Why do I call this post the Detoxification Station? Because everything you need to know about a detox can be found right here. I hope to give you some helpful advice, and I’d love to hear your comments below!

‘Tis the season when most people are thinking about one of two things: losing weight or doing a detox (and sometimes both). These are both big topics and each one deserves its own post. Today, it’s all about the detox, baby.

Most of us are filled with junk (toxins, chemicals, waste) that make our bodies work less efficiently and bring us down, both physically and mentally. One must detoxify the junk in order to create, and maintain, a healthy body. I believe that one of the reasons behind so many of us succumbing to illnesses of all kinds has to do with toxicity within our body. (I believe another reason to be deficiencies of certain nutrients – vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, etc. – that our body needs in order to function properly.)

Why So Much Junk?

Well, let’s look first at what we feed ourselves. Even with a healthy way of eating, it can be difficult to avoid chemicals. They’re in (and on) fruits and vegetables (eating organic is a good way to avoid pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides);  they’re littered in processed, packaged foods (preservatives, artificial colours and flavours); and they’re in the meat that we consume (not only in pesticides in that animal’s diet, but also in antibiotics and hormones often given to that animal – a great reason to look for “antibiotic and hormone free”. Also go for wild salmon over farmed.). Chemicals are in our drinking water (chlorine and fluoride, anyone?), and they’re in the air we breathe (hey, we live in Steel City, after all). And, there’s one more source of toxins that needs a mention: our thoughts. Really. What we think directly affects our physical body, and toxic thoughts can absolutely have a negative impact on our overall health. Positivity, happiness, smiling, gratitude, friendship, and love all help ensure a healthy body and allow our food nutrients to work even better. While we can’t avoid some sources of chemicals, we can certainly reduce others and protect our body from harm.

What Is a Detox?

A detox, also known as a cleanse, is something we do for a certain number of days or weeks that works to remove the toxins from our body. That “something” could be a detox kit that contains herbs and nutrients, and it could also be us simply doing a specific cleansing routine on our own. There are certain things to focus on during a detox, whether or not you’ve bought a kit, and they are outlined a little bit later.

Why Should I Cleanse?

Our body is bombarded with toxins on a daily basis. And, being the main organ of detoxification, our liver takes the brunt of this. Poor Livey. He has over 500 jobs in our body (say whaaat?!), some of which involve detoxification. One can imagine that a lot of toxins means an overwhelmed and overworked liver. We need our liver to work properly (it’s our largest internal organ, after all), so detoxifying is the least we can do for him.

Things to Keep in Mind During a Detox

• Drink lots of water (at least 8 cups per day) to help flush out toxins. (Drinking filtered water, such as reverse osmosis, is excellent, as this eliminates many contaminants. I also love the Santevia water filter, both in the pitcher form and also the counter system.)
• Keep those bowels moving! Our liver filters our blood of toxins and dumps the waste, through bile, into our small intestine. That waste is then moved further along our intestine and is then eliminated out of our body. Or is it? Without enough fibre to absorb the bile and toxins and remove them from us, that waste can be reabsorbed into the bloodstream and brought right back to our liver. Do you like doing the exact same job twice in a row? Neither does your liver. Help it along by ensuring proper bowel movements; you should be having 2-3 per day. And, they should be full and bulky, not thin or scant. They should pass easily, no straining necessary. If your BMs don’t meet these standards (don’t worry; most don’t), then you must drink more water and eat more fibre. A great idea, especially during a cleanse, is adding a fibre supplement to your daily routine. I’m a big fan of psyllium husks; you simply mix 1-3 Tbsp (start small and work your way up) into about 2 cups (or more) of water and drink it, once per day. It gets thick, so add more water if necessary. Follow that with another cup of water. This requires a hydrated body, so ensure you’re drinking at least 8 cups of water total per day. Also consider a probiotic for proper detoxification and elimination.
• Enemas and colonics are so great at removing waste from the colon walls. You can buy an enema kit from a drugstore and do them at home, or book a series of colonics at a clinic that offers them. Enemas are highly recommended!
• Eat vegetables (lots of different colours, especially the green ones) and some fruits. Aim for 10 servings of veggies daily (1 serving is 1/2 a cup), and 2-3 fruits.
• Your meals should contain veggies, protein (like eggs, meat, fish, brown rice, quinoa, lentils, beans), and fat (like olive oil, flax oil, coconut oil). That’s it!
• Freshly made juices provide lots of important nutrients during a detox, and smoothies are great too.
• Dry brushing is an excellent way to remove dead skin cells, as well as the toxins that have come out through our skin. It also increases circulation and lymphatic flow, both of which further aid in detoxification.
• Epsom salt baths are an awesome addition to a cleansing program; they help to draw toxins out through the skin while giving us a healthy dose of magnesium.
• Exercise is important for increasing blood flow, sweating out toxins, and even breathing them out through our lungs. Just make sure you don’t do anything too strenuous while cleansing. A brisk walk is a great example of a good cleansing exercise.
•  Sweat it out! If you have access to a sauna, take advantage of its benefits; it helps toxins come out through the skin while increasing circulation.
• Rest as much as possible. Your body needs time to heal and detoxify, so grant it that. Go to bed at a good time every evening, and if you need a nap during the day, take one! (Just don’t do it at work… I don’t want to get you in trouble.) 🙂

