Gentle Detoxification Program

A healthy detoxification program should always begin gradually. But with so many methods available, it can be difficult to find a simple starting point. With that in mind, I would like to share some of my top recommended steps-gleaned through my experience as an integrative medical doctor-for safe and effective detoxification that can provide lasting energy, vitality, and overall wellness.

Reduce Your Exposure to Toxins

Every day, we are exposed to harmful health-robbing toxins, including bisphenol-A (BPA), phthalates, PFOA, formaldehyde, PDBEs, and heavy metals. They can be found in everything from cleaning and beauty products to cookware to even the air we breathe. We’re also bombarded with toxins from processed, fried, and non-organic foods; alcohol; stimulants; medications; and more. These toxins accumulate over time and damage our DNA, create inflammation, and impair critical biological functions.

Reduce your exposure by choosing all-natural foods and non-toxic products whenever possible, and make sure your home and work environments are properly ventilated. Have yourself tested (or try an elimination diet) if you feel you may be sensitive to gluten, dairy, eggs, or other allergenic foods that can increase the permeability of your digestive tract, allowing toxins to easily enter your circulation.

Alkalize Your Diet 

Increase your intake of vegetables and fruits that are high in alkalizing minerals, such as potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Avocados, potatoes (skin on), and dry beans are good sources of potassium. Green leafy vegetables are rich in magnesium. And broccoli, sea vegetables, collards, and chard are packed with calcium.

You can easily make an alkalizing mineral solution by combining potatoes, celery, parsley, green beans, zucchini, beet tops, kale, onions, and seaweed in a full pot of water, simmering for an hour or two, and saving the broth. This makes a highly nutritious, mineral-rich liquid for a seasonal cleanse.

Other alkalizing food sources include liquid chlorophyll and powered “greens” supplements, as well as the highly alkaline umeboshi plum paste, which is a sour plum commonly used in Japanese cuisine. An alkaline diet can aid in the removal of toxins, reduce inflammation, and boost overall health and energy.

Get Moving

Simple, moderate exercise on a regular basis helps keep the lymphatic system moving, release stored toxins, increase circulation, and improve immune response. Movement also helps in releasing physical, emotional, and psychological energies that may leave us feeling “stuck.” Even just 15 minutes of walking-especially in nature-can offer powerful benefits for detoxification and overall health.

Let Go with Simple Meditation

In today’s environment, we are often bombarded by stress, anxiety, and negative thoughts and emotions. Stress affects us physically by degrading immune function and increasing stress hormones, which promote blood sugar imbalances, inflammation, and oxidative stress. You can help clear this toxic burden on your mental, emotional, and physical health through the process of “letting go.”

One proactive and well-researched method of letting go is regular meditation practice, even for just 10 minutes a day. Simply sit quietly and focus your attention, as well as your breathing, on a particular object such as a small stone. As thoughts and emotions arise, simply acknowledge and release them, bringing your attention back to your breath.

Studies show that meditation can improve psychological/emotional well- being and help with issues ranging from cardiovascular disease, inflammation, and immune activity to pain, anxiety, sleep, depression, memory, and more.

Stay Hydrated

Dehydration can lead to inflammation and oxidative stress, thus increasing toxicity. Drink plenty of pure water and herbal tea to help flush toxins from your body and keep your natural detox functions running smoothly. Proper hydration will promote better functioning of all your body’s systems.

Pre-Cleanse with Gentle Supplements

Gentle detox supplementation begins with natural ingredients that help clear toxins from the circulatory and digestive systems, while providing overall health support. Start with an organic medicinal mushroom formula, which helps remove toxins and provides powerful benefits to every major body system, including the immune system. Another key supplement is modified citrus pectin, which safely removes heavy metals and environmental toxins from circulation and digestion, reduces inflammation, boosts immunity, and protects against cancer and chronic illness by blocking harmful galectin-3 molecules.

Detoxify Organs and Tissues with Nutrients and Botanicals

After gently detoxifying your circulation and digestion, you can gradually advance to more thorough detoxification of organs and tissues where toxins are often stored over time. For in-depth detox, I recommend incorporating compounds, herbs, and nutrients such as N-acetyl cysteine, selenium, MSM, alpha-lipoic acid, milk thistle, cilantro, goldenrod, garlic, and dandelion leaf. These natural detoxifying agents have their own affinities for specific organs and systems of the body, and work to eliminate toxins without side effects. They also boost energy and provide antioxidant support to combat oxidative stress caused during toxin removal.

By following these relatively simple yet important tips for a successful cleanse, you will quickly feel the benefits of reduced stress and anxiety, decreased inflammation, increased energy, better sleep, and improved health and vitality. For more tips on successful detoxification and health, visit dreliaz.org.

Detoxifying Foods

Increase your intake of vegetables and fruits that are high in alkalizing minerals, such as potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Avocados, potatoes (skin on), and dry beans are good sources of potassium. Antioxidant support to combat oxidative stress caused during toxin removal.

Detoxifying Nightcap

Looking for a simple way to gently detoxify your body, boost your radiance, and ensure a deeper night’s sleep? Drink this before bed for one to two weeks: Mix 1 Tbs. of high-quality olive oil with the juice of one lemon and 8 oz of spring water. This cleansing concoction is surprisingly tasty and refreshing.

Your Natural Detox Kit

We like the ingredients in the products below. The tea can be combined with any of one of the supplement formulas.

Wakunaga
Kyolic Formula 105 Detox & Anti-Aging
Organic garlic bulbs are aged in a unique process to create beneficial compounds that aid in detoxification. Also contains selenium.

EcoNugenics
Detox Complete
features a mix of vitamins, nutrients, and herbs, including NAC and cilantro, specially blended to promote cleansing and removal of heavy metals from the body.

Michael’s Naturopathic Programs
Ultimate Detox Cleanse & Rebuild/2-Week Kit
contains a range of nutrients, including milk thistle and rice bran, to support detox of the circulatory system, intestinal tract, and liver.

ReNew Life
Organic Essential Detox
is a powerful liquid detox formula made with more than 15 potent organic herbs, such as dandelion and burdock, to help eliminate toxins, improve digestion, and more.

Traditional Medicinals
Organic Roasted Dandelion Root
Drinking this tea stimulates the liver to increase bile flow in order to carry away waste and break down fats during digestion. Enjoy throughout the day.