Written by Stéfanie Crevier, Naturopathic student at the Quebec Institute of Naturopathic Education, massage therapist, founder of the Natural Care Refuge, culinary explorer, but especially the mother of three wonderful children. Stéfanie joins our team to to share with you his favorites, his healthy recipes, his eco tips, his discoveries and his ideas to make your family life easier!
Ah the infamous "detox"!... THE word we can’t stand no more! It's on everyone's lips at this time of year, in too many publicities, and on all possible media. There’s no way around it: January and February rhyme with "good resolutions" and too often, questionably effective detox. Don’t worry, I won't try to sell you a miracle cure here, but rather give you a few tips on how to make sense of this overused – and often misused – term.
In the fabulous field of naturopathy, we are taught first and foremost the importance of our biochemical individualities. Yes, our metabolisms all work differently! In other words, to make a good assessment and choose a "detox" – a real one – you need to consider all the factors surrounding a person, such as environment, stress, physical activity, work, history, etc., to make a good assessment and suggest a "detox".
What does that mean exactly? It simply means that just because something is good for you doesn't mean it's necessarily good for me and vice versa. To detox and/or lose weight, it is necessary to consider all the other factors I have listed above and adapt this process according to the individual and his/her priorities. Also, the same person may have different needs in Winter as in Summer, hence the importance of continually adapting to our life and our needs, intuitively or better yet, with the help of a natural health professional. Sorry to be a killjoy, but there is no pill or magic potion that will transform your body in your ideal self, only a lot of false hopes and a motivation that will quickly decline and eventually fall into oblivion. One more time.
This being said, it’s not impossible to obtain good results with an over-the-counter product, otherwise I wouldn't tell you about Land Art's TOTAL DETOX! But since I care about your health and your satisfaction above all, I find it important to better inform you so that you can achieve good results quickly and efficiently, while respecting your rhythm and your objectives.
Did you know that we are constantly exposed to toxins in our environment, including the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat? Our bodies continuously filter out toxins that enter our bodies such as heavy metals, pesticides, medications, alcohol, food additives, plastics (BPA, BPB...), cleaning products and much more. Our liver plays an extremely important role in the detoxification process, disarming and eliminating harmful toxins.
Also, there are two steps to detoxification. The first is the stage known as Phase 1, where the liver oxidizes the harmful toxins into less harmful intermediate molecules. The problem is the free radicals that are produced during this phase; they can do a lot of harm if they wander freely through the body without leaving it! Hence the crucial importance of Phase 2, which concerns "conjugation". This phase uses six different pathways to extract water-soluble Phase 1 metabolites from your body through bile, urine and stool. However, Phase 2 liver detoxification is often slow, for countless reasons, such as lack of the nutrients needed to support this conjugation. Believe me, you really don't want that, because Phase 1 metabolites are potentially dangerous and must be removed!
So here are a few tips for Phase 1:
- Increase your intake of antioxidants such as vitamin C which is found mostly in fruits and vegetables (tangerine, orange, strawberry, peppers, etc.).
- Eat lots of cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, etc.).
- Take silymarin-rich milk thistle.
- Reduce stressors such as coffee, alcohol and processed foods while trying to eat organic foods to limit pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
And for phase 2:
- Consume sulfur-containing foods such as cruciferous, garlic and onions.
- Make sure you have a good intake of amino acids such as glycine, cysteine, methionine and taurine (don't hesitate to do your research to find out which foods contain the most of them).
- Increase your intake of B12 (meats or supplements) and flavonoids, especially those found in fruits, vegetables and herbs.
- Add fibre and pro/prebiotics to nourish your microbiota (intestinal flora).
- Drink plenty of water.
In addition to diet, herbs and supplements such as Land Art's TOTAL DETOX, there are other ways to improve detoxification: buying organic foods to reduce exposure to toxins, reducing plastic, buying natural personal care products and using natural, non-toxic household cleaning products. Also remember that it is important to take care of yourself during this period (meditation, yoga, massage therapy, lymphatic drainage) and don't hesitate to work with a health professional on a detoxification protocol adapted to your needs.
At the end of the day, it’s clear that a single solution does not always work, or at least, it’s not as effective and long-lasting as a complete care of the body and mind. That’s why it’s an excellent reason to try a new, healthier lifestyle and who knows, maybe you'll get a taste for it!
Happy detoxing!