Am I Sick or Do I Just Need to Detox?

Believe it or not, I get this question often from friends, family and clients.  Detoxing has become a popular and exciting topic that many people want to get in on.  There are of course so many gimmicks, quick-fix supplements and all kinds of money to be made around this topic.  It can be hard to know where to start…and what to ignore.

…But the truth is, if you do it right, a detox program is a critical, powerful and sometimes even life changing aspect of your health program.

Doing it the right way is key though!

Many of you have likely tried a detox before and found it to be anything but enjoyable.  It is common with many detox programs to feel sick, suffer from varying degrees of gas, bloating and loose stool (making it hard to leave the house).  Often you will be hungry the entire time.  You will too often lose weight, only to gain it back again.  

If you’ve been through this cycle, ugh, I am so sorry to hear that…unfortunately, this program was NOT evidence based!  It was most likely a “Lose weight by losing water and taking a laxative” program.  Of course, they don’t call them that…but that’s a common result.

So back to the original question, how do you know if you’re sick or you just need to detox?  In most cases, the answer is YES (both)!

Here are some common signs that you need to incorporate detoxification protocols into your health program between 1-6 times/year, depending on the person (and the intensity of the detox).

• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Trouble with elimination (constipation or loose stool)
• Immune stress (getting sick often)
• Digestive trouble (gas, bloating, stomach discomfort after eating)
• Skin issues (redness, dryness, rashes, etc.)
• Poor quality sleep
• Mood swings
• Sexual dysfunction (erectile dysfunction, low libido, dryness, etc.)
• Chronic pain/inflammation 
• PMS challenges (cramping, mood swings, heavy bleeding)
• Brain Fog/trouble focusing
• Poor memory
• Food sensitivities 

Start with doing what I like to call “Daily Detox”.  These 5 things will start to put your body in a better position to move toxins out in a way that is super gentle and manageable for continuing daily life (in other words, you won’t need to be tethered to the bathroom all day).

1. Increase your water intake- half your weight in oz is a minimum but most people need more!
2. Consume a Green Smoothie each morning
3. Increase your fiber intake
4. Move your body– this can be through intense exercise like running or HIIT but it doesn’t have to be…you could also include more walking, rebounding on a trampoline or yoga to get lymph moving.  
5. Reduce the toxic load in your life (clean up the diet, use natural personal care products and cleaning products, etc.)

If you’ve been doing that for a while and are looking for a deeper detox program, here are a few things to look for: 

1. You want a detox that addresses the liver!  The liver is one of your main detox organs and it needs support!
2. You want to look for a detox program that helps you remove toxins from the body in a way that is both effective and comfortable.
3. You want to detox in a holistic way.  This is how you get true and lasting change rather than a quick and uncomfortable weight loss followed by weight gain!

This is why I created the Virtual Detox Program.  So many of my clients were needing to detox, but I wanted to do it in a way that worked for everyone, included all the things above, gave me more time to spend teaching and answering questions and also included a powerful aspect of health which is community.  We heal more effectively as a group than we do on our own!¹

I have now opened this up to those who are not yet clients/part of the New Hope Health family.  If you need help, we’d love to have you join us!

If you are interested in joining the next Virtual Detox Program, reach out to the clinic today to see when the next one begins and if you qualify 269-204-6525 FrontDesk@NewHopeHealth.com.

Reference:

1. Kohrt BA, Ottman K, Panter-Brick C, Konner M, Patel V. Why we heal: The evolution of psychological healing and implications for global mental health. Clin Psychol Rev. 2020;82. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101920

Nothing said or implied in this post is intended to treat, cure, diagnose or prevent any disease.  It does not take the place of a qualified health care practitioner and is intended for educational purposes only.