Gift #6: Support Detoxification with Nourishing Foods and Practices
Step #6: Support Detoxification with Nourishing Foods and Practices
Supporting detoxification daily through nourishment—not restriction—builds steady momentum for your body’s natural ability to release and renew. This step is about creating the internal conditions for release—giving your cells the hydration, nutrients, and rhythm they need to safely eliminate what no longer serves you. The modern world exposes us to countless toxins—many of them invisible and ongoing. Even when we’re eating well, modern diets often lack the fiber, phytonutrients, magnesium, and amino acids required to fuel detoxification at the cellular level.
“In any given moment we have two options: To step forward into growth or step back into safety.” ~Abraham Maslow
Why Detox Support Matters
Everyday Toxic Exposures
Tap water may contain chlorine, pesticides, herbicides, and pharmaceutical residues—all of which add to your liver’s workload and require detoxification through Phase I and II liver enzymes.
Air pollution, plastics, synthetic fragrances, and conventional personal care products introduce endocrine-disrupting chemicals like BPA and phthalates that can interfere with hormonal balance and mitochondrial function.
Processed and ultra-refined foods provide little antioxidant support and often contain preservatives, dyes, and emulsifiers that burden detox pathways and disrupt gut health.
Sedentary lifestyles and chronic stress reduce circulation and lymphatic flow, limiting your body’s ability to mobilize and eliminate stored toxins—especially through the skin.
Missing Nutrients for Detox
Magnesium is a cofactor in hundreds of detoxification reactions—including methylation, sulfation, and glutathione recycling—but is commonly depleted by stress, sugar, and medication use.
Amino acids like glycine, cysteine, glutamine, taurine, and methionine are required for Phase II detox—helping neutralize reactive intermediates and convert them into safe, excretable compounds.
Dietary fiber binds to toxins, excess hormones, and metabolic byproducts in the digestive tract—supporting regular elimination and preventing reabsorption through the gut lining.
Sulforaphane, a compound in cruciferous vegetables, activates Nrf2—a key regulator of detoxification and antioxidant genes—but must be consumed regularly and in the right form to be effective.
Detox Recipes From The Blog
Red Antioxidant Smoothie Recipe
What is one way to decrease inflammation, improve gut health, upregulate detoxification, and increase insulin sensitivity? It is to consume more brightly colored fruits and vegetables daily! Sometimes the busyness of life prevents us from adding in the recommended number of servings of fresh fruits and vegetables we need each day. That's where smoothies come in. Adding everything to a high-powered blender makes it much easier to consume what you need in a delicious way! This red antioxidant smoothie is something I make several times per week. The smoothie contains raw red cabbage, several different types of low-glycemic frozen berries, avocado, citrus, and a red polyphenol powder to help boost the overall phytonutrient content.
Kohlrabi Detox Salad
A "detoxification diet" is actually something you can do everyday by incorporating certain foods into your diet. Think of it as an inclusion diet where the focus is to bring in a variety of detoxification-supporting foods each day. Kohlrabi is an excellent food to support detoxification! It is a cruciferous vegetable like broccoli, cabbage, radishes, and kale, and it's part of the Brassicaceae family of vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables contain compounds that can upregulate biotransformation pathways in order to transform and excrete toxins.
Raw Thai Kale Slaw with a Creamy Ginger-Almond Butter Dressing
You are going to love this nutritious raw kale slaw. It's full of detoxification and antioxidant compounds, and just bursting with the fresh, bright flavors of basil, mint, and cilantro. All tossed in a slightly spicy and gingery, creamy almond butter dressing. What I love about this salad is that it lasts up to 5 days in the refrigerator! Once it's made, you can take out portions as needed to easily fulfill part of your daily raw veggie needs. I've been serving a large plateful of this Thai-style kale slaw with fried eggs for breakfast, or tossed with leftover rice and garbanzo beans for lunch. It's also delicious served with a thai-style main dish for dinner, such as Thai Coconut Fish Sticks, Thai Fish Curry with Garden Vegetables, or this Vegan Thai Green Curry.
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.
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