Blood Detox- How to Increase Your Energy Levels?

You most likely have done some sort of digestive or liver cleanse, and maybe even have experienced a Candida cleanse.  However, have you ever considered doing blood detox or are familiar with its benefits? If you have been recently experiencing constant fatigue, mental fog, moodiness or skin issues, a blood detox is maybe what you need. 

In this article, let’s go over the ABCs of a blood detox, and why you should get one. 

Before diving deep, let’s cover some basics.

What Are the Functions of the Blood?

In ancient times, they used the words blood and life as synonyms. The explanation may be here twofold. The most obvious reason is that without blood life cannot exist in a cell, tissue and subsequently body. The other reason is that our blood is an essential medium for the transportation of energy, which is essential to our emotional and physical well-being. People who suffer from anemia, are also low on energy. 

Our blood fulfills the following main functions:

• Transportation: Blood is responsible for oxygen delivery to your heart, lungs, and the rest of your body. Equally, it carries away waste products. In addition to that, the blood also aids in the transportation of the absorbed nutrients from the digestive tract to other organs, and of hormones from glands to the cells.  

• Nutrition and Protection: Our blood consists of 4 main components: plasma, Red Blood Cells (RBCs), White Blood Cells (WBCs), and platelets. 
  • The red blood cells carry hemoglobin, which is important for ensuring adequate iron and oxygen in our body. 
  • The white blood cells are the warriors against viruses, bacteria and other foreign organisms and substances. 
  • The platelets protect us from blood loss by forming a clot and healing the wound after an injury has occurred.  
  • Plasma is a liquid in which the blood cells bathe. It is responsible for homeostasis, which is the physical and chemical consistency of the internal environment.

• Regulatory: Besides the main functions described above, the blood also helps regulate the body’s overall body temperature, pH, and water balance.

What Clogs the Blood Vessels?

Let’s get a basic understanding of the circulatory system and what affects its integrity. Blood vessels are the pathway through which the blood is carried around the body. They include arteries, capillaries, and veins. Many of us are aware that too much-saturated fat can clog the blood vessels. However, because we do not feel it and do not see it, we rarely think or are concerned about it, until it becomes a real problem.  

Clogging of the blood vessels is called plaque buildup. Plaque consists primarily of fat and cholesterol commonly found in fast food items like fries, most meats, especially bacon; baked goods, and palm oil, contained in pizza dough, ice cream, chocolate and instant noodles. If you consume too much cholesterol, it may combine in your arteries with other substances and form a thick film, pretty much like grease does in your oven. This can eventually lead to the narrowing or blocking of the arteries, thus interrupting the seamless flow of blood throughout the body.

Here are some major health risks associated with the plaque formation:

• Difficulty to concentrate – Plaque buildup in the blood may affect your ability to think clearly. Since the smallest the blood capillaries are the smallest blood vessels in our body, if the blood flow is interrupted by buildup, your brain circulation will be affected first.

• Increased risk of stroke – Increased viscosity of the blood increases the chances of a blood clot randomly forming and breaking of the wall of a blood vessel. The clot may travel up the brain and block an important blood vessel, which will prevent the tissues from getting oxygen and nutrition. This is called an ischaemic stroke. The worst part about the ischaemic stroke is that even though circulation may eventually restore, the affected tissues won’t. And depending on what cognitive or other function that part of the brain had, and the length of the blood not circulating to the tissue, will depend what cognitive or motor functions will be affected.

• Increased risk of heart disease and heart attacks – Similar processes may occur in the arteries supplying the heart. If the heart experiences a disruption of the blood flow to its tissues, it is called a heart attack. 

Thromboembolism – condition involving clot formation deeply inside the veins, frequently in the pelvic area, a leg or an arm. Such clots may lead to disability if they block the blood flow to an extremity, and may lead to death if a thrombus travels to the lungs.

What Symptoms Do You Experience When Your Blood Is Impure?

Well, taking a blood test isn’t the only way to find out the composition of your blood is off. In most cases, you can tell by how you feel. Some of the common symptoms include:

• Pale, cold-to-touch, cracked, acne-prone skin; skin boils and papillomas.

• Chronic fatigue and general feeling of malaise. 

• High blood pressure and high cholesterol (the last one needs to be determined by test).

• You have a tough time grasping and comprehending new information, which is unusual for you. 

• Persistent headaches not related to an injury.

• Constantly cold hands and feet. You need to dress warmly when indoors and to wear a long jacket outdoors when it is above O Degrees C.

• Gout formation.

• Frequent nausea.

• A prickling sensation in your hands or feet known as “pins and needles.”

• Constantly craving for hot, spicy food.

How Does Blood Cleans Itself When Optimally Functions?

Wouldn’t it be nice if your body naturally had a way to detox your blood? Oh, wait, it does. Blood doesn’t clean “itself” per se. It needs the help of other organs like the lungs, liver, and kidneys. 

