Detox for a Healthy Mind and Body
Aug 01, 2022
Why Detox?
In our everyday lives, no matter how careful we are, each of us has some exposure to toxins from the water we drink, air we breathe, food we eat (land and sea), and from the products we use. Detoxification is a natural process the body uses to eliminate/metabolize foreign substances from our bodies, however, the toxic load in our bodies can increase overtime taxing our main detox organ: the liver. A detoxification program can help to remove impurities and lessen this toxic load in the blood through routes of elimination in the body: kidneys, intestines, skin, lungs, liver, and lymphatic system. Detoxing will help nourish and cleanse the body from the inside out.
What Are Toxins?
Toxins can be either external (environmental such as alcohol, pesticides, tobacco, heavy metals, medication, oral contraceptives) or internal (the body through its normal metabolism forms by-products which are toxic if not neutralized or excreted).
Do You Need to Detox?
There are various symptoms that may arise in the body indicating your body is overloaded and your liver is working too hard. These symptoms include:
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headaches
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fatigue
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skin conditions like acne or eczema
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sensitivity to chemicals or smells
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increased allergic reactions
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chronic constipation or diarrhea
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confusion or brain fog
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waking up with puffy ankles, eyes or fingers
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feeling hungover even though you are not
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weight gain
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anxiety or depression
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moodiness or quick to anger
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chronic sore joints or muscles
The Liver’s Role in Detoxing
The liver goes through a 2-step process to turn potentially harmful toxins into water-soluble molecules to be excreted from the body in stool and urine.
Phase 1 (oxidation): uses oxygen and specific enzymes called cytochrome p450 enzymes, to help burn toxins through an oxidation process to make these fat-soluble toxins more water-soluble for excretion. Grapefruit can inhibit phase 1, altering the detox enzyme function for up to 72 hours. Therefore, it is best to avoid grapefruit through your detox program.
Phase 2 (conjugation): oxidized chemicals from phase 1 detoxification are combined with sulfur, organic acids or amino acids to be excreted in bile. Nutritional deficiencies, low protein intake, alcohol and medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol) can inhibit phase 2 processes.
Components of a Detoxification Plan
1. Dietary modifications
2. Supplements/IV therapy
3. Lifestyle
4. Mental/emotional
5. Spiritual/Energetics
1. Diet
Diet is the most important foundation of a detox program. You can take detox supplements but if you do not correct a poor diet, then the supplements will only get you so far. There are two main parts of dietary changes that are important to focus on: eliminating inflammatory and toxic foods, and adding in liver loving foods for support phase 1 and phase 2 detoxification processes in the body. If you are depleted on nutrients from having a poor diet, then this can impede your detoxification process. So additional dietary supplementation may be recommended to support your dietary changes.
Liver Loving Foods:
The most common group of foods used for detoxification is the Brassica family: cabbage, kale, cauliflower, turnips, broccoli, and collard greens to name a few.
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Phase I detoxification support – cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, oranges, tangerines
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Phase II detoxification support – cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, legumes, turmeric, green tea, raspberries, blueberries
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Liver protector foods – garlic, green leafy vegetables, apples, beets, turmeric, seeds, almonds
2. Supplements
The liver is an important organ to focus on when detoxing. Herbs like dandelion, milk thistle, turmeric are protective for the liver and help to reduce inflammation. B-vitamins, vitamin C and protein are crucial for proper clearance of chemicals from the blood.
3. Lifestyle
There are various lifestyle practices to support detoxification. A few to mention include:
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Exercise - very important component to support the cleansing/detoxification process. Exercise increases oxygen delivery to your tissues, increases your metabolism, makes your body better able to break down and eliminate toxins. It can also increase lymphatic flow and improve the elimination of your bowels. If you are new to exercising, start slow – walking around the block, short swim or bike ride. * Note: toxins are stored in fat so you can increase the amount of toxins in your blood temporarily when exercising.
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Sauna – skin is the largest organ of elimination in the body. The process of sweating eliminates toxins through the skin.
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Water intake - drinking 3 litres of water for supporting the elimination of toxins. Adding fresh lemon to your water upon waking can stimulate your liver and can help to alkalize the body's pH once metabolized for optimizing health. Many diseases and conditions can be linked to an acidic body state.
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Rest - an important component for allowing your body to detoxify and heal. Ensure at least 8 hours of sleep per night. Take naps if you need – listen to your body.
4. Mental/Emotional
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Get creative – painting, dancing, writing, singing or any other activity to allow you to freely express yourself. This can help the flow of stagnant emotions, opening your body and heart to the world around you.
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Practice self-love and self-care – If we want to give love to others, we must love ourselves first. Find a positive mantra to repeat daily in the morning. This can be done standing in front of a mirror.
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Talk therapy - Find someone supportive to talk to about your emotions rather than bottling them up inside of you. Journaling about your emotions is another form of releasing these feelings from inside of you.
5. Spiritual
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Meditation – for promoting relaxation and helping to focus and quiet the mind. Neuroscientists found people who meditate shift their brain activity to different areas of the cortex. Brain waves in the right frontal cortex (the stress-prone area) move to the left frontal cortex (the calmer area). This shift in brain wave activity enables a better ability to adapt to the negative effects of stress, mild depression and anxiety. Your lungs help to exhale out toxins and inhales in fresh oxygen by deep breathing techniques. You can listen to my meditations here.
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Nature - Spending time in nature to nourish the spirit and reduce stress. Studies show nature has the ability to promote positive emotions and heighten physical and mental energy.
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Mindfulness - Be mindful about media, what you are watching, reading or listening to. Filter out sources of media that may be lowering your energy vibration (negative words or images).
“Healing Reactions”
Please be aware that people experience different reactions to detoxification and cleansing depending on how much your body needs to eliminate. Some common symptoms include fatigue, nausea, headaches, constipation or diarrhea, sweating, irritability, mood swings, insomnia, runny nose, and inability to concentrate. These symptoms are normal reactions and can be lessened with increased water intake, exercise and resting when needed. Try to start your cleansing process when you have a day or two off from work since the first day or two are the most difficult. However, these symptoms will subside, and the benefits will be worth it!!!
Book online today to work with Dr. Julie on your individualized detoxification plan.
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