Sweating Out Toxins: Fact or Myth?

Have you ever heard the phrase “sweating out toxins?” I know I have. Toxins is such a buzz word nowadays. It reminds me of my old roommate who bought this pads you put on the bottom of your feet. When you woke up, they where all black (gross). Apparently it was suppose to suck all the bad toxins out of your body. Saunas and hot tubs are suppose to do the same thing…

Well, the truth is, there is no proof that you can sweat out “toxins.” In fact, your body is a self cleaning oven. Our bodies are exposed to all sorts of things we really shouldn’t be exposed to. For instance:

• chemicals in our food
• environmental pollution
• household cleaners
• cosmetics

Just to name a few…

Our bodies do a great job getting rid of these things on its own. Sweating, however, is not the way your body gets rid of these toxins. Sweating is your body’s way of cooling down when it has been overheated.

Now if we’re talking about stuff you’ve eaten or drank the night before, well that’s a different story. If you have been eating garlic, for instance, when you sweat the next day, you will smell it on yourself. If you don’t smell it, other people will. Sweat can contain traces of alcohol. So, by drinking the night before, the next day you may smell like booze.

Is it good to sweat? Sure it is! Does it detox your body? If you count vodka and garlic mash potatoes then… sort of.