It’s that time of the year when detox ads start hitting me up with their offers for smoothies and supplements. To detox. Because apparently we all need to do that.
Now I’m not going to deny the wisdom behind things like heavy metal and parasite cleansing. Those things can be a problem and it’s a subject for another day.
And speaking of “day”, everyday we are exposed to environmental toxins, pathogens, chemicals, drugs, and even the byproduct of our own metabolism. And for some reason we don’t actually die.
That’s because our bodies are ALREADY a highly sophisticated detoxification system. All by itself. With little help from us. Our liver is, in fact, our main detox organ and it assists by filtering blood, breaking down old hormones and adding new ones, and (gasp) detoxifying toxins.
So how can we help our liver? By doing three things:
1) eat a balanced and diverse diet, leaving off the ultra-processed stuff and excess sugars
2) move more! This can be as simple as a 20-minute walk three times a week
3) get some sunlight! You’re a sophisticated plant! You need the sun! If possible, try and get some at either 09h00 in the morning or 16h00 in the afternoon.
Because you are already capable of detoxification, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and twice on Sundays.
