Although you should aim to have a healthy diet all the time, we have periods when we feel we need a detox.  Detoxing is the way your body gets rid of potentially harmful chemicals (toxins), and is a continual process carried out by a number of organs including:

	Liver:	Enzymes in the liver breakdown harmful substances so they can be passed through the body via the kidneys, lungs or bowel.
	Kidneys	The kidneys filter out waste products
	Gut:	The gut processes nutrients and toxins and propels indigestible material to the bowl
	Skin:	The skin plays a key role in detoxing, eliminating some toxins via sweat, in skin oils (sebum) and by shedding skin cells.
	Lymphatic circulation	This system carries waste products and toxins which are too large to enter the blood stream from cells to the lymph nodes where they are processed and delivered to the liver.
	Lungs:	The lungs filter out waste gases produced in the body.

Our bodies are faced with toxins everyday, and although its own detoxing systems are usually able to cope, problems can arise when we take in more toxins than our body can process efficiently, overloading our systems and causing symptoms including bloating, lack of energy and dull skin. This is when it might be time to consider giving your body a helping hand by cutting out the negative elements from your diet altogether for a period of time.

Toxins are substances which can harm the body. They can either be produced by the body itself, such as carbon dioxide, or they can enter the body from pollutants in the air you breathe, the food and drink you consume, and even absorbed through your skin. In fact toxins are almost everywhere, cigarette smoke, exhaust fumes, household cleaning products, in the pesticides used on our fruit and vegetables and in the glass of wine you drink to unwind after a busy day.

There are diet and lifestyle changes which can be made to help limit the number of toxins your body comes into contact with, and also to support your body's own detoxing systems.