The new year is a time for new beginnings and a clean slate. And there's no better way to do this than with a gentle but effective detox to help eliminate toxins and improve your overall health. Not all detox programs are created equal though, and the best plan for you will vary based on your goals and current lifestyle.
If you're looking for ways to detox your body and mind, CentreSpringMD can help! We offer a variety of services and products that can support healthy detoxification in people of all ages. From detox supplements and full 28-day protocols to complementary treatments like acupuncture and lymphatic massage—we have something for everyone!
Learn more about detox at CentreSpringMD
New Year Detox
Detoxification is constantly occurring in your body. Your gut, liver, kidneys, and skin are hard at work clearing toxic substances and metabolic waste products from your body, preventing harmful compounds from causing cellular damage.
After the holidays is a great time to provide a little extra support for your body's detox pathways, as they're often overloaded from a poor sleep schedule, weeks of indulging in comfort food, more alcohol than usual, and stress.
Get back on track with a little extra help: Shop detoxification
IV Therapy
IV drips deliver nutrients directly to the cells that need them, bypassing slow and ineffective digestion processes. Glutathione is the body’s strongest antioxidant and detoxifier, and is one of the most popular and beneficial IV boosts available.
Studies show that oral supplementation with glutathione is likely not as effective as IV application. But IV glutathione supports a wide range of body functions, including (1,2):
- Making DNA, the building blocks of cells
- Supporting immune function
- Protecting cells from oxidative damage
- Certain enzyme function
- Recharging other antioxidants like vitamins C and E
- Detoxing heavy metals
Learn more about our custom IV therapy options, like the Recharge Drip, the Cold & Flu Buster, and the increasingly popular Weight Loss Drip.
Comprehensive 10-Day Detox Program
For a comprehensive detox support system that upregulates Phase 1 and Phase 2 detox enzymes, Metagenics Clear Change is a 10- or 28-day metabolic detox with easy-to-follow instructions, menu plans, and recipes.
This system enhances the body’s natural metabolic detoxification process while providing adequate fuel for both cleansing and other daily activities
The 10-day program is ideal for anyone wanting to benefit from an occasional “Spring Cleaning” or somebody who eats a reasonably healthy diet, exercises regularly, and manages stress adequately.
Shop this 10- or 28-day detox here.
Natural supplements for better detox
Biocidin and G.I. Detox+. A two-step protocol to first break down and then bind various toxins, microbes, and harmful substances in the digestive system.
Silymarin or Milk thistle. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) has also long been used to support the liver. The main bioactive compound in milk thistle, known as silymarin, has been shown in numerous studies to enhance liver function, protect from—and even reverse—liver damage, and support overall detox pathways in the liver (3).
Liposomal glutathione. The most powerful antioxidant in the human body, glutathione promotes the removal of toxins and helps the body regulate oxidative stress caused by free radicals. Due to the body’s poor absorption of glutathione orally, liposomal glutathione undergoes a special process to encapsulate the glutathione molecule inside of a lipid. Doing this dramatically enhances absorption, resulting in benefits in as little as a week of use (4).
N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) recharges glutathione and is one of the antioxidant's main precursors. It is important for phase II liver detoxification, helping to neutralize and package up toxins for excretion that were created in phase I.
NAC may even help prevent side effects from environmental toxins, such as exposure to heavy metals like mercury, cadmium, lead and arsenic (5).
Related: Best Supplements for Holiday Weight Loss & Detox
Digestive detox
Your gut is a powerful detoxification system and is responsible for helping your body to eliminate toxins—including environmental pollutants, waste products from pharmaceuticals, and even excess hormones.
Signs you could benefit from a digestive system detox:
- Constipation or loose stools
- Frequent sugar cravings
- Brain fog or trouble concentrating, especially after meals
- Hormone imbalance
- Frequent indigestion
- Skin irritation, eczema
- Autoimmune flares
Your gut works with the gallbladder, liver, and intestines to detox, but if not functioning optimally, harmful toxins get stuck in a pattern of “recirculation”.
