What is a Detox?
Detoxification is a natural metabolic process your body undertakes every day to help eliminate the environmental, dietary and internally created toxins we are exposed to every day. This process changes toxins into less harmful substances which are subsequently excreted from the body. Toxins are an unavoidable part of life. They are in the air we breathe, the food we eat, and are even created from chemical reactions in our bodies. The good news is that our bodies are designed to neutralise these toxins and remove them via key elimination channels including our digestive system, liver, kidneys and skin. The bad news is that sometimes this process doesn’t run smoothly, with our body’s cleansing pathways overburdened and subsequently underperforming. When this happens, our bodies send out warning signals that all is not well, making you feel tired, sluggish and rundown, and sometimes predisposing you to becoming sick. Consequently, supporting healthy detoxification is a cornerstone of contemporary and traditional medicine practice and may be the turning point to getting your health back on track.
A natural detox program can be one of the most effective strategies for rapidly improving the state of your health as it will help clear toxins out of your body and leave you feeling healthy and energetic. Detoxification is a serious business however and your safety and comfort during detox is important. For this reason, it is best to avoid any detox packages that may come in a box from your local health food shop or pharmacy –these types of detoxes may not be suited to your individual needs and may actually leave you feeling sick and tired. You should not attempt to do a detox without guidance and support from a trained Healthcare Provider. The ultimate goal of a Practitioner guided detoxification program is to provide you with a personalised approach that is safe and effective, which also enables you to achieve the best possible outcomes.
What will my detox program involve?
Your Practitioner guided detoxification program will be tailored to your individual needs, taking into consideration your symptoms, health history and any other influencing factors. The program will include carefully selected nutritional and herbal formulas, together with dietary and lifestyle guidelines to enhance your detox efforts, and help you achieve great results. These dietary and lifestyle tips will help you learn how to decrease your toxin burden over the long term and may focus on one of the following health goals:
A Health Reset - A foundational, comprehensive detox program may be recommended for individuals in need of a “wiping the slate clean” and returning to an ideal state of health. A program such as this will enable you to get you back to a healthy baseline and minimise the broad range of symptoms you might be suffering from. This program will typically be recommended for four weeks and offers a detox solution for those who want to return to wellness and live the healthiest life possible. It is also suitable as a regular “spring clean” detox or for those who have recently overindulged and are eager to get their energy back; such as following the New Year period or after a decadent holiday.
For gut symptoms or to eliminate pathogens - While the foundational support provided in a detox program is designed to “reset” your health and will support digestion; there may be some additional recommendations for those with ongoing or extreme gastrointestinal symptoms. As the gut is “the seat of health” and has a strong influence over all aspects of wellbeing, a program such as this is often recommended for managing non-digestive related symptoms as well. Depending on the intensity of your symptoms, this program will likely be recommended for four to six weeks in duration.
For Liver support or chemical clearance - Similarly, the foundational support provided in a detox designed to “reset” your health will optimise liver detoxification; however, some individuals may experience a much higher chemical exposure than others due to their lifestyle habits or living or working circumstances. As such, additional liver support for chemical clearance and heavy metal chelation may be required. Again, depending on the intensity of your symptoms, this program will likely be recommended for four to six weeks in duration.
All programs focus on whole fresh foods and supplements that support your body’s natural detoxification processes. These are NOT extreme detox programs involving fasting, colon cleansing or eating weird foods. They are based on a common sense approach that is safe and simple to follow long term.