DRUG TESTING
Cleansing your body of toxic agents is a big consideration these days. One of the main reasons is that drug testing is becoming increasingly common. It is almost impossible to get a new job or keep an old one without being tested for drugs. In many cases the testing is required by an employer but in some cases like people who work in industries regulated by the Department of Transportation, drug testing is required by law. Drug testing is also used in legal situations such as after traffic accidents, for child custody cases and for probation monitoring.
DETOXING FOR HEALTH REASONS
In addition to dealing with drug testing, you might want to achieve a total body cleanse for general health reasons. Some people use detox products for weight loss but that is not a recommended approach. Teas are a popular approach for complete body cleanses for general health reasons but they are not helpful if you are detoxing in anticipation of an upcoming drug test. Your body has amazing natural healthy functions for cleansing on its own so a good approach if you are considering detoxification for general health reasons is to avoid toxins altogether, eat a balanced diet with emphasis on plant-based ingredients and exercise regularly. These diets will result in natural healthy benefits including weight loss. They will help you to cleanse your system and attain a healthy life and a normal body-mass index at the same time.
That approach, however, won’t get the job done if you have a limited time for detoxing for an upcoming drug test. In that case you may want to consider a more targeted type of cleansing product to give you more immediate results.
There is a myriad of so-called detoxification products on the market. How do you choose which one to use for total body cleanse? In this article we will discuss some of the must-have products including what the important ingredients of such product are, who makes them, where to buy them, how to use them and finally, and most importantly, how effective are they in providing full-body cleansing.
NATURAL DETOXIFICATION MECHANISMS
Before getting into the details of some detox, cleansing products, let’s examine how your body’s natural detox mechanisms function. The main natural detoxification mechanism is by enzymes in your liver. Take THC or Tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive ingredient in Cannabis products for instance. THC is metabolized to the inactive THC-COOH in your liver and only there. Whether you smoke Cannabis products or use things like Cannabis edibles, the THC enters your bloodstream, is carried to your liver, and detoxified to THC-COOH. THC-COOH then enters your bloodstream. Some of it is stored in fat cells and some of it is carried to your kidneys that filter waste products which are then excreted in your urine. Some THC-COOH is also excreted in your feces.
Other toxins such as opiates, cocaine, methamphetamines, and PCP for instance are also metabolized in the liver and then excreted mainly in your urine.
Thus, it is the liver and kidneys that help your body get rid of toxins. In some instances, your lungs or skin may play a minor role in clearing certain types of toxins.
MYTHS ABOUT DETOXING
There are a few myths about detoxing that we must identify:
- Drinking excess amounts of water will “flush” toxins from your body. Not so! Drinking lots of water will dilute your urine if you are trying to pass a drug test but it does not flush your system of toxins.
- Using diuretics in the form of certain herbal substances or with medications will detox your system. Not so, again! Diuretics increase urine output but that has nothing to do with detoxification.
- Laxatives will “cleanse” your colon and eliminate toxins. Again, not so! Laxatives do not cleanse your digestive system and they can cause diarrhea and are harmful with long-term use but they do not perform detoxification. They are also dangerous to use for weight loss.
HOW TO HELP YOUR SYSTEM DETOX
There are a few ways that you can help your natural detox mechanisms to achieve a total body cleanse.
- Avoid toxins! This is the number one way that helps your body to a healthy detox. Stop using Cannabis, opiates, PCP, methamphetamines, and cocaine or other toxins
- Reduce your consumption of processed foods, fast foods and foods with a high “Glycemic Index” such as sugary drinks. These foods contain chemical additives or toxins and increase the risk of obesity and diabetes and may also increase the risk of cancer. They are not part of a healthy diet.
- Exercise regularly. Vigorous exercise, particularly as it pertains to Cannabis can break down fat cells and release THC-COOH which can then be excreted in your urine and feces.
- Drink “reasonable” amounts of water and other liquids. Your thirst mechanism tells you when to drink and how much to drink. Drinking excessive amounts of water does not improve your body’s natural detoxification mechanisms.
MUST-HAVE DETOX PRODUCTS
What should you look for in a must-have detox product? The answer to that question depends on what goal you are trying to achieve with a detox regimen. Are you trying to pass a drug test? Are you doing it for general health improvement? Are you doing it to lose weight? The products that we will discuss in this article are primarily used by people who want to detox their systems to achieve a total body cleanse and pass a drug test. Most often that is a urine test. The products we will discuss may help with blood, sweat or saliva tests but not with hair tests.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A WHOLE-BODY DETOX PRODUCT
Let’s get right to it then. But before that, what should you look for in a detox product? One important thing is price. Some products are outrageously expensive when others with basically the same ingredients are much cheaper. Beware of products that tout a “proprietary blend” of herbal ingredients. There is no such thing as a magical blend of herbal ingredients in a detox product and it is not even clear how effective herbal ingredients of any kind or any blend are for detoxing your body.
