Introduction To Detoxing

Many of you may have heard of a detox. You may have also heard of a detox being referred to as a cleanse. They’re one and the same. If you haven’t heard of either, no worries. This post explains what a detox/cleanse is and how to do one.

Generally speaking, a detox or a cleanse is a period of time where you keep away from or significantly reduce your exposure to toxic substances. Toxic substances can be classified as the following:

• Those impossible to pronounce ingredients in processed foods
• Harmful chemicals in some of your everyday products, like your soaps, shampoos, and some of your household cleaning products
• Toxic people
• Toxic mentality
• Toxic habits, like habitual drinking

You name it. As long as it’s toxic and does you no good, generally during a cleanse/detox, you’re either keeping away from them, or you’re limiting your exposure to, or intake of them. There are tons of detoxes out there. For the sake of this post, I’ll stick to the type of detox where you’re keeping away from or reducing your intake of unhealthy foods. In addition to that, you’ll learn how to rid your body of the unhealthy toxins you’ve accumulated over time with wholesome foods and some health supplements and herbs.

Over the years our bodies take a beating from the toxins in the processed food we eat, the contaminated water we drink and swim in, and the polluted air we breathe. Add to that the lack of water, raw fruits, vegetables, and nutrients that we’re supposed to intake daily, but don’t due to our busy and oftentimes self-neglectful lifestyles, and you’ll start to see why a lot of us aren’t feeling our best. These factors take their toll on our bodies over time, and causes so many problems for us such as acne, digestion problems, constipation, uterine fibroids, acid reflux, migraines, sinus issues, high blood pressure, arthritis, weight gain, respiratory problems, cancer… as you can see, I could go on and on!

However, fear not. There is good news. There is hope for us. By adding a good detox regimen to your lifestyle, you can start reclaiming your health.

When you detox, you’re helping your body with its natural homeostasis. Homeostasis is just a fancy word for the body’s ability to heal itself and return to its natural state of well-being. All detoxes are pretty much designed to get your body closer to your natural state of homeostasis by giving your body a break from toxins and provide it with the nutrients and medicine it needs to flush them out and restore itself to wellness. Again, there are so many ways of cleansing your body or detoxing, and so many products out there designed to detox that, understandably, it can be a little bit of a challenge to choose one that’s right for you, especially if you’re just starting out.

So how do you go about determining which one is best for you?

If you’re just starting out, it’s probably best to start simple, especially if you don’t really know how to detox, nor have a specific detox in mind. I’ll walk you through some simple steps in this post. For now, to get started you must first identify your “why” for wanting to detox. People have their reasons for wanting to detox, and they’re all different. I, for instance, detoxed for the first time to help clear up my acne. There are some people who are just starting to enter the whole detox world who are simply curious about the wonders of detoxing, and the positive effects it has on the human body. I have found the main three reasons people detox fall in these categories:

• To lose weight
• To regain health
• To maintain health

Whatever your reason, detoxing can most definitely aid in it. As someone who has quite a few detoxes under my belt, I must say the benefits of cleansing your body on the inside are, well, just incredible. Just a smidge of the wonderful after-effects you’ll more than likely experience include weight-loss, improved acne and spot-free smooth skin, more energy, better digestion, regulated bowels, deeper, more sound sleep patterns, hormonal balance, mental clarity, more balanced emotional health, lowered blood pressure, less insulin resistance (great for everyone, but especially great for people with diabetes), and more. So much more.

Once you identify your Why, and you’re armed with your detox expectations, it’s time to choose your detox. The absolute best way to do that is to choose a detox that addresses the issues of one of the most important body systems you have–your digestive system, or more pointedly, your bowels.

While you can’t really control the air you breathe or have the wherewithal to filter the water everywhere in your house and where you swim, you do have the ability to control what you eat and drink. And, every single person alive needs food and water to live. Everyone. Why? Well, for the obvious reason that we’ll starve and dehydrate without food and water, for sure. Our bodies need sustenance to function the way it should: vitamins, minerals, protein, nourishment to survive. This is needed for all of our body parts: our heart, brain, blood, bones, etc. Without these things, our bodies are useless. It falls into a decline. And where do we get our nourishment?

