Want to detox but not sure where to start?
Different people detox for different reasons. Some want to lose weight, some want to prevent disease, and some just want to stop feeling like crap.
I have previously outlined the benefits of a detox and given my 10 reasons why you need a detox. Today I want to go over how to do a whole body detox.
What is a Toxin?
A toxin is any substance that causes harm to the body and “toxic load” is the accumulation of those toxins that burden the body’s systems and organs. Toxins can be inhaled in the air we breathe, ingested through the food we eat, or absorbed when something is applied to the skin. Toxins come from countless sources, many of which we are not even aware of including chemicals in and on our food, in our drinking water and the ingredients in personal care and cleaning products. Excessive exposure to toxins can put the body in an inflammatory state, leaving the immune system suppressed and vulnerable to disease.
Some examples of toxins include:
- Intestinal parasites – organisms that live on and feed off another organism, penetrating cells which can cause diseases in humans.
- Viruses – infectious agents, which enter your cells and reproduce to wreak havoc
- Bacteria – your body contains good bacteria, which you need. Bad bacteria create mycotoxins, which then get absorbed into your system and eventually your blood.
- Heavy metals/environmental toxins – often found in food, water, commercial products that we use AND dental work. These metals are immune-disrupters and compromise our immune system.
Toxins and Leaky Gut
Although you won’t hear about it in mainstream medicine, functional doctors are quite aware of the term ‘leaky gut’. Leaky gut is a common condition in today’s toxic world, which means that the lining of your intestines has been damaged by toxins (chemicals, viruses, parasites, bacteria, metals, etc).
Usually your gut is a tight wall of cells that keep anything from getting in. And a healthy body is perfectly capable of detoxifying on its own. However, when you have a leaky gut, the intestinal lining is so damaged that it becomes permeable and is not able to clear out the toxins. This results in toxins getting into your bloodstream.
image credit: Dr. Axe
When a person suffers from leaky gut (or its medical term, increased intestinal permeability), systemic inflammation occurs in the body. When you have systemic inflammation, all areas of the body and every organ, including your brain, is vulnerable and can lead to a variety of diseases. This is one reason conventional doctors tend to shy away from diagnosing it.
Common diseases linked to leaky gut:
- Allergies
- Asthma
- ADHD
- Alzheimer’s
- Autism
- Diabetes
- Digestion issues – diarrhea, gas, bloating or constipation
- Headaches
- High blood pressure
- Hormone imbalance
- Infertility
- Obesity
- Muscle or joint pain
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Autoimmune condition (arthritis, lupus, celiac or Crohn’s)
- Cancer
The Key Players in Reducing Toxic Load
Enzymes
Enzymes can help cause biochemical reactions in the body and are crucial in processes like metabolism and detoxification.
Enzymes are special substances that help catalyze biochemical reactions in the body. They are crucial players in the physiologic processes including metabolism and detoxification. Fresh and raw foods naturally contain sufficient enzymes for proper digestion in the body.
However, when food is cooked and processed, these naturally occurring food enzymes can be destroyed. The pasteurization, sterilization, radiation, preservation, freezing, and microwaving of our modern food supply can render food enzymes inactive or alter their structure so much that they become useless to the body. Food processing can also remove important vitamin and mineral cofactors of enzymatic chemistry in the body.
Using a whole-food supplement of plant-based enzymes is a convenient way to guarantee sufficient enzymes.
Antioxidants
You need antioxidants to fight free radicals. Free radicals are uncharged molecules that are responsible for many of the effects of aging on both the body and mind. We can get antioxidants naturally from the food we eat, especially fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants also support healthy cellular function. And as you know, you are only as healthy as your cells.
Probiotics & Prebiotics
The digestive system is also home to trillions of bacteria, called microflora. The majority of these bacteria reside in the large intestine. These bacteria assist in digestion, produce essential nutrients, breakdown substances, and participate in immune messaging. It is crucial that we have enough friendly bacteria to maintain the health of the digestion system, and we get those from both probiotics and prebiotics. Read more about why we need both here.
