Supporting our Body’s Natural Cleansing Process
Our bodies are equipped with an incredible, innate ability to flush out toxins, cellular debris, and pathogens through our sweat, urine, and feces. This natural detoxification system is essential for maintaining our health and well-being. However, in today’s world, the sheer volume of chemicals, glyphosate, microplastics, pathogens, mycotoxins, and other stressors can overwhelm these systems. When this happens, our detoxification pathways can slow down just as the amount of toxins our bodies need to process increases, leading to a backlog of harmful substances in our tissues.
Dr. Ben Lynch, ND, in his book Dirty Genes, highlights the gravity of this situation: “Our bodies were never designed to bear that chemical burden, and everybody’s genes—no matter what they were born with—are staggering under the weight.”
Given these challenges, it’s more important than ever to actively support our body’s detoxification processes. By reducing exposure to toxins and enhancing our natural detox pathways, we can help our bodies manage this load more effectively.
What do we need to detox from?
Metals, Glyphosate & Other Toxins
The environment we live in exposes us to a vast array of toxins. Heavy metals like mercury, lead, and aluminum can accumulate in our bodies from sources such as contaminated water, dental fillings, and industrial pollution. Glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, has become pervasive in our food supply, and its presence in our bodies has been linked to a range of health issues. Microplastics, which are now found in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat, are another emerging concern. These tiny particles can carry harmful chemicals and disrupt our hormonal systems.
On top of these, there are countless other toxins from household products, personal care items, and industrial waste that can find their way into our bodies. Detoxifying from these substances is essential to maintaining optimal health, especially in our modern, toxin-laden world.
Steps to Effective Detoxification
Detoxification is a multi-step process that requires careful planning and a gentle approach.
Step 1: Reduce Exposure
Before you even begin the process of detoxification, it’s crucial to minimize your exposure to toxins in the first place. This step lays the foundation for all subsequent detox efforts, ensuring that your body isn’t overwhelmed by a constant influx of harmful substances. Here’s how to effectively reduce your exposure:
- Eliminate Environmental Toxins
- Switch to Non-Toxic Products: Replace conventional cleaning products, personal care items, and household chemicals with non-toxic, natural alternatives. Many conventional products contain endocrine disruptors, carcinogens, and other harmful chemicals that can contribute to the body’s toxic load.
- Filter Your Water: Tap water can contain a variety of contaminants, including heavy metals, chlorine, fluoride, and microplastics. Invest in a high-quality water filter to ensure that the water you drink and cook with is as clean as possible.
- Improve Indoor Air Quality: The air inside our homes can be even more polluted than the air outside. Use air purifiers, regularly ventilate your home, and avoid synthetic air fresheners, which often release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. Consider adding houseplants that naturally purify the air, like spider plants, peace lilies, or snake plants.
- Avoid Plastics: Plastics, especially when heated, can leach harmful chemicals like BPA and phthalates into food and beverages. Opt for glass, stainless steel, or silicone containers and avoid microwaving or storing food in plastic.
- Choose Organic Foods
- Reduce Pesticide Exposure: Pesticides used in conventional farming can contribute to the toxic burden in your body. Whenever possible, choose organic produce, particularly for fruits and vegetables known to have high pesticide residues, like strawberries, spinach, and apples. The Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) “Dirty Dozen” list is a great resource for identifying which produce to prioritize buying organic.
- Avoid Processed Foods: Processed foods often contain preservatives, artificial flavors, and colors, as well as high levels of sugar and unhealthy fats. These can contribute to inflammation and increase the toxic load on your body. Instead, focus on whole, unprocessed foods that provide essential nutrients and support detoxification.
- Be Mindful of Toxins in Food Packaging
- Avoid Canned Foods: Many canned foods are lined with BPA, a chemical linked to hormone disruption and other health issues. Look for BPA-free cans or, better yet, choose fresh or frozen alternatives.
- Reduce Consumption of Packaged Foods: Food packaging, particularly those made of plastic, can leach chemicals into the food. Opt for fresh, whole foods and store them in non-toxic containers like glass or stainless steel.
- Minimize Exposure to Heavy Metals
- Filter Tap Water: Heavy metals like lead, mercury, and arsenic can be present in drinking water. Using a water filter designed to remove these contaminants can significantly reduce your exposure.
