How to Detox Chemicals and Toxins

IMG_8631 (1).jpg

Natural ways to detox

So we already know that there are numerous chemicals and ingredients we’re exposed to in our environment that are linked to some serious health impacts, and hopefully, you’ve started clean swapping your home to avoid many of these! But, it’s impossible to limit our exposure 100% as chemicals are everywhere and we cannot always avoid them. So what do we do instead?

The good news is, our bodies are truly magical and have the ability to detox harmful toxins naturally through our liver! However, many Americans have trouble with detox due to poor diet and lifestyle habits that impact our liver’s ability to function properly. To understand, let’s first start with how the liver works to detox. In phase 1 of detoxification, your liver uses enzymes to break down chemicals and in phase 2, your liver uses several processes (methylation, amino acid conjugation, and sulfation) to neutralize toxic substances so your body can expel them properly.

If our liver isn’t working optimally, it can’t properly break down toxins and when it doesn’t know what to do with a toxic substance, it may store these toxins in fat tissue. Your liver is also responsible for expelling excess estrogen that your body creates and doesn’t use. If your liver is detoxing properly, it can lead to a build up of estrogen and eventually, estrogen dominance.

There are numerous ways you can support your liver naturally without spending money on expensive cleanses and diets, and most importantly, without restricting your body from essential nutrients and calories!. I am NOT a fan of juice cleanses or programs like the Master Cleanse which restrict your body from key nutrients and can cause more harm than good. Instead, you can easily follow the steps below!

  1. The first and most important is to eliminate processed foods and sugars from your diet

  2. Decrease your exposure to harmful chemicals in personal care products and items you use around your home

  3. Support your liver with with herbs and foods

  4. Make sure your body is properly able to expel these toxins through regular bowel movements, sweating, or through lymphatic drainage pathways,.

Today, I’ll share some of my favorite herbs to support proper liver function!

IMG_8632.jpg

  1. Dandelion root - helps to prevent liver damage from toxins through antioxidants that warn off free radicals, and helps increase production of bile which is extremely important for breaking town toxins.

  2. Ginger - helps prevent inflammation in the liver which is linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

  3. Ashwaganda - another herb that can prevent damage to the liver and also supports your adrenal health to improve cortisol responses in the body

  4. Sea buckthorn - provides essential fatty acids, vitamin C and E which are important nutrients for the the methylation process the liver uses to break down toxins

One way to incorporate these herbs is through herbal teas! I love sipping on tea as my wind down routine in the evening, Currently, I’m loving the Detox Tea from Vitauthority (code erica7 gets you 7% off). Which contains all the herbs listed above, plus some!

Foods that support your liver include;

  • Grapefruit

  • Blueberries

  • Greens (mustard greens, beet greens, kale, collard greens)

  • Sprouts

  • Nuts

  • Cruciferous vegetables

  • Garlic

Once you start supporting your liver, it’s super important that your body is able to expel these toxins as well so they don’t get stored in your fatty tissue. This is where proper gut health is critical to detoxing to ensure you’re having regular bowel movements. Sweating is another way your body expels toxins so getting in a good sweat a few times a week can be so beneficial. Lastly, your body can release toxins through your lympthatic system so doing things like dry brushing and massage can help your body release toxins through lympthatic drainage.

Supporting your liver for proper detox is extremely important in order for your body to expel the numerous chemicals we’re exposed to daily as well as excess estrogen that can build up in your body without proper liver function. Practice the steps above and look to incorporate the listed herbs into your diet a few times a week!

Live. Life. Clean.

Xo

Erica

Erica Baron