By Esly Caldwell LAc
Toxins are ubiquitous in our environment. Toxins from plastics, heavy metals, industrial chemicals, pesticides, insecticides, paints, personal care products, vehicle emissions and more are in our air, food, water and homes. Millions of Americans are exposed to these toxins every day. They can be carcinogenic, neurotoxins, endocrine disrupters (which negatively affect hormones and fertility in men and women) or just generally contribute to inflammation in the body. These exposures manifest in chronic disease and the rising incidence of autoimmune disorders and some types of cancer.
Therefore, it is imperative to detox.
These toxins are called xenobiotics. Xenobiotics are toxic chemicals. These compounds and byproducts are foreign to our bodies and we ingest or absorb them and they become a part of us.
Xenobiotics can have potent and often unknown compounding interactions with one another. This multi-factor toxicity makes it difficult to determine if there is a single causative agent for a disease or symptom.
This is why general detox is so important.
What is detox?
Detox is the process of removing these xenobiotics and toxins from our bodies. Many of these toxins end up stored in our fat cells throughout our bodies and directly in our organs. The process of detoxification removes these chemicals from our organs and prepares them for excretion.
How do you know if you need to detox?
- Frequent cold and flu symptoms
- Feeling fatigued or sluggish
- Headaches and migraines
- Aching joints and muscles
- Weight gain out of control
- Depression and mood swings
- Sugar cravings
- Brain fog and difficulty focusing
- Suffer from chronic pain, fibromyalgia, or auto-immune conditions
- Allergies and Skin issues
- Infertility
- Digestive problems like bloating or IBS
- Multiple allergies or multiple chemical sensitivities
- You can also detox on a yearly basis as a cleanse for your system to keep things functioning optimally.
Here are some common ways to begin the detox process:
- Switch as much as possible to organic food.
- Minimize the most inflammatory foods: gluten, sugar, and dairy.
- Eliminate junk food and fast food from your diet
- Eat more vegetables. Try to eat a leafy green salad every day.
- Eat fermented foods (primarily non-dairy). Fermented foods include sauerkraut, kimchi and kombucha. They contain natural probiotics. There is some evidence that the bacteria in fermented foods can aid in the detoxification process.
- Drink fresh squeezed lemon water.
- Take a tablespoon of raw, unpasteurized, organic apple cider vinegar in a glass of water every day.
- Switch to non-toxic personal care products (toothpaste, soap, detergent, cleaning supplies, hair products, lotion, and make up and beauty products)
- Filter your water. We recommend the filtration systems available from juniperway.com
- Use a MERV 10 or higher air filter in your home.
- Remove all synthetic fragrances from your home (including scented candles, aerosols etc)
- Minimize or eliminate microwave usage. There is really no such thing as microwave safe material, every material can leach into food. Be especially careful microwaving plastic and take out containers)
- Weather permitting, open your windows and allow your home to ventilate at least 10-15 minutes per day.
- Off-gas all new furniture (especially mattresses) for at least 24 hours.
- Intermittent fasting and fasting in general (under the guidance of your healthcare practitioner) can also be very helpful.
Detox Resources:
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has a very useful app called Healthy Living that reviews over 120,000 food and personal care products. This app can be very useful at evaluating the toxin levels in various products. (It can be downloaded at https://www.ewg.org/videos/ewgs-healthy-living-app#.W6LyB6ZKjIU)
The EWG Consumer Guides are another great resource. (https://www.ewg.org/consumer-guides#.W6Lyd6ZKjIU)
Clearvite Detox Program:
In our clinic we recommend an individualized detox plan that typically includes the Clearvite detox program. It is a 2-3 week program of daily supplementation with Clearvite and a diet that eliminates the most inflammatory foods.
Clearvite is a hypoallergenic powdered supplement that contains enzymes, vitamins and herbs that help to support your liver and detoxification pathways. It also helps to balance blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and heal the digestive tract.
Please contact us if you would like more information about how to detox!
