What Exactly Is “Detox” And Do I Have To Do It?
Ah, detox. Doesn’t it just sound important? Everyone is telling us to detox. Detox and cleanse in 2013! Detoxify your pores! Detoxifying shampoo! Detox your email inbox! But what does it actually mean to detox? Put simply, to detoxify is to remove toxins or otherwise harmful agents. And it’s a process your body is already doing constantly.
The primary detoxifying organs are the liver, kidney, colon, lungs, and skin. You can sweat out toxins, you can excrete toxins into the urine or stool, but probably the most potent cleansing happens in the liver and kidneys where the entire volume of blood churns through to get cleaned up. The better these organs work, the cleaner your blood. However, your colon had better be working too because after the liver processes and packages the toxins for export they are dumped onto the intestinal highway for transport. If you aren’t having bowel movements regularly (at least daily if not several times a day), those toxins get reabsorbed into your body.
A warning however, beware the of the Herxheimer Effects! As your body starts detoxifying more effectively several things can start to happen. Toxins can actually start being processed throughout the body, and you can experience a “die-off” phenomenon as yeast, bacteria, fungus, and viruses are killed. The result is a variety of temporary symptoms that can include, flu-like symptoms, itchiness, rashes, cold sores, headache, body ache, sweating, chills, and nausea. The sicker you are, the longer you may feel these effects, although they usually only last a few days. This phenomenon was first described by Dr. Jarisch in Germany in the late 19th century and then by Dr. Herxheimer. They were both dermatologists who were treating syphilitic lesions in the skin. They found that shortly after beginning treatment, their patients would often experience worsening of their condition followed by improvement. For this reason, you may want to choose gentle paths of detoxification and save the more intense protocols for when you are under the care of a health provider who can monitor your condition.
There are several simple things you can do to enhance detoxification in the body.
First, you should know that the majority of toxins in your body live in your fat cells. So minimizing excess body fat is one of the best things you can do to help detoxify. Exercise will not only help burn excess fat, but will increase blood circulation. A diet high in fresh vegetables helps supply necessary vitamins and minerals and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, etc.) in particular have a very potent effect on liver detoxification. Herbs and fiber that promote regular bowel movements make sure toxins are swept out of your body (psyllium powder, chia/flax seeds, cascara sagrada, senna, etc.). Drink water throughout the day, adding lemon juice or lemon essential oil and unsweetened cranberry juice. Wet, dry, and infrared saunas can help you eliminate toxins through the skin. Milk thistle is a fantastic detoxification herb that can benefit the liver and kidneys. Another great supplement for detoxification is broken cell-wall chlorella, a blue-green algae. Chlorella can actually bind to toxins (including heavy metals!) and helps the body excrete them. Many of my patients have also found colonics and ionic foot baths to be helpful.
No one who lives in modern society is immune to toxins…they are in the air, water, and much of our food supply. You can help your body deal with the stress by consistently choosing to aid its detoxification process.
