your holistic health guide to detox: 11 strategies to support the body
Our culture is quick to offer ‘detox’ cleanses, protocols, and strategies to remedy after a night of drinking or a week long vacation. This is misleading, however, as we fail to acknowledge the body has it’s own innate detoxification system that is complex, multifaceted, and powerful. Instead of reaching for the latest juice cleanse, consider supporting your body’s detoxification pathways through diet and lifestyle regularly instead. Our bodies are incredible — they are equipped to deal with low levels of toxins. However, in the modern world, we are simply overtaxed and overburdened with toxins, which compromises the body’s ability to function the way it was meant to function.
Dr. Frank Lipman asks two questions upon considering how one can optimize their innate detox systems.
What needs to be removed to make this person's body function better, or what obstacles are hindering optimal functioning for this person?
What is this person lacking, or what needs to be added to create optimal functioning?
Oftentimes, these can offer clear direction as to where an individual should start in order to best support their body. There are a few key organs involved in detoxification: the gut and microbiome, the liver, the brain, and the skin. The kidneys also play a critical role in the detoxification process.
So how do I know if I need to prioritize detoxification?
Symptoms of toxicity can include:
Headaches
Fatigue
Sluggishness
Weakness
Muscle and/or joint aches/pain
Brain fog
Poor concentration
Irritability
Mood swings
Sleep problems
Allergies
Stuffy nose or sinus problems
Coughing
Skin rashes, acne, eczema, itching
Trouble losing weight
Water retention
Feeling puffy
Constipation, diarrhea, bloating, gas, bad breath
Identifying with any one, or many, of these symptoms does not necessarily mean you are dealing with toxicity. However, oftentimes, in Western healthcare, these symptoms are diagnosed as another issue or ailment, and toxicity is not considered.
Consider the following ways to optimize your body’s detox pathways in order to optimally function:
Nutrition: one of your best assets in navigating your detoxification journey is through the food choices you’re making daily. Reduce or eliminate consumption of refined sugar (soda, sweetened drinks, cookies, cakes, and more), refined grains (white flour, pastas, etc.), factory-farmed meats (opt for organic, grass fed, pasture raised when possible), GMOs, alcohol, and caffeine. Avoid cold cuts, processed seed and vegetables oils like canola, sunflower, soybean oil, and so on. One might consider eliminating nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, and peppers, as some are sensitive to these types of produce and may benefit from eliminating.
These foods place heavy burden on the liver and can be difficult for the digestive system as well. Incorporate lots of fiber rich, antioxidant dense fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and foods that support the gut like probiotic foods (sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, miso, and so on). Incorporate foods like dark leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables (powerful for detoxification!), low-sugar fruits, organic, high quality meats and wild seafood, unsweetened nut and seed milks, bone broth and collagen powders to support gut health, good quality oils, and so on. For more support in nutritional strategy for detoxification, consider scheduling a free consult to explore holistic health coaching with Emily.
Eliminate toxins: an ongoing part of your wellness journey should include reducing your toxic load, or your toxin exposure. The average human is exposed to thousands of chemicals over the course of their lifetime. There are currently 84,000 chemicals registered for use and roughly 200 have adequate safely data. While we cannot completely eradicate our use of or exposure to toxins, we can put forth great effort in doing so. Check out this blog post to learn more about nontoxic swaps I’ve made and recommend in the past year. Some examples include swap out your beauty products, personal care products, and household products for gentler formulas. Reduce consumption of high-mercury fish and artificial sweeteners. Choose cooking oils that are meant for high heats to avoid release of free radicals created upon cooking.
Address your stress: Stress is often overlooked as being a toxin to the body and the mind but it is incredibly important to manage. The brain is in charge of the lymphatic system, which is a clearance pathway for the central nervous system. To help support the brain in it’s own detoxification process, be sure to practice good sleep hygiene. Without sleep, this clearance pathway cannot operate as it should and build up of toxins and cognitive debris in the brain is connected to immediate term dysfunction and the potential for future onset of Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegeneration. Set boundaries with technology and avoid the need to be ‘busy all the time.’ This toxic productivity stems from cultural expectations that our productivity is connected to our self worth. Be willing to take rest, disconnect, and breathe. This is critical to proper detoxification.
