Is Detoxing Bad? | How to Have a Healthy Detox

As we wrap up our month of talking about spring cleaning, let’s not forget our bodies! If we only focus on the external and never look at the internal, we won’t get very far in our health journey.

When you think of “spring cleaning” for the body, you probably think of detox. Detoxing can be extremely beneficial in your health journey but you have to be careful to avoid the unhealthy detoxing. Rather than harsh teas and fasts, let’s work with our bodies. In this post, we will talk all about detoxing so you can make sure you detox in a way that actually benefits your body.

What is a detox? To detox means to rid the body of excess toxins. There are many ways to detox, but the most natural way is to use food. During a detox, the entire digestive system is engaged, but the main organ is the liver. That means you need to be eating foods that help your liver! Considering the number of toxins we encounter daily, a detox plan is necessary.

So what do I mean by using food as a detox? It means, for a set time, you avoid certain foods and beverages, and you increase others.

First, let’s talk about what to avoid

Avoid these types of methods

• Liquid fasts (unless under the care of a doctor)

• Packaged “detox” teas

• Laxatives

• Harmful supplements

Avoid these foods and beverages:

• Try to reduce or eliminate animal products, including meat.

  • Meat takes longer to digest and can slow down the detox process.

  • (If you are going to have meat, be sure it is grass-fed/grass-finished and free-range and or wild-caught)

• Other animal products such as dairy are hard on the digestive system, and most adults are allergic or have a sensitivity to dairy products.

• Do your best to remove processed/packaged foods altogether.

  • These are usually chemical-laden and contain additives and preservatives. The very things we are trying to get out of our system.

• Inflammatory foods such as gluten, grains, corn, and white potatoes are hard on the liver, hindering its detoxing ability.

• Refined sugar (think desserts, candy, and soda) is tough on the liver, causing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

• Alcohol. I don’t think I need to explain that one, but it’s hard on the liver.

What to eat

Now the fun part! There are many reasons to go through a detox plan. One of them is to “reprogram” your taste buds. Our standard American diet (SAD) is highly addictive. Sometimes we need to call a time-out and let our body taste and feel how good it is to eat the way we were created to eat.

Many foods are helpful when you are detoxing. The list is extensive, and I have included a link here if you want to read through the benefits of all of them. For now, I will list some foods that you might be surprised are great for detox.

Foods you should eat

• Eggplant

  • Eggplant is an excellent source of fiber. It also helps your liver and gallbladder perform optimally. It is also anti-inflammatory and fights off free-radicals, thanks to its antioxidants.

• Radishes

  • Radishes go straight to the digestive system, helping to clear out toxins built up over time and move them out of the body. By including high fiber foods, you will be able to help your digestive system return to its natural state of high efficiency for added energy. Bonus—Daikon radishes are especially good for the kidneys.

• Seaweed

  • Seaweed is essential to include your detox protocol because it is high in chlorophyll and iodine. Iodine supports a sluggish thyroid. You want your thyroid fully functional while detoxing (and after 😊)

• Blueberries.

• Blueberries are known for their cancer-fighting antioxidants. Blueberries are also a great source of fiber. Antioxidants help tame inflammation, and of course, fiber helps “move things along.” Important when you are doing a detox because you want the toxins leaving your body. So much packed into that little berry.

• Cantaloupe

  • Cantaloupe is a hydrating fruit. Meaning it is made mainly of water. Hydration is critical during a detox—more on that in a minute. Cantaloupe also has antioxidants and electrolytes that will help you feel refreshed.

• Cherries

  • Cherries support a good night’s sleep. Cherries are a natural source of melatonin. (more on sleep in a minute)

• Grapefruit

  • Grapefruit is an alkalizing food. That means it helps balance your liver function, which produces a more efficient detox.

• Lemons

  • Okay, this one may be familiar, but it’s such a powerhouse I wanted to include it. Lemons are an excellent detox aid; add it to your water. The vitamins and nutrients will seep into the water and provide you with Vitamin C and enzymes that support your detox organs.

• Brazil nuts

  • In Brazil nuts, selenium helps to purge mercury, a toxic metal that winds up in us, thanks to polluted air and a tainted food supply. The beauty is you don’t need to eat many of them to get their benefits; just one or two per day does the trick.

Everyday cleansing

Just like you won’t clean house only one time a year, we need to take care of our bodies daily. On a daily or regular basis, you wash the dishes, take out the trash, and vacuum. We can apply the same principle to detoxing your body regularly. Here are some things you can do every day to keep the toxins moving out.

Daily tasks to keep the toxins out

• Eat nourishing, detoxifying foods. See above

• Sweat—DAILY. Sweating is one of your detox pathways. Use it.

• Reduce stress. Chronic stress can slow down liver function

• Hydrate! You have to be flushing the toxins out. The best way is to drink water.

• Increase your fiber.

  • Be careful with this one. Yes, you need fiber in your daily diet. But be sure you’re drinking plenty of water. If you increase your fiber but are not drinking enough water, it will have the opposite effect. That can cause gas, bloating, and constipation

• Sleep.

  • “Our body’s most powerful ability and resource to self-heal, detox and replenish is sleep.”

  • When we sleep is when our bodies detox the most, it is essential to get good rest. Put lavender in a diffuser at night and snooze away

• Epsom Salt baths.

  • Taking epsom salt baths is naturally detoxifying, yet it is gentle. And bonus, the magnesium in the epsom salt will help you sleep better too. Win-win!

Starting a detox plan can be tricky, but I can help you make it manageable. I love showing my clients new lifestyle habits that last beyond a detox protocol. If this is something that interests you click here and lets get you started on your hull body health journey!