The word detox has become somewhat trendy on the social media front, and because of this there are definitely mixed messages surrounding what it actually means. Far too often people associate a detox with juice cleanses or restrictive eating plans only. But a well-crafted detox is so much more than that and such an amazing way to truly give your body the rest and rejuvenation it needs while healing it at the same time!
Did you know?
Before you can build new cells in your body, you have to get rid of the old cellular material. Your body must constantly break down and recycle cellular material to rejuvenate itself. 90% of our cells are replaced every year, and over 50% of our cells are replaced every month. When we tell our clients, “By the time you finish a functional medicine detox, you won’t be the same person you were when you started,” that’s true both figuratively and literally!
What Does Detox Mean?
Detoxing involves eliminating foods, toxins, and unwanted junk that has entered the body through breathing, eating, and touching anything in this world.
Too often we have clients that are not having proper bowel movements, are born toxic, have a lot of stress (the biggest toxin out there), or have genes that do not allow them to detoxify properly. It is my job to help each client clean out his or her sewage system – the lymphatic system – in order to have a healthy body.
Why Do We Detox 4 Times a Year?
It is suggested that we detox with the seasons, but personally I think in this toxic world, we must get empowered to learn about daily detoxing. See your detox tools, and teach and empower your clients to learn how to improve the lymphatic system by daily dry skin brushing, oil pulling, sweating, rebounding, and tongue brushing, to name a few.
We detox to give the body a break and reset the system, as well as rest and rebuild. By detoxing regularly, we allow the body’s natural cleansing mechanisms to perform the jobs they were designed to do.
A cleanse or detox is a great way to kick start any healthcare program such as:
Boost Mood: Opens up the body’s ability to take in vitamins and minerals to be used in energy and neurotransmitter production.
Lose Weight with Ease: A functional medicine detox improves your body’s ability to use blood sugar. You will burn body fat because you will oxidize that body fat and as you do this, toxins will come out of the body fat.
Improve Nutrient Uptake: When you fast, your body is exceptionally ready to then take in food and absorb the nutrients it provides. But the great thing is, with a functional medicine detox, you won’t get the inflammation associated with such a process because you will be supplementing the body with detox supplements and food.
Improve Sleep: According to Ayurvedic practices, the liver detoxes most between the hours of 11pm-2 am. This may explain why people with very congested livers toss and turn at night during this time. But, as your body begins reducing the toxic load, improved sleep may occur as a result.
Autophagy Cleans Up: With the first portion of a Functional Medicine Detox being a fast, or hypocaloric, this means the body is not receiving glucose for fuel. So, it is forced to go in an engulf pathogens and viruses along with old molecules of undigested food and proteins for fuel. This basically “cleans house,” paving the way for optimal detoxification.
Boost Energy: Big secret…You will actually experience more energy when you expend less. By eating easier to digest foods, you will not need to use as much energy simply to break it down. That means you are left with more energy the food provides!
Improves Cellular Aging: Less damage to your DNA and therefore improved lifespan.
Balances Hormones: a Functional Medicine Detox can calm the nervous system, balance blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and thereby balancing hormones all at the same time!
Clears the Skin: When there is less bacteria and toxins in the blood, then there is less to move through the skin. The liver is detoxing the blood every 6 seconds! So, if you have a lot of skin issues, you may have a sluggish, congested liver.
Calms Digestion: By reducing whole foods for the first 2 days and then heavier, hard-to-digest foods for the rest of the detox, you give your digestive system a much need break. Now energy from the food can be going toward improving your immune system response, balancing your blood sugar, and giving the body more sustainable energy to tackle the day!
Lose Weight. Get Well. Stay Well: It begins this type of health journey for most of my clients!
If you feel your body needs some major rebalancing and detoxing, book a New Client Special Consultation. My 6-Month Coaching Package will really get your gut and liver health restored, allowing for a more rejuvenated and alive you to get back to living life the way you deserve!