By supporting natural liver detoxification daily through dietary and lifestyle modification, we can promote optimal gut function and reduce the incidence of autoimmunity.

Reading Time: 11 minutes

Detoxification is essential to the body in many ways. It allows our bodies to reset, eliminate toxins, and regenerate cells from the inside out. While your dietary choices play a large role in natural liver detoxification, many other habits also encourage and support your body’s detox pathways daily. Surprisingly, it’s about so much more than just food! Let’s explore it together! 

WHAT IS DETOXIFICATION?

According to the National Library of Medicine, detox is defined as “Metabolic detoxification (detox)—or biotransformation—is a physiological function that removes toxic substances from our body.” In simpler terms, detoxification is our body’s way of identifying and removing the toxins we’ve come in contact with that don’t belong. Our health depends on our ability to detox well, especially if you find yourself with a leaky gut and or autoimmunity! 

There are three primary phases to detoxification:

Phase 1: Bioactivation

Enzymes work in your body to break down toxins. This stage helps prepare the toxins for processing and removal. 

Phase 2: Conjugation

This phase involves toxins combined with other substances, like amino acids, to make them water-soluble. This converts the toxins into a form that can be removed from the body. 

Phase 3: Elimination 

Toxins can finally be eliminated from the body through urine, bile, or stool. This is the stage when the toxins are finally on their way out.

WHY IS NATURAL LIVER DETOXIFICATION SO IMPORTANT? 

Our bodies are exposed to many toxins and heavy metals daily. It’s nearly unavoidable. After some time, it slows our bodies signal to us that these toxins are weighing it down through symptoms like:

• Brain fog
• Migraines
• Nausea 
• Bloating
• Constipation
• Aches and pains
• Blood sugar dysregulation
• Autoimmunity
• Leaky gut
• Chronic fatigue
• Acne 
• Mood swings
• Weight gain
• Food sensitivities
• Hormonal imbalances 

When we start to notice these symptoms, it might be time to support detoxification! Detoxing our bodies and environment can effectively reduce the toxin load and burden on our bodies and improve our health. 

Ways to detox are ALL OVER social media these days. Celery juice. Drinking vinegar. Green tea pills. There’s SO many wild suggestions out there! As a registered dietician, I’m here to tell you EXACTLY what works, WHY it matters, and WHAT benefits you should exect to see. I even give you a few small steps that you can take today that will really make a BIG difference! Detoxing your body can begin right at home! Check it out! 

THE MOST COMMON WAYS WE ABSORB TOXINS

• Processed food
• Household products and cleaners
• Water 
• Air pollution
• Alcohol 
• Mold
• Medications
• Antibiotics / Narcotics 
• Makeup & skincare products
• And so many more! 

HOW THE BODY DETOXES

The body has several incredible systems and pathways in play to ensure optimal functioning. The detoxification process includes several organs, such as the liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs, skin, gut, and lymphatic system.

Here’s a small glimpse of how it works: The liver metabolizes toxins that enter the body, making them more accessible for the body to get rid of. Your kidneys kick into gear to remove any excess toxins in your blood. Finally, the intestines work magic by bringing food and toxins out of your body for good. 

Seeing how our whole body works together to support us is fascinating! We must ensure that we take care of our organs and detox pathways so that they remain in optimal function. A great way to do this is through daily detoxification! 

NATURAL LIVER DETOXIFICATION IS KEY FOR GUT HEALTH & AUTOIMMUNITY 

The gut and liver collaborate to support detoxification in the body. The liver is pivotal in supporting a healthy gut by eliminating toxins. When the liver is congested from an overload of toxins, we feel sluggish, our gut becomes sluggish, and we can eventually develop intestinal permeability that triggers autoimmunity. 

The gut is one of the primary highways for removing toxins and waste products from the system. It also ensures that toxins, as they travel through our intestines, don’t sneak into our bloodstreams and wreak havoc (e.g., leaky gut). For this reason, the microbiome is at work metabolizing toxins and safely flushing them out of our bodies. The liver has a big job in ensuring that the integrity of our gut lining and bacterial balance is healthy for optimal digestion, pathogen protection, and nutrient absorption. 

In addition, natural liver detoxification significantly impacts autoimmunity. When toxins accumulate in the liver, this can result in systemic inflammation, which negatively affects the immune system. Toxin accumulation over time can trigger an immune response that attacks the body’s tissues, resulting in autoimmune diseases. 

Therefore, we can reduce the risk of autoimmune flare-ups by supporting natural liver detoxification and enhancing toxin elimination. 

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DETOX AND DAILY LIVER DETOXIFICATION

It’s important to note that liver detoxification happens naturally in our bodies daily without our having to do anything different. We detox daily through our methylation pathways when eating, breathing, and living. 

In functional medicine, detoxing or doing a detox is often referred to as a guided protocol that combines herbal supplements and specific dietary strategies to support detoxification on a deeper cellular level to support healing. Detoxes can vary in length and have many different variations. Ideally, they should be utilized under the supervision of a qualified practitioner. 

