“Do I need to detox?” I get this question every day, from all different types of folks. It seems, lately, that there is a myth floating around the internet. That myth, in summary, goes something like, “There is something wrong with your body and you better do a detox to correct it.” And even better if you purchase a pre-made detox kit from the website that is informing you that you need to detox. Now, this is not your father’s detox. A generation ago, when we talked about detox, we were talking about someone addicted to a substance such as drugs or alcohol, who had to go to an in-patient program to get clean. Nope, that detox still exists, of course, but the word has been co-opted by folks who want you to think that their juice fasts, fiber kits, etc, are absolutely necessary for optimal health.
Well, that’s not true. You don’t need some fancy kit or program to detox. Because, guess what? Your body detoxes 24/7. Seriously. YOU DETOX EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY. Biochemical detoxification reactions occur at am amazing speed in every area and organ of your body, every day. So, really the question is, can you optimize your body’s own detoxification processes? Yes, you can, and the way to do that is by following these simple steps:
- Eat Real Food. Not from packages, not with ingredients you can’t pronounce. Simple, real ingredients are best at supporting your body’s detox pathways. Make half your plate at every meal veggies and you are getting a major detox bonus!
- Drink clean water, store in glass containers. A good 8 glasses a day will keep things hydrated and allow your cells to bathe in clean water. Glass containers will prevent plastic toxins from finding their way into your body.
- Sweat every day. Allow your heart rate to rise through cardiovascular exercise, and allow your body to sweat out toxins.
- Get good sleep. Your body rests and repairs itself during sleep, and this is vital to detox. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep EVERY night, in complete darkness.
- Process your emotions. Stored emotions, especially anger, can create major toxic stress in our bodies. Let ‘em go – though exercise, meditation, counseling – find something that works and make it a regular practice.