INTRODUCTION For over 5 years, I consulted clients on juice detoxing from my shop – Juice Hugger (A Healthy Crush Café). Now that I have moved from owning a brick and mortar shop to focus on product development and our online store, I wanted to develop a series of guides, email courses, and books that can help those interested in purging themselves of toxins find their way through the detox options available. There are many ways to detox. Much of it depends on your lifestyle, environment, and your personality. I want to supply you with the information to consider what makes sense for you. Hopefully, you decide to try out several of the options presented or combine them to make up a system that lets your body rest, reset, and rejuvenate. Detoxing is especially important if you feel unfocused or unbalanced. Often, this means that you are suffering from toxin overload. If this goes unchecked, it lends itself to creating the perfect internal dynamics for diseases to flourish. Detoxing is a preventive health measure, something that you can take responsibility of that can lessen the likelihood of an unscheduled doctor’s visit. Keeping the body’s immunity high decreases your risks of an illness that you don’t want or need.
WHAT IS DETOXIFICATION? Detoxification (in this context) is concerned with improving and elevating the existing functions of your body’s own detoxification systems. It includes resting, cleaning, and nourishing your body so that it works optimally. Our complex detoxification system includes the liver, intestinal tract, kidneys, lungs, lymphatic system and the skin. Our liver is the main detoxification organ. The liver acts as a filter for toxins and bacteria in the blood and chemically neutralizes toxins, converting them into substances that can be eliminated by the kidneys. The detoxification system is a key component of our body’s functioning process which is why it is so important that we make sure we support and assist the elimination of toxins if we are making lifestyle choices that create an overload to this system. It is best not only to remove toxins but to have a plan for replenishing the body with vital nutrients, enzymes and microbes afterward. Detoxing in its entirety is a conscious attempt to rebalance your system for increased health and vitality.
WHEN SHOULD YOU DETOX? I recommend detoxing every season (every 3 months). The change of seasons is a great starting point to reflect and refocus your path. Usually, life adjusts a bit depending on the seasons; activities, weather patterns and priorities change. It’s a good time to take a look at what is or isn’t working for you with your present routine to make necessary modifications. If you have steered a bit to far off your desired course, not enough time goes by between these 3 month self “check-ins” to feel like you have gone too astray. I liken detoxing to an “internal vacation”. It’s a time for “self care” and can be added to a list of things that you should do for yourself to make sure everything is in proper order. Scheduling a week of activities that focus on your health and happiness every 3 months may seem frivolous or egotistical initially, but with time your perspective will change to appreciate how important it is to make sure your mind, body, soul connection is in order to create a more balanced life. Keep in mind, however, that ANYTIME you are feeling unbalanced with symptoms like joint or muscle pain, fatigue, brain fog, frequent headaches, constipation, acne, acid reflux, bloating, etc., it may be time to do some type of detoxing to assist relieving what could be toxin overload. If you have never cleansed before and have any of these symptoms, please see your doctor first to make sure you don’t have a major illness.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR A DETOX? Preparing for detoxing is an important part of cleansing the body. You are turning on your mental switch to ready it for self care. It is best to eliminate alcohol, coffee, cigarettes, refined sugars and saturated fats. I am not saying this is easy and often it is only accomplished a day or two before cleansing. Your body
is still going to be calling out for these vices because it has become accustomed…and often addicted to their presence. But the understanding by you that this behavior must decrease can have a great impact on how successfully you can manage your detoxification process. Additionally, switching to healthier health care products including shampoos, deodorants, toothpastes, and make-up, is helpful. The skin is an important part of the detoxification system and we often forget that what we put on our skin can enter our bloodstream adding toxins to our internal dynamic. If stress is a part of your toxic environment, it may also be a time to consider meditation, less media consumption, and stress relieving activities that heal the mind, which could be impacting the functions of the body.
