Detoxification by Yoga
How natural detoxification works
Detoxification is just a fancy word to describe the natural process that the body undergoes to eliminate waste and toxins from the body. There are three main bodily systems that play a role in this process: circulatory, digestive, and lymph. The circulatory system is essentially the transport system that distributes oxygen throughout the body and gets rid of waste products accumulating in the body’s cells. The digestive system processes the food that we eat; storing nutrients and getting rid of whatever the body doesn’t need. Then there is the lymphatic system that collects fluid from the cells and takes it to the lymph nodes that dispose of contaminants in the liquid through the bloodstream.
Body chemistry is such that when healthy and active it will automatically undergo this process, efficiently detoxifying the body on its own. Sometimes, however, because of our diet or lifestyle, the body can become slow or inefficient in the detox process and thus needs a little outside help.
Hot Yoga: best form of detox exercise
While all forms of exercise help the body to eliminate toxins, yoga is especially suited to this process. Yoga postures all focus on stretching and compressing the body, encouraging the flow and good function of the waste removal departments in the body. The fact that the body is being pushed, pulled, and turned in every which way aids the body in the removal of harmful toxins found deep in the body’s tissues, that other forms of exercise simply do not penetrate. These toxins include: carbon dioxide, lactic acid and lymphatic fluid. Furthermore, while you sweat in practically all forms of vigorous exercise, the sauna-like effect of hot yoga usually means you will sweat even more. Sweat is just another way that toxins are released from the body’s pores. In this process your skin converts toxins from fats into simpler and water-soluble compounds, which are released through this excreted liquid. Ammonia, urea, sugar and salts, are among these unwanted contaminants.
Another detox benefit of not just hot yoga, but all types of yoga, is the associated boost in circulation and metabolism. This is achieved through the heavy focus on deep breathing and postures that are simply intensified in the hot yoga setting.














