Detoxes are all the rage for health and wellness. There are always new programs that promise to improve our health, help us lose weight, clear up our skin. Juice cleanses, parasite cleanses, heavy metal detoxes. They all sound so promising. But most of them neglect to mention the most important step. Before we start mobilising these toxins and pathogens, we really need to make sure they have somewhere to go. A clear pathway OUT of the body.
If the body cannot properly drain what it detoxifies from the cells, these substances can recirculate, potentially leaving you feeling the same, or even worse than before.
Detoxification: involves pulling toxins, pathogens, and chemicals out at the cellular level.
Drainage: the process of eliminating unwanted substances from the body via specific pathways.
Let's take a deeper look at your body's natural detox systems, how to identify which one might require your attention, and what you can do to support it and enhance its efficiency.
The Drainage Funnel
Our drainage pathways have an order in which they move waste out of the body, just like a funnel. If one of those pathways is blocked, every pathway above it will not be able to drain properly. This is why we always start by looking at drainage from the bottom up (pun intended).
HINT: You can have issues with more than one pathway. Usually, the more chronic the illness, the more blockages you have.
The Bowel
The bowel, or gastrointestinal tract, serves as the primary route for eliminating waste and toxins from the body. If you aren't pooing every single day, then this is the first pathway you need to support when working on drainage. Signs of a sluggish bowel include constipation, bloating, gas, and irregular bowel movements.
Strategies to support bowel health and ensure efficient elimination, include:
Drink plenty of water to soften stools and promote regular bowel movements.
Use a Castor Oil Pack over the stomach for constipation and digestive issues.
Consume fermented foods rich in probiotics to maintain a healthy balance of gut bacteria.
Try Kegels or Pelvic Floor Exercises to help relieve constipation naturally.
Hemp Seed Oil is wonderfully lubricating, and soothes inflamed mucous membranes.
PRO-TIP: We need to be in a parasympathetic state to poo properly. If you are under chronic stress, or feel like your body is stuck in fight or flight, try vagus nerve exercises, or use a whole-plant full-spectrum CBD formula to help bring your nervous system back into regulation.
Liver and Bile Ducts
The liver is responsible for filtering toxins from the blood and processes them for elimination by depositing them into bile. Signs of liver and bile duct congestion include fatigue, headaches, digestive issues, weight gain, skin problems (such as eczema and rashes), PMS, intolerance to fatty foods, and difficulty tolerating alcohol or caffeine. In Chinese Medicine, the time of the liver is 1-3am, so if you find yourself waking during these hours, it may be a sign of problems with your liver pathway.
To support liver and bile duct health:
Reduce exposure to alcohol, chemicals and other toxins, to lessen the burden on the liver.
Consume cruciferous vegetables which support liver function and bile production.
Eat high quality protein to supply the necessary amino acids for the liver's detoxification.
Bitter herbs such as milk thistle, dandelion root, and turmeric are known to support the liver.
Use Castor Oil Packs over the liver to stimulate liver detoxification processes.
Lymphatic System
The lymphatic system plays a vital role in immune function and toxin removal, carrying lymph fluid throughout the body. It is our most overlooked drainage pathway. If you can't figure out what's wrong, it's almost certain that you need to address the lymph. Symptoms of lymphatic congestion include swelling, recurrent infections, congestion (phlegm/mucous), fatigue, and sluggishness.
To promote lymphatic drainage:
Your lymphatic system doesn't have a pump. Regular movement stimulates lymph flow.
Dry body brushing the skin helps stimulate lymphatic flow and remove toxins.
Lymphatic drainage massage can help reduce swelling and promote lymphatic circulation.
Drink plenty of water to support lymphatic function and prevent dehydration.
Using a Vibration Plate or Rebounder, or try Myofascial Release.
DEEP DIVE: The lymphatic system is located within our fascial network. This piezoelectric network covers every single organ and extends into every cell in our body. It is the means by which we can send split second communication across the body. In esoteric studies, the microtubules of collagen in the fascia is where we hold our consciousness. Indeed, we now know that our fascia is full of a type of water called Exclusion Zone (EZ) Water, a crystalline structure that holds information. The lymphatic and fascial network is where our body stores memories and trauma, so it important to be aware that promoting lymphatic drainage can cause an emotional release. This is a positive thing, trauma needs to move through and out of the body otherwise it can make us sick. Be gentle with yourself if any of these practices cause old stuff to surface and please be sure to seek assistance if you need some extra support.
Organs and Tissues
Kidneys: Our kidneys filter waste products and toxins from 190 litres of blood every day, excreting them through urine. Symptoms of kidney dysfunction include changes in urination patterns, swelling, fatigue, and skin issues. To promote kidney health, it is essential to drink an adequate amount of good-quality, clean water every day to flush out toxins.
Lungs: The lungs play a vital role in eliminating toxins through respiration. The air we breathe can contain pollutants, toxins, and other harmful substances, which the lungs filter out. Symptoms of lung congestion or compromised function may include shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, and respiratory infections. To support lung health and detoxification practice deep breathing exercises to expand lung capacity and promote the expulsion of toxins through respiration.
Brain: The brain lacks a typical lymphatic system but relies on the glymphatic system, active during sleep, to clear waste and distribute nutrients like glucose, lipids, and amino acids. This system funnels waste to the lymphatic system for disposal. Signs that your brain isn’t draining well include brain fog, headaches, and memory issues. If you aren't sleeping properly, your brain isn't draining properly. Correcting sleeping patterns needs to be a top priority for all healing.
Skin: The skin is our largest organ, and it helps us to drain toxins from the body via sweating. If you do not sweat, this is actually often a sign that your drainage pathways are not working properly. Try infrared saunas, hot Epsom salt baths, and body scrubs to open up this pathway.
Cells:
At the very top of the drainage funnel are our cells. If the pathways below are not working properly, waste and toxins can accumulate in the cells, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and impairing overall health. We need good mitochondrial function to supply energy for drainage and detox. Symptoms of cellular toxicity may include fatigue, brain fog, headaches, muscle aches, or pins and needles in the arms and legs.
To support your mitochondria and cellular detoxification:
Walk barefoot on the earth. The negative ions help pull heavy metals from your body.
Increase your natural sunlight exposure (safely) to help recharge your mitochondria.
Practice deep breathing exercises to oxygenate cells and support detoxification processes.
Eat an anti-inflammatory diet.
Ensure you are getting between 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night.
You should not embark on a detox protocol until you are sure that drainage is flowing well through the entire funnel. This is especially true is you are planning to begin killing pathogens or parasites. Ideally, you should spend at least 30 days working with these strategies before assessing whether your body is ready for a deeper cleanse. With the cooler weather upon us, we're taking an even gentler approach to healing and using the upcoming Winter months to focus on these foundational practices. By the time the warmer weather starts to roll in, we'll be more than ready to embark on that Spring cleanse if we feel drawn to it. And if not, we'll be able to rest easy in the knowledge our body is in optimum working condition, eliminating toxins easily, all of the time!
With Bright Blessings for Vibrant Health,
Love from your Ubuntu Community.
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