In this day and age we are exposed to toxins on a daily basis from the air we breath to the water we drink. Toxins are harmful chemicals that can also enter your body through the food you eat or from any product your body is exposed to. These lingering chemicals can cause many negative health effects such as inflammation and hormone imbalances. You can reduce your body’s toxic load without an elaborate or costly cleansing program; l just follow these 5 simple steps below.
1. Start with a Gentle Detox:
- Use foods and herbs that support liver, kidney, and colon detox. Drinking a glass of warm water with the juice of half a lemon first thing in the morning is an easy way to support liver health. So is including cruciferous (sulphur containing) vegetables in meals on a regular basis. These are plants from the mustard family: Broccoli, Cabbages, Kale, Cauliflower, Arugula, Watercress, Brussel Sprouts, Bok Choy, Horseradish, Kohlrabi, Turnips, & mustard greens. Liver cleansing and support herbs include Milk Thistle, Chinese Skullcap, Schisandra, Reishi mushrooms, Cordyceps, Burdock, & GARLIC. Nutrients include Vitamin C, NAC (N-acetyl-L-cisteine, Alpha Lipoic Acid, and Glutathione.
- Click here for my nourishing Detox Broth Recipe
2. Flush Out Toxins Through Your Skin:
- Encourage elimination through the skin (the largest organ for elimination) through sweating and dry brushing. Traditional and Infra-Red Saunas are very effective for detox, especially when used regularly.
3. Be Conscious About the Food You Eat:
- Buy and eat only organic and GMO-free foods as much as possible to reduce exposure to pesticides, herbicides, hormones, antibiotics, & GMO’s.
- Choose wild caught (vs. farmed) fish and seafood; grass fed meats; free-range fowl; GMO-free protein foods.
- Avoid processed, packaged – chemical ingredients, artificial sweeteners, and trans fat – your body doesn’t recognize them as food, and will spend a lot of energy processing, detoxifying, and trying to eliminate them. Many of these chemicals are eventually stored in brain and fat tissue.
4. Don’t Forget About Drinks:
- Avoid alcohol – processing alcohol is a lot of work for the liver.
- Drink filtered water and try not to drink out of plastic bottles – even if it’s labeled BPA free. Your best option is to opt for a glass container.
5. Upgrade Your Personal and Household Products:
- A simple and big way to reduce the harmful chemicals that you are regularly exposed to is to upgrade your personal and household products. Household cleaners can contaminate the air and many surfaces in your home and beauty/toiletry products get absorbed quickly through your skin.
- Many manufacturers now offer safer and non-toxic products for purchase.
- READ LABELS! A good rule of thumb is that if you don’t recognize or can’t pronounce an ingredient then you shouldn’t use that product.
- Refer to the Environmental Working Group’s guides and website for specific information and recommendations, at: EWG.org.