12 POWERFUL WAYS TO DETOXIFY YOUR LIFE
A lot of our focus for staying healthy is directed at food and fitness and while these are crucial, we also need to think about our wellbeing and health in other areas. Dieting and exercise alone is not going to be your end all to supporting physique change and long term wellness, toxins and stress management play a huge part. I have an extensive list to help you learn and align your daily use items and routines to help you improve upon your daily toxic load. This week I’ll introduce my detoxification methods and stay tuned for next week’s nervous system and stress management focus.
How to Create a Healthy, Low Toxin Environment
I get it, some things are out of our control when it comes to toxins in our environment; if we live in the city, toxins are kinda part of the package. So I try to reduce toxins in mine and my family’s lifestyle wherever I can. Here’s how:
Filter my drinking water
Do you know what is in your drinking water? Check your area out here: https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/ .
I currently have the Berkey Water Filtration System. It’s better than most for what it is capable of filtering for a price tag that isn’t going to break the bank. However, there are even better filtration systems out there that you may benefit from. The Life Straw is one I use while on the go if camping or backpacking. Other options that might fit for you, a Pitcher filter: Clearly Filtered or Soma Water Filter , a whole house filter: Radiant Life whole house water system or an under the sink filter: Radiant Life 14-stage water purifier. These are not an end all as there are many great ones on the market, but you really want to do your research to understand what is being filtered out or not.
Why is bottled water not a great option? Bottled water is laced with harmful chemicals because the bottles are well, plastic. Plastic's chemical properties can lead to plastic-related toxins being consumed and these plastics include the chemicals phthalates, polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene, and bisphenol A (BPA). Phthalates have been linked to an increased risk of cancer and BPA has been linked to various reproductive issues. Instead, bring a stainless steel bottle with you with your filtered water when you leave the house.
2. Non-toxic candles
I love a cozy evening, lighting candles and relaxing in their glow. But how often do you check the ingredients of your candles? Most of us just follow our nose, right?
Here’s a few shocking facts about the ingredients many candles are made out of:
Paraffin: petroleum-based product that can release dangerous volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOC’s can disrupt hormones, carcinogens and neurotoxins.
Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, toluene, benzene, acetone and more can be released from burning candles not made from the below ingredients
Wicks often also contain lead: zinc and tin wicks are common and unfortunately they release trace amounts of heavy metals that you then inhale.
Burning paraffin wax releases ultrafine soot with particulates that stay suspended in the air. This particulate matter, just like pollution, penetrates into the lungs and enters the bloodstream, leading to allergies, asthma, bronchitis and more.
You should look for candles with these three basics:
Wax type: Soy, beeswax, coconut wax, apricot wax, rapeseed wax or vegetable wax
Wick type: cotton, hemp, wood, paper. Always use lead-free wicks
Fragrance type: natural (essential oils), synthetic (fragrance oils) or a mix of both
Some of my favorites: Fontana Candle Company, Hemlock Park, and Arctic Wicks.
3. Clean Cleaning Products
I now steer away from the brands filling their products with chemicals we can’t even pronounce! My favorites are Branch Basics and Blueland. A great way is to buy refillable glass bottles and find refill stores near you. Less chemicals AND packaging!
4. Cookware
We’ve all heard the nasty tales of old non-stick pans but it’s so much easier when your omelet doesn’t stick!! Well, I have been loving Caraway pans, they look beautiful and are toxin-free. You can cook without worrying about the harmful chemicals seasoning your dinner.
5. Glass storage over plastic
Who has an exploding tupperware cupboard that we all close the door on and pretend it doesn’t exist? EVERY house has one, let’s be honest.
I switched from plastic to glass storage so they’re cleaner, chemical free and actually last longer. I don’t end up with an uncontrollable pile of them either, it’s weird - with glass I only have what I need.
I’ve done away with plastic wrap in the kitchen and opt for beeswax covers, better for your body and for the Earth.
Did you know each time you put food in plastic, you risk leaching and then ingesting carcinogens and neurotoxins?
6. Fluoride Free Toothpaste
It can be a topic of controversy, but I find my teeth are still super healthy and my mouth is happier with less chemicals. I can’t offer dental advice but maybe try it and see whether it works for you?
And let’s not forget mouthwash. Have you ever read the chemicals on the back of your standard brands? Do you even know what they mean? I make my own mouthwash and my family love it, it’s SO simple to make you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner! Here’s my recipe: Natural Minty Mouthwash, enjoy!
7. Eating Organic Produce
This one is food related, yes, but a general grocery habit. If you start looking into the pesticides used on produce it’s pretty terrifying - for our health, the environment and for the farmers.