To summarize, daily detoxification is what the body naturally does. A detox is when you enhance detoxification with other advanced techniques. 

Best Lifestyle Habits to Support Natural Liver Detoxification

Now that we’ve discussed the importance of natural liver detoxification and how it can support the gut and improve autoimmunity, let’s get right into how we can enhance detoxification daily by incorporating simple tweaks and habits into our routine. 

While there are many more lifestyle habits to consider, these are the top habits that can have the most significant impact. 

Purge Toxins from Your Kitchen & Home 

One of the easiest habits to implement to enhance liver detoxification is purging the kitchen and home of toxins! Purging these areas includes your pantry, fridge, and freezer. You can even extend it to other home areas, like your closet! As Marie Kondo would say, purge your space of anything that doesn’t spark joy! 

Here are some ideas to get you started: 

• Throw away expired pantry and fridge items. 
• Toss packaged and processed foods that don’t support your desired healthy lifestyle.
• Donate clothes that don’t fit or that you haven’t used in the last year.
• Simplify your living space (less stress on the body). 
• Remove clutter and free up space.
• Toss any toiletries on your vanity that haven’t been used (or are loaded with toxins) in the trash! 

Check out this article for more tips on creating a healthy, nontoxic home. 

Red Light Therapy 

At home red light therapy (RLT) can be a life-changing approach to healing for many. Red light is a long-wavelength, low-frequency light. Unlike other types of light (e.g., white or blue), red light can penetrate the skin and help produce cellular energy. 

RLT enhances the production of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase. These enzymes neutralize free radicals, reducing oxidative stress on the liver and thus supporting detoxification. 

RLT also improves blood flow to the liver. Enhanced blood flow ensures the liver receives enough oxygen and nutrients to support cellular repair and regeneration. When the liver regenerates properly, it can provide proper daily detoxification. 

This article highlights the many benefits of RLT and how to use it. Lumebox is my top choice for a safe and effective RLT device you can use right in the comfort of your own home! 

Eat More Living Loving Foods 

We can only discuss lifestyle habits supporting detoxification by remembering the importance of how food. Eating more whole, anti-inflammatory foods rich in antioxidants that scavenge free radicals greatly enhances liver function and daily detoxification. 

Eat more antioxidants, such as colorful berries and leafy greens. Foods that increase glutathione (our master antioxidant) in the body are another way to enhance natural liver detoxification. Include more cooked cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. 

This article explains how to boost glutathione naturally and provides information about the top food sources. 

Here are some of my favorite liver-loving foods: 

• Bone broth
• Cruciferous vegetables 
• Beef liver
• Beets
• Apples 
• Dandelion greens
• Garlic 
• Berries 
• Fatty fish (Wild salmon and sardines) 
• Avocados 

Sip Some Herbal Detox Tea Before Bed 

Dandelion tea regenerates liver cells and supports healthy bile production to remove toxins from the body. Milk thistle tea is another top tea that supports liver detoxification. It contains a compound called silymarin, which protects the liver cells from damage and improves overall liver function to enhance detoxification. 

You can enjoy both teas before bed to enhance detoxification and support a restful night’s sleep. Since the body detoxifies most of its energy while we sleep, this is an effective and easy strategy to help that process! 

Oil Pulling

Oil pulling for 20 minutes a few times daily can support liver detoxification by removing toxins, killing bacteria, and reducing inflammation in the mouth and the rest of the body. By decreasing our overall toxin burden, the liver can detox more effectively! 

I recommend using coconut oil for oil pulling and following the simple instructions here. To take it up a notch, you can also use a tongue scraper to improve your oral microbiome and support the removal of toxins and bacteria. 

Epsom Salt Baths

Epsom salt is a naturally occurring substance that supports natural liver detoxification.

The health benefits of Epsom salt baths include:

• Relieving muscle fatigue and soreness.
• Supporting elimination.
• Decreasing constipation.
• Calming the body.
• Reducing stress and anxiety, and so much more.

To benefit from Epsom salt baths, add Epsom salt to warm water in the bathtub. Soak for at least 20-30 minutes and repeat daily or every other day. 

I recommend listening to calm music, reading your favorite book, or diffusing essential oils to encourage rest. These activities support and enhance natural detoxification.

Castor Oil Packs on the Liver

Another critical component of liver detoxification is making sure other drainage pathways are open and can release toxins trying to make their way out of the body. Castor oil increases the production of glutathione in the body. Glutathione is one of the most potent antioxidants that supports detoxification. 

Placing a castor oil pack on the liver helps support glutathione production. It can be a valuable tool for opening essential pathways, such as the bowels, liver, lymph, etc., that help detoxification. 

You can learn more about castor oil packs and how to use them to support daily detoxification here. 

Infrared Sauna Therapy

An infrared sauna is beneficial to the body’s natural detoxification pathways. It promotes sweating to eliminate toxins and impurities from the body. Given some people are poor “detoxers”  and have a hard time sweating, this is a quick and effective way to eliminate toxins. 