Detoxifiers & Cleansers
The body’s natural filtering and waste management system is capable of managing a certain amount of exposure to toxic substances. But in our modern world, we are more bombarded by chemicals and toxins that our grandparents were and as a result the body’s filtering system can be significantly challenged.
This is where detoxing comes into play. A complete detox system should clean your GI tract and every organ from viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungal infections and environmental toxins, while restoring your gut flora and repairing your immune system.
Tips to do a Whole Body Detox
Diet
First and foremost, you need to get a handle on your diet in order to stop MORE damage from occurring. I am not about starving yourself or drinking some cabbage drink for two meals a day. I am all about eating real food and avoiding the standard American diet.
Personal Care & Cleaning Products
Next you’ll need to toss any personal care and cleaning products that contain chemicals linked to hormone imbalance, early puberty, ADHD, asthma, allergies and some cancers. Remember that your skin is your largest organ and products you use on your skin are absorbed into your bloodstream and affect every cell in your body within minutes. I teach what to look for and give healthy product recommendations in my 10 Day Detox.
Exercise
Exercise is a great way to maintain or lose weight, but did you know that it also helps to detox the lymphatic system? This is important because your lymphatic system is the trash can of your body where all toxins get dumped. If your body can’t clear out those toxins, it can lead to many serious diseases. You don’t have to spend a fortune on a gym membership or equipment. A rebounder that I can use in my living room is my favorite exercise tool.
Another fun fact: toxins actually escape through your skin when you sweat (which is why I love my Sunlighten infrared personal sauna). Using an infrared sauna detoxes your body at the cellular level. The benefits of an infrared sauna are more than just detoxing – it can support weight loss and heart health too.
Supplements
A targeted detox supplement protocol can cleanse your GI tract, your organs, and your FAT CELLS…while boosting immunity and squelching inflammation.
Below are the supplements that I use from doTERRA to detox my whole body. With my husband being a brain cancer-survivor, we have tried many, MANY detox supplements and protocols. I am so grateful we found doTERRA’s Cleanse and Restore supplements for the following reasons:
- They not only contain detoxifying and inflammation-fighting vitamins, minerals, omegas and herbs, but also detoxifying essential oils. You just can’t find this type of supplement at the grocery store. Did you know that specific essential oils can penetrate the cell wall to kill microorganisms?
- doTERRA sources their essential oils indigenously – where the plant grows naturally. This is important because you get the highest potency of medicinal essential oils when you source them in their natural habitat.
- doTERRA uses 3rd party testing. This is important to ‘keep the fox out of the hen house’ as we used to say on the farm. Not only does an outside lab verify the purity and potency of the oils, but there is complete transparency. You can look up the batch number on the bottle to see the exact test results of that bottle.
- It’s a complete system at wholesale cost. If you could buy similar products at the store, you would pay 25-80% more.
Here is what you get in doTERRA’s Cleanse and Restore Kit:
Zendocrine Detoxification Blend
The Zendocrine® Detoxification Blend is a key product for maximizing health of the liver, kidneys, colon and endocrine system. This product includes Tangerine, Juniper Berry, Cilantro, along with Geranium and Rosemary essential oils.
Each essential oil included in this blend has detoxification properties known to support the function and health of the liver and kidneys. Juniper Berry has been clinically demonstrated to support the kidneys and offering renal protective effects. Cilantro was added to support chelating and elimination of heavier toxins from the body, such as metals.
Lifelong Vitality Pack
The Lifelong Vitality products are packed with essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, whole-food extracts, antioxidants, fatty acids, and vital essential oils that must be consumed in adequate levels. These products are specifically designed to supplement the typical adult diet and correct common deficiencies. Combined with a healthy diet, these products provide a sound foundation that supports both the structures and healthy functions of the body.
- Microplex VMz®: Supply the body with resources to produce energy.
- Alpha CRS®: Superb antioxidant resource as well as supportive of optimal liver function.
- xEOMega®: High quality source of Omega 3, 6, and 9, necessary for the body to mitigate the inflammatory response.
