We live in such a toxic world today that almost everyone has heard of detoxing or has done a detox in one form or another. These toxins are constantly surrounding us. Some that we can control and avoid and others that we can’t. But, did you know that your body is constantly detoxing itself? Detoxing is the way the body naturally heals and repairs itself. Our bodies were actually designed to handle toxins and downregulate these toxins to keep us healthy. We constantly have an internal cleansing process working to remove the toxins that we come into contact with on a daily basis. There are six systems in our bodies that are involved in the detoxification process; cardiovascular, lymphatic, digestive, urinary, skin and respiratory systems. We need these detoxification pathways to cleanse vital cellular and organ activities so they can function properly. We can also support these natural detoxing processes with our own physical detox protocols.

Detoxing has also become somewhat of a fad trend, but has actually been around for thousands of years dating back to Hippocrates in Greece to Ayurveda in India and the purification rituals in Native Americans. There are also better ways to detox than others. When detoxing, it is important to address the foundations of nutrition and health prior to beginning a detox. These foundations include balancing digestion, blood sugar, fatty acids, minerals and hydration through a diet rich in properly prepared, nutrient-dense, whole foods. This way, when you actually begin to detox, your body is able to eliminate these toxins via the proper open elimination pathways. If you currently are not on a whole food, nutrient dense diet, this is a good place to start for you. This means cutting out processed foods and eating organic fruits and vegetables, grass-fed/wild-caught/pasture-raised meats and animal proteins (raw and cooked), properly soaked or sprouted grains, seeds and legumes, and avoiding things like sugar, hydrogenated oils, and processed white flour foods. The Weston A. Price Foundation has lots or resources on how to find food sources near you and research articles supporting these recommendations.

Detoxing is the process of purifying or cleansing the body. Some detoxing techniques include fasting, saunas and sweat lodges, herbs, water, rest and mediation, enemas, exercise, and various methods of bodywork techniques. A person can detox physically, emotionally or spiritually. But, some people may ask “why do we need to detox if we are eating healthy foods?” The answer is simple, even when eating a healthy diet, toxins are everywhere and impossible to avoid. Toxins are in our air and water, chemicals in everyday household products and foods, radiation, stress, cellular/metabolic wastes, bacterial/parasitic and fungal overgrowth, poorly digested foods, heavy metal exposure, and the list goes on. Toxins are any external substance that create an irritating or harmful effect in the body. Detoxing helps remove these excess toxins from the body.

Processed, lifeless food is seen by the body as a toxin, but the proper macro and micro nutrients play a vital role in the body’s ability to detoxify. If a person isn’t digesting the foods eaten, then even the most perfect diet can clog the body’s detoxification pathways. Poor fat digestion clogs the lymph and therefore the liver. Digestion must also be corrected in order to balance blood sugar. Elevated cortisol and general blood sugar imbalance stress the liver and deplete B vitamins which are essential for detoxing. Fat tissue helps the body store toxic waste that needs to be removed such as metals, petroleum and other chemicals. Ingestion and digestion of fats causes less stress on the liver. Bile, which is necessary for digestion, is built from healthy fat and helps to remove toxins from the body via the intestinal tract. The proper balance of dietary fats helps create a permeable membrane that allows wastes to be removed from the inside of the cell. Minerals are needed in detoxing to help buffer the acidic blood caused by detoxing. And last on the foundations list is hydration. Staying properly hydrated keeps the body flushing toxins and moving bowels and urine regularly. Proper hydration also helps keep the blood fluid so that toxic materials may be delivered to the lymph and liver.

Once the foundations have been addressed (especially diet) for 2-3 months then it is time to move on to supportive therapies to help with circulation and elimination of toxins. Some easy at home detox treatments include dry brush massage, caster oil packs, bouncing or rebounding (like jumping on a trampoline) exercises, enemas/colonics/ purgatives and sweat therapies.  Dry brushing, jumping rope, rebounding are good activities for stimulating the lymphatic system. If there is a specific problem that needs to be addressed, additional detox programs may be required such as heavy metal detox, chemical detox, parasite and colon cleanses, bowel flora or yeast overgrowth, dental rework, etc. possible reactions to detoxing include digestive reactions like diarrhea, allergy type reactions such as swelling or rashes, or healing crisis which looks like the symptoms you are trying to fix.

Some people may be affected by some form of reaction by following the detox protocols mentioned above. This is normal and usually only lasts a couple weeks!!! Some possible reactions to changing diet, especially when cutting out processed foods for the first time, and the protocols mentioned above include:

• Digestive Reactions such as diarrhea, cramping, heartburn and constipation
• Sensitivity or Allergic Reactions such as a rash or congestion
• Healing Reaction such a flu like symptoms, or looks like the symptoms you are trying to fix.

 

 

 

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