WAYS TO DETOX There are many ways to purge the body of toxins. It is not my goal in this guide to tell you one is better than the other. Although my company has produced juice cleanses for years and I can attest to the impact they have had on my life and my customers, it isn’t the only way to detox. I have tried many of the options on the list below and can say that they were all effective in some way. I would suggest trying several detox options to find out what makes you feel relief and comfort. It isn’t the same for everyone and that is ok. Some are passionate about detoxing regularly and others may do it when they feel signs their body isn’t functioning efficiently. You may look at it as a “staycation” option or a way to rejuvenate after too much time in party mode. Detoxing can be an evolving journey, knowing what is available is best to make the most informed decisions. Taking a long weekend to go for a walk, lounge in a sauna, drink green juice and do whatever puts you in your happy place is a drag for no one. Let’s begin:
1. SAUNA There are two ways to remove toxins from the body and one of them is sweating. When you sweat, traces of lead, copper, zinc, nickel, and mercury get flushed from your system through the enlarged pores of your skin. A sauna makes you sweat, assisting your body’s natural process from getting toxins out of your system. Sitting in the hot sauna room aids your circulation. Your heart works faster which pumps the blood harder. To accommodate the increase in blood flow, the blood vessels expand, resulting in a temporary lowering in blood pressure. A helpful measure if you want to calm down your blood pressure. Spending time in the sauna helps to remove dead cells, relaxes face tension, improve skin elasticity, and rinses bacteria out of the epidermal layer and sweat ducts. Cleansing of the pores has been shown to improve the capillary circulation, while giving the skin a softer-looking quality. I try to go to a sauna at least once a month in the Fall, Winter, and Spring. If your gym doesn’t have one, try the local Y, or Spa Castle for inexpensive options.
2. MASSAGE Massages can kick off the body’s natural detoxification system which can slow down for a variety of reasons — lack of regular exercise, too little fluids or fiber in the diet … If you haven’t been taking the best care of yourself, a detoxifying massage can help set things right again. The rhythmic strokes and pressure applied to muscles, tissues and organs during massage therapy help stimulate the circulatory system. Pressure applied to the tissue and fat, literally squeeze out the toxins from in between the muscle fibers and cells. They’re released into the circulatory system for easier elimination. Your lymphatic fluid system works with your cardiovascular circulatory system to flush out toxins and carry immune cells throughout the body to help defend against infections. If your lymph fluid circulation gets sluggish, toxins can accumulate and immune cells may not get carried to the areas of the body where they’re needed. Since the lymph system doesn’t have a big central pump like the heart to keep things moving, it has to rely on gravity, exercise, breathing … and massage . A massage is a great end to “date night”. Although I love a qualified masseuse, sometimes your loved one knows a little better where that crick in your neck resides. Remember to drink a glass or two of filtered water after the massage to help the body flush out toxins more rapidly.
3. BODY WRAP
There are a variety of wraps that you can decide to use, each with a different goal in mind. There are wraps that are designed to draw out the toxins from your skin, and these involve the use of bentonite clay that pulls the toxins from your body. There are wraps you can use to simply get rid of impurities from the skin by deeply cleansing your outer layer of skin. There are also wraps that you can use to try to work up a sweat if you have weight loss in mind. These involve using a sauna suit so that you can sweat off excess water weight, while at the same time infusing the body with cleansing herbs and minerals. Health clinics, detox spas and offices offer detox body wrap treatments that will wrap you in mud, seaweed, clay and saltwater. Or, you can do it yourself at home by making or purchasing a detox body wrap kit. I have done a seaweed wrap and a mineral wrap in a sauna suit at the spa. I did loose water weight, felt very relaxed and my skin glowed after the treatments. It’s messy though. Wouldn’t be my first choice at home.
4. IONIC FOOT BATH An ionic detox helps to facilitate the alkalization process through the process of ionization, which removes “free radicals” from the body. The water changes color naturally because of the chemical reaction between the electricity and the salt water, not because of the toxins. It’s the debris in the water that unusually indicate that toxins have come from the body, like metal chips and brown and black spots which appear from the pores of the feet. The goal of the foot bath is to raise the alkalinity of the body. In order to see if there is a change in your acid|alkaline ratio, you can take a ph test before and after the treatment. I have done several ionic foot baths – with friends next to me. The water color in each of our baths varied and so did the debris. I felt great afterward, but, I have never done it without having another treatment at the same time or taken a ph test before and after, so, I can’t say with 100% certainty how effective it is.
5. COLONIC Colon hydrotherapy use tubes to inject water, sometimes mixed with herbs or with other liquids, into the colon via the rectum using special equipment. Colonic therapists believe that accumulations of putrefied feces line the walls of the large intestine and that these accumulations harbor parasites or pathogenic gut flora, causing ill health. The water releases stored feces which passes into the colonic “waste bin” and can be analyzed at the end of the treatment. I think colonics are great especially if you have constipation issues. I have never found it to be uncomfortable during and you feel internally “clean” afterward. Although there are many doctors that will tell you they are unnecessary, I disagree. I do a series of 3 at least once per year as part of my self care regime.
