanna slow down aging and live longer? Not only long but healthy, energetic, and happy.
Can we still make it happen in this modern, toxic, hectic life? Well, our grandparents did! We must admit that our lives have changed dramatically over the past 100 years.
Science and technology have advanced in such a way as to create some amazing products that have enhanced our lives in many beneficial ways. But all these advances and conveniences have not come without a cost. We did and will be getting more toxic every day, biologically and mentally.
Assuming you are not one of those people who eat hot dogs with coke and French fries at lunch or pasta in the middle of the night, dive into chocolate spreads when you get upset, don’t smoke, and don’t drink alcohol every day. You may even exercise a bit, and that’s great, but sorry, you still need to detox your body.
Think about one simple day...
You start a day by brushing your teeth, and there you go. Fluoride before breakfast contains many toxins, causing bone disease, thyroid disorders, or neurological problems. Next, you wash your body and hair with shampoos filled with sulfates, parabens, and silicone, which all increase the risk of breast cancer; even hair dryers can cause damage…
All kinds of shaving foams, make-up products, sunscreen lotions, and body creams have more than 40 toxic chemicals, starting with mineral oils which are petroleum-based products! The average quality perfumes would have 250 different chemicals, such as acetone and benzaldehyde, which can cause sperm damage. And the list of toxins in skin care goes on…
We are exposed to 6 million pounds of mercury and 2.5 billion pounds of other toxic chemicals yearly. According to the non-profit organization Environmental Working Group, the average newborn has 287 known toxins in their umbilical cord blood, so imagine how many you have been exposed to.
Let’s have a break and drink a good morning coffee, huh? Now you really wake up and feel energized. But don’t forget, if you don’t drink your two glasses of morning water with an empty stomach, caffeine will dehydrate you quite fast, and again, it’s toxic, especially with milk and sugar added. At last, you’ll probably be cleaning your coffee cup with washing-up liquid, which is also filled with toxic chemicals that are mostly carcinogenic.
Congratulations! It’s only the first 45 minutes of the day; you haven’t even left the house to face the air pollution and traffic fumes, and you are already toxic.
Then there’s stress, the invisible accelerator of aging. A groundbreaking Harvard study found chronic stress ages cells five times faster than smoking. This process shortens the protective caps on your DNA (telomeres), like a candle burning at both ends.
But, hold on! No need to be depressed or stressed at all. All we need to do is be a little more mindful. Mindful about the things we can not change and accept, we can change, add and adapt. There is so much to do; let’s start with the most effective one!
So, does that mean we need to detox? Yes! You do it not because it is the new trend but because it is as old as mankind, perhaps even older.
Ancient Cultures Knew This Vitality Secret.
Why Did We Forget?
Detox has been practiced for thousands of years all around the world by millions of people. Early civilizations like Egypt and Greece recognised the harmful effects of dietary toxins.
The scientific study of detoxification advanced in the 19th century, but industrialization post-WWII dramatically increased toxin exposure, linking organ health to overall well-being. Eastern cultures, such as Japan and China, developed practical detox methods long before modern medicine.
Today, Eastern and Western perspectives merge, emphasizing cellular health and the body’s natural detox pathways for optimal vitality.
You already have the genetic memory, willpower, and many reasons to make it. So, when is the best time?
The answer is anytime… Anytime you think your body and mind need a break and rest, it’s a good time to fast. If you feel exhausted, tired all around the day, have insufficient quality sleep, get sick often, are constipated, having a hard time losing a few pounds even if you watch your portions, feel muscle aches, joint pain, headaches, bloating, gas, diarrhea, heartburn, tense, down, unmotivated, it’s basically the time for detox regardless of the time of the year.
Committing yourself to detox, even once a year for one week, would be a great gift to yourself. You will immediately start feeling great in many ways.
Detox will reduce the inflammation in the body, which is the leading cause of all kinds of chronic diseases. Boost your immune system and energy levels, help you lose weight, improve skin quality, and improve digestion and sleep. But more importantly, your mind will be a lot more relaxed. You will lose all the anxious feelings and have more mental clarity. You behave, feel, and think more naturally and positively.
Well, your body is your temple, your only permanent home, your sacred place. You are the only one who can look after, take care, and nourish yourself. No one else can see, taste, digest, or breath on behalf of you, right?
Obviously, a detox is not only physical – the body starts to heal, and detoxification moves onto a mental and emotional level, finally revealing a spiritual body. You feel more connected with yourself and feel more harmonized and aligned with nature as well.
When you remove synthetic accumulations from your body and replace them with natural alternatives, be prepared for your body and mind to be able to ride a bike with your loved ones at the age of 80.
Cause you are worth it.
Gonca Yarımer, Wellness Department Director of TheLifeCo
Suman Jalaf’s Detox Experience
‘’I feel better by looking at myself. My skin feels even better. My soul feels happy. The whole environment has been very positive. Beautiful surroundings, beautiful nature, walking early morning to see the sunrise… These are all amazing. It gives you positive energy.’’
