Detox is a state of mind because this process MUST begin in the mind and heart. A detoxification process is not something someone else can do for you. It's not something you're going to succeed at unless you make up your mind to do so. And it requires self-discipline to resist countless, sometimes unintentional, temptations placed before you by friends, families, coworkers, advertising, aromas or just a walk through a food store.
Yes, it is your mind that will prevent you from wavering as you gradually reduce your intake of the liver-stressing foods, drugs and drinks that we call Consumable Toxins; as you find ways to avoid toxins in products you use for Personal Care, and toxins found in your Personal Environment. At the same time, it is your mind that will process the information on how to gradually increase supplements, herbs and other substances that will amplify your body's ability to process out the excessive level of toxins all of us encounter in the modern world. Why detox is important?
Detox is also a state of mind because it affects your mind. Some of the ways in which it does this are very pleasant, such as the buzz one gets after a couple of days of fasting. (It's not hard to see why fasting has traditionally been associated with intense religious experience, because it's very powerful.)
But it can also be very disconcerting. For women, as the detox process intensifies, stored estrogen reentering the bloodstream can cause intense PMS symptoms, including emotional disruption that can be mistaken for "real." Similarly for men, excesses of testosterone that the liver has postponed processing come back into the bloodstream during a detox. Also drugs (prescription, over-the-counter, recreationalall types) that have been consumed long ago and have never been fully metabolized reenter your consciousness as they reenter your bloodstream, doing whatever they didn't finish the first time around. These are experiences that you have to wade through with a sense of determination. It helps to understand and remain aware of what is going on so that you aren't confused by what you're feeling. The self-awareness and understanding are mental processes that accompany the successful physical process.
Finally, when you've made it through the intense part of the detox and you're coming back into a more normalized diet (hopefully you'll stay with a more healthy diet), you'll feel a mental clarity you may not have experienced for a very long time. It's part of a larger mind/body feeling that has a sense of wonderment to it, like remembering the feeling of going outside on a spring morning as a child, seeing the flowers, hearing the birds and intensely feeling the crisp freshness of the world around you. You will be more present, more alive. You will be different.
For those who have been suffering from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder or chemical dependency, detox can play a major role in helping you bring yourself back to a self-sustainable physical biochemistry that will improve not only your body, but also your emotions and ability to concentrate and make decisions.
In short, the decision to detox, and stick with it, can be one of the most important decisions your mind ever makes.
Related Articles: Consumable Toxins, Personal Care, Personal Environment, Why detox is important?, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, chemical dependency.