Seven Strategies of Detoxification

What is the best cleansing modality? 

Beyond the obvious practices of moderation, a healthy diet, optimal hydration, and restful sleep, a routine sauna may be the best single detox practice you can engage in. Sweat is a very effective way to reduce our body's burden of a large array of chemicals.

 That being said, I am a firm believer in participating in a variety of different detoxification activities to support optimal wellness despite living in an increasingly toxic world.

The Seven Strategies of Detoxification 

Why so many strategies? Because we have multiple different ways to metabolize and eliminate toxins. Additionally, we are exposed to many different types of chemicals, some that can pass through our bodies quickly and others that settle in specific parts of our bodies and require different techniques to remove.

1.     Avoidance of toxins

The first step in lowering our body's burden of toxic chemicals is to reduce exposure. This step can feel overwhelming as you begin to think about the many chemicals you are exposed to every day. It is good to remember that every new habit you establish significantly reduces exposure over time. Whether you choose to reduce indoor chemicals by removing your shoes when you enter your home or you stop drinking water from plastic bottles, it all adds up.

2.    Daily Detox Habits

These are basic and simple things to do every day to support your body’s eliminatory organs. Drink water, eat a produce-rich diet, move your body, breathe deeply, and engage in other healthy habits. These daily habits support your body’s innate ability to detox. 

3.    Seasonal Cleansing in Spring and Fall 

Seasonal Cleansing is a fantastic annual routine to support your liver in catching up on processing stored chemicals. Water-soluble chemicals are eliminated relatively easily in our urine and stool. Fatty chemicals, on the other hand, tend to store in fat. The liver biotransforms these fatty chemicals to water waste that is then excreted by our kidneys and colon. A 28-day Seasonal Cleanse supports the liver in this process.

4.   Keto-Adaptation

You may be wondering how a high-fat diet could possibly be a cleansing strategy. Fat-soluble chemicals can build up in our fat cells. When you train your body to burn fat on a ketogenic diet, these chemicals move from storage to your bloodstream where they can be processed.

5.    4-Day Liver Flush

As stated above, the liver has the capacity to biotransform fatty chemicals to reduce your body's burden of toxins. However, the liver can be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of chemicals we are exposed to. The Liver Flush is a shortcut that binds fatty chemicals to bile and then flushes them out through the colon, skipping biotransformation. 

6.    Heavy Metal Evaluation and Detox

Sadly, we all have toxic metals stored in our organs and bones. General detox practices, including a diet high in vegetables and regular sweating, may be enough to keep these in check for many people. Others, with more exposure or less robust excretion of metals, will need a specific strategy to lower body burden. Testing and treating heavy metal toxicity can be done with a naturopath or a functional medicine doctor.

7.    Dysbiosis (gut flora imbalance) Evaluation and Rebalancing

Gut flora, also known as the microbiota, is one of the best-kept secrets of human detoxification potential. Many species of probiotics have the ability to biotransform chemicals or assist the liver with biotransformation. Conversely, unhealthy microbial species can produce noxious byproducts that add to our toxic body burden. A comprehensive stool test is a great way to assess your digestive function and your microbiota.