- Ditch Aluminum: You want to use stainless steel or ceramic pots and pans. The aluminum pots and pan can leach aluminum in the food.
- Limit Fish High in Mercury: Some fish, like tuna, swordfish, and mackerel, are high in mercury, which can accumulate in your body over time. Opt for low-mercury fish like salmon, sardines, and trout, and limit your intake of high-mercury seafood.
- Reduce Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs)
- Limit Wireless Device Usage: Long-term exposure to EMFs from wireless devices can have negative health effects, and some people are more sensitive to its effects. Reduce your exposure by turning off Wi-Fi at night, using wired internet connections when possible, and keeping electronic devices out of the bedroom.
- Create a Low-EMF Sleeping Environment: Consider using an EMF protection canopy or grounding sheet in your bedroom to reduce exposure while you sleep.
- Wear Natural Fabrics
- Avoid Synthetic Fabrics: Clothing made from synthetic materials like polyester, nylon, and acrylic can off-gas chemicals and are often treated with flame retardants or other toxins. Choose natural fibers like cotton, linen, and wool, which are safer for your skin and overall health.
- Be Cautious with New Clothes: New clothes often contain chemicals from the manufacturing process. Wash new garments before wearing them to remove as many of these chemicals as possible.
By taking these steps to reduce your exposure to environmental toxins, you’ll be setting the stage for a more effective detox process. Remember, detoxification isn’t just about removing toxins from your body—it’s also about preventing new toxins from entering in the first place. Starting with a clean slate will make the subsequent steps in your detox journey much more effective and sustainable.
Step 2: Open Detox Pathways
Before you start to remove toxins from your body, you must make sure that your detox pathways are open and functioning optimally. The liver, kidneys, lymphatic system, skin, and digestive tract are all part of this complex network. To support these pathways:
- Hydrate: Drink plenty of clean, filtered water to support kidney function and keep the lymphatic system moving.
- Support Liver Function: Use herbs like milk thistle, dandelion root, and turmeric to support the liver’s detoxification processes.
- Breathe: Engage in deep breathing exercises to support lung detoxification and oxygenate tissues.
- Stimulate Lymphatic Flow: Gentle movement, rebounding, and lymphatic massage can help move lymph and reduce congestion.
Step 3: Poop 1-2 times a day
Regular bowel movements are a non-negotiable part of detoxification. Aim to poop 1-2 times a day to ensure that toxins are being eliminated from the body rather than being reabsorbed. If elimination is sluggish, consider natural remedies like:
- Fiber: Increase dietary fiber with foods like flaxseeds, chia seeds, and leafy greens or take a fiber supplement.
- Triphala, Licorice, and Aloe can also be helpful to get things moving.
- Hydration: Stay well-hydrated to help soften stools and promote bowel movement.
Step 4: Add Supports: To further support detoxification, consider incorporating therapies that assist the body in eliminating toxins through the skin and lymphatic system:
- Infrared Sauna: Promotes sweating to eliminate toxins through the skin while also supporting mitochondrial health.
- Ionic Foot Baths: These can help draw out toxins through the feet, providing additional detox support.
- Dry Brushing: Stimulates lymphatic flow and exfoliates the skin, aiding in toxin elimination.
- Castor Oil Packs: Applied over the liver, these packs can help reduce inflammation and support liver function.
- Epsom Salt Baths: Provide magnesium sulfate, which is absorbed through the skin, helping to relax muscles, reduce stress, and support detoxification.
- Bentonite Clay Baths: Bentonite clay has a strong negative charge, which bonds to the positive charge in many toxins, drawing them out through the skin.
Step 5: Introduce Binders
Once the body’s detox pathways are open and regular elimination is established, it’s time to introduce binders. Binders are substances that bind to toxins and help escort them out of the body. It’s important to choose the right binder for the specific toxins you are targeting:
- For Heavy Metals: Use binders like chlorella, activated charcoal, or zeolite.
- For Mold: Consider using zeolite, Pectasol or activated charcoal.
- For Candida and Parasites: Use binders like bentonite clay, charcoal, or diatomaceous earth.
By only using the binder, in this stage are really getting the low hanging fruit. To get the toxins more embedded in our tissue we have to step up the pressure.
