Daily Detox Tips

There are special times such as the festive season where we have a chance to reconnect with ourselves, spend quality time with our partners, kids and families.

It can also be a time where we indulge in things maybe we wouldn't normally; too much champagne, chocolate and cake or whatever it is for you that is enjoyable at the time but may cause inflammation and other negative consequences .

This is ok and totally normal but maybe it's also good to balance this out with some extra things you can do on a daily basis to counteract and feel not so sluggish, tired or heavy.

Here are some simple daily detox tools that you can implement into your life to help you body reduce inflammation, move toxins out of your system and increase vitality. 

1. Include nutrients such as turmeric, green tea and resveratrol to support phase 1 liver detoxification.

Your liver is the most important organ in the body when it comes to keeping you healthy and getting rid of all sorts of toxins. 
It quietly engages in chemical detoxification processes every day to keep your body healthy and reduce the effects of toxins. 
The liver’s main role in detoxification involves a three-step process, Phase 1, Phase 2 and Phase 3. If these phases are out of balance, then you become very sensitive to toxins and you health starts to suffer. 
Supporting phase one detoxification is essential to ensuring that the first pass of all absorbed chemicals are processed adequately and are not allowed to excessively flood through the body. 
Nutrients that mediate Phase 1 detoxification include turmeric, resveratrol (grapes, berries, cocoa, peanuts) and green tea among the others.

Adequate antioxidants are needed in this phase to avoid the production of free radicals. 
So adding these in on a daily basis through foods and/or supplements will aid the phase 1 detoxification pathway and help phase 2 and 3 which helps excrete toxins out of your body.

2.  Include sulphur containing foods and cruciferous vegetables to support phase 2 liver detoxification.

There is a huge range of nutrients we need to ensure are present in the diet to be carrying out our day-to-day inner cleansing. 
Phase 2 liver detoxification can be supported by cruciferous vegetables, rosemary, amino acids, B5, B6, B12 and folate.

Cruciferous vegetables are also called Brassica vegetables and some of the most common brassicas include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, swedes, and turnips, collard greens, cress, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, and bok choi.

Through phase 2 the liver is able to turn drugs, hormones and various toxins into water soluble excretable substances. 
For efficient phase two detoxification, the liver cells require sulphur-containing amino acids such as taurine and cysteine. The nutrients glycine, glutamine, choline and inositol are also required for efficient phase two detoxification.

Eggs and cruciferous vegetables (eg. broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower), raw garlic, onions, leeks and shallots are all good sources of natural sulphur compounds to enhance phase two detoxification. Thus, these foods can be considered to have a cleansing action.

If the phase one and two detoxification pathways become overloaded, there will be a build up of toxins in the body. Many of these toxins are fat soluble and incorporate themselves into fatty parts of the body where they may stay for years, if not for a lifetime. The brain and the endocrine (hormonal) glands are fatty organs, and are common sites for fat-soluble toxins to accumulate.

3.  Take activated charcoal

General detoxification – Toxins from low quality, processed food, and environmental pollution are real problems. It is important to help your body eliminate them to promote a healthy digestive system and brain. 
Chronic exposure to toxins produces cellular damage, allergic reactions, compromised immunity, and more rapid aging. Regular use of activated charcoal can remove unwanted toxins from your body, leaving you feeling renewed and more vibrant, often in minutes! 
Gut toxins quickly become brain toxins if you don’t eliminate them. Whether or not you are feeling under the weather, activated charcoal helps unwanted bacteria move through your system faster before they spread and multiply, helping you feel better faster.

Rid bad breath, body odor, and skin ailments – Activated charcoal is often used in body detox products and skin products that help relieve insect stings, mushroom poisoning, poison ivy, cholera, bites, and inflammation. Body odor and bad breath is usually a result of toxins leaving the body, which is why taking activated charcoal greatly helps rid bad breath and body odor.

Anti-Aging properties – Studies show activated charcoal prevents many cellular changes associated with aging, adrenal gland, and kidney function.  Activated charcoal slows the rate at which the brain becomes increasingly sensitive to toxins as you age, which makes for better cognitive functioning. It also builds a better defense mechanism by improving the adaptive functioning of essential organs like the liver, kidneys, and adrenals.

