Respectful Vigilance HC

This is often a hot button topic in health discussions. How to detoxify the body. There is a lot of technical and scientific information out there, but we will keep it simple for the sake of a quick post.

What is detoxification? In really simple terms, it means to get rid of toxins or junk out of your body. This could literally be poisons in the form of toxins, but it can also be accumulated buildup of substances that have not yet been removed. There are actually many ways that the body naturally does this. There are filters and there are waste removal systems. The primary two excretory systems are the urinary system and the bowels. There is also the skin via sweating. There unfortunately has been a dramatic increase in toxins, a decrease in food quality, and a trend towards sedentary lifestyles recently. Add to these things like electromagnetic frequencies, too much media exposure, etc. and you have a recipe for toxic bodies. So how do we fix these problems and detoxify? This would be a general list in order of importance for a person wanting to think about detoxification enhancement.

1. Before even attempting to really do much with detox, stopping the inflow of the bad stuff should be worked on first. This is not always an easy step for people. This means cutting back or stopping vices such as alcohol, cigarettes and other drug type substances. This means looking at the foods and drinks you are consuming and removing junky stuff (especially those with chemicals). It may also mean cleaning up the environment that you spend time in and the personal care products you use. So, step 1 is to stop adding fuel to the toxic fire.

2. This is where we begin clearing the major metabolic detoxification pathways. This means getting the bowels moving better so that there is no constipation blocking things up. The addition of extra water can often help to flush kidneys and just hydrate in general. Exercise in general is essential here to circulate things and get them on their way out. Unfortunately, some people may have a lot of what I call “sludge” buildup. This is basically toxins and residues of things that never had the chance to be properly eliminated. During this phase, the use of specific foods and supplemental herbs and natural medicines can be useful to aid in elimination. It is my opinion that having the bowels and urinary tracts working fast and effectively are the two primary goals here. Sweating and some others are more secondary. This phase can last for quite some time. I do not really believe too much in these 2-week cleanses and miracle type things. Yes, you can flush certain things out in a few weeks, but the lasting effects will not be there; especially if you return to previous bad habits.

3. In this phase, we have ideally stopped the bad habits that were poisoning and creating buildup. We have improved the foods and drinks consumed. Not only does improving the diet eliminate bad stuff. It adds good stuff! Eating whole foods, a lot of produce, and good proteins and fats will give a variety of nutrients that help with detox. So, we are eating better. Hopefully exercising to physically move things. Lots of water. This is the phase that you want to continue indefinitely. This may be enough for some people. There may be others that have certain problems like kidney stones, gallstones, liver sludge, bowel problems etc that can benefit from deep cleaning techniques. The very best things that I know of that work on preventing or possibly eliminating these types of things are what I call “medicinal foods,” herbs, spices, and essential oils. The exact nature of what types of things you may need is going to be person specific, but I will include a short list of items that may help you get started.

Helpful Substances for Enhanced Detox (Also usually helpful for general health)

Tart Citrus. Really tart fruits in general. Think lemons, limes, grapefruits. Cranberry and tart cherry juice are great. Anything that makes your mouth pucker up. Combining these with water or tea can be super effective.

Cleanse Caps. These are just small capsules filled with herbs that you can take daily to help the bowels stay moving effectively. There is also an Ayurvedic remedy called “Triphala” which can be useful.

Essential Oils. These can be used in drinks as long as you use caution. Peppermint goes great in coffee. Rosemary, Basil, Sage, and most other kitchen herbs go great in teas.

Hot peppers. Any kind of hot pepper can help with detox in certain ways. They almost seem to “burn out” the toxins. Hot pepper also can help to eradicate undesirable microbes that like to hide. Some people do not tolerate hot peppers very well so use a bit of caution there.

Ginger and Garlic. These are two of my favorite general health aids. They are different yet similar. They are both great at aiding general circulation and digestion. They are anti-microbial so consuming them may help keep you clean of bad bacteria and other undesirables.

Fresh Juices. Juicing vegetables can really enhance detox and flush things out, but it does have some downsides. It is fairly expensive to do regularly. It also eliminates the fiber from the plants, but it can help in certain instances.

Many herbs and spices are helpful. Research a bit to find ones particularly useful in detox.

The last thing I would recommend here is more nutritional than medicinal, but it is very important, nonetheless. High quality protein, some healthy fats and oils like olive or coconut, and adequate calories as energy.

Hopefully this list was not overwhelming. It takes time to learn these things and which ones are best for your own body type. Detox if a large subject, and there are complexities, but these are the basics in my opinion. Detox really is a long-term project for many of us. We cannot hope to achieve lasting results with a short cleanse while keeping bad habits. The good news is that the body has many ways to get rid of toxins and buildup and wants to do so! You just have to help out a bit. Till next time.

-Joe