Lungs – Help by removing carbon dioxide and other toxins located in gaseous form from each cell of your body in exchange for oxygen. After the gases are released, they are carried back to the lungs through the bloodstream and then exhaled out of the body, which contributes to blood purification.  Persistent lung issues may be an important sign that your blood is not clean, because for adequate speed of lung recovery you need to have healthy blood capable of quick removal of toxins from the lungs. 

Liver – Aids in converting harmful fat-soluble toxins that are mostly of a man-made nature (ex. parabens in personal care products and cleaners, phthalates such as Bisphenol B in plastics, organochlorine pesticides in foods, fluorine in water and heavy metals) into harmless materials. The liver is the body’s most robust filtration system that plays a major role in metabolizing nutrients and blood purification. If your liver does not function properly, it will increase the risk of high cholesterol levels, belly fat (extra weight overall) and cellulite, because fat metabolism and its manufacturing in the body depend on liver health. 

Kidneys – Responsible for removal of acids, excess salts, minerals and fluid, and by-products of digestion of proteins, such as ammonia, creatinine and uric acid. This is done by the functional unit of the kidneys, known as nephrons. Glomerulus is a filter found in the nephron and is responsible for filtering the incoming blood and returning it clean to circulation. When kidneys do not function properly, you will feel fatigued all the time, as they are considered the main energy-supplying organs in the body, and are interconnected with your adrenal glands, which play the role of “ignition”. 

How Can You Improve Blood Function Naturally? – Traditional Medicine Approaches

Your blood health plays a crucial role in maintaining the optimum overall state of your body. So, it is important to take care of your blood health, just like any body organ. In this section, let’s cover some common ways to naturally improve your blood function.

Provide Your Blood With Abundance of Quality Water

Simply put, the more water you drink, the healthier and purer your blood will be. Water is called the “elixir of life” for a reason. Drinking enough water will prevent your blood from getting thick and sticky and will minimize the risk of cardiovascular issues. Research says an average person should drink 2-3 litres of water daily. We can do it with less, but an adequate quantity is essential for blood detoxification function. Just as theoretically you can wash your car with a bucket or two of water, but your windows are not likely to be clean unless you do a good pressure wash. 

The quality of water matters no less than its quantity. This is what your blood is made of after all. After 10 minutes of showering with highly chlorinated water, your skin (and blood) absorb as much water as if you drank 2 cups of this water. This is why installing a shower filter, as well as a drinking water filter in your house is worth the investment.

Morning and Evening Runs

Any physical movement like walking, jogging, and gym workouts help enhance blood circulation. However, when you walk, you get into your lungs only a very small percentage of oxygen and therefore you purify your blood very little. Besides, if you exercise indoors, oxygen exchange is negative – you enhale carbon dioxide and become even more oxygen deficient. 

The most effective blood purification happens if you do short and regular 5-15 minute outdoor runs every two hours or so.  At minimum, do it twice a day, and you may be surprised that you will quckly see increase in your energy levels, skin quality, energy levels and even weight loss. Make sure that before and after you run you hydrate with some herbal tea or to give the blood a chance to circulate around your joints properly. Proper hydration before and the exercise, as well as quality nutrition is important to protect your joints.

Alkalize Your Blood

The acidity of your blood and drastic changes in its pH levels are the primary reasons for the stones formation in your body.  If the blood is overwhelmed with toxins, it will start depositing them in various organs in the form of arterial plaque, gallstones, kidney stones, bone spurs, nasal polyps and other solid concrements.

In order to keep your body alkaline and prevent frequent changes of pH, your diet should primarily consist from fresh fruit, vegetables, legumes nuts and seeds. These foods are mostly alkaline in their nature. All animal products and processed foods are acidic and if consumed, need to be taken in moderation. 

In addition to the pH modifying qualities of alkaline foods, incorporating blood building iron-rich foods like beetroot, cilantro and all green leafy vegetables, blueberries, legumes, raisins and oranges will assist your body in formation of healthy new blood cells. 

Not only your food quality matters. The acidity can also be due to low oxygen levels and various negative emotions. Negative emotions accumulated over a period of time may acidify your blood as much as acidic foods or even more. This is why the quality of your thoughts predetermines the quality of your blood.

No to Recreational Cigarette, Vaping or Marijuana Smoking

Smoking is one of the worst habits when it comes to blood health. Besides harm caused to the lungs and liver, cigarette smoking and vaping also have adverse effects on your blood by causing it to thicken and clot.

While many people understand that long-term smoking may have adverse effects on their health, at times, occasional recreational cigarette and marijuana smoking is taken lightly. However, both are just as harmful, because they leach toxins into your blood and, over time, it may lead to the same problems as heavy smoking. 

When you apply for Life Insurance, you will be asked in detail about how many years and how often you have smoked both nicotine-containing cigarettes and marihuana, which means that according to the existing statistics, they both may shorten your life.

