Many times the need for a detox is not clear. We know we are exposed to pollutants on a regular basis but how does this affect our health? Quite often we can be faced with a health challenge that is vague or difficult to diagnose. Is it possible a cleanse would help with these issues?

For many people a cleanse may alleviate health related issues. To help determine if a cleanse could benefit you, the following are 10 areas of your life to look at to assess your potential toxicity levels:

1) Exposure to chemicals. Many common cleaners found around the house contain toxins that you can be breath in, ingest, or absorb through touching contaminated surfaces.

2) What you eat. Modern farming practices expose foods to herbicides, pesticides, growth hormone, and artificial fertilizers. Even washing your food won’t remove all the chemicals as they can permeate the food as well.

3) Cigarettes. The dangers of smoking are well known. If you smoke, have smoked in the past, or are regularly exposed to second hand smoke you may be carrying around toxins associated with tobacco and the cigarette production process.

4) Your yard. Toxins found in common weed killers and chemical fertilizers used on your lawn can be breathed in, absorbed through your skin, or transferred from your skin to your food and ingested.

5) Beauty. Hair color, makeup, cologne, and perfume can all contain harmful chemicals that can be absorbed through your skin or breathed in.

6) Workplace. If you are exposed to harsh chemicals at your workplace you can assume these chemicals are likely finding a way into your system. Even driving to and from work in traffic exposes you to large amounts of car exhaust.

7) Where you live. Many pollutants can enter your environment if you live in a major metropolitan area, near an airport, or close to an industrial area.

8) Around the house. There are many common household hazards that adversely affect your health. Aerosol products often contain chemicals that you spray into the air, which you can then breathe in. These chemicals can also land on surfaces and transfer to your hands when touched. This includes household insect killer, air fresheners, and more. Even scented candles can release harmful fumes as they burn.

9) How you feel. Sometimes how you feel can be an indication that you need to clean out your system. This may apply to you if you often feel tired or have low energy, have trouble concentrating, or experience depression or mood changes.

10) General health. Do you find you get sick frequently with more than one or two colds a year? Another sign you may need to detox is regularly having bad breath or a bitter, metallic taste in your mouth.

An important note about the last two points - toxins may not be at the root of these problems (always consult a health professional) but they can contribute to them or make them worse. Doing a cleanse won’t necessarily solve these problems but it may help to alleviate them. However, if you can relate to at least some of the items on the list you will likely benefit from a cleanse. I would recommend starting with something simple like a 9 day cleanse. It would provide a good cleanse and detox to get you started. If you find it improves how you feel then you can consider something longer or making detox part of your lifestyle.

In our quickly changing modern world our bodies can have a difficult time adapting. New pollutants in the environment, our food, and our water can be taxing to our bodies and our health raising many wellness concerns. Doing a cleanse can help address some of these issues by assisting your bodies natural cleansing mechanisms.