What is a detox programme and do I need it to detoxify?

Yvonne ZuurbierOrthomolecular Therapist15 april 20244 min. reading time

While some enjoy an annual detox juice cleanse, others are convinced that detoxing lacks scientific proof. Nevertheless, many people report feeling more energetic, slimmer, and happier after a detox programme or fasting period. How can this be? Is it a placebo effect where your brain immediately responds once you actively focus on your health? Or is it perhaps scientifically challenging to prove that detoxing is a beneficial health support for some? Let's find out.

Your body detoxifies naturally

Let’s start with the good news: Our body is well-equipped to rid itself of harmful substances. Thanks to our clever metabolism, we excrete toxins and waste daily through the kidneys, lungs, lymphatic system, and skin, with most of the work done by our intestines and (especially) the liver. The detoxification of our body is a two-phase process:

Phase 1: This can be seen as the activation phase, where special enzymes in our body convert toxins to prepare them for phase 2. They are turned into free radicals and other substances that need to be quickly eliminated. When these substances linger too long in phase 1, they can become even more harmful.

Phase 2: During this phase, the body neutralises the harmful substances from phase 1 and removes them from our system. Neutralising these toxins in this phase requires specific nutrients, including amino acids (proteins). All neutralised substances are eventually flushed out of our body via urine, bile, or sweat.

There is a delicate balance between Phase 1 and Phase 2. For instance, if Phase 1 works well and Phase 2 does not, our body experiences an overload of toxins lingering too long in phase 1. This can lead to various complaints such as headaches, fatigue, skin problems, weight gain, brain fog, or sensitivity to medications and chemicals.

Read more about how detoxification works in our other blog: Clean start: how to detoxify your body

Is detoxing necessary?

While our body is quite capable of keeping itself clean from harmful substances, today it is under more pressure due to a polluted environment (contaminated drinking water, chemicals in personal care products, pesticides, etc.), unhealthy diets, and stress. Combined, these factors can overload our detoxification system, making it less effective. Another reason our detox system might become less effective is medication use, which can put extra strain on your liver to rid itself of toxins.

A detox programme can serve as a ‘reset’, allowing you to step out of your usual eating and daily routine and take a closer look at your diet and self-care.

When is detoxing a go or no-go?

Detoxing no!
For the elderly, people with diabetes, pregnant women, and breastfeeding women, a detox programme is not recommended. This also applies to those who need to use medication long-term, as a detox programme can affect the medication's effectiveness due to liver detoxification. However, there is good news for this group to safely support the body’s detoxification. This method also serves as a healthy foundation that anyone can start with.

What do we consider a safe way to detoxify?
It's primarily about avoiding toxins as much as possible by eating healthily, fully, and variedly, drinking pure water, and ensuring you get enough sleep. Daily exercise is also crucial, especially for your lymphatic system, as it has no pump to keep things moving. Daily exercise that elevates your heart rate ensures your lymphatic system is well activated. By stimulating your body with dry brushing in the morning and alternating warm/cold showers, you can give yourself a tremendous start to your day. What are you waiting for?

TIP: Drinking nettle tea helps cleanse your body healthily while still receiving plenty of nutrients such as calcium, iron, and silicon. Nettle is one of the most versatile herbs we know and gives your metabolism a powerful boost. It gives your kidneys, liver, intestines, and lymphatic system a boost, which can provide more energy. Ideal for spring fatigue.

Detoxing go!
Are you healthy but haven’t been able to live as healthily as you’re used to due to a busy, hectic time? And do you think a detox programme could help you? The first thing you can start with is, for example, stopping coffee, sugar, wheat (gluten), and alcohol for a month. Additionally, ensure you consume at least 400 grams of fresh vegetables daily and drink enough (filtered) water. You can actively support your liver with milk thistle and give your entire digestive system a nice boost with a delicious detox tea.

If you want to go a step further and really detox for a period, it is important to get good advice, for example, from our health coaches. They are happy to provide you with tailored advice.

Fasting

Fasting is another way to support your body with detoxification. Fasting means not eating for a certain period (for example, 24 or 48 hours). This gives your body and digestion a rest, contributing to the natural detoxification process. Our distant ancestors already fasted, and it has been experiencing a revival in recent years due to the health benefits it can offer.

Intermittent fasting

You can also temporarily make fasting a daily part of your routine by not eating for a certain period of the day, known as intermittent fasting. For example, you can follow the 16:8 protocol, where you do not eat for 16 hours and eat your usual meals in the remaining 8 hours.

Good to know

Whichever form of detoxing or fasting you are drawn to, it is important to know that for both, there is no one size fits all. For example, women often receive different advice than men due to the monthly cycle and hormonal balance. Our health coaches are happy to give you personal advice tailored to your situation.