We are constantly bombarded with chemicals in the foods we eat, liquids we drink and even the air we breathe. Bentonite, Benzene, Benzoic Acid, BHA, BHT, Bronopol and Butylparaben may not be common terms in our vocabulary but they are relatively common toxic substances found in cosmetics, foods and cleansers. This is bad enough but there are 25 more letters in the alphabet.

Our bodies do a pretty good job of eliminating toxins by filtering them out in the kidneys and liver then eliminating them through sweat and our excretory system. The problem comes when these natural systems for detoxifying get overwhelmed and cannot keep up, creating toxic overload. The results can cause respiratory, digestive and many other general health problems.

The good news is that there are ways to help your body rid itself of accumulated poisons, such as:

-Changes in diet

-Herbal body wraps

-Herbal supplements

-Cleansing plans

-Saunas

Often people will change their diets either temporarily or for extended periods of time in an attempt to cleanse their systems. Many of the toxins we accumulate come from the food we eat. Processed foods are famous for their toxic content but even more natural foods like fruits and vegetables contain pesticides, herbicides and artificial hormones among other things.

Fasting, eating organic whole foods, mainly vegetables, and drinking lots of fluids especially water, is a common basis for these detox diets. Periodic use of this cleansing method does "clean you out" but should be used cautiously over extended periods of time. There are many essential elements required in a healthy diet and some of those may be neglected if this type of restricted diet is overdone.

Herbal body wraps usually consist of covering your body some mixture that includes clay, salts, water and a few other ingredients like oils. The idea is that the salt draws water from the skin bringing the toxins with it. The toxins are drawn out of the cells when cellular fluid is removed from the cells to replace the excessive amount of water being pulled from the skin.

This generally involves lying in a room covered with this mixture for up to an hour or more. There is an easier way that I will discuss later on. It is important to drink plenty of fluids afterwards to replace the water that has been flushed from your body.

Herbal supplements, normally in the form of pills, can also be used to cleanse your body. Increasing the level of antioxidants, certain vitamins and minerals can have an effect on the way your body functions. This change can include the more efficient excretion of toxins. It becomes a fairly tricky business when you alter the basic chemistry of your body so before embarking on a journey of this nature be sure to have a complete understanding of the entire process. Your doctor, not just the Internet, should have a major role in whatever plan of action you choose.

Some people go to a spa or seek out an established program when they want to use a tissue cleansing plan. Many plans consist of regimented daily schedules of enemas then cleansing drinks and liquid supplements. This series is repeated periodically during the day. Lasting a week or more, this method obviously takes commitment, dedication and a carefully calculated program. You need to be sure the program comes from a reputable source and is administered with sufficient guidance.

My favorite and arguably the easiest (my kind of plan) is the use of a sauna for detoxification. The main way toxins are eliminated is through the excretory system. Elimination of solids and liquid urine are the paths that come to mind immediately. The truth is, however, that the process of sweating also eliminates surprisingly large quantities of fluids. Excessive sweating, as in a sauna, dramatically increases the rate that toxins are included with the sweat. This happens because many of the toxins are found within the cellular fluid.

The first fluids to be "sweated out" come from the fluid surrounding the cells. With excessive or prolonged sweating the fluids within the cells are flushed out to replace the fluids surrounding the cell and the dissolved toxins go along for the ride. There have been cased when individuals have been exposed to very high levels of a specific contaminant and used a sauna to detox themselves. The toxin was eliminated in such high concentrations that they could actually smell the particular chemical as it was excreted in the sweat.

All of these body cleansing detoxification methods work and have their own advantages and disadvantages. The one that is best is, as they say "the one that you will actually use". Today's home sauna options offer such surprisingly low cost and ease of operation that it is no wonder they are becoming the method of choice for so many families.

This method is much less harsh and more enjoyable than any of the others. In fact I don't think it would be an exaggeration to say that it is the only body cleansing mentioned that anyone would do even if it didn't have the detoxification benefits.