Detoxing From The Typical New Year's Detox

What to do instead and how to do it.

Let me start by saying that I am not a fan of the wellness industry’s promotion of cleansing and detoxing. In a world where the pursuit of wellbeing is a 6.3 trillion dollar industry, I question whether the obsession with “cleansing" and “detoxification" does more harm than good.

For many of my clients, detox is a word they use to betray themselves. It carries the intention of self-care but they often use it to mask self-harming patterns.

I can’t tell you how many I times I’ve seen patients use “detoxes” to conceal an eating disorder flare, body dysmorphia, unhealthy weight-loss goals, orthorexic behaviors, or a level of perfectionism that will never allow them to be enough as they are.

And this doesn’t surprise me because to some degree, when we pursue detox products, programs, or services, it implies that the highly intelligent, physiological detoxification pathways and mechanisms in our bodies are not enough. It’s this sentiment- the one that says the innate intelligence of our biology is not intelligent enough to maintain health- that we NEED products or devices to be well in today’s world- that drives the growth of the the wellness industry. The belief that we are not enough serves the capitalist agenda, it keeps us spending, seeking and searching outside of ourselves for more.

Now look, I know there is nuance to this. We live in a toxic world and I see plenty of clinical scenarios where people’s detoxification pathways are not functioning properly. I am all for supporting detoxification pathways when needed. And while in most cases healthy detoxification can be restored through hydration, nutrition, exercise, breath work and conscious consumerism, there are definitely situations where we need some help from products, like supplements, air filters and saunas, or services like IV cocktails and lymphatic drainage.

I am NOT against people detoxing, but these days I think it’s really important to explore why we’re detoxing.

If the drive to detox is coming from an unresolved wound within ourselves or our culture, it can drive those wound patterns deeper. If the drive to detox is coming from an awareness of oneself and the environment, it can be an incredible act of self-care.

Before I get into the “how to” I want to take a minute to highlight how perfectly intelligent our bodies already are. As a mother and a holistic doctor living in the USA I am well aware of the toxic burden we live with today. We are exposed to toxins with every breath, shower, meal, beauty treatment and more. It’s a lot. But the body is also very intelligent and has the capacity to adapt to internal and external stresses. I think it’s important to support the body’s innate detoxification pathways, and I think it’s equally important to trust our bodies’ capacity to heal and maintain health in the world that we are co-creating, regardless of how toxic it is.

So the typical new year detox that I’m inviting you to detox from is the one that suggests that your body cannot handle the toxic burden of today’s world- the one that makes you too afraid to enjoy your life, the one that says you are not enough, the one that says you need expensive products and expert guidance to be well, the one that discourages you from trusting yourself. I’m inviting you to detox from the wellness narrative that magnifies the toxic load without acknowledging how intelligent and capable your body is.

What if we detox from the mental, emotional and psychic obstacles to wellbeing that the wellness industry reinforces, and approach detox from a place of vitality, trust, acceptance and self-worth?

Humanity is perfect technology and we are enough as we are. But we can also choose to consciously participate in our detoxification efforts to further support wellbeing in a toxic world.

From a holistic perspective, detox is not just about tending to the organs of detoxification- the lungs, skin, kidneys, liver, lymphatic and digestive systems.

Detoxification is about boundaries, filtration and discernment in every area of ourselves and our lives.

This means eliminating limiting beliefs, key people in our lives who reinforce our wound patterns, social media accounts that make us feel less than, sensory stimuli that puts unnecessary strain on our nervous systems, and a lot more.

When we consider the whole of ourselves- every organ system in our bodies, our thoughts and beliefs, our emotional field, our spiritual nature, our homes, relationships, environments and beyond-an honest, comprehensive detox is an overwhelming pursuit and a nearly impossible endeavor.

There is no way to completely eliminate toxicity from our lives and our relationship to the world around us- the air we breath, the waters we bathe in, the soil we plant in, the people we call family and community, etc. - is an important part of holistic health. So the key to detoxing is to do so with balance, discernment and the utmost respect for the innate intelligence of our biology and the greater ecosystem we are a part of.

The only detox I recommend broadly is one that requires your participation in the design. It requires that you apply your awareness of yourself, your environment, your preferences, your wound patterns, your intention and your toxic exposures.

When YOU consciously participate in the intelligent symphony of detoxification that your body is already conducting, your efforts do not go unnoticed.

So here is the detoxification approach I recommend.