Everyone Needs to Detox. Here’s Why.
This past week I have been doing my favorite detox. Today is day 9 of the 10 day Shred10 program and I feel so freakin’ good! If you are in my Facebook group, you may seeing some of my wins (how about my chronic back pain vanishing?!)*
But let’s be honest, the word “detox” has become the umbrella term for a lot of different diets. That being said, everyone needs to do a true detox. It’s critical to our overall health.
What is a “True Detox”?
Our bodies are amazing, aren’t they? They have detoxification processes built in. When treated well, the liver does a great job of filtering out waste products, our lungs exhale pollutants, our kidneys filter out toxins, and our digestive systems let things pass through that we don’t need. The key phrase here is, “when treated well”. However, there is a breakdown in this process, and it’s twofold.
First, most of us do not treat our bodies well. Plain and simple. Most don’t eat a ratio of 70% fruits and veggies with every meal or have little to no added sugar, low stress, lots of movement and adequate water, etc. Second, we overwhelm our bodies with environmental toxins from our the chemicals in our food, skincare, air fresheners, fabric softeners and more. The result is that our natural detox pathways are unnecessarily clogged, exacerbating the impact of these environmental toxins.
A true detox is one that addresses this layered issue by eliminating the major contributors of our day-to-day intake of toxins, while simultaneously unclogging of the body’s natural pathways through concentrated nutrition as part of a focused, clean eating plan.
3 Steps for a True Detox:
ELIMINATE EVERYDAY TOXINS: Look around your house and purge the toxic crap. Join my Come Clean group for steps.
CONCENTRATED NUTRITION: Nourish your gut and cells with phytonutrients from lots and lots of plant foods. Ask me for my simple strategy.
DETOX-SUPPORTIVE CLEAN EATING: Periodically support your body’s natural detoxification process through strategic food choices. Learn about Shred10.
Even self-proclaimed detox doubter, Andrea Giancoli (MPH, RD, dietitian and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics), agrees that treating our bodies well through clean eating aids in a detox:
“In reality, if you really want to detox your body the best thing to do is have a diet that has plenty of fiber, plenty of fruits and vegetables, a lot of whole grains, a lot of plant foods so that your immune system, your liver, kidneys, lungs and other organs in your body can naturally do their job to detox you on its own.”
If you were in the camp of detox doubter before, I hope you can agree that a focus on clean eating and removing the crap food for a period of time just makes good sense to reset and function at optimal performance. If you’ve already experienced the benefits of a good clean eating program, then no explanation needed. There’s no doubt you’ve enjoyed the benefits, and your body is functioning better as a result!
As I mentioned at the beginning, I am on day 9 of a 10-day True Detox and I have noticed:
better sleep
back pain is GONE
better mood
more energy in the evening
under-eye area is brighter and less puffy
significant reduction in cravings
less belly bloat/fat
Now that we agree that the body could use some support in it’s natural ability to detox, let’s get one thing clear: the most important step in addressing toxicity is not simply doing a detox. Instead, it’s eliminating the toxins in your everyday products in the first place. Switch to safer! I’ve built my own health, my family’s health, and my business around this simple principle.
For the past 7 years I have helped makes sense of what’s most critical to avoid…without living in a bubble. I’ve been in the front row while the field of environmental toxins gets increased media attention and research. What we’re learning now is just the tip of the iceberg. We are going to look back on the foods we eat today and the products we mindlessly slather on our skin and grimace at what we did. Right now you have the chance to make better choices, so what are you waiting for?
Simple Steps to Get Started
Eliminate Toxins:
Join my Come Clean in 2019 FB group
Shop safer Household Cleaners (use promo code EMILYG15 for 15% your order)
Enhance Your Nutrition
Join the next Shred10
*Chronic Back Pain - this didn’t vanish overnight. It comes and goes for me, but what I’ve discovered, thanks to Shred10, is that my back becomes chronically achy and tight when I eat certain foods. When I eliminate those foods, my back returns to a pain-free state and I can return to all of the activities that I love.