If you are feeling run down, fatigued, low on motivation, brain fog and even moody, you might benefit from trying a detox weekend. Cleaning up your diet, reducing the sugars, processed foods, additives, other chemicals in our modern food industry, may just clear up your thinking, improve your energy level and underneath it all strengthen your immune system and reduce inflammation.
Here are 5 health benefits to look forward to when starting your detox regimen:
1. maximize the liver function that is always working but may need support
Our liver is in charge of eliminating toxins that we encounter day in and day out. It is constantly processing environmental pollutants, carcinogens in our food, preservatives, pesticides, or heavy metals. Long term exposure to these toxins can impair the liver’s functioning. Not fully processing these toxins may cause the body to suffer in other ways. We are all aware that an overload of these toxins can lead to cancer and that chemotherapy when treating cancer may cause damage to the liver and to other functions. One of the things participants at the detox weekend learn is how to do a yarrow liver compress.
Watch Dr. Molly’s Liver Compress Tutorial
2. alkalinize your system to keep everything in balance
The dietary extremes of too much sugar, too many additives in our food, too much meat and other acidifying foods can lead to elevated blood sugar, more inflammation and chronic illness. A properly balanced diet with 80% alkalinizing foods and 20% or less acidifying foods will keep illness away as well as decreasing the immediate problems of brain fog and sleepiness. Learning to eat what you need rather than what you want will make your decisions easier and more healthful. Remember pesticides and other chemicals will make all foods more acidifying as they are metabolized as acid forming ingredients. Eating as much organic food as possible is an easy way to reduce acidity.
EWG’s Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen are a great resource for reducing pesticides, and thus acidity, in your foods.
3. Get your microbiome in line
Overgrowth of non-beneficial bacteria and microorganisms in the gut can create its own toxic load. Many of these bacteria and organisms can be balanced by proper diet, reducing the simple sugars and carbohydrates that allow them to thrive while adding beneficial bacteria by way of probiotic foods and non-GMO foods. Glyphosate (Round-Up) is thought to not only destroy pests in the farmer’s fields but to also kill off certain beneficial bacteria when we eat those foods. Organic food does not contain glyphosate. Since this herbicide is not required to be labeled yet, look for the non-GMO label to be sure that the food you consume is free of GMO foodstuffs which are heavily sprayed with this toxin.
4. reduce fatigue
Fatigue is one of the most common signs that your body is working under high toxin load. Toxins overload shows up in many different ways. Some people may have joint pain, fatigue, memory loss. Many people can directly relate diet changes to a worsening or improvement of these common symptoms. Mood disorders and memory may be improved as a result of detoxification! Total elimination of intake, as in fasting, is frequently associated with mental clarity and a general calm.
5. learn skills to keep toxins at bay
Toxins are a constant in our lives, and they are responsible for many diseases including some cancers, neurological diseases, and heart disease, to name a few. However, once you’ve learned some basic skills and techniques to support your liver in it’s natural detox function you will know what you can do to relieve the pressure on your whole system. Just giving your liver a break is a big first step but there are lots of things you can do to proactively eliminate toxins and give your liver a head start when you go back to your life after a detox program.