Should I do a Detox?

How often should I do a detox?

I get this question often from clients and friends and it is always such a conundrum for me to answer. First off  I feel like “Detox”  has become one of those buzz words/phrases like Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Paleo, Vegan, etc. You get the idea, it is just another way to say DIET.

Let’s examine a little bit about the body and some of the organs of detox, in a very simplified summary.

First we have the Liver, this guy has so many jobs it is crazy! It makes cholesterol, regulates hormone functions, makes bile and deals with the stuff we like to ingest like medications, chemicals, sugar, alcohol to name a few. Have you ever said the phrase after a night of partying too much; “I think my check liver light just came on” I swear there have been times in my youth (and let’s admit still once in a blue moon)  if my liver could have climbed out of my body it would have slapped me in the face and said ENOUGH ALREADY! Did I mention I am not perfect!

The Kidneys….those bean shaped things in your back that filter about 45 gallons of blood a day! They filter out what is needed and not needed, then they send the stuff we don’t need to the bladder and what we do back into the blood. They also help your body maintain proper pH among other things.

The Skin…Lets think sweat. Your body sweats out water, minerals, urea and ammonia to mention a few things. It is good to work up a sweat! Just remember to hydrate!

The Lungs….When you breathe in air travels to the these grape like looking clusters that are called Alveoli (NOT Areola which will forever haunt me that I accidentally said that word instead of Alveoli while teaching the respiratory system to my anatomy class. To my credit they are located in the general vicinity of the lungs!) anyhow I digress…the Alveoli exchange gasses for your body, they grab the oxygen and bind it to the blood and the toxic gas of carbon dioxide then moves to the outside of the body.

The Gut… The gut wall is designed as a barrier to block harmful things from leaking into your body, that is if it is intact and working like it should. It is also designed to move things along (peristalsis) and on down the line to the toilet.  If it is not functioning properly then things either escape out of the compromised barrier or they hang out longer than they should decomposing making more of a toxic dump site. In that case your body gets to reabsorb and deal with it…again. Pooping is important!

So how often should I do a detox? You do it daily just by being alive! The better question is: “How often should I support my body so it can do it’s job?” Daily! By drinking enough water, eating food that is nutrient dense and organic, exercise, working up a sweat, do deep mindful breathing, dry brush your skin, be mindful of what cosmetics and soaps you use, go poop, more than once a day would be ideal! Our bodies are pretty amazing and it’s the only place we have to live in while we are here so the check engine lights are important to pay attention too.

At Aqua Serene Wellness we offer digestive consultation and support, organic skin care, traditional skin care, colon hydrotherapy, far infrared energy therapies, massage by Leslie, and Diana, Acupuncture and a wide range of supplemental support as well as organic skin care products. We are located in Carmel Indiana.