[Physical]

There has been a great deal of discussion in the last few years regarding the presence of toxins in our lives. This is a concept that has been fuelled by effective marketing campaigns advising consumers that they must invest in certain products in order to help eliminate toxins from their bodies.

The idea of ‘going on a detox’ in order to reduce the harm felt from toxins is certainly a great way to sell products, such as pills, powders and juices, but is there really any benefit to the body of doing so?

Before we answer this question, let’s start from the beginning!

What Are Toxins

When people talk about toxins they are generally referring to an organism that is considered to be harmful to the body. There are several types of toxins in existence and many of them can be quite detrimental to our health in different ways.

Many toxins can be found inside of the human body and are actually produced there by the body itself. These internal toxins are by-products of essential human functions and can often be processed and eradicated by the body itself with no problem! It is only when something goes wrong and these toxins begin to build up that a health issue can start to arise.

We are also regularly exposed to external toxins that can make their way into our bodies through ingestion or absorption. Across the media spectrum today there is much focus on the amount of toxins in our food, but it is important to remember that this is not the only source! The unfortunate reality is that there are actually toxins in almost everything, from the water that you drink to the everyday items that you come into contact with, such as tins, plastics and paints.

How to Beat Toxins

It may surprise you that avoiding stress is actually a great way to help combat toxins – both internal and external! When you are stressed out you become much more prone to anxiety and depression, and also more likely to eat unhealthy foods – which then invites toxins into the body.

Alcohol and cigarettes are two serious sources of toxins that it is possible to choose to avoid. The toxins in alcohol deplete your nutrient stores and make it harder for the body to hold onto the B vitamins it needs for both your metabolism and your memory*. When it comes to smoking, cigarette smoke contains incredibly harmful toxins that are now known to cause a wide range of illnesses and diseases.

There are other things that you can aim to avoid in order to limit your exposure to toxins. For example food that comes from cans, or anything that is processed is better off avoided. Consuming organic fruits and vegetables, as well as other organic produce, will help you to reduce the amount of toxins in your diet.

Clean Living

Although it simply isn’t possible to avoid toxins on every level, you can choose to steer clear of some of the worst offenders. This can help to improve your lifestyle and support how well your body responds to toxins.

Finding ways to shop that don’t involve harmful plastics or processed, packaged foods can be challenging – but it can also be fun! A great way to get started is to evaluate the products that you buy and the foods that you consume, and then to determine which of these things may contain harmful toxins. You can then slowly work to find substitutes for these things one by one as you work to reduce the toxins you have in your home!

This is a huge topic and one that we will delve further into soon, so visit us again to find out additional ways that you can combat toxins to enjoy better health!

[Physical]

There is much debate over whether yoga is an activity that can contribute to effective weight loss or not – with strong arguments on both sides of the discussion.

On the one hand, some people believe that because yoga is not a fast paced physical activity it can therefore not be considered a serious weight loss tool. This follows the belief that you must be directly burning calories at a serious rate in order to lose weight.

On the other hand, it can be argued that practicing yoga is a great way to build muscle, tone the body and strengthen the mind – all of which can then contribute to weight maintenance and weight loss.

This misconception of a yoga class predominantly consisting of stretching and seated meditation is perhaps the reason that many people feel that yoga is not an effective way to lose weight. However, if you have ever taken part in a class then you will know that this is not the case!

Yoga requires a commitment to developing both your physical and mental strength, and as this happens your stamina, flexibility and focus will improve also.

The Physical

Yoga consists of hundreds of different asanas, all of which have varying physical benefits. Although it is true to say that some of these poses are more concerned with flexibility than they are with physical strength, this is certainly not true of all of the poses! As you work to hold each pose for longer periods of time you will be building your overall strength and increasing your muscle mass.

As you continue to burn fat and replace it with muscle, you will naturally lose weight and you will also burn more calories when you are not directly engaging in exercise. This is because muscle tissue burns more calories than fat does.

Although the benefits of this can be felt with the majority of different yoga types, you may want to go for a more physically demanding variety to enhance your results and get the most out of your session. Vinyasa Flow, Power Yoga and Bikram Yoga are thought to be the best choices when it comes to yoga for weight loss. This is largely due to their intense pace and challenging poses.

The Mental

When it comes to how yoga can benefit you emotionally to support weight loss, you have to consider the reasons that you are not currently reaching your weight loss goals. Do you make unhealthy, emotionally charged food choices? Are you currently lacking the motivation to lead an active lifestyle? Perhaps you are simply stuck in a fitness rut and need to refresh your mindset to find your focus?

One of the most amazing things about yoga is how it encourages you to look inside of yourself, and to better understand your choices, your thought processes and your understanding of the self. When this begins to happens you will likely develop a greater understanding and appreciation of how you can care for yourself.

This process will often lead people to make more positive choices in terms of their self-care, their lifestyle, their diet and other connected concepts. Recognising negative habits and distancing yourself from them will soon follow, and this can be beneficial for both overall health and reaching desired weight loss goals.

Yoga For Weight Loss

Deciding to embrace yoga as a new part of your workout routine can be an exciting way to mix things up. As well as supporting and boosting your weight loss efforts, yoga can also benefit both your body and mind in other ways, such as keeping your mood up!