Going organic does cost a little more, but I find that if I meal plan and prep well, I actually buy less produce and have little to no waste (did you know that 40% of food in the USA is wasted?!!). So the money I would spend on wasted veg can actually go into better quality options.
Maybe if you live out of town, there might be local farmers selling at the end of the road or visit farmers markets to find organic options. It’s way more fun than the grocery store!
Bring Detoxification into Your Daily Routine
This is a habit you have to build, you need to make time in your morning routine but once you have it down, your whole day will be enhanced, I promise. Habit creation is one of the major things I work on with clients, check out this blog post for help on building habits that stick.
I follow a couple of these rituals a day, I sometimes mix them up. Maybe you stick to one or rotate through them all!
Drinking plenty of water
Do you remember the 00s crazes with celebrities proclaiming to drink 8L of water a day?! Yeah, this is excessive but if you try to drink around 3L of water a day, you won’t believe the benefits. It helps with stress, fatigue, weight control, skin complexion, metabolism and brain functions.
We all know it’s our source of life but so many of us drink too little. If 3L seems like a lot, start off with a slow increase. Tell yourself to drink a glass before breakfast, have one in your first meeting and at lunch etc. You’ll be surprised how quickly it adds up.
2. Epsom salt bath
This one is so easy to bring into your weekly routine if you already take a bath. If you don’t I suggest making time on a Sunday evening to decompress with a soak. Combine this with your new non-toxic candles and you’ve made your own spa experience!
The list of benefits is extensive, to name a few: Eases stress, relieves muscle pain and cramps, helps muscles and nerves function properly, relieves constipation and eliminates toxins from the body.
3. Red light therapy
I use this therapy for my skin, it is effective on acne, fine lines/wrinkles, hair growth and redness. I suggest doing more in depth research yourself to find centers that offer it to try it out or purchase an affordable option like the one I have Lumebox. The red light spectrum is one of the most studied wavelengths. It’s learned that when cells are stressed, their mitochondria (the powerhouses of the cell) begin to malfunction, red light therapy operates on the top layers of the skin and has the power to boost and encourage detoxification through the skin, blood, and also your lymphatic system. The targeted areas experience increased blood flow which then helps to enable toxins to pass through the skin. Give it a try!
4. Castor Oil Packs
These have been used for thousands of years to detoxify the body, promote healing, reduce menstrual cramps and improve circulation and digestion. You can buy belts online or just soak a cloth in castor oil and apply it to the body.
By placing the pack over different areas of your body, you can achieve different benefits. For example, by placing it over tired muscles or joints, you can reduce inflammation, or laying it over your liver, you can support detoxification and over your whole abdomen can relieve menstrual cramps, aid digestion and improve gut health.
I do this every few days, just laying it on my body when I’m on the coach. The belts are great as a mom because you can jump up and move around whenever needed!
5. Ensuring I have proper digestion
Digestion can affect everything from your mood and energy level to your body’s appearance. It’s so important that we take care of it, and that’s pretty simple once you know how.
Water is crucial to digestion, stay hydrated! Methods for increasing your water intake are above, but as a general rule you should drink at least half your body weight in water daily. You could also consider adding trace minerals and electrolytes for a little extra boost.
Take stock of how much fiber you eat a day, this should be 25-35g through a variety of sources (soluble and insoluble).
Also ensure you are consuming enough protein, you’re looking to have at least 25-30g per meal!
Eating hygiene is a thing, try it! Take 5 deep breaths before you start eating to get in a parasympathetic state; smell your food, chew until your food is almost liquid before swallowing, eat slowly and drink liquids around your meals.
Take walks after you eat to support blood sugar regulation and digestion, this could just be round the block or to the park with your kids.
And if you are doing these things but having funky digestion, it might be time to look into your gut health (side note: wonky digestion isn’t the only reason for a need to support gut health. I break the symptoms down in this Instagram post. Get in touch if you’d like to know more!
Now it’s Time to Detoxify Your Life
These 12 practices are all implementable into your daily life, why not try them? On average, it can take 60 days to make a habit stick, so keep at it, I promise you your household will feel incredible for it!
Detoxifying your environment and your body is an important foundation to making a change to your health for the better. While diet and fitness are crucial too, at Vital Roots Health Co, we start from the ground up, we want you to have stable roots in place so you don’t end up on ‘just another diet plan’.
The other crucial area we work on is stress, the invisible force that can block all your weight loss efforts. Read next week’s blog to learn my stress management practices. If you’ve learnt from this and feel ready to take the next step, book in a free “get unstuck” call to explore your options with us, we would love to hear from you!