Sweat! While the skin is our largest external organ that absorbs what it is exposed to, it is also responsible for sweating out toxins too. Your skin, the sweat glands, and sebaceous glands are intricate parts of your elimination in detox systems. Take advantage of this powerful detoxification strategy and get sweating! Exercise and time spent in the sauna are both powerful tools in your detox toolbox. It also beneficial to take advantage of non-strenuous activty as well — go for a walk, a swim, or take a bike ride to increase circulation of blood and potentially induce perspiration. It can also be a powerful tool to disconnect, which is essential for brain detoxification! On the topic of movement, restorative yoga has been found to be exceptionally beneficial for anyone looking to promote detoxification. It is both a mental and physical form of exercise and can support the body exponentially.
Incorporate supplementation! First and foremost, always consult your healthcare provider or a professional before adding anything new into your routine. Supplementation with different nutrients and herbs can optimize detoxification within the body. Nutrients such as glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant, regulates multiple metabolic process and is critical for mitochondrial health and energy production. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), another potent antioxidant, supports the liver. Use of milk thistle and dandelion are powerful liver-loving herbs that help cleanse and remove toxins from the body that are processed through the liver. B-Vitamins (choose methylated forms of B12 and folate) are necessary for whole body functioning, but for liver support especially. To support digestive function, some may need hydrochloric acid and/or digestive enzymes, too, in order to proper break down and utilize food. If you need guidance in supplementation, consider scheduling a call with Emily, a Certified Dietary Supplement Professional, who works with clients daily in the arena of supplements.
Hydration! Adequate fluid intake is a nonnegotiable to supporting detoxification. Prioritizing intake of fluids is a part of a healthy routine in general. My favorite ways to support detoxification through fluid intake includes making iced organic roasted dandelion tea and drinking my electrolytes daily, which offers the body nutrition it needs to optimally function. I drink matcha, daily as well, which contains chlorophyll, a powerful detoxifier and is loaded with antioxidants. My dandelion tea is by Traditional Medicinals and my daily electrolytes are by Pique — use this link to save 15% and free shipping on their Radiant Skin Duo which contains their beauty electrolytes and their organic, ceremonial grade matcha — two essential rituals in my routine! Lastly, drinking warm lemon water upon waking is a wonderful aid for digestion and supports whole body detoxification as it stimulates the digestive system and can help flush the body of toxins.
Begin dry brushing! Dry brushing has two main benefits: firstly, it helps support your skin in sloughing off old cells and debris from the surface, which unclogs pores and promotes the skin’s ability to breathe and perspire as needed. Secondly, it also stimulates the circulation beneath your skin, which helps to support cell health and renewal. It is recommended that you spend about fie minutes gently brushing your skin, starting at the top of your head and moving towards your feet, in short, rapid strokes.
Massage! Massage is not only therapeutic for the sake of muscles and recovery, it also promotes circulation of the body and lymphatic fluids. It supports the removal of your metabolic waste products so incorporating it from time to time can be a valuable part of detoxification.
Deep breathing! Most of us are primarily taking shallow breaths throughout the day. There are a number of benefits, both physical and mental, to prioritizing deep breathing. As it relates to detoxification, deep breathing keeps your lungs flexible and enables them to expel any trapped particles or pollutants that you have inhaled. It also supports healthy digestion, so I recommended taking 5 minutes to deep breath before a meal. I also recommend taking time to sit in quiet, to either relax or meditate. Even five minutes can make a huge difference.
Sleep! Sometimes, elimination of toxins can cause you to feel fatigued, as your body is hard at work processing and metabolizing compounds that it wants out! You may find that you want more rest than usual. Be patient with yourself with this process! Taking time to rest will not only benefit how you’re feeling while you support your body’s detox pathways, it is also critical for the digestive system, the liver, your brain, and beyond for their optimal functioning. Your body and your cells can repair more readily while you’re sleeping because less demand is placed on your wakefulness and daily functioning. During the hours of deeper, more restorative sleep, the body creates higher levels of human growth hormone which promotes cellular renewal. The glymphatic system is hard at work during sleep and this part of detoxification, as mentioned above, is essential for optimal brain health.
Take a bath! An Epsom salt bath can help support the body’s elimination of toxins and can be a powerful form of disconnection and self care. Epsom salt contains magnesium, otherwise known as the “Anti-Stress” mineral, and as we know, can be absorbed through the skin during the bath. Be sure to use Epsom salt that are purely Epsom salt, no added fragrance, as these chemicals can place greater burden on the liver. Consider adding a few drops of essential oils, like eucalyptus or lavender, to enhance your experience.
If you need support in carrying out any of the strategies above to help support detoxification or have any questions, please feel free to schedule a call below! This is an essential part of one’s wellness journey and without addressing it, can lead to dysfunction, a host of symptoms and long term health outcomes.
