A Cleansing Sweat

No doubt about it, exercise makes us sweat. Although uncomfortable to many, sweating is essential to our health. Perspiration helps the body stay cool despite the increased internal temperatures produced by exercise. Each bead of sweat also carries numerous toxins out of the body.

Sweat contains trace amounts of the natural by-products of metabolism, specifically urea and lactic acid. When they stay in the body, headaches, nausea, stiff muscles, or general fatigue may result. Their elimination through sweating helps prevent excess buildup internally and decreases these symptoms. Here are five reasons to sweat more to cleanse your body and increase energy.

1. Discards toxic metals

Your kidneys sift through and eliminate toxic metals picked up from the environment each day. A serious sweat once a day will assist the kidneys in discarding these potentially dangerous chemicals. Excess and unnecessary copper, mercury, cadmium, zinc, lead, nickel, and sulphuric acid have all been found to be flushed through the skin in sweat.

2. Reduces chance of disease

Most of us exercise to decrease body fat or maintain a healthy weight. But a healthy body mass index is more than just nice to look at. It also decreases our chances of developing the problems associated with excess body fat: heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, joint discomfort, respiratory problems, and overall difficulty performing everyday activities. By decreasing excess fat stores through proper diet and regular exercise, we decrease the chance of disease.

3. Balances vitamin storage

Decreasing excess fat stores also decreases the body's ability to "over-store" toxins. Fat or adipose tissue has also been associated with the buildup and storage within the body of toxic substances from the environment or from the foods we eat. Nutritional supplements such as fat-soluble vitamins are also stored in fat tissue. In trace amounts these substances are beneficial to the body, but if not eliminated properly they can accumulate over time and become toxic to the body.

4. Improves elimination

Cardiovascular exercise is beneficial in many ways. It has been shown to improve heart function, decrease body weight, reduce the risk of developing diabetes, decrease stress, improve circulation, boost metabolism, increase endurance, and enhance digestion and elimination. Expending energy by engaging in a cardiovascular exercise such as walking, biking, dancing, skating, or stair-climbing, to name just a few will improve your health in all these ways and more. As metabolism increases, all of the body's organs and systems become more proficient at their job. The process of digestion and elimination improves as overall health improves through regular activity that works up a sweat.

5. Leads to better eating habits

Working up a sweat daily in a more active lifestyle usually leads to better eating habits. Many who exercise find cravings for snack foods decrease. Their yearning for better foods increases. This, along with a higher functioning digestive system, contributes to fewer toxins going into the body and more making their way out.

Sweating is a natural way for your body to wash toxins down the shower drain after every workout.