How to Detox Safely

With Summer just around the corner, there is no better time than the present to fortify our diet and cement healthy eating. Practiced for centuries by cultures around the world — including Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine systems — detoxification is about resting, cleansing and nourishing the body from the inside out. By removing and eliminating toxins, then feeding your body with healthy nutrients, detoxifying can help protect you from disease and renew your ability to maintain optimum health. 

Why is detoxification important?

Because whole foods-based diets remove all the sugary, fatty, chemical-laden, artificial stuff from the diet, they sometimes get called a detox or a cleanse. When our bodies become toxic it means that our natural method of ushering out metabolic waste from normal human metabolism, environmental pollution, and what has become known as the Standard American Diet (or SAD) has exceeded the threshold for what the body’s innate detoxification system can tolerate. With this toxic load, every system in the human body can become affected. From our head to our toes and everything in between, toxicity makes us sick!

Basically, detoxification means cleansing the blood. This is done by removing impurities from the blood in the liver, where toxins are processed for elimination. The body also eliminates toxins through the kidneys, intestines, lungs, lymphatic system, and skin [remember the digestion and elimination love language?]. However, when these systems are compromised or overworked, impurities aren't properly filtered and the body struggles to keep up.

A detox program can help the body's natural cleansing process by:

1. Resting the organs through fasting;

2. Stimulating the liver to drive toxins from the body;

3. Promoting elimination through the intestines, kidneys, and skin;

4. Improving circulation of the blood; and

5. Refueling the body with healthy nutrients.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU NEED TO DETOXIFY?

Many integrative doctors suggests that everyone should detox at least once a year. When I first started seeing my functional medicine doctor [yes, a real MD with a specialization in integrative medicine], one of the first things she did was have me do a nutritional liver cleanse. But, some people should probably steer away from detoxing or at least consult their doctors first like, nursing mothers, children, and patients with chronic degenerative diseases, cancer or tuberculosis. Consult your healthcare practitioner if you have questions about whether detoxing is right for you.

If you feel any of the following symptoms, it might be worthwhile to consider a cleanse:

• Unexplained fatigue

• Allergies

• Low-grade infection

• Puffy eyes or bags under the eyes

• Bloating

• Menstrual problems - severe PMS, irregularity, etc.

• Brain fog

• Constipation

• Persistent headaches, muscle aches, and muscle fatigue

• Inclusion of large amounts of swordfish, tuna, shark, etc. into diet

• Mercury fillings and dental amalgams

• Food allergies

• Stubborn weight loss

• Hormonal imbalances and consistent use of hormone replacement such as “the pill” or progesterone cream

• Consistent use of NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen

• Skin abnormalities such as acne, rosacea, or eczema

WHICH DETOX PROGRAM IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

There are many detoxification programs and recipes, depending on your individual needs and preferences. Many programs follow at least a seven-day schedule because it takes the body time to clean the blood. You could even start as simple as limiting coffee/caffeine for a while, minimizing sugar or alcohol for a week or two and are likely to notice some differences. Whatever you decide, I always recommend natural, whole food-based eating as a part of healthy living, regardless whether it's through a cleanse or a general lifestyle shift. Cleanses do not need to be overly restrictive or extreme to do their job in supporting the liver and your digestive system to rest and function optimally. And, of course, I'd love for you to consider my 14-day Spring Cleanse which is specially designed to gently and naturally support the liver, foster hormone balance, and minimize internal stress on the body.

TOP 10 WAYS TO HELP YOUR BODY DETOXIFY

After a cleanse program, you can cleanse your body daily with these diet supplements and lifestyle practices:

1. Eat plenty of fiber, including brown rice and organically grown fresh fruits and vegetables. Beets, radishes, artichokes, cabbage, broccoli, spirulina, chlorella, and seaweed are excellent detoxifying foods.

2. Cleanse and protect the liver by taking herbs such as dandelion root, burdock, and milk thistle, and drinking green tea.

3. Take vitamin C, which helps the body produce glutathione, a liver compound that drives away toxins.

4. Drink at least 8 cups of water a day [ideally half your body weight in ounces]

5. Breathe deeply to allow oxygen to circulate more completely through your system.

6. Sweat in a sauna so your body can eliminate waste through perspiration.

7. Dry-brush your skin or try detox foot spas/foot baths to remove toxins through your pores. Special brushes are available at natural products stores.