How to detox your body? Here’s how you can naturally detox your body with these 20 amazing tips.
“Detoxing your body” is the process of supporting and assisting your body’s release of toxins, and minimizing the over activation of “reactive oxygen species” and free radicals.
Have you ever washed greasy dishes without hot water or dish soap? The dishes don’t get clean, do they? When toxic metals and chemical food additives get inside your body, it takes a strong cleanser to scrub your body clean from the inside out.
Although you may think about strict juice cleanses, coffee enemas and sweat lodge retreats when you hear the words “detox”, detoxing your body does not have to be extreme and is something your body can do naturally, daily.
A total body detox simply entails intentionally supporting and strengthening your seven cleansing channels—your lungs, skin, kidneys, liver, colon, lymph and blood— through liver and lymph-cleansing foods, lifestyle factors and smart supplementation (no Grapefruit Diet required).
The key to cleansing your liver and detox pathways is making conscious choices on a daily basis that reduce toxin exposure and allow your body’s natural detox channels to “flow”.
So if you’ve been wondering how to detox your body, look no further than these 20 daily detox strategies you can do now at home.
How to Detox Your Body: 20 Strategies to Do Now
#1. Drink pure clean filtered water
How to detox your body? You know the drill—half your bodyweight in ounces of water. “Like” helps “like”, and since over 60 percent of your body is water, water helps things flow through your channels. For constipation, try a saltwater flush (8 oz. warm water + 1 pinch non-iodized salt).
#2. Stick to 1 cup of quality (mycotoxin free) coffee daily.
Coffee beans are one of the most cross-contaminated foods with gluten and also are notorious for having mycotoxins. Replace coffee with Cacao, green tea, or herbal tea, and/or celery juice (Tip: Celery juice is rich in chlorophyll—a compound that enables oxygen to be taken up efficiently by the red blood cells and oxygenate the body for better blood flow).
#3. Fiber up
Eating enough fiber is particularly necessary for colon health. We need soluble and insoluble fiber to soak and move out toxins from the body. Aim to eat 25-30 grams per day as tolerated (Note: If you have dysbiosis, you may need to address the dysbiosis first before comfortably tolerating fiber).
#4. Add in herbs & spices
Fresh herbs and spices that support body detox include cilantro, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger and garlic. As for “medicinal” herbs for detox, you can’t go wrong with: milk thistle, artichoke leaf, fennel, astragalus, echinacea, Goldenseal, cleavers, calendula and dandelion root! Many of these herbs are available as teas that you can sip on for added cleansing benefits.
#5. Don’t forget protein
Phase 2 Detoxification is dependent on amino acids in proteins to assist in enzyme reactions to usher toxins out of your body for transport. Protein deficient diets impair detox pathways in the liver. Aim for at least one gram per pound of your healthy bodyweight.
#6. Get your beauty sleep
Sleep—ideally 7 to 9 hours each night—gives your body time to rest, clean and repair. When we sleep, our inner cleaning squad goes to work and removes all toxins that have accumulated in our brain and body throughout the day. If we don’t sleep low-grade inflammation increases inflammatory cytokines in the body and elevates circulating cortisol levels—two hits to our detox pathways.
#7. Sleep on your SIDE & in loose clothing
Side sleeping in particular has been shown to clear metabolic waste most efficiently. (Lee et al, 2015). While you are at it, sleep in loose clothing and avoid tight bras. Tight clothes restrict lymph flow. Choose loose-fitting clothing made from natural fibers such as wool, cotton, silk, or linen for sleeping and avoid constricting bras.
#8. Jump up and down (rebounding)
Rebounding is exactly what it sounds like—rebounding up and down: Bounce on a trampoline, jump rope or simply jump up and down for 3 to 10 minutes per day to flush your lymph system.
#9. Dry brush in the morning & evening
Dry brushing involves using a natural-bristle brush to gently but firmly brush your skin in long strokes toward your heart, usually going over each area of your body two or three times—up your arms, up your legs, down your face. At your belly, you brush in a clockwise motion. Ideally, dry brushing is typically done before showering at least once per week, and should be followed with a vitamin-rich moisturizer.
#10. Get upside down
Head down, feet up—decompresses the joints of the body and stimulates the lymphatic and detoxification system. This brings blood and oxygen to the tissues, which helps to clear the muscles of toxic build-up. Lie on your back with your feet up the wall to encourage blood flow. You can do this in the evenings before bed, or as part of a morning routine.
#11. Sweat it out
Heat exposure performs a similar function to that of a fever. By temporarily raising body temperature, heat may help cleanse the body of invasive bacteria, viruses and toxins. Heating the body also powerfully shunts blood toward the skin to dissipate heat and decongests internal organs, stimulating circulation and lymphatic “flow”. More toxic chemicals (including phthalates and BPA) are actually released through sweat than through blood or urine.
Warning:
Not all sweat promotes detoxification. While sweating through exercise is great, the blood flow to vital organs is lowered. Specific detox “sweat” modes—like infrared saunas, heated and warmed yoga, and hot-cold shower therapy—increase heart rate and blood flow to the organs, promoting the excretion of toxins from those organs and out through the skin via sweat.
Infrared saunas, in particular, are a good option for those with an intolerance to high heat like traditional saunas. The infrared heater produces radiant energy, which is the same as the heat from the sun, only without the harmful ultraviolet rays. This type of sauna heats the body from the inside out instead of heating the air, so the room temperatures are lower and sessions can last longer, up to 45 minutes.
Tip:
Whichever heat exposure you land in, don’t forget your post-heat electrolytes. Sweating results in vital mineral loss, so it’s important to replenish. Just ¼ teaspoon of Natural Calm Magnesium or a pinch of sea salt in 16 ounces of lemon water will do the trick).
