Detoxification Protocol
This protocol has been designed to help you reduce your toxic burden and support your body in the best way possible while it detoxifies and heals. This is not a weight loss plan - please eat as much as you want when ever you want….just make healthy choices. Organic potato chips technically fit with in the allowable food parapets of this protocol but they are potato chips! Please enjoy everything in moderation while watching your fat & salt intake.
Not everyone’s life fits following this protocol long periods of time, do what you can, even 1 day is better than nothing…but 2 weeks would be ideal. I encourage you to read through this protocol with the mindset of discovering what aspects of it you can incorporate into your regular routine, e.g. dry skin brushing, non-toxic cleaners, etc.
1. The Basics - Reduce your exposure to toxins
Detox your environment
Detox your beauty regime
The Environmental Working Group, the David Suzuki Foundation and Environmental Defence have resources that can help you.
Feel Good Bonus – reducing your demand for toxic products means there will be fewer toxins being manufactured and fewer toxins leaking into our environment.
2. Body Basics
Support your skin
comfortably tolerate). Repeat at least once. Always finish the shower with cold water.
- You may want to quickly rinse off after.
Support your lungs
Consider doing some yoga
Rest
3. The Diet
Eat! Eat as much as you want! Your body needs lots of fuel to detoxify and heal.
What you need to avoid:
What you need to consume:
What else you should do:
Not everyone’s life fits following this protocol long periods of time, do what you can, even 1 day is better than nothing…but 2 weeks would be ideal. I encourage you to read through this protocol with the mindset of discovering what aspects of it you can incorporate into your regular routine, e.g. dry skin brushing, non-toxic cleaners, etc.
1. The Basics - Reduce your exposure to toxins
Detox your environment
- Replace your toxic cleaning products, air fresheners, and insecticides & pesticides with natural non-toxic alternatives
Detox your beauty regime
- Replace your toxic personal care products, particularly anything that you apply to your skin or that is heavily rented with synthetic fragrances
The Environmental Working Group, the David Suzuki Foundation and Environmental Defence have resources that can help you.
Feel Good Bonus – reducing your demand for toxic products means there will be fewer toxins being manufactured and fewer toxins leaking into our environment.
2. Body Basics
Support your skin
- Consider dry brushing your skin daily. This practice will help remove waste products and improve circulation to your skin.
- Consider a contrast shower to increase circulation (I can’t do this, but many people love them)
comfortably tolerate). Repeat at least once. Always finish the shower with cold water.
- Consider taking a salt baths to help draw out impurities.
- You may want to quickly rinse off after.
Support your lungs
- Do some gentle cardio exercise regularly, i.e. walking, jogging, swimming, cycling
- Practice deep breathing exercises
Consider doing some yoga
- In addition to being a great overall activity, Yoga will support your lungs with deep breathing, improve circulation and gently support your detoxification organs. Move at your own pace and respect your limits. Consider one of the following routines Detox Yoga or Yoga for Detox
Rest
- Mediate, read, just sit for a while or treat yourself to a spa treatment/massage/steam/sauna
- Try to make sure that you are not adding to your toxic burden during a spa treatment with the use of non-organic and/or synthetic products – a great natural spa in Toronto is Elixer Spa.
3. The Diet
Eat! Eat as much as you want! Your body needs lots of fuel to detoxify and heal.
What you need to avoid:
- All synthetic & processed foods
- All animal products – dairy, meat, eggs
- Caffeine – not even green tea
- Alcohol & drugs (if possible)
- Corn & corn products - read labels it is everywhere
- Wheat or wheat products - including spelt, kamut, etc.
- Soy or soy products – read labels like corn it is everywhere
- Sugars – all sugars, syrups, jams, honey, juice concentrates, etc.
What you need to consume:
- As much organic food as you can
- Lots of water – at least 8 glasses of liquid a day
- Protein (quinoa, amaranth, legumes, beans, seeds & nuts) – your body needs it
- A B12 source - nutritional yeast, fortified rice or almond milk, fermented foods, etc.
- Lots of fresh vegetables & fruit - at least 50% of your food intake
- The more diverse the better
- Ensure lots of greens - kale, spinach, collards, beet greens, dandelion, etc.
What else you should do:
- Try to eat organic
- Limit your salt & fat intake
- Consider taking probiotics to support and encourage health internal flora (optional)
- Check out my blog - you will find detox friendly recipes and recipe links
- Think about what aspects of your detox diet that you might like to integrate into your regular routine
- Once your your detox diet is over, gradually ease back into your normal (or healthier-than-normal) diet.
