New Year Reset and Refresh
Healthy aging and rejuvenation begins with healthy cells so clearing out cellular debris is key part supporting cellular longevity. This cellular waste that builds up over time is the accumulation of a number of toxic compounds When toxins enter the body, they are flagged as intruders and eliminated through our body’s natural detox pathways, such as sweat, urine, and stool. However, our body has a limited detox capacity, so what it is not able to remove, it stores.
Many environmental chemicals are lipophilic, which means they get stored in fat tissue. This is a defense mechanism our bodies use to prevent toxins from freely circulating, but it’s not a healthy long-term solution for toxins to be stored in our bodies in this manner, where they gradually accumulate over time and eventually cause disease.
Dr. Joseph Pizzorno, one of the world’s leading authorities on science-based natural medicine, calls “toxicity the primary driver of disease”
Chronic and daily exposure to toxins can accumulate in the body over time, contributing to your body’s toxic load. This can interfere with your body’s ability to function optimally and lead to harmful effects on your health.
While the body can burn fat, it can’t burn toxins. So during weight loss or detox protocols, these previously sequestered toxins begin entering the bloodstream so they can be expelled from the body. However, the process can be uncomfortable, and people often feel feverish, achy, irritable, etc. This is referred to as a “Herxheimer reaction” and is also the reason why many practitioners recommend using binders such as charcoal to help usher these toxins out of the body. Safe and effective detoxification is crucial.
The fasting mimicking diet (FMD) – During this form of fasting supporting hydration and flushing of toxins is supported with the inclusion of botanical teas. These can be augmented with other non-caffeinated teas such as dandelion, burdock and milk thistle.
Detoxification is the process of removing toxins from the body. Toxins are harmful substances that can negatively affect health and are found throughout our environment, including in our oceans, drinking water, air, soil, foods, and homes. Some toxins, such as lead, occur naturally on earth, but our exposure to them has increased due to human activities such as mining and manufacturing. Other toxins, such as BPA, which is a high percentage of plastics are man-made.
While detox diets and supplements claim to remove toxins from the body, your body is well-equipped to eliminate these harmful substances without dietary intervention or supplementation. The body naturally eliminates toxins through the kidneys, liver, digestive system, skin, and lung. However, you can support your body’s natural detoxification processes by following a healthy diet, staying hydrated, exercising regularly, and minimizing exposure to toxins.
It’s important to note that detox diets and supplements are typically unsupported by research and can be harmful. If you’re considering a detox, it’s best to consult with a qualified integrative practitioner first.
5 Top Natural Detox Strategies
#1 Cruciferous veggies eating the right foods that support detoxification and stimulate glutathione. This class oof veggies include cauliflower, kale, and that Christmas favourite brussel sprouts. Seasonally available throughout the year, kale is at its peak in the winter as the frost enhances flavour and texture. Kale contains glucosinolates, which means it helps protect our stomach lining from bad bacteria, such as Helicobacter pylori, and is also high in a combination of particular antioxidants in the carotenoid and flavonoid family (particularly lutein and beta-carotene).
#2 Fasting and keto diet are incredibly helpful to assist with cellular clean-up, as it helps the healthy cell regenerate and clean- up the mitochondria in our cells. The FMD prolonged 5 day fast supports cellular regeneration and rejuvenation.
#3 Infra Red Sauna - infrared sauna can be used to support detoxification. Sweating is one of our biggest detox organs and pathways. It is not recommended whilst fasting but can be incorporated as part of a monthly protocol The infrared sauna helps usher toxins out of the body through sweat. Sunlighten infrared sauna are great if you can afford to install one.
#4 Lymphatic stimulation skin and lymphatic drainage pathways Opening up the skin through gentle skin brushing is a great assist. Skin brushing is an excellent way to stimulate lymphatic drainage, which in turn helps the body to get rid of toxins and waste.
#5 Herbal Teas – You may include charcoal here even though its not strictly a herb it does act as a binding agent for heavy metals. Supporting liver function through known cholagogues (stimulate liver and gall bladder function) are dandelion, burdock and milk thistle – infusions are best - so go for loose leaf tea.
Watch this video with Dr. Daniel Pompa on how to safely and effectively detox.
Discover more about the benefits of the ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet here.