From our digestive system. Our food, water, and these days, supplements. If our digestive system is out of whack, everything falls with it. If the reason you’re feeling so bad is that you lack certain vitamins and minerals, how can you properly absorb those nutrients if your small intestine is out of whack? So when starting a detox, you need one that addresses your digestive system. Most people have gone years eating the wrong foods or the wrong combination of food, so if you’re thinking about detoxing, you must start with that. Your eating habits, your drinking habits. And of course, your colon.

Has anyone ever heard that saying, “Death Begins In The Colon?”

It’s absolutely true. Your colon is a sewer system for your body. It’s the biggest way you eliminate waste. And if it’s all out of sorts, so is your body. I can assure you, no matter what your reason is for detoxing, addressing your bowel health needs to be your first objective. Your health maintenance and your why largely depends on this. Truth is if any of the detoxes you start doesn’t address your digestive system first, then largely ineffective for you.

When to Detox

You can detox anytime you want. But, how do you know when it may be time for a cleanse/detox? How do you know if you need one? If you’re new to the world of detoxing, here are some signs it may be time to give a cleanse a try.

You’ve Never Detoxed Before

If you’ve never detoxed before, and you live a traditional American lifestyle (eat out quite a bit, hates water, don’t necessarily get more than two servings of fruit and veggies daily), and you’re over the age of 17, it’s a very safe bet you could use a good detox.

You’re Overweight

Detoxing can help you lose a significant amount of weight. Through my coaching, I’ve helped people lose anywhere from 14-16 pounds in one week!

Acne

Acne is a dead giveaway that something’s amiss in your body. If you have acne, you’re probably eating the wrong foods, the wrong combination of foods, and your hormones are out of whack. A detox would benefit you greatly.

Uterine Fibroids

If you have uterine fibroids, you need to detox your body. A healthy woman does not have tumors in her uterus. A detox will reset your body, and allow you to address the hormonal issues, and other imbalances that are causing your fibroids.

Constipation

If you haven’t had a bowel movement in more than 3 days, then it’s time to detox your bowels. Constipation can happen because of a few factors.

• You really like cheese
• You and dairy are just a bit too chummy
• You’re a bread-lover.

• You’re not drinking enough water
• Not eating enough fruit and veggies on a daily basis
• Too much cooked food and not enough raw, whole plant-based foods (like salads)
• Too much meat
• Stress
• Not enough sleep

Foul-Smelling Flatulence & Bowel Movements

On this blog, we discuss it all. That includes poots and #2’s. And if either of yours can clear out a room, or the smell from your restroom stall is strong enough to make you and others gag, chances are you’re overdue for a cleanse.

Coated Tongue 

Your tongue can tell you a lot about your health. If you go to a mirror right now and stick out your tongue, and you see that it’s covered with a white film, that means a few things. It’s an excellent indication you have congestion in your gut, a weak or sluggish digestive system, Candida, and/or parasites. For some people, the white coating can completely cover the tongue. The thicker the white coating, the greater the need to detox.

In fact, anyone can benefit from a detox, including children. The above reasons are just a few ways to tell if it’s time to detox. Try not to feel down if you have some or even all the above. I’m the author of this blog, but I’m human, and the reason this blog exists is because I have lived through all of this, and I’m here to help guide you through these pains.

Detox Symptoms

While detoxing, you may feel some detox symptoms. When you begin to detox, your fat cells are being broken down, which is where the toxins your body was unable to rid itself of once upon a time were stored, only to be rid of at a later time when your body gets the chance to. Usually, nothing to worry about, some of these are just normal reactions you may have to the toxins that were originally stored safely away in your fat cells, but are now present in your bloodstream.  This happens because typically while you’re detoxing, you’re eating nothing but raw foods. Have you ever heard that when you miss meals, your body feeds off your stored fat for energy? Well, it does. And when that happens, the toxins that were normally tucked away in your fatty tissues now roam free in your bloodstream, and that’s why you get sick when you detox. Everyone’s different. For some people, it may seem as if they’re experiencing all of the symptoms listed, while for others, the veterans or the ones who have cleansed before may experience only a few of these symptoms.