GX Assist
GX Assist contains a proprietary blend of Caprylic Acid and six essential oils. Caprylic Acid is a unique eight-carbon fatty acid with clinically demonstrates detoxification properties. Because of its lipophilic structure, it is able to easily penetrate cellular membranes of hostile organisms and eliminate them. GX Assist also contains 195mg of essential oils including Oregano, Melaleuca, Lemon, Lemongrass, Peppermint, and Thyme. The chemistry of these oils includes a variety of phenol, alcohol, and aldehyde type constituents that synergistically provide complete detoxification properties. The unique formulation of this product provides powerful ingredients for purifying and cleansing the digestive system.
It is recommend that 1-3 softgels be taken daily, with meals, for the second 10 days of your 30-day cleanse. This product can be taken on a monthly basis for a sustained benefit, or less frequently for targeted digestive health control.
Lemon essential oil
Lemon oil is beneficial for promoting lymphatic drainage. It has anti-bacterial properties and helps the body get rid of toxins that could lead to illness. Research show that lemon oil protects the body against human pathogens such as E. coli and salmonella. To boost the immune system, just add a couple of drops to your drinking water several times a day.
DDR Prime
DDR Prime contains a blend of essential oils that promotes a healthy response to free radicals which damage DNA while supporting healthy cellular function and regeneration.* As we age, cellular renewal can slow or be compromised by oxidative damage to cellular DNA. The essential oils in DDR Prime provide antioxidant protection and support a healthy response to cellular stressors.
This product is one of my favorites because it contains Frankincense essential oil, which has a multitude of scientific research studies that show significance and relevance in fighting cancer.
DigestZen TerraZyme
An important product with significant benefits to the gastrointestinal tract is the TerraZymeTM Digestive Enzyme Complex. This product contains a unique blend of active whole-food enzymes and mineral cofactors that are often deficient from cooked, processed, or preservative-laden foods. These ingredients aid digestion and support overall health of the gastrointestinal tract.
(This formula has even been recently updated to address specific digestive issues that are especially prevalent. Increased lactase helps digest lactose and prevents flatulence, while maltase was replaced with a special proprietary anti-gluten blend.)
TerraZymeTM is an excellent daily supplement and makes a marvelous partner in a 30 day cleanse program. It is especially important to begin with it in the first 10 days prior to the introduction of other components to insure the flow of the GI tract or in other words the proper flow and function of this important primary chimney. 1-3 capsules can be taken with meals each day. When taken on an empty stomach, it’s effective to pursue “old waste” in various areas of the body.
PB Assist+
PB Assist+® is a blend of both pre and probiotics. Most brands in the grocery store only supply probiotics. Probiotics are living organics (such as bacteria) that live in the gastrointestinal tract and are known to provide health benefits. Prebiotics are indigestible substances (such as fiber or oligosaccharides) that foster an optimal environment for microbial colonization and stimulate microbial activity in the gut.
PB Assist+® employs a unique double-layer capsule delivery system that provides both short-chain prebiotic fiber in that outer capsule and a time-release inner capsule with active probiotic cultures. This unique delivery system allows the probiotics to be released into the intestines where they will have the maximum benefit and will not be damaged by the harsh acidic environment of the stomach. The combination of prebiotic and probiotic cultures in a time-release single delivery system makes PB Assist+® truly unique!
The friendly strains of bacteria included in this product were carefully selected based on their demonstrated physiologic benefits to both the upper and lower intestines. Specifically, Lactobacillus bacteria promote healthy colonization and function in the small intestine, while Bifidobacteria promote healthy digestive and immune functions in the large intestines. Five billion CFU (Colony Forming Units) of six active strains of lacto- and bifido-probiotic cultures are included in this product.
Get Your Cleanse & Restore Kit at a wholesale price!
When you work with me, you will also receive:
- A free 30 minute personal consult from me
- A free Essential Oils Reference Guide book
- A free DIY kit with essential oil roller bottles and fractionated coconut oil to make your own blends
- A free 21 day online essential oil training e-course
- A free Facebook support group
- Unlimited email support
- 25-55% off all products
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links.