To avoid recirculation and prepare toxins like heavy metals for excretion, we can use what are called “binders”. Toxins should first be processed by the liver, “bound” in the intestines, and then passed with our stool. But if they’re not, they’re reabsorbed into the liver, and this places immense stress on the body. Binders include fulvic or humic minerals, activated charcoal, or certain clay powders.
Support digestive detox with:
- Addressing underlying digestive issues like sensitivity to gluten or dairy, leaky gut, or intestinal inflammation
- Detox binders, like certain clays, to absorb toxins along the digestive tract
- Fiber to add bulk to stool and encourage bowel regularity
- Prebiotic fiber and probiotic bacteria to balance gut health in the long term
Liver detox
Your liver is a detox powerhouse. It’s the largest internal organ, and is responsible for filtering toxins, fats, proteins, blood, and more. Detoxification in our liver happens in a two-stage process—Phase 1 and Phase 2—and each phase has different requirements (6,7).
To support phase one:
- Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, etc.)
- Green tea
- Milk thistle
- Rosemary
- Garlic
- Astaxanthin
- Turmeric
- Dandelion root
- N-Acetyl Cysteine
To support phase two:
- Milk thistle
- Turmeric
- Essential Amino Acids such as glycine, glutamine, cysteine, and taurine
- Cruciferous vegetables
- Resveratrol
- Alpha Lipoic Acid
- B vitamins – Folate, B6, B12
- MCT oil
Read: The Nutrition Supplement Guide: Benefits, Dosages, and Facts
There are many enzymes and specific cofactors necessary for optimizing liver detoxification. To determine which are most beneficial for your chemistry it's key to work with a functional medicine practitioner. Contact a patient care coordinator now.
Health benefits of detox
People report various health benefits associated with optimal detox function, including:
- Improved digestion
- More energy
- Better mental clarity
- Greater resilience to stress
- Maintenance of a healthy body weight
Acupuncture, lymphatic massage, and infrared sauna
Acupuncture has been used for detoxification in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries. It works by improving circulation of the lymphatic system and can help mobilize toxins from cells so that they can be eliminated.
Lymphatic massage is a gentle form of massage that helps your body move lymph fluid more effectively, which can help to rid the body of toxins.
Infrared saunas are a great way to sweat out toxins and stimulate circulation. The infrared technology used in these saunas penetrates deeper into the skin than traditional saunas, allowing for better detoxification at a cellular level, reduced inflammation, and may help lower your risk of cardiovascular disease (8).
Boost natural detox function at home
- Get adequate sleep. During sleep, your brain activates the glymphatic system which is responsible for clearing metabolic waste that could cause cellular damage (9). Aim for seven to nine hours.
- Eat a diet rich in antioxidants from fruits and vegetables, which have been shown to support the healthy function of your body's existing detoxification pathways.
- Eliminate ultra-processed foods or avoid them as much as is practical.
- Increase your intake of healthy fat from omega-3s and quality protein. This can help reduce systemic inflammation which interferes with detox function.
- Participate in moderate intensity exercise and/or strength training 3-5 times per week.
The best type of detox in functional medicine
The best type of detoxification program should be tailored to your individual needs and focus on supporting your body’s natural detox pathways. This can include dietary modifications, nutritional supplementation, lifestyle changes and using scientifically proven treatments like acupuncture or infrared saunas.
By combining a holistic approach with advanced functional medicine testing, our team of experts at CentreSpringMD can identify the root cause of your symptoms and create a detox program that is unique for you. Contact us to book an appointment today.
Detoxification is an important part of overall health, especially in our modern world filled with environmental toxins and stress. The key to a successful detox is working from the inside out by supporting your body’s natural detoxification pathways. With the right guidance, you can put your body back into balance and achieve long lasting health. Happy Detoxing!
Resources
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/glutathione
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19393193/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7140758/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6389332
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9727078/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4488002/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8876337/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30077204/
- https://www.cell.com/trends/molecular-medicine/fulltext/S1471-4914(19)30299-0
