Looking to Detox? Complete Detox and Cleanse Guide 2022

There seem to be a lot of questions out there about detoxing and cleanses. It is great that you are thinking about your health and looking for ways to improve it. This Detox and Cleanse Guide should help answer many questions regarding detoxing and cleansing.

What’s the difference between a cleanse and detox?

They are very similar but I’ll give you the short answer. A cleanse is typically a short-term diet to clean out toxins. That’s the intent anyway. Detoxification is usually pinpointing specific poisons or toxins.

In today’s world though, the word detox is used almost interchangeably with cleanse. Detoxing could be thought of more as using supplements and other activities like sitting in a sauna to detox the body.

How do you know if your body has toxins?

Some symptoms of toxic burden are brain fog, body odor, acne, itchy or sensitive skin, hives, bad breath, headaches, strong-smelling sweat, dark, yellow-orange pee, hair loss, gastrointestinal upset, redness around the mouth, low energy, and poor skin appearance.

What causes toxins in the body?

The body’s own metabolism of cleaning out dead cells and internal chemical reactions can accumulate in the body. But mostly chemicals we take in through food, the air, and products we put on our skin are absorbed so we can accumulate toxins without even realizing it.

What are the signs that your body needs a detox?

As above, some symptoms of toxic burden are brain fog, body odor, acne, itchy or sensitive skin, hives, bad breath, headaches, strong-smelling sweat, dark, yellow-orange pee, hair loss, gastrointestinal upset, redness around the mouth, low energy, and poor skin appearance.

When to do a detox or cleanse?

If you’re feeling sluggish with low energy, skin problems, and overall not feeling great, then it might be time to consider living a cleaner lifestyle and becoming conscious of what you’re eating and drinking. You can check out more topics here on diet, foods, and supplements, and check out some easy steps you can take to easily incorporate living cleaner into your lifestyle.

Do detox diets and cleanses really work?

I believe that eating a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables and taking some select supplements do work to help detox the body. However, there is no scientific evidence that short-term cleanse diets that only have one or two foods or drinks actually work.

Reference: “Detoxes” and Cleanses”: What You Need To Know

What absorbs toxins in the body?

The skin absorbs toxins from the air and through direct contact with a toxic substance. This is why I promote using organic products. The lungs absorb toxins you breathe. And food and beverages with toxins in them are absorbed in the liver and gut.

What can I drink to flush my body?

Water. Water is the best thing you can drink to help your kidneys flush out toxins. Nothing else even comes close. The kidneys do a fine job of filtering out toxins but without enough water, it makes it that much harder.

Smoothies and fruit juices do a nice job of helping your body detox. Just don’t drink only these and leave out other foods. Also, be wary of getting too much sugar in some fruit juices. Think of sugar as a toxin. More than a little sugar causes lots of problems for the body. Use a little honey instead but don’t overdo it.

How long does it take for water to flush out toxins?

It can take from one day to several weeks, depending on your toxic load. If you drink plenty of water, take probiotics, eat foods known to help the liver, intermittent fast, and try eating gluten-free, you’ll see results a lot faster. Click on the links to see my articles on intermittent fasting and a gluten-free diet.

How long does it take to flush toxins out of your body?

It can take from one day to one week depending on how many toxins your body needs to purge. It also depends on your age, health history, as well as your diet how long it will take. This is assuming you are eating a healthy diet and drinking lots of water and exercising.

What is the best detox and cleanse for weight loss?

There is no scientific evidence that any particular drink or detox mixture will help you lose weight on its own. If you follow some of the guidance on this site, you will probably lose weight if you cut down on calories and eat more healthy foods. There are healthier versions of a lot of junk foods which are delicious. You can check them out here.

Also, cutting down on or eliminating refined sugars will make a big difference for weight loss.

What foods help flush out your system?

There are some foods that help flush out your system. They work by helping your liver and kidneys function better. Cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, apples, blueberries, beets, artichokes, and more. See my article called 11 Foods That Detox the Body.

How can I naturally detox my body?

You can help your body detox every day. Partly by eating as clean as possible (buy organic) and drinking plenty of water daily. There are some foods that help your body detox even better. See: 11 Powerful Foods That Detox the Body.

There are also some supplements that help your body detox naturally: Detox Vitamins and Supplements

Get 7-9 hours of sleep per night and stay active. Exercising until you sweat helps purge more toxins through your lymph system. Plus exercise gets your blood pumping so it can get more toxins out through your kidneys and colon.

Suggested: Natural Detox and Cleanse

How do you detox and reset your gut?

According to Ayurveda, drinking warm water on an empty stomach is one of the best things you can do for digestion. Any water will do, but warm water takes less energy to digest and stimulates digestion while helping move food through the digestive tract.

I also like taking probiotics that keep the gut healthy and add back in the good flora our gut needs to function better.

What is the best detox and cleanse diet?

Intermittent fasting is a very days way to give your body a break and resets your hunger clock. The easiest method is the 16/8 method. You simply don’t eat anything after dinner and eat a late breakfast, preferably 16 hours after dinner. For more see: Intermittent Fasting for the Beginner

Cutting down on or cutting out gluten completely is going to help your body detox. Gluten causes inflammation in the body and is associated with several autoimmune disorders.

See more here: Is A Gluten-Free Diet Good for Detoxing the Body?

Does a foot detox work?

Those foot soaks and foot patches that have sprung up a lot lately actually have no basis in science. Scientific studies show there is no detox effect from these advertised foot detox products. Save your money.

What are signs your body is detoxing?

You might notice increased energy after a few days of eating cleaner and more exercise. But you might also have darker urine, more frequent bowel movements, mild headache, and possibly some skin breakouts as toxins leave the body.

If eating healthier is a big change for you, you might notice changes in bowel habits, either constipation or diarrhea.

These should all be temporary so be patient.

What are the most harmful ingredients in cosmetics?

Phlalates, parabens, and phenols.

Phlalates: Phlalates are ‘plasticizers’ and are used in vinyl flooring and other household products. Phlalates are the BPA’s that have previously been used in a lot of products and packaging. Choose BPA-Free products.

Parabens: Parabens like methylparaben, are preservatives. The FDA allows cosmetic and personal products makers to use parabens, but they are chemicals. Having said that, there are natural preservatives that manufacturers can use.

Phenols: Phenols are any compound with a hydroxyl group linked directly to a benzene ring. But really, they used to be found in antibacterial hand washes, antibacterial gels, soaps, and so on.

See more about harmful ingredients here: What Goes On Goes In

What are the adverse effects of some chemicals used in cosmetics?

Often chemicals used don’t cause major health problems. But over time, some have been linked to cancer, reproductive and neurological harm, and developmental delays. Anything in cosmetics or personal care products enters the body through the skin, inhalation, and ingestion and brings the same risks as food chemicals.

Wrapping Up

I hope this detox and cleanse guide helped answer your questions. Even more answers can be found throughout this site. Check out the categories and articles for more detailed information.

Thank you for reading today. If you have questions that weren’t addressed in this guide or comments, please leave them in the Comments section below. I’ll be sure to add them to this guide. Thank you!