Taking activated coconut charcoal on a daily basis is a great way to help you thrive in an overly toxin-filled environment. It is best to take it between meals and a few hours after using any vitamin or mineral supplements, as it may interfere with the absorption of these into your body. Be sure to take it away from prescription, which won’t enter your body when they bind to charcoal.

4.  Have an epsom salt bath or foot bath.

The sulfates in Epsom salt assist the body in flushing out toxins and providing a heavy metal detox from the body’s cells, hence lowering the internal accumulation of harmful substances. Human skin is a highly porous membrane; by adding minerals like magnesium and sulfate to your bathwater, it sparks a process called reverse osmosis, which literally pulls salt out of your body and dangerous toxins along with it. 
For a detoxing bath, add at least two cups of Epsom salt to bathwater and soak for at least 20 min. Make sure to consume water before, during and after the bath to protect yourself from dehydration and increase detoxification.

5.  Drink warm lemon water

It's common knowledge now that drinking warm lemon water in the morning is beneficial.

But why? It aids in digestion and detoxification by stimulating the liver to produce bile which helps get food moving through the body and GI tract and flushing toxins out. 
Lemon juice will also increase the acidity of your digestive tract momentarily, which is a good thing. It helps break down food more effectively. 
However, I don't suggest using lemon juice squeezed into water but 1 drop of essential oil. Lemon juice is highly acidic which is great for the gut but terrible news for teeth enamel. 
Essential oils are also far more potent  and has a high quantity of s-limonene which has been shown to cleanse the liver.  

6.  Dry brushing

Dry brushing is key to moving toxins along . 
The lymphatic system is responsible for collecting, transporting to the blood, and eliminating the waste our cells produce. If the lymphatic system is congested, it can lead to a build-up of toxins, causing inflammation and illness. Dry brushing stimulates the lymphatic system as it stimulates and invigorates the skin.

The lymphatic system is a major part of the body’s immune system. It is made up of organs and lymph nodes, ducts and vessels that transport lymph throughout the body. Many of these lymph vessels run just below the skin and proponents of dry brushing claim that brushing the skin regularly helps stimulate the normal lymph flow within the body and help the body detoxify itself naturally.

How to do it?

Start at your feet and brush upward towards the heart. Similarly, when you start on your arms, begin at the hands and work upward. Use firm, small strokes upwards, or work in a circular motion. For the stomach, work in a counterclockwise pattern. There are some great you tube vids to watch on how to do it correctly. 
The skin should never be scratched, it's a gentle brush. I prefer to do it in the morning because it energises me. 

7.  Include liquid chlorophyll

Chlorophyll is a type of plant pigment responsible for the absorption of light in the process of photosynthesis, which creates energy. 
Ingesting chlorophyll has many benefits but we're focussing in detoxification. It increases phase 2 liver detoxification promoting better liver health and the body's natural elimination of potentially harmful toxins. 

How to get more in your diet....

-eat more leafy green
-raw or lightly cooked greens
-green/blue algae
-take a liquid chlorophyll supplement. Add to your water and it has a slight sweet taste which incidentally promotes more water drinking. 

8.  Functional Liver detoxification profile

If you've been doing the previous #dailydetoxtips for a while and still feel inflamed, puffy, toxic and fatigued you could test the liver to see how well you are detoxing.

There are several different liver tests (such as liver enzyme analysis) which look for clinical evidence of existing liver damage. Standard “liver function” tests measure levels of enzymes, but unfortunately, by the time these tests register as “abnormal” liver damage is already present.

The best assessment of actual liver function can be made by using the Functional Liver Detoxification Profile (FLDP) – to actually see how the liver is processing and functioning.

You should consider having an FLDP done if you:

Have hormonal problems (hormones need to processed via the liver) – such as PMS and menopausal problems
Suffer from unexplained nausea, especially in the mornings
Are exposed to toxins at work or home such as insect sprays, herbicides and other chemicals
Smoke cigarettes
Eat a high junk food or processed diet
Live or work in a building that has new carpeting, paint or furniture that may be giving off odours or gases
Drink alcohol regularly
Take prescription or recreational drugs
Suffer from gastrointestinal problems
Have allergies, sinus problems or joint pain
Are frequently tired
Suffer from food allergies or multiple chemical sensitivities
If you answered Yes to two or more of these questions, you may be reacting to increased toxic exposure and burdening your body’s detoxification.

For a customised detoxification program please contact Mel on 0423915266.