A plethora of unseen toxins surrounds us each day. Rachel Carson, biologist and author of "Silent Spring", warned us in 1962 of many of the toxins that can mimic hormones and cause problems in our bodies. DDT, a chemical once used to get rid of mosquitoes and now banned, can still be found in humans and other species today. We face toxins from pesticides in our food, plastic containers and many other products. A detox can help to rid your body of some of these toxins and can also improve the way you feel.
Step 1
Quit using caffeine and cigarettes at least two weeks before you plan to detox your body of toxins so that you can get the most benefit from your cleansing. Take sugar out of your diet a week before your detox.
Step 2
Select the amount of time you would like to detox so that you have a goal in mind. Choose to detox for seven days if you want a short but effective detox or up to 21 days for a more comprehensive cleansing.
Step 3
Start the first day of your detox with vitamin supplements. Include a good multivitamin and vitamin C. Confirm your multivitamin has trace minerals such as selenium, which assists in removing heavy metals from the body.
Step 4
Wait a few hours and then fill your gel-caps with 1 Tbsp. of bentonite clay, which will help to pull toxins through and out of the digestive system. Mix 1 tsp. of ground psyllium powder, a natural laxative, into an 8-ounce glass of water. Wash the gelcap pills down with the psyllium water. Repeat the process before you go to bed.
Step 5
Take a 20 minute shower. Switch between hot and cold water quickly during your shower. Afterward, use your skin brushes to remove dry skin and toxins by brushing your entire body using strokes that move towards your heart.
Step 6
Eat a light breakfast that begins with probiotic supplements. Drink a kefir shake in lieu of supplements to get beneficial bacteria further through your digestive system. Prepare a cup of hot tea with juice from ½ of a fresh lemon. Add liver cleansing herbs such as milk thistle, dandelion root or burdock to your tea by steeping it for 20 minutes. Confirm that all foods you use during your detox are organic and free of any pesticides or hormones.
Step 7
Eat snacks of avocado, nuts or vegetable broth every few hours so that you don't feel hungry. Keep your body feeling relaxed and fed so that stress chemicals don't release in your body, which can be toxic. Wash your food down with an 8-ounce glass of water so that you are getting at least 8 glasses of water a day.
Step 8
Steam organic vegetables to eat over brown rice at lunch and dinner. Keep nightshade vegetables such as potatoes, peppers, eggplants and tomatoes out of your vegetable mix because they contain natural toxins. Add dandelion greens or fresh burdock root to the mix to cleanse the liver. Use the oven to steam and maintain vitamin levels in your vegetables and stay away from using a microwave. Add beans or fish to your dinner meals. Season your meals with turmeric and ginger for their added cleansing benefit.
Step 9
Break a sweat with exercise such as yoga, walking or jogging to help release toxins through your skin and to make you feel better. Surround yourself with plants that help to purify the air and don't use any chemical cleaners, plastic containers or other possible toxins during your detox.
Step 10
Take a relaxing bath before you go to bed. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to your bath. Put a tablespoon of ginger in lieu of essential oil in the bath once during your detox to help you sweat toxins out during the night. Write down your thoughts in your journal before you go to bed so you can identify any possible toxic thoughts that having been affecting your health.
Things You'll Need
- Multivitamin
- Vitamin C
- Empty gel-cap pills
- Bentonite clay
- Psyllium powder
- Skin massage brushes
- Probiotic supplement or kefir
- Lemon
- Milk thistle, dandelion root and burdock
- Avocados and nuts
- Vegetable broth
- Organic vegetables
- Beans or fish
- Essential oils
- Fresh ginger
- Journal
References
- Detox in a Box; Mark Hyman; 2004.
- Silent Spring; Rachel Carson; 1962.
- Cornell University: Consumer Concerns About Pesticide in Food
- Mindfully.org: Toxins Found in the Body
- New Zealand Food Safety: Natural Toxins in Food
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