Up until a few years ago, “detox diets” were on trend. Of course, they still exist and boast outlandish promises. Usually they involve a juice “cleanse,” or a restrictive diet with a specific set of supplements. When I talk to people who are looking to make a lot of changes to their health, they often ask me about “cleanses” or “detoxes.” They often say it under their breath, detox—knowing that it is a magic wand or pill that will solve all their problems. Nevertheless, they ask about it, or ask me if I have ever heard of specific ones on the market. It’s almost like they are asking me, “how can I clean out my parent’s house in three days after 40 years of living.” In this analogy, your “parents” probably did most of their daily chores—cleaned the house, took out the trash, etc. But there are still things in there after 40 years.
The body is similar. It has been functioning a certain way for so long, and survives through various systems, such as the urinary tract and the colon. It has used the traditional methods of “cleaning” like pooping, peeing, sweating, etc. But there is build up there. And dust. And maybe some cobwebs.
The problem is that people want to get rid of all of that in a few days. If you do a juice “cleanse” or a “detox” for three days or so, you can do a lot more harm than good. In most cases, a “cleanse” can cause liberated toxins to find other places to go in the body. In the simplest terms, all detoxification pathways in the body need to be open and ready to receive toxins for this to go well. “In fact, nutrient deficiency can make toxins even more dangerous by resulting in incomplete chemical transformation or prolonged circulation in our blood” (Ballantyne, 2016). And, at that point, I’m not sure what it would do anyway.
For example, if you wanted to get rid of all your parents’ things, would you throw everything out in the trash can? No. You need all these pathways to get rid of things: donation sites, yard sales, bulk trash options etc. Otherwise, trash will accumulate in the yard, and the outdoor garbage would be overloaded, etc. The aesthetic of their house would change with garbage piling outdoors. Their systems would overload in other ways, creating an overwhelming and stressful situation.
The body and your liver are similar. The liver’s detoxification system includes several pathways that can be supported proactively through simple, consistent diet and lifestyle habits.
What is detoxification?
Detoxification is the body’s system of healing and repairing itself. Detoxification is a parasympathetic process, meaning that if you are stressed, it is unlikely that detoxification will happen. Primary elimination pathways are the colon and urinary tract. The body is constantly cleaning house and an increased amount of detoxification happens while we are sleeping.
Several systems are involved in detoxification. However, there are some superstar systems that deserve attention.
The digestive system is extremely supportive in detoxification. The intestines contain probiotic bacteria that assist in the detoxification of many substances (NTA, 2020). If you are not digesting your food properly, you are not absorbing your nutrients. If your chewing is inadequate, particles can compromise your gut lining, possibly causing a host of immune issues. Tight cellular junctions in the gut allow food to pass through the digestive system and not leak into other areas of the body. Otherwise, foreign molecules can enter the body in other ways. This can overwhelm those organs that work so hard to detoxify molecules in your body. Furthermore, if you are experiencing digestive distress such as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)—which is proliferation of bacteria in the small intestines—your body cannot cleave nutrients adequately. Also, your digestive system will have a harder time absorbing antioxidants if your small intestine is out of whack.
Detoxification occurs through the skin as well. Sweat glands of the skin act like a second kidney, and sweat therapy can be an effective way to remove toxins from the body (NTA, 2020). Heavy metals and BPA have been found in sweat. Rashes and acne are sometimes indications of an elevated detoxification response.
The lymphatic system is a network of organs and vessels that protect you from infections. Lymph, the fluid in the lymphatic system, helps the body get rid of cells that it doesn’t need. Lymph will act as a pre-filter for the liver in order to prevent overload (NTA 2020). Poor fat digestion can clog this system. The takeaway here is to avoid toxins if you can, but recognize that they are everywhere.
So what can you do to support your body’s detoxification pathways? The best way to do this is to support the body’s Foundations of Health, especially nutrient density, digestion, sleep and hydration. To maintain a nutrient dense diet, consume a plethora of vegetables in a wide variety. Many vegetables’ brilliant colors are determined by the type of antioxidants they contain, so eat the rainbow. Also, getting enough clean protein and healthy fats is crucial for organs to perform their various functions, especially detoxification.