Ideally, sauna therapy should be approved by a physician as a habit to support detoxification. The length of time and frequency will vary based on the individual. Hydrating well before, during, and after sauna therapy and restoring electrolytes is always essential.

Good Bowel Movements 

Ensuring regular bowel movements is one of the most fundamental methods of detoxification. When someone can’t remove waste effectively from the body, toxins quickly build up and back up. 

If regular bowel movements are challenging, you can supplement with magnesium before bed, which promotes healthy bowel movements and elimination.

Check out this article for more advanced strategies and techniques to support constipation and improve daily detoxification. 

Proper Hydration

Did you know water is the most common nutritional deficiency in America? Most of us are chronically dehydrated, which leads to a slew of health issues. For this reason, drinking filtered water throughout the day is essential. 

Proper hydration and adequate water will ensure that nutrients like antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals are transported to the liver to support daily detoxification. In addition, drinking enough water (about half your body weight in ounces) ensures proper blood flow, excretion of toxins, and elimination of waste and toxins. 

The AquaTru countertop filter is a top-of-the-line water filter that removes toxic substances such as chlorine, mercury, and fluoride from drinking water. If you want a whole home filtration system, I highly recommend Pur2o! 

Sleep 

Did you know that sleep encourages healthy detoxification? Our bodies detox MOST while we’re asleep! 

Sleep helps the whole body work in harmony. It supports healthy development, repairment, cognition, memory, psychological state, and overall well-being. In the clients I work with, good quality sleep is crucial for supporting their gut health, Hashimoto’s, immune function, and energy levels throughout the day. Adults should sleep 8 hours every night!

Check out this article for more information on how to fall and stay asleep naturally to support detoxification and healing. 

Walking 

Walking is a great way to support detoxification in your body. It stimulates blood circulation, providing more oxygen into your bloodstream, which assists in the natural removal of toxins. 

Walking also supports lymphatic drainage within the body, an essential process that requires movement to filter and remove toxins from the body. 

Lastly, the one we’re all most familiar with, walking promotes digestion! After a big meal, going for a walk is a great idea! Walking puts your digestive system in motion and prepares your body to eliminate that meal quickly! 

Swap Household Products

It may surprise you to learn that an average of 32 chemicals are in our daily cosmetics, laundry detergents, cookware, and household cleaners. Reducing the overall toxin burden on the body supports natural liver detoxification.

By switching to nontoxic products, we can reduce this toxic burden on our bodies and likely improve many chronic health symptoms! 

Digital Detox 

Social media is a double-edged sword—it has pros and cons. But just like everything else in life, moderation is key. By performing regular social media fasts, you can decrease distractions, increase joy and contentment, regain mental focus, and more. 

Turning your phone off or leaving it in another room can reduce the harmful effects of EMFs, such as disrupted circadian rhythm, adrenal fatigue, headaches, and more. Since EMFs are known to slow cell regeneration, reducing EMF exposure can support detoxification.  

Deep Breathing 

Deep breathing improves the oxygen required for optimal detoxification enzymes, which are involved in both phases of detoxification. These enzymes help convert toxins into less harmful substances so the body can remove them. 

For basic deep breathing, try the 4-7-8 method. Try getting comfortable on the floor or a chair at your desk. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds. Repeat for a few minutes throughout the day. 

You can also download many apps on your phone to help you get better results from deep breathing by taking breath breaks throughout the day. I have many recommended breathing apps on my resource page.

In addition to the above habits, many dietary shifts and even supplement modifications can support liver detoxification. Start simple: Choose 2 to 3 habits from this list to include in your daily routine to support natural liver detoxification. I bet you’ll feel even more refreshed, recharged, and energized!

WHEN IT’S TIME TO GO DEEPER 

While these lifestyle habits can significantly maximize our natural detoxification, sometimes we need to go deeper to support liver detoxification to see improvements in our health. If you’re experiencing digestive distress or autoimmunity like Hashimoto’s, doing a guided liver detox is one of the most effective ways to begin healing the body from the inside out! 

I teach advanced detox techniques inside my Gut & Autoimmune Gut Reset program, a clinically designed liver detox that improves bloating, digestion, and energy levels in less than 30 days. It is also a prerequisite to ensuring a gut protocol is more effective in reversing autoimmunity. 

The Gut & Autoimmune Reset is my favorite mini-program that can powerfully impact your life! 

WRAPPING IT ALL UP

By supporting natural liver detoxification daily through dietary and lifestyle modification, we can promote optimal gut function and reduce the incidence of autoimmunity. Detoxification is about so much more than taking an Epsom salt bath or eating the right foods; it’s about realizing that, like most things, partnership is required. 

When we come in contact with toxins, mentally or physically, our body needs our help to release them to support healing and optimal health. Every change we make to support our detoxification processes is a step in the right direction that accumulates over time. 

Let me know in the comments what habit you will implement to support daily liver detoxification!

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