While detoxing, here are some of the reactions you may have:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Moody or mood swings
• A ‘high feeling,’ or feeling light-headed.
• Malaise or just a feeling of uneasiness, or just overall ickiness. An unwell feeling.
• Cold or flu-like symptoms
• Increased energy (at certain times)
• Decreased energy
• Hunger
• Decrease in appetite
• Cold sweats/hot flashes
• Slight distortion
• Muscles may feel achy
• Passion for life and feelings of love, joy, peace, and hope
• Emotional. You may cry without knowing the reason why. In fact, any emotion may be experienced and heightened. It’s part of the detox process. Own them. Work to understand them and not suppress them, because they play an important role in our healing process.

Detox symptoms are different for everyone. The important thing is to understand what is happening to you and why you feel the way you do. It is also important for these reasons to take care of yourself during this time. I usually advise people to prepare fully for a detox time. It’s important to pick a time when you’re not stressed from work, or deadlines, school, and overall life. You can create that time. If possible, take some time off work to take care of yourself, so you can detox at home. If you have the flu or your stomach is hurting something crazy, you take time from work and school anyway, right? Well, it’s important to treat detoxing the same way. You’re creating a or low-stress environment for yourself to heal and reclaim your health.

Detox Foods

Certain foods are great for cleansing your body. I have found by changing your diet for the better with mostly raw fruit and veggies, you can address virtually any ailment.

Here’s a small list of what you should consume while detoxing:

• Water (ideally filtered or purified)
• Herbal tea, as long as it’s organic

• Plenty of Fruit of all kinds especially seeded fruit. Many people with acne know to temporarily limit their intake of high-sugar fruit while healing. In case you don’t know, too much sugar, even from natural sources like fruit can contribute to candida issues. Also, consume only organic fruit. Non-organic fruit has the highest amount of herbicides and pesticides in them. To the people with acne-prone skin, this will help keep your skin problems at bay.
• Vegetables of all kinds, especially green, leafy veggies. A short list would include kale, wild arugula, cucumber, dandelion greens, all lettuce except iceberg, tomato, etc.
• Vegetable juices are good (I love freshly juiced cucumber)
• Lemons/limes
• Supplements such as Essential Fatty Acids and coconut oil,
• Cleansing herbs such as Oregano, Cascara Sagrada, Damiana, Black Cumin Seed (oil), Sarsaparilla, Burdock Root, ginger root, etc. I sell a detox powder in my shop here on my website called Gut Reaction. Check that out here.
• Healing products such as enzymes to help eliminate the toxins.

Different detox plans and nutrition plans have different recommendations for detox foods. There are all kinds of plans and diets saying what you can, cannot, should, and should not eat, as well as how much of it you should consume. There is one thing it seems every plan agrees on though: while detoxing, it’s a good idea to try to take in all organic products, as well as fruit and veggies. During the time of detox, you need to take as much toxic burden off your system as possible. You don’t want to add the toxic stress of herbicides and pesticides to your already stressed eliminatory organs (liver, skin, lungs, intestines, kidneys), nor do you want to eat and juice veggies that are lacking and void of enzymes that are so needed for detoxing. I know organic is expensive, but you have to start treating your body like the most important investment you have–because it is! So, every chance you get, put quality products into it. Eat organic as much as you can.

How to Detox/Cleanse

And here we are. Finally, that burning question: how exactly do you detox?

As mentioned earlier, start with a simple detox, and address your bowels. During a cleanse, you’re eating and juicing only raw foods, like fruit and/or veggies. You’re drinking plenty of water, taking herbs, helping yourself to lemons/limes (which is either juiced and consumed by itself, or added to water), and you’re drinking medicinal and/or herbal teas. During a cleanse, you’re not eating anything cooked. Just how long to detox depends on you, your preferences, and your goals. I’ve seen people cleanse anywhere from 3 days to 90 days and more. While you detox, it’s important for you to completely remove the digestive burden off your system. I’ll be honest, this can be a little challenging. It’s going to take some discipline, a sincere desire to reach your goal, and some follow-through. But you can totally do this. Recruit a friend who’ll do it with you if that’ll help. I’ve participated in several detoxes with my friends and family. A trustworthy support group will help motivate you.

