What are the first thoughts that come to you when you hear the word detox?
Is it a week -long juice cleanse?
When it comes to detoxing properly, it’s essential to follow three stages, or we can actually become more toxic:
- Releasing toxins stored in our tissues and organs
- Binding them for elimination and
- Eliminating toxins.
Think of it like cleaning out your attic. If you just open the boxes and stir everything up without actually removing anything, you’ll end up with dust and clutter all over your house. Similarly, if you only focus on releasing toxins from your tissues, they’ll recirculate in your body, making you feel sick.
These processes run pretty smoothly if you make your own food at home from real, whole food organic ingredients, sleep well, exercise and take good care of your nervous system. But, most of us don’t, let’s be honest!
And therefore there is one important step we have to take first, before we even think about detoxification. This step is: learn how to identify toxins so you can remove them.
Identify Toxins
You can’t remove what you don’t know exists. Check out the comprehensive list here
Detox protocols are effective, but if you don’t remove what’s causing the problem in the first place, they won’t work. It’s like trying to drain a flooded basement while water keeps pouring in.
Here are some steps to help you remove toxins from your environment:
- Air-Purifying Plants : Snake plants, spider plants, are great options. Also use air purifier if you live in a city
- Shoes Off: Please take your shoes off !! Limit tracking in pollutants all the crap from the streets.
- Fragrance Free Cleaning Solutions: Replace all the laundry detergent and hand wash with fragrance free products, or use those that use essential oils
- Candles: fragrance filler and color, synthetic candles must go. Use himalayan salt lamps and essential oil diffusers
- Natural Fabrics: Use 100% cotton, linen, or wool instead of synthetic polyester.
- Glass Containers: Replace plastic food and water containers with glass.
- Cookware: Use cast iron, ceramic, stainless steel, or glass instead of Teflon-coated pans.
- Buy organic and sustainable food
- Filter your water, don’t be the filter
Your body is detoxifying 24/7. If we are aware of toxins in our environment and eat organic produce and wild meats, we should live a great life, unless you have some genetic predisposition that slows down the detoxification (waste removal) pathways, in which case healthy lifestyle and supplements are very helpful.
If you want to learn more about your genetics, just hit reply, and we can get to the bottom of this.
To help your body do its natural detoxification systems do this:
Sweat It Out
Exercise and sauna sessions are great ways to release toxins. They improve circulation and help your body expel toxins through sweat. Studies have shown that many toxic elements are preferentially excreted through sweat, making this a potent detox method (PMID: 22505948).
Fasting
If you’re generally healthy and not pregnant, fasting can be beneficial. Fasting triggers autophagy, where your body breaks down and recycles damaged cells. It promotes lipolysis, breaking down fat stores for energy, which helps release stored toxins. Fasting also enhances the efficiency of your liver and kidneys, aiding in toxin removal. Remember to take binders like activated charcoal and bentonite clay to bind and eliminate toxins released during fasting.
Heavy Metals Detox
Heavy metals are found in many everyday items, from aluminum foil to pesticides. Over time, they oxidize and damage tissues and the brain. Here are some potent detoxifiers:
- Cilantro Especially effective against long-lingering metals like mercury.
- Wild Blueberries: Packed with polyphenols and antioxidants to remove metals and reduce damage.
- Spirulina: Binds to heavy metals in the brain and helps remove them. Just make sure the spirulina is tested for purity as it can be contaminated. Good place to check is Consumerlab.com or email the company you are buying it from for a 3rf party lab testing for purity
Remember, detoxification is a 24/7 process. Detoxification is not just about releasing toxins but also binding and eliminating them effectively. By identifying and removing the sources of toxins and following a healthy lifestyle, you will start feeling better.
Start with small, manageable steps, and you’ll see significant improvements over time.
For a comprehensive guide on Toxins and Detoxification, click here
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further guidance on your health journey.
Adriana
