Detoxing has gotten a bad reputation thanks to Instagram detox teas and unhealthy, gut twisting detox kits that leave you drained, tired, and uncomfortable with no lasting results. But there is benefit to understanding how and when to detox your body in a natural, easy, and effective way.
But how do you know when you need to detox and what are healthy detox programs? These are really important questions so keep reading to find out!
How Do Toxins Get Into Our System?
Sometimes those who speak on environmental toxins get a bad reputation for being "overly sensitive" but according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), those speaking on toxin overload are pretty accurate. Toxins get into our system through the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink, and even the products we use in our homes. In one study, it was found that 90% of mothers and newborns were found to have high levels of man-made chemicals. Imagine a lifetime with these factors, and you can assume we are all carrying some level of toxins inside our body.
How Do You Know If You Need A Detox?
Below are a few signs that can indicate a high level of toxicity in one or more area of your body:
1. Fatigue
Being tired all of the time is a major indicator that your body is struggling to detox itself. Now you may have times in your life where you are unusually busy and your body may recuperate by getting some extra Zzzs but I'm talking about the kind of tired that never goes away no matter how much sleep you get. According to Biotics research, there are 87 toxins that are known to cause fatigue.
2. Anxiety, Depression, or Low Mood
A lot of nutritional gaps can impact mood and mental health but if you normally do not struggle with low mood but find yourself feeling this way recently, it can be toxins as the EPA has listed 40 chemicals as neurotoxins.
3. Brain Fog or Disrupted Focus
Some of the chemicals in every day products like cleaning products, aerosols, and even deodorant can compromise the blood-brain-barrier in some people and cause brain fog, lack of focus, and even appear as ADHD symptoms in children and adults.
4. Sore Joints or Muscles
Some of the chemicals we are exposed to can impact multiple systems in our body; one of those systems is our metabolic system. Our bodies receive messages about when and how to synthesize proteins and amino acids for our joint and muscle health. When these processes are toxic or dysfunctional, you may experience unexplained muscle or joint pain.
5. Sleep Disturbances
Having trouble staying asleep or falling asleep can be a symptom of a system that is experiencing high levels of toxicity. When we sleep, our body is supposed to go into healing and repair mode. When we have high levels of chemical toxins in our system, our body stays on the job for way too long preventing us from obtaining proper sleep.
6. Cravings for Sugar or Unhealth Carbs
We all have our favorite chocolate chip cooking or kettle cooked chip for a snack but when the cravings begin to win out more than you do it could be a sign that your gut is chemically toxic. Some of the pesticides and chemicals we ingest in our food causes an overgrowth of bad bacteria. This type of bacteria loves sugar and carbs and you might often find yourself reaching for a quick energy boost if you're also struggling with fatigue.
7. Digestive Issues
Whether it is constipation, diarrhea, or bloating (or all three!), these are signs that your gut health is asking for help. As stated above, the pesticides and chemicals we ingest through our food can wreck havoc on the delicate balance in our gut. Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) can actually cause tiny holes in your intestines allowing food particles into your blood stream. This can cause body-wide inflammation and pain as your body attacks these foreign objects (the food particles). Having constant digestive issues is a major warning sign of an over toxic system.
8. Headaches and Migraines
As we are exposed to neurotoxins over and over, our system cannot keep up with the detoxification process and headaches and migraines can occur on a regular basis. While we sometimes see these occur in close relation to the exposure, these symptoms can also occur randomly with no known trigger to have caused them.
9. Low Immunity
If you think about your immune system as an army of soldiers. You know you can send them out to protect your systems at any given time. However, you only have so many soldiers and if they are all busy fighting chemical toxins then there are no soldiers left to fight bacterial or viral infections. So one key symptom is that you always catch the cold, the flu, the stomach bug, the respiratory infection, and more. No matter how much you wash your hands or take vitamin C, you still get sick often.
The good news is that effective, natural detox program exist. We use a program called Nutri-Clear Plus from Biotics Research. This is a 4-week program that not only helps slowly detox but it fills in nutritional gaps with organic supplements to support your body as it goes through the process. Most of our clients report a huge change in energy, brain clarity and focus, and reduced digestive issues. If you or someone you know struggles with feeling healthy every day, then please share this with them. Dr. Shelley makes it her priority to dig into the root cause with each and every client, giving them real answers based on personalized date. No more guessing or fitting into a pre-made template program. This is about you. This is about your health. This is about you waking up every day feeling good about the day and not suffering with pain or discomfort. You can purchase this kit directly from our store here or if you want more guidance and education, check out our program guide to get more information on the Guided Detox Program.
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