Simple Steps for Daily Detox

Have you ever wanted to learn more about detoxifying your body but felt overwhelmed by all the options available, where to start, or how to fit the program into your already busy schedule? Maybe you started a program but didn’t finish it, feeling even more discouraged and without the energy you were looking for. So what went wrong?
 
Here is the problem:

There are great detox programs out there, but they are hard to incorporate into your daily life. If you don’t understand how your body detoxifies and how to support these processes in practical ways, then there’s no value added in helping you stick to the plan.
 
The solution:

We need to define how your body becomes toxic, what are the systems in your body that help you detox, and then provide you with a simple plan that you can incorporate into your daily life that will support these systems; leaving you with purpose and increased vitality 365 days a year.
 
Are we all toxic?

Yes, we are all toxic. It is impossible to avoid all the toxins in our environment without being in a bubble. So what are these toxins and where can you find them?

• Food contaminated with heavy metals, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, and food additives
• Air pollution from diesel, carbon monoxide from fuel combustion, and emissions from industrial plants
• Homes contaminated with lead, asbestos, toxic cleaning products, mold, and dust
• Chronic food allergies and disease states that cause toxic byproducts  
• Drugs that stress our detoxification systems

Fortunately, you have several bodily systems that have been designed to protect you from the damaging effects of environmental toxins.
 
How your body detoxifies

• Breathing: Breathing helps remove byproducts of metabolism, such as carbon dioxide, which helps balance the pH of the blood.
• Liver: Filters your blood and then removes toxins in your intestines to be excreted through your feces or into tissues such as fat to protect you from harmful levels of toxins in your blood.
• Kidneys: filter and eliminate toxins and metabolic byproducts through urine
• Sweating: our sweat helps eliminate toxins such as heavy metals and metabolic byproducts
• Gastrointestinal: Our digestive system processes and eliminates toxins and metabolic byproducts through bowel movements.

Reduced exposure to toxins

• Eat organic versus conventional foods to avoid pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, antibiotics, and hormones.
• Eat whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, organic meat, wild fish, nuts and seeds instead of processed foods to avoid food additives and food toxins like high fructose corn syrup and nitrates.
• Improve indoor air quality by contacting the American Lung Association at www.lungusa.org or your city or county health department for local environmental toxins
• and eliminate food allergens by contacting a naturopathic physician (food allergy and toxicity symptoms may include fatigue, congestion, postnasal drip, frequent sinus infections, headache Identify clogged ears, gas, and bloating)

Simple One Week Detox Guidelines

• Start by drinking half your body weight in ounces with fresh lemon juice. I juice half a lemon a day and add it to my water.
• Eat only organic whole foods (see above). This means no fast food or highly processed foods, including organic prepared meals that have additives and preservatives. Avoid canned meat with nitrates like lunch and cured meats. Deli meat that is nitrate-free is fine (quick tip: wrap nitrate-free deli meat in romaine lettuce with oil-soaked olives and fresh tomato and avocado).
• Avoid refined sugar, alcohol, and caffeine, including chocolate and coffee. Sweeteners like honey, agave nectar, and stevia are fine. Do not use artificial sweeteners such as Equal, Splenda, or NutraSweet, as they are toxic to the liver and nervous system.
• Take a fiber supplement like psyllium or flax meal (found in the health food section of most grocery stores) away from food at night before bed. The serving size should have about 5 to 8 grams of fiber and should not have added sugar or food coloring. If you need to enhance the flavor, add it to the fresh juice.
• Get moderate exercise to improve circulation and increase sweating for the release of toxins. Sauna or hot Epsom salt baths (4 cups per bath for 30 to 60 minutes), in addition to exercise, are excellent ways to increase sweating and toxin release. Remember to hydrate well if you are sweating in a sauna, bath or with exercise to avoid dehydration. I recommend 30-60 minutes of exercise 3-5 times per week. If you are just starting out, start slowly and work your way up to this goal. If you have circulation problems, consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program or going into a sauna or hot bath for long periods of time.

I love this detox because it helps you explore different foods and lifestyles. This program also helps you live like this every day by eating foods your body was made to eat; leaving you feeling energized, clean and alive every day!