What to Avoid

You knew this one was coming. But, it’s true: in order to get the most benefit out of a detox, you must remove foods that add toxins, as well as those that can contribute to poor digestion. These include:

• Wheat
• Dairy
• Sugar
• Processed foods
• Coffee (limit it to 1 cup per day if the thought of cutting it out completely brings you to tears)
• Alcohol
• Anything artificial (these should never be consumed)

What to Expect

During a cleanse, you might feel tired for the first few days, and you might experience headaches. One of the main reasons for this is because toxins are leaving your cells and are now circulating in your bloodstream. Before they’re removed, you can feel low energy and slightly under the weather. It’s possible that the more toxins you have in your bod, the more you will feel these effects. Once the toxins start to exit, you will feel much better, and after a cleanse, you will likely have lots of energy, feel lighter, have better digestion, and all-around feel healthier. You might even lose a few pounds too; you’re avoiding many junky foods and focusing on getting healthy, and this is when weight loss happens.

Everyday Tips for Ongoing Detoxification

One thing that irks me is that some people think they can follow a 7 day detox kit, and then go back to their normal (unhealthy) eating routine right after, and that’s enough. Let me tell you, with the amount of junk that we have in our bodies at any given time, we must help ourselves get rid of it on an ongoing basis. Going back to an unhealthy way of eating and living will simply add the toxins back in that you just spent money and time cleaning out! We must continue to reduce the toxins coming in while increasing the junk going out.

Here are some tips to keep in mind after a detox:

• Continue drinking minimum 8 cups of water daily (the filtered stuff is best).
• Adding freshly squeezed lemon juice to your water every morning is a great liver cleanser.
• Look around your home for chemicals and get rid of them! (air fresheners; candles; cleaning products; body care products like deodorant, soap, shampoo, makeup, lotion)… it all adds up, and they each have healthy alternatives!
• Continue to avoid, as much as you can: wheat products, excessive dairy, sugar, and processed foods.
• Avoid artificial sweeteners, flavours, colours, and preservatives always!
• Think happy thoughts. 🙂 Remember, our thoughts do affect our bodies!

Detox Kits – A Brief Mention

While the use of a detox kit isn’t an absolute necessity (you can simply follow the instructions above), it can really help to cleanse more deeply and remove more toxins at a faster rate. I’ve highlighted some of the ones I’ve tried and often recommend below:

• Wild Rose Herbal D-Tox
• Flor-Essence 7-Day Purification Program
• New Roots Energy Cleanse
• Renew Life (they have lots to choose from, such as: First Cleanse, CleanseSmart, LiverDetox, and so on)
• Martin & Pleasance Fresh Start (great for addressing cravings and starting new habits)

Happy cleansing!