6. FASTING Fasting is the process of consuming no food or drink (except for water) for an extended period of time. It has been a part of our cultures for thousands of years. Christians, Muslims, Jews, Sikhs, Buddhists, and people of other faiths have practiced fasting since the beginning of time. For many, fasting is a form of deep meditation and spiritual healing, but modern science is beginning to think it’s so much more than that. A study conducted at the University of Southern California suggests that prolonged fasting helps prevent damage to the immune system and can produce hematopoietic stem cells which generate bloods cells and immune cells. Fasting for 2-4 days at a time over a six month period was also found to destroy aged and damages cells. I have fasted on several occasions and felt clear headed and calm afterward‌and hungry. If you are going to fast and it’s not for a medical or religious reason, make sure to incorporate some vitamins in your regime.
7. HERBAL CLEANSE Herbal cleanses or detox teas are the newest detoxing trend. Though you can do an herbal detox taking pills, the detox teas have risen in popularity do to their publicity on social media. Detox tea is usually based on tea leaves mixed with different herbs known to cleanse the liver, an organ responsible for clearing toxins from your body. Teas for detoxing assist your body to get rid of toxic waste which helps to improve the digestive system, detoxify and cleanse the body, and aid you in reaching your health/weight loss goals. I use a detox tea for constipation or if I have overeaten to the point of discomfort. Do these teas work – yes! Sometimes too well. I’d definitely advise being close to a bathroom if you are going to drink a detox tea. And they may make you uncomfortable and gassy before they allow you to eliminate. So do yourself a favor, - don’t drink too much, especially if it is your first time. I’d recommend this as a short term detox solution, not something you can comfortably do for an extended amount of time.
8. JUICE CLEANSE Juice Cleansing is a great way to give your digestive system a rest while providing your body with a variety of vitamins and nutrients that you may not be getting with your normal diet. During a juice or detox cleanse, our cells and organs are given the chance to rapidly purge out toxins without absorbing newer ones. It is a time for rejuvenation and repair. A juice cleanse allows you to cleanse your palette which may be used to the tastes of fats and processed foods. It is a way to break existing eating habits so that you can reset both mentally and physically to aid in moving toward healthier lifestyle choices. After a cleanse, you may be surprised at how salty or sugary processed foods taste as well as how the nuances in healthy foods pop out and become more satisfying. Juices are an easy source of nutrients and digested without hassle by our digestive system. They feed our cells and natural detoxification organs to clear out toxins and wastes. My company has produced juice cleanses for over 5 years. I do a juice cleanse every 3 months. It has benefited by overall health, helps me maintain my weight, and keeps my skin clear and firm. I really enjoy cleansing and rarely feel hungry.
9. RAW FOOD CLEANSE A raw food cleanse is a natural diet of unprocessed food that is free of toxins. It can be helpful to those who want to take a step in changing their eating habits. On a raw food cleanse it is suggested that you eat mainly vegetables and fruit. If you
want to add grains to your meals, choose healthy grains such as oats or quinoa, steering clear of anything white and processed. Preparing your meals yourself is best on this cleanse as well as eating every few hours. You can eat the fruit and vegetables raw or juice them. I love switching to raw fruit and vegetables after a few days of “indulgence eating”. It’s a great way to pull back to readjust your current eating behaviors. Then, slowly incorporate cooked foods until your diet feels like it in better balance.
10.
YOGA
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual practice or discipline that originated in India. Yoga helps to detox your body by improving your circulation, regulating your digestion, and stimulating your lymphatic system. The twisting, turning, stretching, and compressing of Yoga poses helps to stimulate your body. Some poses will compress your liver, effectively squeezing out the toxins and forcing the organ to send it on to the waste disposal system. Other poses will stimulate your lymph nodes, which is where toxins are often stored on their way to the liver. Twisting poses will help to stimulate your blood circulation, which will keep all of your organs healthy and working properly. Yogic breathing also promotes detoxification. Sitting with poor posture impedes the lungs from inflating fully, it doesn’t allow for as much life-sustaining oxygen when we inhale, or expel as much of the potentially hazardous carbon dioxide when we exhale. Yogic breathing helps clear out carbon dioxide from the lung tissue. I do yoga on a daily basis. It has improved my digestion, my circulation, and my ability to be focused and peaceful. It provides for a mind, body, soul detox and I couldn’t imagine life without it.
Thank you for reading our detox guide. I hope it has helped you decide what detox method you will use during your next “Self Care” time. Please remember that self care is not just about you but helps you feel better and more able to interact lovingly with those around you. It’s a great way to prevent stress and future health issues. Don’t wait to take care of yourself only when something feels off, build time into your life to give your body the proper fuel (food) and attention it deserves! If you do want to try a juice cleanse and don’t have the time to create a cleanse on your own, we are offering a 20% discount on our VITALITY and HARMONY CLEANSE.