10 Ways to Detox 3

Did you know that there are TWO phases to detoxification?

Let’s compare it to our garbage pickup.  Phase one is where we bag our trash up and put it on the curb. In phase 2 is it picked up and removed.  But what if there wasn’t a driver for the truck? Well then the garbage would just sit on the curb. OR what if the truck came by, but the garbage hadn’t been bagged up and ready for removal? Again, the garbage would sit there.

In our bodies, the ‘garbage’, i.e. toxins, accumulate from external things like our tap water (containing over 140 contaminants), air pollution, a poor diet of processed foods (containing chemicals and additives, hormones, etc.) cleaners, cosmetics and internal things like bacteria, metabolic waste and cellular debris get trapped within us, causing toxicity in many of our organs. In addition, food intolerances and allergies can affect the way we digest. Anything that clogs our digestive systems will impair the removal of toxins as they have nowhere to go.

So, what happens in our bodies during detoxification: during the first phase, a toxin is biotransformed, meaning it’s changed from being insoluble to being soluble (putting trash in a bag). In the second phase, another molecule is attached to it, which is necessary for it to be excreted (like the garbage truck). We need different foods and compounds for each phase. And we need BOTH phases to happen, otherwise the toxins either aren’t “getting bagged up” or aren’t removed, and we get into states of toxicity.

Symptoms of toxicity can range from fatigue, headaches, anxiety and stress, allergies, joint/muscle pain, hormonal dysfunction, difficulty with weight management, sleep problems and skin rashes.

So, when following a guided detoxification program, certain foods or supplements are recommended to enhance these two phases and/or because they enhance circulation, which aids the removal of toxins from the organs of elimination: the skin, lungs, kidney, colon, liver and lymphatic system.

After following a detoxification program, most people have increased vitality, better digestion, are less bloated, have greater mental focus, more energy, fewer headaches, diminished sugar cravings, clearer skin, shinier hair and have an easier time with weight-loss.

As a mindfulness advocate, I must state: DETOX IS NOT ABOUT DEPRIVATION!! In fact, the program I guide people through puts them more in touch with their hunger and satiety cues and unclogs their digestion, which often puts them more in touch with their bodies and better able to make intuitive and nourishing choices at the end. PLUS, the reduction in anxiety, balanced moods and clearer mind reduces the temptation to engage in emotional eating or stress eating. When embarking on a detox, it’s important to do so in a holistic sense: rid of physical chemicals, purify your diet and your living environment as well as to detox of negative emotions and thoughts.

Even without following a guided detoxification program, there are 10 ways you can enhance your body’s detoxification process:

1. Drink warm lemon water upon waking up, about 30 minutes before breakfast
2. Dry skin brushing before taking a shower. It enhances lymphatic flow and circulation (you can pick up a skin brush at beauty stores or Target)
3. Eat garlic, onion, artichoke, citrus, beets, grapes, berries, apples (organic when possible). They help with both phases as described above (they are the trash baggers and pick-up truck).
4. Drink green tea and half your weight in water a day in ounces– i.e. if you weight 160 lbs, drink 80 oz. (flush!)
5. Take milk thistle, burdock, dandelion (or eat the greens)
6. Sweat! Sauna, perhaps? Hot yoga?
7. Exercise! It also enhances lymph flow, and increases sweating (good-bye toxins!)
8. Fiber! Push those toxins through!
9. Reduce or eliminate caffeine, alcohol, refined flour, sugar (okay, okay, everything in moderation!)
10. Incorporate relaxation and stress-relieving techniques: breathing, meditation, stretching, massage, hot epsom salt baths. Who doesn’t want more of that anyway??

 For more information about a guided 21-day detox and purification program, click here.