Natural Ways to Support Daily Detoxification

As we wrap up our focus on detoxification, we close out with the detoxification systems of the body and how you can support them naturally.  Our body is a full circle system that knows what it needs to be nourished and knows how to cleanse itself when given the right ingredients.  There are many daily obstacles we encounter that get in the way of our body working in its natural rhythm.  However, the more we know and understand about how our systems work, the more awareness we have to make slow and simple changes that go a long way in maintaining our health.

The 3 main detoxification systems are the liver, kidneys and the intestines.  The lungs and the skin are also secondary systems that help with expelling toxins when we breath and when we sweat.  The 2 most important systems are the liver and the kidneys as they act as our main filters.  The liver helps to cleanse the blood and filter toxins into byproducts that the body can digest and eliminate through stool.  The kidneys filter out metabolic waste, excess water, and toxins through urine.  Healthy intestines function as a barrier from letting toxins and harmful substances filter into the bloodstream and aid in neutralizing toxins and expelling them through bowel movements.

Resources for Detoxing

Exercise! – Movement helps the whole system just run better.  Exercises stimulates your lymphatic system to drain which acts as a cleanup and transport system that sends metabolic waste and toxins from body tissues to filter out through the liver.   Movement encourages the body to sweat out some surface toxins, regulates metabolic processes for more efficient detoxing and the muscle stimulation helps to massage and strengthen the digestive system encouraging better elimination.   The lungs get a chance to release more carbon dioxide and airborne toxins and the increased heart rate strengthens and cleanse the blood by increasing circulation and boosting efficiency of your detoxification organs.

Hydration – The best way to flush the system is with good quality water and plenty of it.  Water also helps to move and cleanse the lymphatic system and pushes toxins out through sweat and urine while also helping with respiration in the lungs and elimination through the digestive tract.  Shoot for drinking ½ your bodyweight in ounces per day. Room temp or warm water is best as it is better absorbed into the system.

Sleep – While we are resting at night, the gall bladder, liver and lungs are taking the resting energy to detoxify systems. This is why it is so important to have your last intake of food 3 hours before bed and to avoid snacking at night.  The digestive system takes a lot of energy to digest food, so when it is busy, the other detox organs do not have enough resources to properly detoxify and it interrupts your sleep process.  Give your body an easy leg up to get the best detoxification overnight!  Have dinner no later than 7:00pm and halt any food intake until the next morning.  Try to be in bed around 10:00-10:30pm and have a nightly sleep routine that helps your body know it is time for bed.  The better quality sleep you get, the better the whole body functions.

Nutrition – Food matters in everything.  That is not to say we should overthink everything we eat, but it does mean that a little awareness of how foods assist us in detoxification can go a long way.  The best detoxifying food categories are bitter, astringent, and pungent foods.  You can see this happen naturally in what is more easily harvested in the spring as we offer more cleansing foods to clear out winter and prepare for the warmer months.  Bitter foods like asparagus, arugula, lettuce, kale; astringent foods like berries, tart apples, dandelion greens, sprouts, leeks, and spring beans; and pungent foods like radishes, scallions and spices like ginger, cayenne, garlic, and black pepper.  Bitter and astringent foods are also high fiber sources which helps to bind toxins and move them through the digestive system.  Try adding more of these seasonally grown foods to your repertoire in the spring to give your detoxification systems some much needed support.  Continue to follow seasonally harvested food to support your body's natural needs in each season.

Sauna -  Sauna plays a supportive role in detoxification by allowing heat to increase circulation and sweat.  Used alongside drinking plenty of water, nutrition that supports detoxification and regular exercise, high heat exposure through sauna can be a great tool in boosting the effects of other detoxification practices.  There are 2 ways we can utilize the sauna:

Steam Sauna:  As noted in the title, this approach to sauna uses steam heat to increase the heat in a sauna room.   Usually found in spas or fitness facilities, this can be a good after workout support to encourage sweating, especially if you struggle to sweat.   Make sure to drink plenty of fluids and limit to 15-20 minutes or less.  Make sure to cover the head and eyes with a cold towel to prevent too much heat exposure. 

Infrared:  Uses radiant light heat to heat the body directly rather than the air around the body.  Infrared produces a cellular sweat that may help the detoxification systems by encouraging the body to release deeper held toxins.  You can find infrared sauna offered at specialty chains that specialize in infrared sauna or you can also purchase one for your home. Reach out to Joe in our pharmacy to get information on good quality options.

Assists for Detox

There are some natural products that can also aide in isolated detoxification or as an assist along with those listed above. Joe can help guide you on where to find these products in the pharmacy if they will be good additions to meet your needs.

Castor Oil Packs: Castor Oil is known for its laxative properties among other things. Castor oil packs can aid in supporting and stimulating the bowels to move more efficiently helping the bowels detox regularly, especially if you struggle with slow moving stool or constipation.

How to Use a Castor Oil Pack

For the best results and to minimize mess, follow these steps:

1. Prepare the Cloth: Fold a piece of organic cotton flannel into 2–3 layers.

2. Saturate: Pour 1–2 tablespoons of organic, cold-pressed castor oil onto the middle of the cloth until it is damp but not dripping.

3. Application: Place the cloth over the lower abdomen.

4. Secure and Heat: Wrap the area with a waterproof pack wrap to prevent staining. You can place a warm (not hot) heating pad over it for 30–60 minutes to enhance absorption.

Pascalite Clay: This is a natural skin detoxification product used to pull toxins from the skin. It can be especially useful with clogged pores, burns, rashes, and insect bites. It helps to draw out infection while soothing the skin.

Detoxifying is something that is happening in your body everyday.  When we get out of the body’s way and let it work it’s magic we can have natural detoxification that happens to our benefit.  However, there are many things we experience that interrupt this process, including environmental toxins, stress, processed foods, alcohol, caffeine, and generally being over burdened.  The simplest way to improve detoxification is to simplify what you can.  Eat a simpler more nourishing diet with home cooked meals made from whole foods, drink plenty of water, reduce stress in the best way you can by letting go of things that are not necessary or working on your mindset of how you view and handle stress, move regularly with purpose and find more simple joys in your life.  This may not solve everything, but this is somewhere to start! Remember, long-term habits are built on small daily choices.