7 Easy Tips for an Effective Detox

If you are thinking of a reset or detox, you need to make sure that you are putting an EFFECTIVE detox in place.

Many people choose to go on a detox, at different times of the year. We have seasonal detoxes like spring, January detoxes, and even Full Moon Detoxes for parasite cleansing.

An effective detox aims to decrease the environmental toxic load in the body while supporting drainage pathways. The goal is to bring about increased feelings of wellbeing and minimize an unpleasant symptoms someone may be feeling.

Here are three reasons to embark on an effective detox.

1. Our environment carries many toxins, including a group called POPs: persistant organic pollutants. An example is DDT, which was produced int the 1940’s to combat malaria and typhus, through insect control. The U.S. Department of Agriculture began regulation of DDT and pesticides in the late 1050’s and into the 1960’s as there was evidence of its toxicity and persistence in the environment, including humans and wildlife (1).  By 1972, the EPA issued a cancellation order for DDT.
2. This increased load can tax our liver, which is our major detoxification organ.
3. The nutritional status of our food is declining, and our organs, including especially the liver, rely on specific nutrients to do their job.  Soil plays a huge role in our nutritional status and soil degradation has been found worldwide. This contributes to the lower nutritional status of our food (2)

How Do We Approach an Effective Detox?

Going through an effective detoxification process is one of the first steps to bringing our bodies back into alignment, and balance.

Detoxification is an innate function that our organ systems do all the time, to bring our bodies into homeostasis and maintain the stability of the body’s internal environment in response to changes in external conditions. Your body fights for balance even with internal conditions, as well!

Our bodies have their own detoxification systems, that work naturally every day, by eliminating wastes through our:

1. Kidneys, part of the Urogenital System.
2. Colon, which is part of the Digestive System.
3. Liver.
4. The Lymph System.
5. Skin, which is part of the Integumentary System.

Depending on the amount and type of toxic load, some people may feel great while detoxing, while many can experience unpleasant symptoms. This is where an effective detox can help. Side effects of detoxification can also depend on your nutritional status. We mentioned that the Liver requires a lot of nutrients to go through its phases of detoxification, the Digestive System needs both soluble and insoluble fibre for proper elimination, and your Lymph System and Kidneys need fluid to carry out their role in detoxification.

An effective detox can diminish the following issues:

• Headaches
• Lethargy
• Muscle aches
• Excess mucus
• Flu-like symptoms
• Irritability
• Difficulty sleeping
• Weakness
• Cravings
• Nausea
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Gas/bloating

The good news? Even if you are experiencing some of these symptoms, you can have an effective detox.

These symptoms won’t last forever, and will generally dissipate after 3-5 days. If you are experiencing one or more of these symptoms, it is easy to become discouraged, but knowing how to manage and control the severity of these symptoms will allow for a safe and easy detox.

Here are 7 Easy Tips for an Effective Detox!

1. Hydrate: Drinking at least 64oz of water each day will not only ensure you stay properly hydrated, but will also support your body with proper elimination and detoxification. Also, starting your morning with a glass of room temperature lemon water is an excellent way to alkalize your body and kick start your digestion.
2. Avoid Food Sensitivities While Supporting Your Gut: Our scans identify food sensitivities. Avoiding those foods that you are sensitive to will help decrease inflammation in your body, creating a better environment for detoxification.If you’ve not done a scan with us before a Sensitivity Scan may be your best starter!Your gut environment may influence whether or not you have food sensitivities. Imbalances in the gut microbiome can inflame the gut mucosa, which is where your body is receiving  information about the foods in that digestive tract. Removing foods that may be sensitive for you, right now, is only one part of a healthy gut and diminishig sensitivities.
3. Eat Fiber! Eating whole, organic foods with emphasis on healthy vegetables, fruits and lean protein will alkalize and give your body the proper nutrition to support a healthy detox. Fiber, along with bile, helps remove toxins from the digestive tract.If you are not having healthy bowel movements at least one time per day, you may need to up your fiber and water intake!Avoid processed foods with preservatives and refined sugars as they create an acidic environment in your body.
4. Exercise: Commit to at least 15 minutes a day to break a sweat. Sweating releases toxins from the body, gets the blood moving, and keeps your joints and muscles mobile. Brisk walking, rebounding, cycling, swimming, and yoga are all great activities to do while you detox.
5. Epsom Salt or Detox Bath: Taking an Epsom salt bath detoxifies the liver and provides your body with magnesium, and sulfate, both of which are essential for detoxification. Epsom salts also help draw toxins out of our skin, which is the largest organ in our body and responsible for a large amount of healthy detoxification.Add ¼ cup Epsom salt, ½ cup baking soda, ½ cup sea salt, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, and a few drops of lavender essential oil to a warm bath.
   

   This blog post talks ALL about the benefits of this simple ritual!

6. Dry Skin Brushing: As mentioned earlier, our skin is our largest organ, and is vital for healthy detoxification and proper digestion. We call this the Integumentary System on our Full Scan.Skin brushing improves lymphatic drainage while promoting healthy digestion and detoxification. You can purchase a dry skin brush at any health foods store.To begin, gently brush in a circular motion, moving from the extremities towards the heart, improving blood flow to the heart. To improve digestion, use counterclockwise strokes on your belly.
7. Oil Pulling: Oil pulling has been a common detoxification practice for centuries, and helps remove harmful bacteria in your mouth that can disrupt the microflora in your gut leading to digestive upset. We like to use coconut oil when pulling as it is naturally anti-bacterial.Put one TBSP of coconut oil in your mouth, swishing it around from 10-20 minutes.Dispose of the oil by spitting in your garbage can, avoid spitting in the sink as it can cause a major clog!Rinse your mouth with water and sea salt and brush your teeth. Oil pulling is best done first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.

By keeping these seven tips in mind, you will ease the common symptoms you may feel and create an effective detox for yourself. These tips are also part of daily living, that support those ongoing detoxification systems.

Interested in going deeper, and targeting your detox?  Our Full Scan is the most comprehensive bioenergetic test to do this!