The Detox Toolbox: The Basics of Detoxification

Learn how to detox your body safely

Detox seems to be a trendy thing in the modern world.  Some people shy away from the idea because it seems like such a daunting task.  Detoxing is often talked about as an active cleanse or a specific diet.  In truth, we are all exposed to toxins every single day.  Some toxins come from our environment through the air, food, water, skin care products, cleaning chemicals etc that we use daily.  Others are actually created by our body during different cellular processes.  

Our bodies are designed to move, neutralize and eliminate these toxins on a daily basis.  There are many things that play a role in how well each of our bodies detoxify such as lifestyle choices, genetic differences, and our inherited toxic burden.  

Phases of Detoxification

The process of detoxification is very complex and acts as our built in waste disposal system.  Essentially, there are 3 phases of detoxification.  

Phase I: Enzymes in the liver make toxins water soluble

Phase II: Water-soluble toxins are then further metabolized and neutralized

Phase III: Toxins are then “bound up” and eliminated via stool, urine or sweat

If at any point in those 3 phases, there is a break in the system, it will create issues with detoxification down the line.  If we are constipated, then we will reabsorb the toxins sitting in our stool.  If we are missing nutrients responsible for creating enzymes, then we will not be able to process toxins in the liver.  If we are not well hydrated, we will not have adequate water available to our cells to move toxins around appropriately.  

Daily Detox

We are exposed to toxins daily, therefore our body is practicing detoxification daily.  Supporting our detoxification systems daily is a major step in building a health foundation.  

Some factors that affect detoxification and detox support include:

• Nutrition
• Exercise
• Caster Oil Packs
• Sauna Usage
• Cold Therapy
• Amino Acid Support
• Hydration
• Micronutrient Support
• Macronutrient Support
• Gut Health
• Limiting Toxin Exposures
• Lymphatic drainage
• Sleep hygiene

Trying to detox your body with a specific cleanse or a 1 week detox diet is not necessarily a bad thing, however it is more likely that your body will benefit from a slow, intentional daily detox support.  There are many things available to us to support daily detoxification.  The Detox Toolbox will highlight a different detox support method in each post.  

When it comes to detoxification, slow and steady wins the race. Detoxifying too fast when your body is not prepared properly will create more issues than it will solve.

Stay tuned for the first addition of The Detox Toolbox!

-Faith