Holistic Methods Used for Blood Cleansing

Probably, the most important thing to know is that before attempting the blood cleanse at home, you need to ensure you complete a thorough cleanse of your digestive tract and liver prior. Additionally, healthy kidney function and hydration before and during the blood cleanse are essential, as this organ takes the main load of elimination of toxins from the blood.

If you do not follow the proper sequence of cleansing, this may prevent your body from eliminating of the released toxins timely, and they will be reabsorbed back into the body, which is neither super desirable nor safe. 

Also please keep in mind that intensive blood detoxification is contraindicated for people with advanced health conditions, especially of the kidneys and heart, as well as if a person has suffered an organ failure, has a tumour or cancer, gallstones or kidney stones; during acute infection, significant stress or physical debilitation or exhaustion; and during pregnancy and breastfeeding. If you have any of the above or other advanced physical or mental health issues, it is much safer to do detox under a supervision of a qualified professional, so it is modified to your health level.

Is it Safe Do a Blood Cleanse at Home?

Blood cleanse is a more sophisticated, level 2, type of detox that requires advanced knowledge and preparation. However, in most cases, you will be able to safely include some simple components of blood detoxification in your routine.

Please ensure you read the contraindications in the previous few paragraphs, and the contraindications and precautions listed with each cleanse. If in doubt about whether your body can handle a blood cleanse, do it under a supervision of a naturopathic physician. Also if you have strong detoxification symptoms when cleansing at home, as a measure of precaution, you can decrease the dose or discontinue.

At Home Blood Cleanses

Home Blood Cleanse #1: FreshClover Cleanse

For this cleanse you will need fresh clover leaves. Look if you can order them from your health food store, or if you can pick it yourself. Ensure you do it outside of the sprayed lawns and crowded areas. It can be white, red or other colour of clover. You can also simply chew 3 -4 leaves at a time. Or add a handful of clover leaves to your salad and smoothies.

Frequency:

Take 3-6 leaves of clover 1-2 a day throughout the growing season. If you only can take them for 2-3 weeks, increase the amount consumed, but still use clover sparingly.

Dry Clover Cleanse–if Fresh one is not available

Dry clover is a potent blood cleanse, but it may be too strong for many people. However, if you would like to do it, prepare the herbal tea in the following manner: 1-2 tsp. dry herb per 1 cup boiling water. Let it steep for 15 min. Strain.

Frequency:

Drink on an empty stomach 1/3 cup, 3 times a day for 2 weeks. This dry herb cleanse should only be done after the quality detox of the digestive system and liver and provided you do not have diagnosed conditions, gallstones or kidney stones. Proper hydration is a must, to ensure toxins do not get reabsorbed.

Caution:

The drink may cause headaches due to fast blood detoxification. If you experience those, cut down the dose or discontinue. Do not let the tea steep too long before straining to avoid high potency.

Home Blood Cleanse #2:Grape Cleanse

Grapes are one of the most powerful blood cleansers. This cleanse can be done in 3 forms: whole grapes, fresh concord grape juice or store-bought grape juice.

Whole Grapes: replace your supper with grapes for 2-3 weeks. If grapes alone are too sweet,make a fruit salad with more neutral fruit, or mix grapes with a green salad, for example, make Waldorf salad. Do not eat anything else after this to allow your body to detoxify overnight.

Fresh Juice:

juice ½ cup grape juice, and add ½ cup water (to dilute sugar). Drink on an empty stomach once a day for 2- 3 weeks. Wait for 30 min before eating or drinking something else. Store-bought Juice: use the same way, but ensure you pick the highest quality. If you can find the one not-from-concentrate, it would be best. The juice should not contain apple juice or other additives.

Contraindication: Diabetes and hypoglycemia. Grapes are high on the hypoglycemic index.

Home Blood Cleanse #3:Citrus Cleanse

Citrus removes or emulsifies the oil (=breaks it down into fine particles) from your hands. It has the same effect on the fat deposits in your body.To prepare this juice, you need organic citrus and a manual citrus juicer or any regular juicer.

Recipe:

½ grapefruit

½ orange

½ lemon

Juice enough to make 1 cup citrus juice. If you use the automatic juicer, use half of the zest, as it enhances the blood detoxification effect. Alternatively, you can use store -bought grapefruit and orange juice, but they need to be without any additives and are organic. Fresh is always best.

Frequency:

Take 1 cup daily on an empty stomach, for 2 weeks.

Contraindication to Citrus Cleanse:

Stomach and intestinal ulcers, diabetes, advanced health conditions, intolerance to citrus or on medications when grapefruit is contraindicated (blood thinners, certain thyroid meds).

Frequently Asked Questions

Are You Thinking of Getting a Blood Detox?

Our body possesses the innate power to heal itself when treated and taken care of the right way. However, when living in the modern world, we have little to no time to take good care of ourselves, and considering a getting a professionally designed and organized blood detox  may help.  Please feel free to visit our website https://detoxretreat.ca/  for more information or fill out a guided pre-registration form.