Step 6: Binder + Detoxifying Agent (Rotate Binders)
Once your detox pathways are open and you’re regularly eliminating toxins, you then want something that will shake the tree and knock out the bad apples. I like to think of detoxification as a push and pull (binders). The push action will help to mobilize toxins from tissues into the bloodstream where they can be picked up by binders, making them easier for the body to excrete. But you do not want to push more than your body can pull and eliminate. If you push to hard, you’ll end up with a Herxheimer reaction, which can be anything from feeling under the weather to full-on rage.
Detoxifying Agents
NAC (N-acetyl cysteine) is a powerful antioxidant that boosts glutathione, a critical detox molecule in the liver.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid (ALA): This powerful antioxidant supports liver detoxification and helps to regenerate other antioxidants like glutathione and vitamins C and E. ALA also has the unique ability to work in both water- and fat-soluble environments, making it versatile in protecting cells from toxins.
Glutathione:
MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane): A natural sulfur compound, MSM supports the body’s detoxification processes by promoting the formation of glutathione and aiding in the elimination of toxins.
Burdock Root: Traditionally used to purify the blood, burdock root supports liver and kidney function, helping to filter and eliminate toxins from the body.
Dandelion Root: This herbal remedy promotes bile production and acts as a natural diuretic, helping to flush toxins through the liver and kidneys.
Schisandra: A powerful adaptogen, schisandra supports liver detoxification by enhancing phase I and phase II detoxification processes, helping to neutralize and excrete toxins.
Spirulina: Another nutrient-dense algae, spirulina is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It helps to cleanse the body of toxins, supports liver function, and can enhance overall detoxification.
Rotate the binders periodically to ensure comprehensive coverage and prevent the body from adapting to a single approach.
Step 7: Biofilm Buster + Binders
Biofilms are protective layers that certain pathogens, including Candida and harmful bacteria, create to hide themselves from the immune system and treatments. These stubborn barriers make it difficult for the body to fully eliminate infections, leading to chronic issues, and persistent toxicities. Breaking down these biofilms is essential for effective detoxification and pathogen elimination. Enzymes like nattokinase, lumbrokinase, and serrapeptase can dissolve biofilms, as can various herbs. Take binders following the biofilm busters to capture and remove the liberated toxins. Rotating biofilm busters with your binders allows you to get a more complete
Here are some herbs that can support the breakdown of biofilms and enhance the detoxification process:
Oregano (Origanum vulgare)
Oregano is a potent antimicrobial herb that is particularly effective against biofilms. Its active compounds, such as carvacrol and thymol, have been shown to penetrate biofilms and disrupt their structure, making it easier for the body to target and eliminate hidden pathogens.
Berberine (Berberis vulgaris)
Berberine, an alkaloid found in plants like barberry and goldenseal, is known for its strong antimicrobial effects. It works by disrupting the biofilm matrix and enhancing the efficacy of other treatments. Berberine is particularly effective against bacterial biofilms and can support overall gut health.
Neem (Azadirachta indica)
Neem is a powerful herb used in Ayurvedic medicine for its detoxifying and antimicrobial properties. It can disrupt biofilm formation and prevent pathogens from adhering to surfaces, making it a valuable ally in combating chronic infections and supporting detoxification.
Pau D’Arco (Tabebuia avellanedae)
Pau D’Arco is a South American herb with antifungal and antibacterial properties. It helps break down biofilms created by Candida and other pathogens, allowing the body to flush out these invaders more effectively. Pau D’Arco also supports the immune system, making it a well-rounded addition to a detox regimen.
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
Thyme is a common culinary herb with impressive antimicrobial activity. Its volatile oils, especially thymol, can penetrate biofilms and disrupt their integrity, making pathogens more vulnerable to treatment. Thyme is especially effective in supporting respiratory health and clearing out biofilm-related infections.
Herbal Formulas & Nutraceuticals
Detoxification is not a one-size-fits-all process and must be approached with care and patience. Work with a practitioner if you can, if not, carefully research each step of the process before beginning.
Detoxification requires patience, persistence, and a gentle touch. Remember, it’s essential to listen to your body.
For more information you can review the detox protocols of Dr. Klinghardt, Dr. Nathan, Dr. Crista, and Dr. Shoemaker.