8 Detox Rituals That Will Change Your Life
JAMES COLQUHOUN
As the seasons shift and our body’s needs change, or we need further encouragement with weight loss, there’s never been a better time to gently adopt some practices that support our body’s innate ability to detoxify.
Detoxing is your body’s natural response to toxins. Still, when toxins overload these pathways, the burden on the body becomes too much, affecting your ability to manage weight, digest foods, and function energetically. Toxins from our lifestyle choices, environmental factors, and diets all contribute to some of the most chronic illnesses of the 21st century.
So why should we support our bodies to detoxify? Can’t they do it alone?
With the state of the current world and the abundance of toxins that are seemingly impossible to escape from, sometimes our bodies need gentle encouragement to head in the right direction. Many practices were used by different cultures over the centuries to support detoxification, and here are a few that I promise have changed my life.
1. Infrared Saunas
If you’re lucky enough to have an infrared sauna at home, you’ll know about its incredible detoxifying properties. But if it’s new to you, here’s why you should start trying to sweat a little more. Firstly, sweating is one of the most important natural detoxification pathways of the human body, allowing toxins and heavy metals to be eliminated through our porous skin. Thanks to infrared technology, our body’s core is ignited to expel the toxins, making it a more active detox than a traditional sauna.
2. Copper Tongue Scraping
The tongue is one of the body’s top pathways to overloading the liver with toxins, but can also be one of the first steps to detoxification. You know the thick coating that sometimes lives on your tongue? A copper scraper as you brush your teeth can be used to eliminate it, along with any extra bacteria or pathogens that live on the surface.
3. Epsom Salt Baths and/or Float Tanks
Have you ever tried a float tank and quite literally floated out of the room after? Or even had an Epsom salt soak at home, and felt 10 pounds lighter as you stepped out of the tub? This is because of Epsom salts and magnesium’s incredible ability to help draw the toxins out of your body, and into the bathwater. I like to make this part of a weekly routine.
4. Bentonite Clay & Charcoal Face Mask
Bentonite clay and activated charcoal can best be likened to little magnets that work to suck the toxins out of the pores in our skin. We like blending it with apple cider vinegar or just filtered water to make the most divinely detoxing facemask. Just ask our resident skincare expert Nadine, or our writer Tess, who vouches for it twice-weekly in her beauty routine.
5. Coffee Enemas
Coffee enemas are one of the staple elements in Gerson Therapy, which was formed on the principle that all chronic illness stems from chronic inflammation. We know now thanks to much research that toxins contribute to this factor. So while coffee enemas may initially be somewhat uncomfortable, they’re also one of the best practices to add to your detox routine.
6. Adopt A Digital Detox
Okay, this isn’t really an ancient practice, but in essence, a digital detox takes elements of ancient culture - that is no screen time. It’s somewhat sad that our current society needs forced time away from screens, but it’s the way that our world is shaping up. Taking some time to re-unite with nature, ditching the screens for a week, or even simply imposing a no screens after dinner rule not only helps to calm and relieve our minds, but also greatly reduces our EMF exposure (that means turning off the WiFi router too).
7. Lymphatic Drainage Massage
The lymphatic system is the body’s way of moving substances through the body to be processed. Yet sometimes this can be impaired, or become overloaded with toxins that we are exposed to in daily life. Lymphatic drainage massages, as well as being relaxing, are specifically tailored to encourage lymph fluid to move throughout the body, and support that natural detoxification state.
8. Juice Detoxing
If you were to ask my favorite way to detoxify the body, this would be it. Juicing is an incredibly intuitive practice, where fresh, concentrated nutrients are delivered to the body as it enters the optimal state for self-healing and detoxing. If you want to learn more about the fascinating process, I have something very special to share with you in the coming weeks.
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James Colquhoun is the filmmaker behind Food Matters, Hungry For Change, and Transcendence Seasons 1 & 2 and founder of Food Matters and FMTV. Along with Laurentine ten Bosch, James founded the Food Matters community following the release of the 2008 documentary, giving people the tools (films, books, articles, and guided programs) to take charge of their own health. From here, FMTV was born! It was designed as a place where you can access vital information by watching all of your favorite inspiring documentaries, expert interviews, & recipe videos in one place, and in early 2020 FMTV found it's new home on Gaia.