So you’re planning a Detox, are you? Doing the right type of Detox is just as important as being totally prepared.

There are many different types of Detoxes to choose from, here are just a few….

♥ Fasts ~nothing in (food or drink)

♥ Juice / Smoothies / Master Cleanse ~ mostly fresh squeezed juices or smoothies are allowed.

♥ Boxed Detoxes ~These are usually premeasured and packaged using Herbs & Spices to support the body’s organs in releasing toxins (this is usually with a modified eating plan). There are many incredible kits, I especially love Botanica!

♥ Food Detoxes ~ Using specific foods to cleanse your organs (in a specific order as well), recipes and portions are important here. (This includes ideas like raw food)

There are so many reasons to do a Detox, mainly because toxins are all around us:

♥ Environmental ~ pollution, pesticides, industrial…

♥ HouseHold ~ furniture, carpets, paint, cleaners…

♥ Food ~ pesticides, food additives, colouring,…

♥ Lifestyle ~ smoking, drugs, medications, nutritional deficiencies (or just holiday splurges)…

Your body works 24/7 for you, trying to keep you the healthiest you can be, it deserves this wonderful break! Going thru with a Detox is a test not only of your eating (physical) but a deep test of your mind (mental). This Mind ‘thing’ is what I love more than the ‘eating’ thing. The first time I completed a 10-day Master Cleanse it felt so amazing to have the strength of mind over my cravings & the old eating thought patterns. I was light in body & mind. I could think clearly & make choices based on my optimal health goals & not because of cravings. You will learn about willpower, eating habits & how unconscious so much of it is, not to mention how unhealthy & damaging to your body & mind it was too! You may even have an ‘ah~ha’ moment.

Before you even decide what detox & when, you should have a why!

Why?
It’s all about the why?
If you don’t know why you are doing something, the chances you will finish on time & successfully are slim. You need to sit down & write it all out. Write out why you’re starting & why you’ll be better off afterwards. Paragraph form or point form. I don’t care if it’s on sticky notes all over your living room! Most notably you want to write out all the negative feelings & emotions you have right now, (bloating, feeling heavy, being overweight, acne, run~down feeling, disease, smelly feet, etc) remembering those will help keep you from quitting (& there are always times when you feel like quitting & need this reminder). But don’t forget to write out how incredible your life will be when it’s over (clear skin, no more headaches or sluggishness, clear thinking, better eating choices, a smokin’ bod’). When you finish that, then we can move on!

Being prepared for detoxing symptoms is very important if you are to finish. If you don’t know what’s coming, you’ll never be ready~ & that can lead to failure!

♥ Headaches

♥ Muscle Pains

♥ Grumpiness

♥ Irritability

♥ Angry

♥ Hunger

♥ Tiredness

♥ being Irrational

♥ Body odour

♥ & so much more (these are just the beginning).

Many people experience flu-like symptoms. These are all normal! It’s best to anticipate that these symptoms are headed your way. Staying clear of people will help, as will giving them a heads-up that you may not be yourself! These shitty symptoms are the result of your body getting rid of all the built-up toxins & it’s kind of a way of tricking you into giving into your old bad ways. Don’t be discouraged & don’t let in, they should only last a few days. (everyone has detox or withdrawal symptoms; from smokers who are quitting to ones who are cutting out sugar~ it’s just the way our body reacts) *feelings of old injuries creeping up, tasting distant meals & puffs of smoke leaving the lungs is actually common*

Some things that are just as important as preparing your why & being prepared for the off symptoms in detoxing are the extra supportive things that you can & should incorporate. Here I will outline as many as possible.

Dry Brushing

This is the act of using a special, but not hard to find, natural dry bristled brush to ‘brush’ your skin. It’s very effective in ridding dry skin, improving circulation, reducing cellulite & giving an overall glow to your body. Dry Brushing is something that I try to do a few times a week, but it’s even more important during a detox. You want your circulation to be stimulated so that toxins can flow more freely out of your bod, & getting rid of dry skin helps you sweat better which is another way that toxins are released. Reducing cellulite is just something most people want help with anyways, so it’s a win-win! To dry brush properly it’s best to go from the Feet up & always towards your heart, small circular strokes work best. (always shower afterwards to rinse off the dead skin)!

Filtered & Alkaline Water

Upping your intake of fresh Filtered & Alkaline water is a no-brainer, but during a detox it’s vital. Most people are dehydrated all the time without even knowing it but during a detox Dehydration equals danger! Mild dehydration stresses our hearts & prevents our Kidneys from doing their job of purifying our blood. If there isn’t enough liquid in your bod then your organs are going to hold onto it as best they can. Water floods our organs stimulating them to function, and boosting metabolism & which helps to detox. If there isn’t enough water none of those harmful toxins are going anywhere, & toxins that are reabsorbed into your bod are even more harmful. If you really can’t down another cup of plain water try adding the lovely & alkaline lemon, or spice it up with cucumber or watermelon, also making it into a light herbal tea should be fine. Coconut Water is amazing during or after a detox as well (I prefer Blue Monkey)

Another Water addition is the Salt Water Flush (often seen as SWF). This is a way to clean & ‘scrub’ out the colon & GI tract. (coffee enema’s just clean out the colon) The preparation is 1 quart (4 cups) of warm water & 1 Tablespoon of high-quality Sea Salt. You drink this on an empty stomach & wait 10-30 minutes, at which time you should expel all of that salt solution & any leftover waste. Many people worry about ‘dying’ due to the salt content, not to worry as this is a perfectly safe practice. Extremely hard to stomach (for me personally), but if you can do it all the more power to you! I suggest not leaving the house for up to 90 minutes afterwards as you really don’t want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere needing a washroom.

