Everyone wants to do a cleanse nowadays. Master cleanses. Juice fasting. Water fasting.
These are all well and good, and can be a good way to transition into sustainable and healthy patterns. But who wants to have to do these regularly?
What is easy to forget is that the body has amazing tools for detoxifying and removing waste products right now as you read this. Think of detoxification as a process that is always happening rather than a single event you have to initiate.
5 Main pathways of elimination and how to make the most of them:
1) Lungs:
Humans have to breathe. Carbon dioxide is the most abundant metabolic waste product in our bodies. Stop breathing and your cells stop receiving oxygen and death is inevitable. Pretty simple.
Try diaphragmatic breathing (belly breathing), exercising, and getting outside in some fresh air to get the most out of this detoxification pathway.
2) Liver and Gastrointestinal Tract:
The liver acts as a manufacturing plant, storage facility, and a waste management facility. The gastrointestinal tract helps you absorb and assimilate the food you eat.
Take care of your liver by eating liver supportive foods like broccoli, brussel sprouts, garlic, onions, beets, carrots, artichokes and avoiding hydrogenated fats/oils, non-organic meats, poultry, eggs and dairy, refined sugar, processed foods, alcohol, drugs, and coffee. Of course, drink plenty of clean water daily.
Optimal GI function can be maximized by making sure you have great bowel movements. Fecal matter is not something you want stewing in your GI tract for long.
Along with supporting and loving your liver, make sure to eat plenty of vegetables and fruit high in fiber (5-7 cups per day) and drink plenty of water to make sure you’re having regular, well-formed bowel movements.
3) Kidneys:
The kidneys are highly active, and highly crucial for liquid waste elimination, blood pressure regulation, among many other important functions. Although the kidneys may only make up about 1/140th of the body’s weight, it utilizes 1/8th of the body’s oxygen! You definitely want to take care of your kidneys.
In addition to liver tips above, here are some kidney specific strategies.
Foods that promote kidney health: berries, cherries, grapes, celery, Matcha green tea, hibiscus tea, watermelon, low mercury fish, onions, garlic, and coconut
Foods that put stress on your kidneys: aspartame, processed and fried foods, splenda, hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, beer, distilled alcohol, conventionally raised meats, coffee
If you have high blood pressure, this is something that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later, and luckily many of these tips in this article will also help with that.
4) Skin:
Did you know that skin is the largest organ of the body? Sweating is a very effective way of releasing toxins through the skin. Much research has shown that toxic metals (like mercury) are excreted via sweat.
Vigorous exercise, saunas, and hot epsom salt baths are a few ways to get your sweat on. Old school naturopathic doctors would recommend air bathing (you know, with your clothes off) as a way to promote health. If you choose do air bathe, please make sure to be considerate of others.
5) Emotions:
Emotions might not be an obvious route of elimination, but nonetheless it is very important to overall health. An increasing amount of individuals are suffering from anxiety and depression, and they are not suffering from a deficiency of anti-anxiety or anti-depressant medications.
If you are looking for improved physical, mental, and emotional well-being, find constructive and healthy ways to process negative and positive emotions.
Try writing, singing, playing your favorite instrument, drawing, meditation, going on hikes, or talking to a trusted and supportive (this is key) friend or confidant. Take a moment to send someone a thank you note or email. Tell someone you love that you appreciate them. You don’t have to hold it all in.
By taking care of these primary routes of elimination, you will make sure that your body and mind stay happy, healthy, and young. If you are having any issues with any of these routes of elimination, you do not have to do this alone. Consider seeking the counsel of a trusted professional.
Your health and well-being depend on it.
