Today, we’re going to talk about detoxing. Now, this is a huge subject, and there are many things to talk about, but while I will do my best to make it simple to understand, today’s blog post could be a bit longer and more scientific. But it’s so fascinating!
First, we need to discuss why you need to detox. And I will mention here that anyone can do it. You don’t have to be completely unhealthy and sedentary to get benefits. Athletes can detox as well and get the benefits too. Detoxing is extremely important to your health. The toxins that fill your body mess with your sleep, hormones, weight control, mood, energy, cravings, brain function, digestive system, and your gut microbiome. So you can see that detoxing benefits your entire body.
But how do you pick up all of these harmful toxins? Unfortunately, theyr’e eveerywhere. Toxins are found in herbicides, pesticides, mold, mercuric oxide (which is put in everything including your food, as it’s antibacterial, antifungal, antivirla, anti-pest, etc.), lead, volatile organic compounds, vaccines, acrylamide, arsenic, environmental phenols, and when you fly on a plane. Planes have perchlorate, which is a toxin, and penetrates your body when you’re flying. You can also get toxins when you’re driving your car. The wear and tear on your tires on the road, ends up being a dust that you breathe in.
Then, there’s your household to consider. Or your work environment. Do you use air fresheners? Cleaning supplies scented with lemon perhaps? Air fresheners and household cleaning supplies are filled with horrible chemicals. And where do you put them? Well, air fresheners, you place somewhere that you’ll be able to smell it. The problem, your breathing in all of those chemicals, straight down your respiratory tract andinto your lungs. That’s not going to help with any of your goals. Cleaning supplies, you put that on your counters, your furniture, in your bathroom, everywhere, and then you touch it throughout the day. And, your skin is the largest organ of your body. Those chemicals can go through your skin straight into your blood stream.
Carpet is also a problem. It holds all kinds of chemicals, and when you vacuum it, you’re releasing the dust and chemicals it contains up into the air for you to breathe in. Laundry detergent is a problem as well. And where does that go? On your clothes, which go on your skin, which we just discussed was the largest organ of your body. So you don’t want that either.
Now, we’ll discuss exactly how to detox properly. And I will warn you, that the detoxing process can be unpleasant. Your body has to release all of those harmful chemicals from your fat cells, in order to wash them out of your body. I warn you to stick with it. You could feel more fatigued, possibly sick, and other symptoms as well. But once you have detoxed your body, you’ll have more energy, better brain function, better sleep, better sex, better everything. Detoxing helps with all of that. So, let’s get into it:
Eat organic food. That’s a real big one. I know that organic is more expensive and harder to always manage to get. But it is worth it in the long run. When you buy non-organic fruits and vegetables, those have been doused with herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, can be GMO’s, and can cause your body more harm than good. I know it’s difficult, but if you can buy organic, than that’s better. There are some things that you can buy non-organic though. Bananas, pineapples, melons, oranges, lemons, and limes. (Just make sure for the citrus fruits you don’t intend to use the peel, otherwise you need it organic.) Corn is a must for organic. It is one of the highest GMO foods on the planet. Avoid non-organic corn whenever possible.
Avoid plastic dishes and utensils, and try not to store food in plastic containers. Also, avoid microwaves. Plastic containers will put the chemicals into the food you’re storing. Especially if it’s hot. Which means that when you go to eat the food, you’re eating the chemicals. Microwaves put chemicals in your food, take most of the nutrients our of your food, and have radioactive waves that are harmful to you. Use stainless steel, glass or clay. Avoid nonstick pans and cookware. Avoid scented products as well. Most “scents” are chemicals.
Check your home for the toxins I listed, and check for mold. Mold is filed with toxins, and can deteriorate your health rapidly. Look for anything that could cause mold. Perhaps even get a professional to check your house if you can, and make sure your home is toxin free.
Unfortunately, there’s little you can do about your work environment unless you can get all of your coworkers and managers on board with you. Which, while it is possible, isn’t likely. So eliminating as many toxins from everywhere else as possible, will be your best step to battle further toxins.
Sweating is also extremely beneficial for detoxing. When you sweat, your body is detoxing the chemicals right out through your pores. The more you sweat, the more you can detox. You want to be cautious of this though, and make sure that you drink plenty of water to replace the water you sweated out. Exercise is probably the best way to do this, but you can also sweat with Epsom Salt baths, and even a sauna. All are great for not only detoxing, but will also de-stress you, and will give your body the magnesium it needs to function even better.
Intermittent Fasting is also really great for detoxing. The fasting allows your body time to break down more fat cells in your body, and catch up cleaning everything up. If you have any questions about Intermittent Fasting, I have a blog post all about it for you here: Should I do Intermittent Fasting?
Oil Pulling is simple to do. There are different oils that you can use, but I like using coconut oil. What you do, is you take a spoonful of coconut oil, put in your mouth, and you swish it around. You can do it for as little as five minutes, but I recommend closer to ten or fiftenn for maximal benefits. This will pull all the bad toxins out of your mouth, and will also whiten and strengthen your teeth. I’ll give an example of how well it works for your teeth. Years ago, I got a cavity, and rather than go to the dentist to get it taken care of, I did oil pulling every single day, (I think I did it a couple of times a day actually) and my cavity was gone. From oil pulling. It works. Try it. Just make the coconut oil is organic.
Hot and Cold Therapy is great for detoxing. Remember when I said you could sweat with a sauna or an epsom salt bath? Same goes for here. Hot and Cold Therapy is when you switch from hot temperatures, to really cold temperatues, and back again. And you go back and forth. Ben Greenfield (a biohacking health and fitness enthusiast) actually is the one I found out about this from. And he has a few different methods to accomplish this. He likes to use a sauna for about five minutes, then go outside in the snow and make snow angels or have a snowball fight while still in his swimsuit, then go get back in the sauna to repeat the process. And he goes back and forth in this for awhile. In this, you’re not only detoxing your body, you’re also shocking your body into working harder, (which burns more fat cells), and buiding your immune system and strength. You can also do it in the shower, switching from the hottest water you can possibly stand, to the coldest water that you can possibly stand, taking a couple of minutes on each setting to let your body adjust, and then you switch to the other.
The best nutrition for detoxing would be healthy fats from fish, meat, seeds, and nuts. Try using organic liver now and then. Eggs are also really good for detox. Antioxidants, like blueberries, blackberries, rasberries, plmegrantes, and cherries are also beneficial in detoxing. Mainly, you want to eat a high quality foods diet, lots of produce, and good healthy fats.
The foods you want to avoid though, are high amounts of unsaturated processed fats and processed foods, canola oil, french fries, and high amounts of fructose and sugar. Try to limit alcohol intake.
Herbs that help with Detoxing would be Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum), Chlorella, Pectin, Activated Charcoal, Spirulina, Dandelion (Taraxacum officiale), Ginseng (Panax ginseng), and Zinc.
Essential Oils that help with Detoxing would be Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum), Grapefruit (Citrus x paradisi), Juniper Berry (Juniperus communis), Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia), Lemon (Citrus lemon), Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), and Peppermint (Mentha piperita.
Well, there you have it! That’s this week’s post on detoxing! I hope that you enjoyed this blog post, and I hope that you will find the information beneficial to you. Try what you’d like, see what works for you, and I’d love to hear what works best for you. Spread the word, tell people about this, and let’s help more people feel the best they’ve ever felt! Have a wonderful day, and stay well!