This is part 2 in a 2 part series on detoxing.  To find out if detoxing might be right for you, check out my first post here: How to Detox the Right Way: Part 1

Now that you’re interested in detoxing, you’re probably wondering how to design a detox plan that will work for you. Each person is different, but there are some generally agreed upon principles of detox that are important to follow.

Remember, working with a professional who can monitor you, keep you accountable, design a custom program, and provide support for your questions is always a good idea.  If you’d like to detox with me, contact me here.

Eliminate Toxins

The most important rule while detoxing is to eliminate foods that will tax the liver.  This doesn’t mean you can’t eat solid food or can only eat raw foods or juices.  Instead, it means avoiding foods that are common triggers for food sensitivities as well as avoiding added toxicity from common foods.

Things to eliminate during a detox include:

• Alcohol
• Sugar
• Caffeine
• Inflammatory foods like grains and dairy
• Anything you know you have a food sensitivity to
• Fried foods and inflammatory oils

Eat Well

Just as important as removing inflammatory foods is including healthful foods in the diet.  We want a balanced diet that includes protein, carbohydrates, and fat but that places its emphasis on healthy plant foods.

Foods to include during a detox are:

• Fresh, organic produce
• Wild-caught, pasture-raised, and organic meats and seafoods
• High quality plant based fats from olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil and others
• Ample non-starchy vegetables especially leafy greens like spinach and cruciferous veggies like brussels sprouts

Detoxing through Sweat and Feces

The body uses sweat, urine, and feces as three of its essential ways of removing toxins and old hormones from the body.  During your detox it is very important to support these three phases of detoxification.

Ensure you are having regular bowel movements, at least one each day.  If this isn’t happening, all those extra toxins and hormones could return to the bloodstream.

The best ways to ensure regular bowel movements are to add a few gut health supplements to your diet.  First- a good probiotic.  This may be all you need if you’re already relatively healthy.  However, most of us would also benefit from pairing that with a good prebiotic as well.  Many people also find that a nightly dose of magnesium helps with both sleep and bowel function.  If the combination of that and healthy diet doesn’t get your bowels moving, there may be other issues. Consider contacting a nutritionist to help.  Fiber supplements like these can be used as a last resort. 

Use a sauna or engage in some sweat-making exercise to help sweat toxins out of the body as well.

Support The Liver

Correct supplementation is very important during a detox and this is something you should only do with the help of a professional.

My detox program includes a delicious shake that comes equipped with herbs that support the liver and detoxification of the body.  It’s an all-in-one drink that gives you all the vitamins, minerals, and support you need to do a detox the right way.

If you’re doing a detox on your own, it’s a good idea to take something like milk thistle also known as silymarin to help support the liver (find it here).  

How long should you detox?

A typical detox runs anywhere from 10-60 days.

Ideally, a detox like the one I use should be done a full 21 days.  21 days is the minimum amount of time the body needs to restore proper detoxification ability.  

However, the dietary principles of detoxing can be safely continued indefinitely because they focus on nutrient dense foods that make the body feel good!

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Ready to detox?  If you want to work with me and detox the RIGHT way, contact me here!