With so many environmental toxins in our world these days and with digestive and chronic illnesses on the rise, I wanted to take a moment to talk about 6 Gentle Detox Routines for Better Health that you can do at home.

If you have been following my blog, you know that I am a REAL food advocate.  And I don’t believe in dieting, counting calories, restrictive eating, or major cleansing.  What I do encourage is a balanced, healthy diet full of nutrient-dense foods, moderate exercise, and a positive outlook on life.

We live in a much more toxic world than in years past.  Our produce is laden with pesticides and herbicides.  Processed foods are full of preservatives.  Our drinking water has fluoride and chlorine in it.  Commercial make up and body products are loaded with harmful chemicals.  Our pajamas and mattresses are sprayed with harmful fire retardants.  And let’s not even get into the discussion of GMO foods.

Toxin build up in the body can lead to constipation, digestive upset, bloating, heart burn, weight gain, and food sensitivities/allergies.  Toxins can also contribute to many of the chronic and degenerative disease  like diabetes, heart disease, infertility, and autoimmune issues.

So what can you do to lessen the toxic load on your bodies?

Did you know your body is detoxifying all the time?  There are many gentle things that you can do to support your body’s natural detoxification methods to get rid of some of these toxins on a daily basis.  Simple self-care routines that nourish your body, support your liver and move your lymphatic system – without any radical detox diets or crazy detox fasts.

I get it- life is busy!  But what I am about to share with you are 6 simple daily detox routines that you can easily incorporate into your life.  And it doesn’t involve spending tons of money of supplements and herbs.

6 Gentle Detox Routines for Better Health

1. Morning Hydration with Lemon or Apple Cider Vinegar:

On an empty stomach, start each morning with a cup of warm water with either juice from 1/2 of a lemon or 1/2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.  Both will balance the pH in your body and support the liver to flush toxins out of the body.  Both are also known to support healthy digestion by getting our stomach juices going.

We are often encouraged to drink copious amounts of water to stay hydrated and to “flush out toxin.”  This however can be detrimental to our health.  Over-drinking and becoming over-dilute actually lowers our metabolism and stresses out our bodies. You are better off adding a bit of salt and minerals to your water to help your body absorb the water you are drinking. Read here Why I Drink Salt Water Sole Every Day.

2. Move Your Body:

Moderate exercise that gets your heart going on a daily basis helps your body detoxify.  Waste is eliminated by the skin when we sweat.  Exercise also stimulates the lymphatic system, which is a major part of the body’s immune system. The lymph collects unwanted “debris” in the body such as  bacteria and other harmful materials and filters them through the lymph nodes.  The lymphatic system is completely dependent on body’s movements for circulation.

Daily exercise can also help keep the bowels regular.  Having your elimination system working properly is crucial to a healthy body.

3. Simplify Your Diet:

Give your body a break by feeding it only healthy, whole foods to nourish and to heal.   Focusing on good quality foods like properly-sourced meats, organic and seasonal vegetables and fruits, and healthy fats will give your body exactly what it needs to thrive without all the garbage found in modern foods.  Limit the amount of processed foods, refined sugars, and harmful additives that you consume.  This will take a huge burden off of your liver, which has to process all of that out of the body.  You can read more HERE about foods that are toxic to our bodies.

4. Dry Brushing:

Dry brushing is basically brushing the skin in a particular pattern with a dry brush, usually before showering.  The main benefit to dry brushing is that is stimulates and moves the lymphatic system thus helping the body detoxify naturally.  Remember, the lymphatic system has no pump like the cardiovascular system does.

Dry brushing also exfoliates the skin, clears and cleans pores of the skin, and increase blood flow to the body, promoting an energetic and invigorating feeling.  I tend to dry brush in the morning as i often feel very awake afterwards. THIS is the dry brush that I use.  I like it because it has a long handle to reach my back and feet.

5. Scrape Your Tongue:

During sleep when the body is resting, the digestive system works to detoxify itself.  These toxins are deposited on the surface of the tongue via the internal excretory channels, and are responsible for the coating usually seen on the tongue first thing in the morning.  Scraping this off daily with a tongue scraper can help move these toxins out of your body.

A tongue scraper (also called a tongue cleaner or tongue brush) is an oral hygiene device designed to clean off bacteria, food debris, fungi, and dead cells from the surface of your tongue.  The film that develops on your tongue while you sleep is a good indicator of what’s going on inside your body.  Be sure to check out 5 Reasons to Scrape Your Tongue Every Day.

6. Detox Baths:

Taking a couple of detox baths per week can be an easy, gentle and relaxing way to promote healthy detoxification in the body.  Benefits of detox baths include flushing out built up toxins in the body, immune system support, relaxation and better sleep, and relief of sore muscles.

There are many recipes for detox baths.  You can simply add 2 cups of Epsom salts or apple cider vinegar to you bath and soak for 20-30 minutes. Epsom salts are great as they contain magnesium which many of us are deficient in.  It absorbs easily through the skin  into the body. You can read more HERE.

Other things to think about:

Detoxify Your Household:

Household cleaners and personal and beauty products are a major source of toxic exposure. Chemicals like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Formaldehyde, Lead, Diethanolamine, Triclosan, Phthalates and Parabens can be found lurking in many of the common household items that you may use.  Many of these chemicals are hormone-disputors and have been linked to cancer.

Removing these chemicals from the home can go a long way in reducing the amount of toxins you are exposed to.  Making your own DIY Household Cleaners can be easy and inexpensive.  I started making my own face oil and anti-aging face serum to avoid common ingredients in commercial lotions.

 Manage Your Stress:

Stress is a major cause of disease today.  Eating the right foods, taking the all the right supplements, and getting tons of exercise cannot override a stress full lifestyle.  How are you managing stress in our life?

Some easy ways to decrease stress include getting adequate sleep, meditation/quiet sitting, yoga, time spent outdoors in nature, dancing, art, and even essential oils.  See here 10 Best Essential Oils for Stress and 9 Best Essential Oils for Sleep.

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Do you have a favorite self-care routine?  Please share in the comments!