Did you know that according to a recent study in the UK, the AVERAGE woman spends nearly ½ of her adult life dieting and or exercising? It's not a lot better for the men. Sadly and despite billions being spent each year on diet and exercise programs, products, etc., the obesity epidemic continues to get worse. So why do all of these fancy diets and exercise programs always seem to fail no matter how hard we try to make them work?
In a word: Toxins.
Its no joke and the problem is literally being investigated as a potential cause for the spiking cancer rates, alzheimer's and yes-our obesity problem. If you are at all serious about losing weight and keeping it off, you need to read on because the toxins in the food and beverages you consume are literally blocking your body from burning fat and losing those unwanted pounds.
What Do We Mean by "Toxins"?
The word "toxin" tends to conjure up images of arsenic and other truly deadly substances but in terms of your body, toxins just refers to any "unnatural substances" that your body cannot easily recognize and absorb. If your body cannot recognize or absorb an ingredient you ingest, the substance will be considered a "toxin" and should be flushed from your system. In most cases anything "unnatural", like synthetic ingredients produced in a lab, is unlikely to be recognized and absorbed by your body.
Unfortunately, just about anything you eat or drink is loaded with additives and preservatives to help increase the shelf-life and flavor. While these substances may help food companies generate higher profits, they have no nutritional value for your body which is why they are considered "toxins" that must be flushed from your body. And when we are young and healthy, it is no problem for our bodies to quickly eliminate the toxins without issue. But as we age...
How "Toxins" Add Up to Extra Pounds
As we grow older, the body's ability to quickly flush toxins slows down so some of those toxins end up getting stored inside of your body's cells. Specifically, toxins are stored adjacent to fat cells. And unless your body first eliminates those toxins, it cannot gain access to the fat cells and burn them for energy-and that is exactly why you can diet and exercise day in and day out but NEVER shed those last few pounds!
But Toxins Cause Far More Problems than a Few Extra Pounds
When you eat a big meal made from additives and preservatives, your body tries to flush those toxins but in the process causes something known as "oxidation". Although a perfectly normal function, oxidation does lead to extremely dangerous molecules known as free radicals. In small numbers, these free radicals are not dangerous but when you body is flooded with too many of them, they damage cells throughout your body. In time, this "free radical damage" can add up to some serious health problems that have been well-documented and researched.
Just a few of the health problems caused by free radicals include:
· Increased Risk for Coronary Artery Disease
· Increased Risk for Stroke/Heart Attack
· Increased Blood Pressure and Risk for High Cholesterol
· Poor Eyesight
· Increased Risk for Gastrointestinal Problems
· Increased Risk for Certain Kinds of Cancer, Including Colon
· Reduced or Slower Digestive Function
· Increased Signs of Aging (wrinkles, dry skin, brittle hair, poor nails)
In addition to these health risks, the slower digestive function also makes it more likely that your body will store the nutrients you are currently consuming as fat. And once toxins attach to that fat, you won't be able to eliminate it until you flush those toxins from your system.
So What Can Be Done?
Unless you have a very large garden and plan on growing all of your own food, the fact is that the food supply is simply too saturated with additives, preservatives, and synthesized ingredients for you to avoid ingesting them. That means that you are going to need to periodically flush the toxins from both your skin and your internal systems.
For the internal systems, most health experts recommend using a high quality colon cleanser every 3-6 months. For the toxins stored in your skin (and those most responsible for the flabby arms, thighs, hips, and buttocks), high quality body wraps are often the best and most economical solution. Body wrap ingredients absorb into the skin and then flush away the excess toxins so your body can finally burn the fat deposits for energy. Just be sure that in both cases (both the colon cleanser and body wrap), the products are made from 100% All-Natural ingredients so you don't actually make the problem worse.
Whatever you do, it is important NOT to ignore the toxins you eat and drink because if you do: The consequences can literally be fatal.
Jon Kreps is a health and wellness expert and to learn more about the dangers of toxins and their true role in losing weight or keeping weight off, just visit http://www.justbodywraps.com/ today.