Time for a Detox? How to Get It Right (Update!)

When it comes to your health – forget the calendar! Your body knows when it’s time to take action, and that’s not confined to any one month of the year.

How does your body tell you it needs cleansing? Pay attention to physical cues – symptoms that are uncomfortable and, perhaps at times, even a bit embarrassing.

Do any of these strike a chord?

• Digestive issues (gas, bloating, heartburn – even diarrhea or constipation if you’re on GLP-1 medications)
• Stinky smells! (Bad breath, particularly pungent bowel movements, funky sweat – they all get worse when we’re on toxic overload.)
• Sugar cravings
• Anxiety, mood swings, depression
• Brain fog, fatigue
• Chronic headaches
• Frequent skin outbreaks
• Nausea and vomiting (again, if you’re using GLP-1)

Good news! There’s a solution

But first, let’s talk about what’s going on with your body.  

Toxins, toxins everywhere – it’s sad but true. We live in a toxic world. You’re exposed to toxins every day. Believe it or not, some estimate the number is as high as 700,000 different environmental toxins daily!  

In addition to the toxins you inhale or ingest from the outside world, known as environmental toxins, you are also exposed to toxins produced inside your body – endotoxins.   

Endotoxins are produced by microorganisms living in your gut microbiome and other parts of the body.  

And to further complicate matters, if you’re among the estimated one in eight US adults who have used GLP-1, you may have experienced some uncomfortable side effects. GLP-1 medications slow digestion. Slowed digestion can affect your gut, liver, and gallbladder – the organs that help your body digest and detoxify. 

The goal? Microorganisms in balance

How can you optimize toxin removal? Make it safe – even comfortable? First, promote the production and flow of bile in the liver and gallbladder. Then, clear microbes that are producing toxins in the gut and across the body. Finally, intercept and eliminate unwanted toxins and microbial byproducts. Enhanced function. Detoxification done right. 

Look for a strategy that helps you: 

1. Optimize bile flow and production  
2. Balance the microbiome to reduce excess production of endotoxins 
3. Intercept toxins released in the bile so that they are excreted in the stool instead of recirculated  
4. Restore microbial diversity and balance in the gut  

Start with your liver, but don’t forget the microbiome  

Your liver is your body’s detox powerhouse. Supporting and protecting the liver (and its partner, the gallbladder) is the first step. When you increase the liver’s bile production and flow, it contributes to an optimal detox, fat digestion, and your gastrointestinal comfort. 

That’s where many people begin and end their detox journey.  

But to really address those uncomfortable symptoms we’ve already mentioned, consider your gut microbiome. Gastrointestinal issues are one of the main complaints seen in medical practice, affecting 65% of adults in the U.S. and 40% worldwide. 

A contributing factor is often an overgrowth of harmful bacteria in the gut – known as dysbiosis. It can slow down your body’s natural ability to detox the environmental toxins you’re exposed to daily. Microbial imbalance also means additional toxins, increasing your toxic burden. When well-supported and in balance, the microorganisms in your digestive tract do a variety of things for you:   

• Digest food 
• Support the absorption of vitamins and nutrients 
• Help balance blood sugar 
• Play a role in immune defense 
• Help hormonal balance 
• Support a healthy inflammatory response 
• Optimize detoxification 

When your digestion is slowed by GLP-1 medications and/or your gut microbiome is out of balance? That could explain the gas, bloating, headaches, constipation, etc.  

Health Hack - Did you know that biofilms house toxicity? 

Biofilms are produced by communities of microorganisms that stick together and attach to surfaces in and on the body. They are all over, including on your teeth and in your gut. If left unaddressed, biofilms can create a continual source of toxic exposure and an obstacle to sustainable results. For maximum results, choose a detox program that addresses biofilms and strengthens the health and diversity of the gut microbiome. It’s all about balance. 

Supercharge your detox!

In addition to detoxing both your liver and microbiome, you can maximize your results with a few fundamental lifestyle changes. 
 
Get adequate sleep, manage your stress, and find activities you enjoy so that you can be successful in exercising regularly. Movement is so important, and most of us don’t get enough!  

I also recommend the following dietary guidelines:

• Fill up on prebiotic foods (apples, asparagus, garlic, onion) 
• Focus on healthy fats (coconut oil, avocados, olive oil)
• Eliminate gluten and dairy during your detox, and continue to limit them afterward if you find you feel better
• Shop the perimeter of the grocery store 
• Prepare your own meals
• Avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates
• Focus on lean, free-range, grass-fed meats

If you choose to detox, an ongoing commitment to a healthy diet and lifestyle will enhance your hard work and increase your chances of lasting results! 

1. Begin your detox with liver support.  
2. Add a detox program that addresses microbiome balance. 
3. Learn more about keeping your gut healthy. 
4. Check out this microbiome-friendly diet.