12 Healthy Habits to Support Detoxification

What is Detox?

When people "detox" they are attempting to expedite the removal of toxins from their body and blood. It's a cleansing process that is going on all the time inside all of our bodies, carried out by the liver, kidneys, intestines, lymphatic system and skin. The liver is the major player in detoxification, but the supporting cast keeps the liver from getting overburdened.

When impurities are not properly eliminated, there are adverse effects throughout the body. Toxins will build up over time and impede the proper functioning of the blood and organs. How likely are we to run into detoxification problems? It’s much more common than it should be due to the tremendous amount of toxicity in our daily lives.

Who needs to detox?

With the amount of toxins in our environment in the US, everyone needs to worry about their body’s detoxification system and whether it's working at top efficiency. We are exposed to toxins in the air, water, cleaning products, personal products, and even our food. Herbicides, pesticides, antibiotics, growth hormones, heavy metals and many different synthetic chemicals are found in products we use or eat daily. 

It’s gotten so bad that a 2005 study found that infants had an average of over 200 industrial chemicals and unnatural compounds in their blood at birth. With the increased use of powerful cleaning products in 2020 due to COVID-19, the toxic assault on our bodies has only gotten worse. Robust detoxification has become more essential.

When your detoxification system becomes sluggish and inadequate you will usually feel the effects of toxic buildup. Symptoms can include:

• Fatigue
• Constipation
• Irritated skin
• Minor infections
• Puffy eyes or bags under eyes
• Allergies
• Mental fog
• Bloating
• Menstrual problems

It’s important to pay attention to your body’s warning symptoms before they lead to more serious illness.

How to detox

You have probably heard of special detox protocols such as a 7-day juice cleanse or 14-day herbal liver cleanse. These protocols can be complicated and definitely require planning, but can be very effective. Many health experts recommend that people undertake a major cleanse protocol at least once per year and more often if it feels necessary. We’ll explore these detox protocols more in an upcoming blog post.

Major cleanses are always there for you, but you can make big strides in detoxing your body with many small, simple lifestyle habits. These can help keep your detoxification processes running smoothly and are worth learning and putting into practice. 

Each item in the list is simple and doable, but it can be overwhelming to change too many habits at once. Try to add one or two new habits at a time until they’re ingrained. Before long you’ll begin to feel the difference in your health. 

12 Healthy Habits for Detoxification

1. Eliminate chemical toxins in your food, home cleaning products and personal care items. Replace them with organic, toxin-free options by switching out one product at a time. Eliminate or limit coffee, cigarettes, refined sugars, saturated fats and alcohol.
2. Avoid or manage stress. Yoga and meditation are good stress relievers.
3. Get enough healthy nutrients with organic whole foods - especially green leafy veggies like kale, celery, cilantro, parsley and spinach.
4. Get more sleep at night. Sleep allows your body to reorganize and remove toxins that build up during the day.
5. Start oil pulling daily by swishing 1 tablespoon of organic coconut oil in your mouth for 10 to 20 minutes, then spitting it out. The oil pulls toxins from your oral cavity for elimination.
6. Use supportive supplements. Try chlorophyll tablets to help cleanse your blood. Take milk thistle and dandelion root to support your liver. Take lots of vitamin C for detox support.
7. Drink gentle detoxifying teas such as dandelion, turmeric, holy basil, chia, and milk thistle.
8. Drink lots of water to help flush toxins out of your body and keep your cells hydrated and happy. Start your day with lemon water - before you eat or drink anything else, drink 8 ounces of fresh water with half a fresh squeezed lemon or 1 drop of lemon essential oil.
9. Breathe deeply for oxygenation of your body. Yoga is great for learning to breathe for increased vitality.
10. Relax and sweat in a sauna to boost detoxification through the skin and relieve stress. Include essential oils and try dry brushing your skin for extra detox boosts.
11. Exercise about 1 hour per day. It helps pump oxygen and feel-good hormones through your body, especially aerobic activities.
12. Rest your detox organs by fasting or intermittent fasting. Give your detoxifying organs time and space to do their most important work with a break in their daily chores of food processing. 

We also have a lot of great natural products in our shop to help you reduce the toxin load in your home.

As you progress through the list you will start to feel a difference. Your body will begin to function more efficiently, boosting your energy and relieving chronic symptoms. The combination of reducing toxic exposure and boosting your body's elimination capabilities will get you to a more vibrant state of being before you know it.