Nutrient density is an essential in this entire process! Clean protein and vegetables is going to be a constant theme here. You want to also limit added sugars, alcohol and (eek) caffeine. The reason why you want to limit these is because sugar depletes other nutrients in the body. The authors of this 2016 article in Open Heart summarize that sugar actually damages the cells and depletes energy. It also creates a feeling of hunger in the body, causing us to want to eat more (DiNicolantionio, 2016). To decrease your added sugar intake, start with monitoring first. Write down the grams of sugar you consume daily, including honey, agave, and other natural sugars. Make sure you are including sugars that are hiding in your coffee creamers and non-dairy milks. Reduce this intake to 25% until you are at about 15 grams of sugar a day. If sugar is a breeze for you to reduce, perhaps caffeine is a little bit harder. The reason you want to reduce caffeine is because you want to limit the detoxification burden on your body. A little bit of caffeine is ok, but too much will overload your system and can tax your liver. If you have trouble with caffeine and sugar and are helplessly addicted to a glass of wine every night, tackle that habit first. Reducing yourself to one drink a week is ideal. Getting as close to that as possible gives your body enough support to detoxify properly.
Do not supplement with antioxidants in isolation. Their efficacy is questionable, and they can actually cause more damage to your liver. Talk to your doctor before you supplement any antioxidants!!!! It is best to get them from whole foods.
Sleep is essential for detoxification. An increased amount of detoxification happens while we are sleeping. If you are not sleeping enough, which is eight to nine hours, find a way to do it now. If you are still exhausted after nine hours of consistent nightly sleep, contact your doctor or please contact me so I can help.
Hydration is a no brainer when it comes to detoxification. It might be the least attractive one as well. However, I find it is the most manageable Foundation to incorporate into your lifestyle. Hydration supports detoxification by allowing urine and bowels to move particles out effectively. If we don’t drink water, fiber and other waste can sit in our systems for a while. When lung tissues are moist, it is easier for them to dispel waste such as carbon dioxide. Hydration also keeps the blood fluid so that materials can be delivered to lymph and liver, which are powerhouses in the body’s detoxification processes.
What is a Whole Body Detox and how do I do it?
You might be asking: If three day or 21 day “cleanses” don’t work and could possibly cause damage, is there a way to detox your body completely? In other words, how do I complete an Ultimate Detox?
In order to go through an Ultimate Detox, you need to follow a diet and lifestyle that supports the Foundations for six to nine months. This is a range because every body is different.
If you want to complete an Ultimate Detox, you need support from a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner that will put you bioindividual needs first. Among other things, this takes meal prep planning, support from a community, as well as support from friends and family. Furthermore, with ANY nutritional program that involves broad changes, you need to get permission from your doctor first.
References
Ballantyne, Sarah. (2016, March 16). The Best Foods and Nutrients to Support Liver Detox. The Paleo Mom. https://www.thepaleomom.com/the-best-foods-and-nutrients-to-support-liver-detox/.
DiNicolantonio, James J.; Berger, Amy. (2016). Added Sugars Drive Nutrient and Energy Deficit in Obesity: A New Paradigm. Open Heart, 3(2), Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4975866/ on February 11, 2025.
Guan, Yong-Song; He Qing. (2015, Jun 28). Plants Consumption and Liver Health. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Retrieved from pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov on February 4, 2025.
Koenig, Gavin; Callipari, Cameron; Smereck, Janet A. (2021, May). Acute Liver Injury After Long-Term Herbal ‘Liver Cleansing’ and ‘Sleep Aid’ Supplement Use. The Journal of Emergency Medicine, 60 (5). Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33579656/.
Lee, Da-Young; Kim, Eun-Lee. (2019, Jun 30). Therapeutic Effects of Amino Acids in Liver Diseases: Current Studies and Future Perspectives. Journal of Cancer Prevention, 24(2). Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6619856/.
Nutritional Therapy Association. (2020). Detoxification Core Videos. [Video]. https://nutritionaltherapy.instructure.com/courses/202/pages/det-%7C-core-videos?module_item_id=12262.
Romm, Aviva. (2018). Detoxification, Everything You Wanted to Know. www.avivaromm.com. Retrieved from https://avivaromm.com/detoxification-101/ on January 28, 2025.
Share this article:
