Gift 5: Remove dietary stressors and toxins
Step #5: Remove Dietary Stressors and Toxins.
Before we can fully support the body’s natural detoxification processes, we must first remove what burdens. This step is the foundation for true cellular renewal. Think of it as clearing away the static that disrupts your body’s rhythm—so that the foods and nutrients you introduce next can do their healing work.
The modern world exposes us to countless toxins—some obvious, others insidious. From sugar-laden foods that spike inflammation to household products that disrupt hormonal balance, every choice we make either adds to or subtracts from our vitality. In this month’s focus, we begin to notice what no longer serves us and take gentle, empowered steps to release it.
“To keep the body in good health is a duty, otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” ~Buddha
Remove Dietary Toxins and Irritants
One of the most powerful things you can do to support your body’s detoxification is to reduce your intake of dietary stressors. Refined sugar disrupts blood sugar regulation, depletes critical nutrients like magnesium and B vitamins, and fuels imbalances in the gut microbiome. Alcohol can harm the gut lining, impair liver detoxification, and increase inflammation—all of which block your body’s ability to heal and regenerate.
Pesticides and herbicides—commonly found on non-organic produce and grains—disrupt the integrity of the gut lining, damage mitochondria, and contribute to oxidative stress. Over time, this contributes to fatigue, hormonal imbalances, and immune dysfunction. Making simple shifts, like choosing organic when possible and prioritizing home-cooked meals, reduces your toxic load and nourishes your healing pathways.
Finally, plastics—especially those used in food packaging and storage—leach endocrine-disrupting chemicals like BPA and phthalates into food. These compounds interfere with mitochondrial energy production and have been linked to metabolic dysfunction, cancer, and early aging. Choosing glass or stainless steel containers is a small act with profound long-term benefits.
Remove Household Toxicants
Your home environment is an extension of your inner terrain. Many everyday products contain hidden toxicants that interfere with your body’s natural rhythms. Artificial fragrances found in candles, air fresheners, and laundry products often contain phthalates—chemicals that disrupt hormone balance and can alter mood, energy, and sleep.
Personal care items like lotions, makeup, and shampoos often contain parabens, triclosan, and synthetic dyes that absorb through the skin and accumulate in the body over time. Opting for clean, fragrance-free products with transparent ingredient lists, or using simple 1-ingredient oils like shea butter or coconut oil, helps reduce this burden and supports detoxification through the skin.
Cleaning products, non-stick cookware, and even water sources may also introduce harmful compounds. Ingredients like PFAS (“forever chemicals”) have been linked to mitochondrial damage and immune dysfunction. Swapping in safer alternatives—like vinegar-based cleaners, beeswax candles, pure essential oils, cast iron or stainless-steel pans, and a home water filter—creates an environment that supports your health at every level.
Detox-Supportive Recipes
Cherry Beet Detox Smoothie
Beets in a smoothie? Yes—and when balanced with the right ingredients, the result is surprisingly delicious. The secret is using a small raw beet to avoid overpowering the flavor. Paired with dark sweet cherries, the color is stunning and the taste is vibrant and refreshing. One sip, and you’ll feel both grounded and uplifted. This smoothie is a beautiful addition to Phase 1 of the Elimination Diet. It’s also ideal during seasonal detoxification protocols or the postpartum period, when your body benefits from extra support in clearing excess hormones and metabolic waste. What makes this smoothie so powerful? It’s filled with whole-food compounds that support phase 2 liver detoxification, soothe inflammation, and bind to toxins for safe elimination.
Post-Holiday Detox Salad (vegan)
After the richness of holiday meals and celebratory treats, your body might be calling for a reset. If you’ve had a bit more sugar, alcohol, or indulgent food than usual, your detox pathways may be feeling the strain. Symptoms like sluggish digestion, low energy, bloating, or inflammation can be gentle signals that your system is ready for a little extra support. This vibrant detox salad is more than just a bowl of greens—it’s a therapeutic blend of plant compounds that help your body rebalance. Cruciferous vegetables like kale and cabbage are rich in sulfur-containing compounds (like glucosinolates) that activate phase 2 liver detox enzymes, while arugula and broccoli offer bitter compounds that stimulate bile flow and support fat metabolism.
Green Kale Detox Soup
This flavorful green soup uses simple ingredients to create a nourishing meal that can help support natural detoxification. It is designed for Phase 1 of our Elimination Diet, but of course is a wonderful addition to your weekly meal planning even if you are not on the elimination diet! The Elimination Diet is not a diet that tells you what is good for you and what is not. It is a process that helps you discover what foods work best for you. We are all unique. There is no one way of eating or one perfect diet that is right for everyone. Even Hippocrates noticed this well over 2000 years ago.
Autumn Detox Salad with Creamy Ginger-Cilantro Dressing (vegan)
Sometimes when the weather cools it is easy to get into the habit of eating more dense, cooked foods. For some people this is just what they need. But for others, a balance between raw and cooked is best. We each are unique, and so should be our diets. This colorful and nutrient-dense salad provides some key ingredients to support healthy detoxification. The dressing is delicious and can be used as a dip for raw veggies or used to top your favorite salads! I've even used it to top steamed vegetables! In functional medicine, detoxification is often considered "biotransformation" because our bodies will transform harmful substances into less harmful substances and then excrete them from the body.
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