Knowing When To Detox or Not To Detox…

came home for lunch yesterday and asked me to look up some natural detox remedies for a client who wanted some information. When I started my search I thought I would find an easy answer and when I found I was wrong I decided to turn this into an article. Knowing when to detox or not to detox is really important so here is what I learned…

Pollution, food, drinks, medicines and supplements can cause us to accumulate toxins that can make our bodies not work at their optimum level. Not getting enough sleep, exercise, too much worry and poor diet all effect our immune system and inhibit our bodies to release these toxins. If you are feeling sluggish or are tired of getting sick, you may consider detoxing as part of your wellness plan.

Detoxification is a process that eliminates toxins and excesses from the body that can improve both physical and mental health in our bodies. Sometimes people choose to detox in order to prepare their bodies for a change in diet or medical treatments. There are many different types of detox plans and we would like to encourage you to research, but most importantly, please visit your primary medical provider before, during and after you follow through with your detox cleanse in order to make sure your body is responding in a positive manner to the process.

The cleansing process can be helpful because it allows the cells in our bodies to rest. It also stimulates the liver, kidneys and skin to eliminate properly. Detoxification can help improve our circulation and refuel our bodies with healthy nutrients.

Our liver and kidneys are very important and they work night and day to clear out what is not needed in our bodies; Our liver processes medications and chemicals we ingest and our kidneys filter our blood to remove waste. Some people believe that if our liver and kidneys are doing their job, detoxing is never necessary. Some people believe that we should do a cleanse 1 time per year. People who are chronically or terminally ill and pregnant or nursing mothers and children should not detox. Again we recommend you discuss detoxing with your medical professional before you commit to a detoxing cleanse or just choose to make a few simple changes to your wellness plan.

“Unless there’s a blockage in one of these organs that do it day and night, there’s absolutely no need to help the body get rid of toxins,” family physician Ranit Mishori of the Georgetown University School of Medicine told National Public Radio.”

Reasons You Might Consider Detoxing:

• Unexplained fatigue
• Constipation
• Skin irritation
• Allergies
• Low-grade infection
• Puffy eyes
• Bloating
• Menstrual irregularities
• Mental confusion

Before You Detox

• Eliminate alcohol, cigarettes and other drugs
• Eliminate coffee
• Eliminate refined sugars and saturated fats
• Eliminate or minimize chemical based household cleaners and personal care products (shampoo, deodorants, toothpaste, etc)
• Eliminate stress
• Consider why you want to do a detoxing cleanse. Some people believe that detox cleanses only mimic the unhealthy behaviors that make us feel bad: eating too much fat and sugar and overly processed foods, drinking alcohol and using other substances that are not beneficial to our bodies. If you have addictive tendencies, please consult your medical professional before choosing to put your body through a cleanse.

All these listed items create obstacles for your wellness. Finding natural alternatives for maintaining your diet and personal care and creating balance in your life with proper exercise, meditation and rest will help you on your path toward wellness.

Types of Cleanses

• Master Cleanse
• Colon Cleanse
  • Instead of colonics you might choose to eat acorn squash or a tablespoon of coconut oil as part of your daily diet to naturally stimulate your digestive tract.
• Liver Cleanse
• Green Smoothie Cleanse
• Juice Cleanse
• Cellular
• Fasting

Detox Helpers

Probiotics help restore the wellness of our gastrointestinal tract. Adding a good probiotic to your wellness plan will help to increase the healthy microbiota that helps process the nutrients in food which helps us have a healthy body, skin, waste line and mood.

• Read: Love Your Guts
• Read: The Importance of Gut Health

Soup is an alternative to juicing. Fiber-rich and bone-broth-based recipes can be light, nutritionally impactful meals.