3 Day Juice Cleanse/Detox

Purchase any green leafy vegetable and fruit. Candida sufferers, try to stick primarily to low-sugar fruit for the time being. That would be berries and Granny Smith apples. Sugar, even natural sugar aggravates your acne like nothing else. Remember, eat ORGANIC. I know I’ve said it time and time again, but it really does matter.

Let’s get started.

Preceding any detox, try to ease into cleansing. Especially if you’ve never done it before. It’s not a good idea to just hop right into an intense detox. You need to ease your body into that.

So the first day of your cleanse, eat nothing but raw fruit and veggies. First thing in the morning, drink 1 glass of purified water and the juice of a lime for vitamin C and cleansing. Then for the rest of the day, drink organic tea (with no sweetener or maybe a little bit of raw Manuka honey), and eat as many green leafy vegetables and salads as you want, and down as much fresh vegetable juice as you can. Juice some cucumbers, organic ginger, celery, parsley, and pretty much anything green and leafy and down it throughout the day. Here’s a video of me making one of my favorite detox drinks while fasting or detoxing.

Doing this will highly alkalize your body. On these first couple of days of your detox eat salads with homemade salad dressings. Swap salad dressing recipes with your friends. Look-up recipes.  Here’s a vegan ranch dressing recipe from me. And of course, continue to down as many juiced vegetables and low-sugar smoothies as you can. If you’re having Candida issues, you can have some, and I do mean a little high-sugar fruit, like mangos or pineapples. Anything that isn’t berries or Granny Smith apples you want to limit that kind of high-sugar fruits while on the detox. This applies to you if you’re having feminine issues such as yeast infections or bacterial vaginosis, but anyone can benefit from this. Drink plenty of purified water throughout the day. Eat nothing cooked. Only raw fruit, and veggies, and herbs like parsley, basil, and oregano, fiber-like flaxseeds and chia seeds, water, tea, and detox herbs and supplements. Fatty supplements like raw coconut oil, olive oil, and EFA’s are ok. Just be doubly sure you’re not ingesting anything synthetic and all your supplements are from a good source. Anything synthetic will slow or stop the cleanse.

After 1 or 2 days on this phase (Phase One), monitor your detox reactions. If you’re feeling too out of it or too sick, you can slow the cleanse down with something cooked, like a baked potato. Then if you want to continue, must pick up where you left off.

3-Day Juicing

After your initial ease-in 1 or 2 days, and your body seems to be responding pretty well, all things considered, you’re ready to amp it up. Introducing juicing!

After one or two days on phase one, you’ll just be juicing the rest of the three days. Ingest nothing but juice. You’ll need a juicer for this stage. If you don’t have a juicer but have a Nutribullet, that’ll work too. So, for these three days, you’re making nutriblasts and making homemade V8 juices by juicing veggies cucumbers, kale, tomatoes, and fruit. There are plenty of detox smoothies on my Instagram page you can try. Also, continue to drink your herbal tea and take your cleansing herbs, like cascara sagrada, echinacea, dandelion, etc, and a good probiotic supplement. Take your cleansing herbs and probiotics during the entire detox.

Ending the Detox

Just like you eased into the cleanse, you’ll have to ease back out of it. Since you’ve gone days without eating, your intestines won’t be as equipped to handle heavy foods right off the bat. Your first meals need to be something easily digestible, like vegetable soup. Then more cooked veggies, like lightly sauteed seasoned zucchini and onions. Then go from there.

And that’s your basic 3-day cleanse.

I also recommend to everyone who’s doing a detox to keep some kind of journal while on the cleanse. It doesn’t have to be full-fledged journal entries. More like a record of everything you felt during your detox, your diet, to the supplements you took, your reactions to everything–and I mean everything–you consume, the stresses you’re under at the time of your detox, your emotions, etc. I don’t always have time to sit and write in my journal all these things, so I’ll sometimes jot these types of notes in a little notebook I carry. You can use your phone.

The good thing about detoxing is it gives you a chance to hit the ‘Reset’ button on your diet. Once you do a good detox and eliminate a lot of things that have been suppressing your immune system, you get to start over and learn what your body actually likes and what it doesn’t. This alone can really help you in avoiding foods that cause inflammatory responses. You’re learning to listen to your body this way, and hopefully, you’ll answer its call to treat it with the loving care it deserves.