Yet another supportive Water addition is taking a warm bath with either Epsom Salts or Sea Salt. Adding a bit of Apple Cider Vinegar is an added bonus. The Salts draw toxins out of your skin while you relax. Taking a relaxing Salt Bath is always best done 20-40 minutes before you go to bed. In the morning, a stimulating addition to your shower would be to alternate between warm/hot water (2 minutes) & cold (as cold as you can handle) for 45 seconds. This will help stimulate your circulation & in turn, help remove toxins!

Supplements

There are a variety of pills that can help you along this detoxing journey. One in particular that I love to use is Activated Charcoal. Activated charcoal has the ability to trap many many times its own weight of toxic or unwanted materials in the GI tract, preventing their absorption into the body. Hospital emergency rooms use activated charcoal to treat certain types of poisoning & I keep it on hand at home. I find it comforting that it’s in there soaking up all those yucky toxins for me 🙂 & it can help lighten many detox symptoms as well. Don’t use too many or for too long as it will dehydrate you. Remember plenty of water with these pills (and with detoxing in general)!
I also make sure I have enough Fibre around too. When the toxins get released back into our bod’s, they need some fast & major help to get out. Safe organic fibre Pills are your go-to. (but don’t use 100% psyllium as it will just constipate you 🙁
Green powders or liquids are a great way to get a boost during a detox. Many contain (& they should for this purpose) Chlorella, Spirulina & other SuperFoods that can help detox & alkaline your bod. (my go~to greens are by a company called Naka)

Coffee Enema’s

Yes, I’m going there… coffee enemas (recipe here). People dread talking about them, but they are quite popular & have been around for centuries for a good reason. Toxic build-up in your colon is a big BIG no~no for Optimal Health, & when you’re Detoxing, that’s what your goal is right? Optimal Health. What many people don’t realize is that (on average) we’re walking around with up to 20pds of old, build-up (food waste) that is fermenting & going, well… bad. Cleaning the pipes of all that old waste is essential for your body to be able to absorb all that new goodness you’re going to indulge in! Without getting you all nervous or embarrassed I’m going to direct you to an amazing blog here, Jess does a wonderful job of showing you step-by-step the safe way of performing a Coffee Enema. (G Rated). Enemas can really cut down & reduce and sometimes eliminate detoxing symptoms too, so get on board. (it’s time you got more personal with your morning cupp~a~joe!)

Neti~Pots

These tiny nasal cleaners have been around for centuries. Easy to use, they are extremely effective in clearing out mucous & dust from your nose. It can take a bit of practice before you really get the hang of it, so try it in the bath the first few times ~ but don’t get discouraged because it really is a great addition to your detox routine.

InfaRed Sauna

I love these! They heat up your body (instead of heating the air around you) & really encourage sweating & the removal of toxins (in your muscles & tissues especially). InfaRed’s are wonderful for not just detoxing, but arthritis too. It works at a cellular level & is much different than the dry or wet saunas out there. Infa~Red’s can Increase energy, improve circulation, boost cardiovascular conditioning, improve dkins tone, boost immunity, & can help cellulite break up quicker. Try to find one, you won’t regret it!

Massage

I’m pretty sure I love these just as much as the InfaRed Sauna’s, they are both soooo Relaxing (although sauna visits tend to be less expensive). Massage will help get the fluids & toxins flowing in your body, & therefore make it easier to remove from your body. Let them know that you are detoxing & they should work more on specific areas like your Lymph nodes & such. Why not try a massage with the addition of a clay or mud wrap? Just remember to drink *extra water as these practices tend to stir up toxins, you want to flush them outta your system as soon as possible.*

Exercise, Stretching & Sweating (& yes sleeping & naping more)

These are very important. Stretching, Sweating, & Getting your bod moving gets everything moving! Usually, when you sweat while working out you’re breathing harder & this will help clean out your lungs (so try not to work out in A/C or out in traffic) If you already exercise then you can take it down a notch so as to not strain it too much, & if you’re not an exerciser then start slowly (Yoga, Pilates). Your body is doing some heavy stuff right now with the detoxing process, & overdoing it with exercise will set you back.

Meditation

Sometimes you just need a few quiet minutes. During a detox, those minutes can be very helpful in finding the strength to keep going, remembering your purpose, clarifying what you want, or simply just giving you a few minutes of peace. If you need some guidance, try Chopra Guided Meditation, or some pre-made meditations online.

Adding in as many of the above to your detox will help you get an all-around body detox experience. Remember that detoxing symptoms occur to everyone, but if you are concerned, please contact your health advisor.