Easy & Quick Detoxifiers…Or Great Things to Add to Your Wellness Plan

• Drink 3 to 6 liters of water daily to flush your system naturally.
  If you are thirsty you are dehydrated. Your goal should be to urinate at least 5-10 times per day and your urine should be clear.
• Eat lots of raw, organic or locally grown (if you can) fruits and veggies every day.
  Broccoli and blueberries are two of a long list of foods that help our bodies naturally eliminate toxins and stimulate our organs to work better. Ideally 70-80% of our diet should consist of fruits and vegetables.
• Eliminate or minimize meat & dairy products from your diet.
  Meat and dairy products create mucus in our bodies and cause toxins to collect, leading to sickness and weight gain. Adding a vegan day to your diet plan is a great way to give your body a day of rest and healing.
• Eliminate or minimize refined sugars and overly processed foods from your diet.
• Get some sleep.
  Most adults need 6-9 hours of sleep per night in order to function at top speed.
• Exfoliate your skin to remove dead skin cells and encourage proper circulation of the blood and lymphatic system.
• Sweat.
  Proper exercise is necessary to a healthy body. Sitting in a saunas or a hot bath also helps our bodies release toxins through our pores.
• Breathe.
  Meditation, Yoga and Qigong are great ways to practice breathing. Randomly taking 3 big, deep breaths throughout the day and quieting our minds increases circulation and promotes a number of great health benefits.
• Get a massage.
  Massage will help our bodies relax and increase blood flow.

In conclusion, I don’t want you to think that I am for or against detoxing or that I want to push you in one direction or other. What I hope is that I have presented some information that will help you make healthy choices on your path toward wellness.

Need a fitness assessment or help with your wellness plan? Contact Wellness Works NW to get your free consultation with Karen G Clemenson today. Wellness Works NW is located inside Forever Fit Gym in Longview, Washington. We serve Cowlitz County and the surrounding areas.

A Few Recipes:

POMEGRANATE CITRUS PUNCH

Serves 2

• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 1 cup water
• 2 oranges, peeled
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds
• 2 bananas

DIRECTIONS:

1. Blend spinach and water until smooth
2. Add fruits and blend until the desired consistency. (Use frozen fruit to make smoothie cold)

CHAI SMOOTHIE

Serves 2

• 2 cups fresh spinach
• 2 cups almond milk, unsweetened
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled
• 2 pears, core removed* (can also use mango)
• 1 banana
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 1 tsp cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

1. Blend spinach and almond milk until smooth
2. Add remaining ingredients and blend again

CLEANSING DETOX SOUP

Serves 6

• 1/4 cup water or vegetable broth
• 1/2 of a red onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 3 medium carrots, diced
• 1 small head of broccoli, florets
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional)
• fine-grain sea salt and black pepper, to taste
• 6 cups water (or 4 cups vegetable broth + 2 cups water)
• 2 cups kale, de-stemmed and torn in pieces
• 1 cup purple cabbage, chopped
• juice from 1/2 of a small lemon (or more, to taste)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot, add water and turn on high heat to medium high heat.
2. When the water is hot, add the onion and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes. stirring occasionally.
3. Add celery, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes and fresh ginger. Stir and cook for 3 min, adding extra water or broth as needed (another 1/4 cup).
4. Stir in numeric, cinnamon, cayenne, salt and black pepper.
5. Add in the water or vegetable broth and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
7. Add in the kale, cabbage and lemon juice and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

There is no oil in this recipe, however if you do choose to use oil, use 1 tbsp or less of olive, avocado or coconut oil.

Leftovers will last in the fridge for up to 3 days.

SWEET POTATO DETOX SOUP

Serves 2

• 1/2 cup cooked red lentils
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into cubes
• 3 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 parsnip, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 onion, peeled and cut into quarters
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• pinch of chili powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth, warm
• 1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon coconut milk to garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 330ºF
2. Line a baking sheet with baking paper, add the sweet potato, carrots, parsnip, onion and garlic, season with salt, chili, turmeric and cumin, add the coconut oil and toss to combine.
3. Roast for 20 minutes then transfer into the blender.
4. Add the warm vegetable broth, grated ginger, and cooked red lentils into the blender and process to obtain a smooth cream.
5. Serve warm, garnish with fresh parsley

Resources & Read More at:

Summer D Clemenson co-owns Clemenson Enterprises and Wellness Works NW with her wife, Karen G Clemenson. Their personal motto is Creativity, Honesty & Positivity are a must! This mantra helps them stay community and wellness minded in all they do. Summer also writes poetry and inspirational blogs @ ClemensonEnterprises.com. Her crochet art can be viewed and purchased @ KnottyWares.com & she loves special orders!