Detox is a word that gets thrown around these days. What does it really mean? Your body naturally “detoxes”- for example, if you get food poisoning, your body will help you get rid of the offending food as fast as possible. So why do we need to detox?
The slow build up of toxins over time can cause an overload of chemicals in our bodies. We are bombarded with toxins in the modern world. So, detox is a way to support what our body naturally does- get the toxins out.
Many people don’t realize that some of the things that bother them on a regular basis come as a result of a body that is loaded up with toxins and desperately in need of detoxification! Detoxing can help with weight loss, can help you feel better, and can calm some of the symptoms of just not feeling ‘right.’ Here are 100 ways to help you detoxify your life:
Detox Foods
1. Eat organic as much as possible.
2. Stop eating processed foods! Processed foods are loaded with toxins. Be kind to your body by not adding toxins in through the food you eat.
3. Beets are good for fighting infections, cleansing the liver and purifying the blood. (And they taste delicious in my salad or with some goat cheese and walnuts).
3. Berries like cranberries and blueberries have antiviral properties and are especially helpful for detoxifying the urinary tract.
4. Avocados. Besides being delicious, they are high in antioxidants and fiber and glutathione, “which blocks at least 30 different carcinogens while helping the liver detoxify synthetic chemicals.”
5. Cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and kale. These vegetables contain a compound that helps the liver produce cleansing enzymes. Because of their high fiber content, they also help cleanse the intestinal tract.
6. Flax. You can add flax seeds to your smoothies in the morning or use flaxseed oil to get the benefits. Flax is loaded with healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which help with brain function and cellular function. One of these omega-3’s, alpha-linoleic acid, has been shown to help clear sugar from the blood stream. Flax is loaded with both soluble and insoluble fiber, helping to clean out the digestive tract.
7. Avoid sugar. Sugar is stripped of nutrients is hard for your body to digest.
8. Garlic helps detoxify the intestines and bloodstream. Garlic is also known for its immune boosting and antioxidant properties.
9. Seaweed is “packed with minerals such as iodine, which aids in the production of thyroid hormone and regulates our metabolism, calcium, magnesium and potassium. The high mineral content can help to flush toxins from the body.” Seaweed actually binds to heavy metals to get them out of our bodies. I get seaweed in my diet by adding organic superfood greens to my morning smoothie.
10. Eat fermented foods, like kimchi. A study found that kimchi can help get rid of pesticides that enter the gut.
11. Avoid gluten. It can be hard to digest and can cause toxins to accumulate in the body.
12. Watch your sodium intake. Too much sodium causes water (and toxins)to be held in the cells.
13. Get some cultured dairy in your diet, like kefir or yogurt. You want to make sure it comes from an organic, grass fed source.
14. “The most powerful thing you can do for detox is eat more fiber.” -Dr. Josh Axe
Detox Drinks
15. Start each morning with a cup of warm lemon water. This helps stimulate enzymes in the liver that help the body with natural detoxification. Lemons are also high in vitamin C, which helps fight off cellular damage.
16. Get rid of the soda. Drink water. It helps cleanse all the body systems and gives your skin a nice glow.
17. Drink filtered water. Tap water can be filled with chemicals, heavy metals and fluoride.
18. Try some herbal tea. I prefer Organic Detox Tea.
19. Try this secret detox drink by Dr. Axe.
20. Drink organic milk- or switch to plant or nut based milks. Conventional milk at the grocery store is loaded with toxins.
21. Try coconut water. It is loaded with potassium and helps flush out cellular waste.
22. Add a splash of apple cider vinegar to your drink.
Containers
23. Drink from a reusable glass or stainless steel water bottle, not plastic containers.
24. Use glass storage containers for food and leftovers.
25. Instead of teflon coated pans that can flake off and be toxic if used on high heat, try cast iron or stainless steel cookware.
26. Bento boxes are a great, plastic-free way to send your kids lunch.
27. Or if you’re packing something hot, try thermos brand stainless steel food jars. My kids say the food stays hot or cold until lunch time.
28. If you use the microwave, make sure you are only microwaving in glass, never in plastic.
Health and Beauty Products
29. Use a deodorant that is aluminum and paraben-free.
30. A lot of makeup contains petrochemicals. Find a brand with ingredients you can understand.
31. Use an fluoride free toothpaste. Fluoride has been found to weaken the immune system and can cause damage to the liver and kidneys.
32. Try a sulfate free shampoo. Sodium laurel sulfate is commonly used in shampoos and avoiding it is one more way to keep chemicals out.
33.Tryclosan in soap has been linked to liver and inhalation toxicity. Use soaps without tryclosan listed as an ingredient.
34. Also keep a lookout for Triclocarbon in your soap. It is often found in anti-bacterial soaps. But don’t worry- hand soaps without these added have been shown to kill bacteria and microbes just as well.
35. Use sunscreen only when you really need it. A little sunshine every day is actually good for you!
36. When you are going to be out in the sun all day, steer clear of chemical sunscreens, many of which are known endocrine disruptors. Try a micronized zinc oxide formula.
37. Check out ewg.org to see what toxins are lurking in your makeup bag.
Cleaners
Get rid of bleaches, ammonias and other toxic cleaning products! There are ways to have a clean house without them, such as:
38. Make your own cleaning solution with water, vinegar, and essential oils. Grapefruit Oil is natually disinfectant and smells great.
39. Or try cleaning with a Norwex cloth. They are naturally disinfectant so all you use to clean is water.
40. Use baking soda to scrub your stovetop.
41. Baking soda (and lots of scrubbing) will also clean your oven.
42. Stop using dryer sheets. I know they make your clothes smell good and get rid of static cling, but they are loaded with toxins. Try dryer balls instead. Some even let you add essential oils so your clothes still have a fragrance.
43. You can also make your own dryer balls. Here’s how.
44. Switch to a sulfate -free laundry detergent or try making your own.
45. Watch our for bleached products, like toilet paper and paper towels. Products with bleach contain dioxins, which are a known carcinogen.
46. Use vinegar as a natural deodorizer.
Garden
47. The best way to get organic, local veggies? Grow them yourself!
48. Don’t use weed killers on the lawn. That easily gets tracked in to the house.
49. Use compost to add nutrients to your plants.
50. Instead of pesticides, try a spray bottle of water mixed with garlic, stinging nettle or cayenne pepper.
51. Herbs like basil, mint, lemongrass and rosemary are all fantastic bug repellents.
52. Marigolds also keep pests away, including bugs and even wild rabbits.
Medicine Cabinet
Essential oils are a great alternative to pharmaceuticals. Here are some to try:
53. Peppermint for headaches. Mix with coconut oil and rub it on the temples.
54. Lavender for a natural sleep aid.
55. Tea tree oil for cold sores.
56. Tea Tree or Lavender Oil for cuts and scrapes.
57. Peppermint for Fever Reduction. Rub on soles of feet to help calm a fever.
58. Eucalyptus for congestion and breathing issues. Diffuse a few drops in an oil diffuser.
59. Lemongrass for painful joints or inflammation. Mix with coconut oil and rub on skin.
60. Lavender Oil for soothing burns.
61. Peppermint and Lavender oil combined for seasonal allergies. You can use this topically, mixed with coconut oil behind the ears, or use in a diffuser.
62. Soak feet in warm water with a few drops of tea tree oil for ingrown toenails or toenail fungus.
Other medicine cabinet alternatives:
63. Arnica Salve is great for muscle aches and pains.
64. Gargle warm salt water for a sore throat.
65. Have some herbal tea with a little raw honey mixed in. The honey and the warmth soothe and help heal sore throats.
Lifestyle
66. Take a detox bath: add 2 cups epsom salt and 5 drops of lavender (or other) essential oil to hot water and soak for 20 minutes.
67. When you’re not using your cell phone, keep it away from you. Try not to always have it touching your body as they use electromagnetic radiation that could be harmful to your health.
68. Limit use of the microwave. It destroys nutrients in your food and actually changes it changes its molecular structure.
69. Still need to use the microwave? Make sure you never microwave plastic containers, since they leach toxins into your food.
70. Get rid of underwire bras. The wire may impede energy flow.
71. Breathe deeply. Oxygen helps the lymphatic system do its job of clearing out cellular waste.
72. Exercise. Toxins are released through sweat. Exercise also helps the lymph system flow.
73. Get a massage to free up trapped toxins.
74. Dry skin brush before showering. This opens up the lymph system and- bonus- can help reduce cellulite.
75. Buy organic cotton for your sheets. You’re sleeping on them 8 hours a night, and cotton is one of the most heavily sprayed crops!
76. Take your shoes off when entering the house, so you aren’t tracking in toxins.
77. Consider purchasing an air purifier to clean the air in your home.
78. Try yoga. Stretches like those done in yoga can help oxygenate the blood and release toxins.
79. Hot yoga has the benefits of sweat and stretch combined for extra detoxifying.
Supplements and Herbs
80. Milk thistle is a very detoxifying herb because it supports detoxification of the liver and gallbladder.
81. Proteolytic enzymes reduce inflammation and support detoxification.
82. Turmeric/ Curcumin help cleanse the liver. You can take them in supplement form, or add turmeric as a spice in your food.
83. Cilantro helps get heavy metals out of the body.
84. Potassium flushes out cellular waste.
85. Dandelion supports bile production, and bile helps transport toxins out of the body.
86. Probiotics help support the good bacteria in your gut, allowing the gut to fight off the bad bacteria.
87. Chlorella gets heavy metals out of the body and can even help remove toxins from radiation. Organic greens have chlorella to help purify the body.
88. Holy Basil
89. Calcium D-Glucarate “This is a naturally occurring compound that your body makes in small amounts. In supplement form, it aids in the removal of heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, plastics, excess estrogen, and metabolic byproducts. It also helps lower LDL cholesterol.” Source
90. For fast detox, or when you’ve eaten something you know you shouldn’t, try coconut charcoal.
Detox Your Mind
Our thoughts control our lives. Our thoughts can hold us back if we let them. Here are some ways to get toxic thoughts out:
91. Forgive- don’t hold grudges.
92. Let go of “would have,” “could have,” “should have” thoughts. Accept things as they are.
93. Worrying doesn’t change the future. Live in the present.
94. Be honest with others and especially with yourself.
95. Don’t try to change others; you can only change yourself.
96. Let go of worrying about what others think.
97. Be happy now.
98. Let go of critical thoughts. Realize that most people are doing the best they can.
99.Be grateful. I write down a few things I’m grateful for every night to remind me of all the things there are every day to be grateful for.
100. Love yourself. You are God’s greatest creation. You are a child of God.
Obviously, we can’t do all of them all at once! But all of us can do something! What are you going to do today to reduce the toxins in your life? Let me know in the comments below.