The general ingredients of a good detox product include vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and creatine. Vitamins and minerals replace those lost by increasing your intake of water to dilute your urine.
Dietary fiber helps to divert THC-COOH from your urine to your feces.
Creatine is metabolized to creatinine which is an ingredient of normal urine and may be tested for to be sure that your urine sample is not too dilute.
The following products contain all of the important ingredients and an indication of their price so that you can make a good decision. Be sure to know also that these products are designated as “dietary supplements” and are not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration. They are not designed nor marketed to diagnose or treat any medical condition nor to be used for any unlawful purpose.
WHAT ARE THE “MUST HAVE” PRODUCTS FOR WHOLE BODY DEOXIFICATION?
- TOXIN RID. Toxin Rid is one of the most comprehensive but also most expensive detox products out there. It is a system that consists of “pre-rid” capsules, detox liquid and dietary fiber.
The system goes all the way from a minimum one-day product to 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 10-day products. The difference is the number of pre-rid capsules and the amount of detox liquid.
Note that in spite of the comprehensive combination of vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and herbal substances, that Toxin Rid does not contain Creatine. It is important to note also that while Creatine is converted to Creatinine in your body, it takes at least 24-48 hours before Creatine taken by mouth is metabolized to Creatinine and then appears in your urine. So, if you are working on a one or two- day detox program, Creatine is unnecessary; but if you are doing a 3 day or longer detox program you might purchase some Creatine Monophosphate at your local supplement shop and add it to the Toxin Rid program.
As you can see from the label, the pre-rid tablets contain a full array of minerals and electrolytes and only one herbal element, Alfalfa leaf extract. Another good aspect of these pre-rid tablets as well as the detox liquid is that they contain no substantial amount of carbohydrates. Carbs have no role to play in detoxification but some detox products contain as much as 25 grams or more per serving which is unnecessary. The detox liquid also contains electrolytes and minerals and only two additives Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate. There are many online recommendations of the Toxin Rid system both detailed reviews and reviews by individual users of the products giving 5-Star reviews and very few negative reviews.
As mentioned the Toxin Rid program is one of the most expensive out there with the one-day program retailing for $54.95 and the ten-day program for $189.95.
- DETOXIFY XXTRA CLEAN is another must-have full-body detox product. This is one of the most ingredient-packed detox product out there. Just look at the list! Twenty different vitamins, minerals, Creatine and Glucuronolactone and nine different herbal ingredients!
Zinc is one of the minerals in this product and Zinc is said to interfere with the typical dip-stick urine test. Just look at the total list of ingredients below.
Wow, a can't miss product for your whole-body detox needs. This product has received very favorable, detailed, online reviews. On top of all of that, Detoxify XXtra clean detox drink sells for $39.95.
- READY CLEAN DETOX DRINK is another must-have whole-body detox product. This product, a 16-ounce drink contains an excellent combination of vitamins, minerals, Creatinine, Glucuronolactone and herbal elements as well as Fruit pectin fiber. In short, all of the ingredients of a must-have full-body detox program.
Vitamins: including Vitamins A, C, D, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, B6, folic acid and Vitamin B 12 Biotin, and Pantothenic acid
Electrolytes: Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Selenium, Manganese, Chromium and Potassium
Creatine Monohydrate
Glucuronolactone
Herbal elements including Herbal Nettle, Ginseng, Dandelion, Milk Thistle, Hawthorne Berry, Uva Ursi, Mullein Leaf, Stevia and Fruit Fiber in the form of Fruit pectin.
A pre-cleanse supplement pack of six pills that accompany the drink can be taken in the 12-24-hour period before using Ready Clean Detox Drink. It is also recommended to drink at least 12 eight-ounce glasses of water on the day before your test. Detailed instructions for how to use this product can be found here.
The is exclusively a one-day detox drink to be used at least one hour before your drug test with peak effectiveness about three hours after drinking it. The product is said to have a five-hour window of effectiveness. This relatively inexpensive product sells for $19.95.
- DETOXIFY MEGA CLEAN HERBAL CLEANSE
This is our final “must have” whole body detox recommendation. This herbal cleansing drink contains eighteen different vitamins and minerals including Zinc and in addition Creatine Monophosphate. It also contains seven herbal elements as well as Stevia, fruit pectin and Taurine an amino acid. In short, this drink contains all of the ingredients of a whole-body detox product. It includes six precleanse capsules to be taken 12-24 hours before your test. Detoxify Mega Clean Herbal Cleanse is also a one-day or day of the test product. It is to be used about an hour before your test with maximum effects about three hours after drinking it and with effect lasting about 5 hours. Detailed instructions for how to use this product can be found here. The one-liter product sells for $69.95. This product has received generally very favorable reviews from actual users of the product.
We have discussed four excellent products for full body cleansing. The amount of toxins that you use and the amount of time before you have a mandated test will let you select the right product for you. From one-day products to ten-day products these four cover all of the bases.