#12. Detox your home cleaning products
Detox toxins out of your body by detoxing them out of your home. Research “natural” cleaning and cooking methods for practically every type of product you use and you are sure to come up with tons of other options. Check out some ideas out here+
Oven Cleaner
Baking Soda + Water. Scrub, scrub, then leave to “soak” for a few hours.
Air Freshener
Essential Oils in a Diffuser or, in a medium saucepan, simmer a quart of water with natural ingredients to freshen and clean the air (like 1 sliced lemon, 2 tablespoons rosemary and a dash of vanilla, or 1 sliced orange, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and a dash of nutmeg and cloves.
All-Purpose Cleaner
Fill a jar with citrus peels and pour undiluted white vinegar over them. Leave for a few days (up to 2 weeks) and strain out the vinegar to use as a natural cleaner or Windex.
Toilet Cleaner
Dump a cup of baking soda into the toilet and let it soak for at least an hour. Pour in a cup of white vinegar, leave for 5 mins and flush.
Cookware Cleaner
Use sea salt or course salt mixed with a little lemon juice and scrub. Also, try baking soda and water made into a paste. Throw out the aluminum, plastics and non-eco-friendly pans, in replacement of Ceramic skillets, a few quality cast iron skillets, glass baking dishes and stainless steel baking sheets. Use bamboo cooking utensils and bamboo cutting boards. Toss plastic bowls, tupperware and plates in favor of ceramic and glass.
Laundry Detergent
In a large bowl, mix 2 parts washing soda (Arm + Hammer Brand), 2 parts Borax (like Mule Team Borax) and 1 part grated soap (like Dr. Bronner’s, Ivory, or other natural, unscented bar soap). Use 1 bar of grated soap and 1 cup each of washing soda and borax for each wash.
Fabric Softener
Mix 1 part vinegar, and 2 parts water together. Use 1/4 to 1/3 cup during the final rinse cycle.
#13. Detox Your beauty & hygiene products.
Toss out the toxic bodycare, makeup, hygiene and cleaning products in replacements of more natural products. (I am obsessed with W3ll People makeup). Look for products that meet these standards:
- As few of ingredients as possible
- Paraben & Sulfate Free
- Avoid anything with the word “fragrance” in it
- Aluminum-free deodorant
- Fluoride and trisclosan-free toothpaste.
- Pure food and natural ingredients (apple cider vinegar, tallow, essential oils, coconut oil, almond oil, extra virgin olive oil, honey, beeswax, avocado oil, butter/shea butter)
#14. Don’t keep your cell phone & devices attached to you
EMF’s may very well be called the “cigarettes” of modern day. EMF’s— electromagnetic fields— come from cell phones, cell towers, Wi-Fi, 5G networks; and they are around us all the time. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has reviewed over 2000 studies on EMF’s and the conclusion is that EMF’S “should be regarded as carcinogens”.
Continued exposure to EMF radiation disrupts our cell’s voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs), creating oxidative stress, cellular DNA damage, and apoptosis (cell death). While EMF’s are not going anywhere, but the more distance the better. Keep your phone away from your body (out of your pockets, etc.). Use speakerphone in lieu of Bluetooth. Also, keep your phone and devices out of bedroom and turn off Wi-Fi at night to avoid unnecessary voltage and EMF.
#15. Detox mold from your home (& body)
1 in 2 homes have mold damage or toxic mold spores in them. Moreover, 25% of people living or working in these spaces will get significantly sick from mold spores. Test your home for mold by connecting with a mold inspector, like my personal inspector Eric Althouse. Also check out my article on mold detox to learn more and connect with our clinic if you need support.
#16. Purify your air
Let us help you control the air in the most important environment – your home 🏠. IQAir strives to continue the best value and highest quality air cleaning solutions so you and your family can spend more quality time together.
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Although an air purifier won’t “detox” these toxins if you have a mold issue, clean air in any environment is the #1 nutrient all humans need. I love IQ Air.
#17. Poop daily
In order to be healthy, we need to eliminate waste on a daily basis. Ideally, for our bowel movements, this should happen soon after awakening and then maybe once or twice later in the day since digestion of each meal should be on a 19 to 24 elimination cycle.
If fecal matter remains in the intestines longer than it should, some of the byproduct material is reabsorbed into your body, leading to inflammation and toxin buildup along with symptoms like bloating, fatigue, depression and anxiety, hormonal imbalances, weight difficulties, and insomnia. Check out my constipation hacks if you’re not going daily. Coffee enemas are also awesome.
#18. Sit upright
Sit upright for better poo and over all body detox. Slouching prevents food peristalsis (movement), decreases stomach acid and inhibits full elimination. On the toilet, sit upright with a slight lean back, and prop your feet up on a chair or mini stool (like the Squatty Potty). Throughout the day, also aim to keep your shoulders back and head up. Consider setting a notification reminder on your phone that reads, “Sit up” to go off a few times each day, and remind you to keep your shoulders back.
#19. Detox your schedule.
Just say “no” to something—instead of saying “yes” to everything. The more we “fill” our lives and schedules with margin (space), the less drained we feel. Voila elimination from “toxic” stress.
#20. Clear the clutter.
Our environmental organization also impacts how we feel. Clutter is definitely not cleansing for the mind, stress levels and consequently our body. Clear the clutter with a “closet cleanout”—out with the old (for good). Anything that doesn’t bring you “joy,” get rid of it.
Detox your body: Made simple!
Want or need a total body detox? If your serious about getting support, book a health strategy call today so we can help you detox your body (made simple).