Self Care Tools to Reduce Toxicity
If you experience digestive issues and/or metabolism issues, it’s likely that your liver is overburdened as a result of too much toxicity in your body.
The reality is—we live in a very toxic world and regardless of how clean we eat, we’re still going to face toxicity. Before we even open our mouths to take a bite of food, we are exposed to pollution in the air and toxins in our cleaning products and cosmetics. So the question you should ask yourself is not “am I toxic?” but rather “how toxic am I?”
The good news is, our bodies are meant to detox naturally. In fact, 90% of environmental carcinogens can be processed and eliminated by a fully functioning liver. The bad news is, our bodies have not evolved fast enough to keep up with the increasing toxic load brought on by the influx of processed foods, mass agriculture and pollution.
Therefore, we must give our bodies the support they need to get rid of toxins naturally, and we can do that by following everything taught in this program, including integrating the basic fundamental tools listed in the next section that are designed to reduce toxicity in your body.
Remember, you cannot rebuild your gut health if your body suffers from toxic overload.
Self-Care Tools to Reduce Toxicity
Self-care is the cornerstone of great gut health. Caring for yourself, making your body feel beautiful, and pushing toxins out from your body are necessary for great health and wonderful life. Self-care is also a way to connect with yourself, fall back in love with yourself, and cultivate health and joy within, and spread it to everyone you touch! Here are some of my favorite tools.
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Skin brushing is a must when it comes to eliminating toxins and restoring your gut health. Doing this supports your lymphatic system, kidneys, and liver.
When using a skin brush, brush your skin in the morning before showering and at night for maximum results.
Always brush toward your heart with the flow of the lymphatic fluid.
Start at the soles of your feet and then move up your legs, brushing in a circular motion.
Brush your chest and shoulders toward your heart in long strokes, and then start at the fingertips and brush toward your body. Use small, circular strokes in your armpits.
Move in a circular motion counterclockwise on your stomach to respect the direction of digestion.
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Tongue scraping is one of my go-to tools to relieve my body of toxicity. This removes mucus and toxic buildup in your mouth.
You can purchase a tongue scraper on Amazon or simply use a spoon.
In the morning and at night, reach to the back of your tongue with your scraper and pull forward, scraping off the white film and then repeating.
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Epsom salt, or magnesium sulfate, is wonderful for supplying your body with magnesium, boosting nutrient absorption, relieving stress, improving sleep, and reducing muscle cramps.
Adding Epsom salts to your bath is a divine experience. To do this, add 1 cup of Epsom salts, ½ cup baking soda, ½ cup sea salt, and ¼ cup Bragg’s raw apple cider vinegar (optional) to a warm bath. You can also add a few drops of essential oils, such as lavender or another favorite essential oil.
Advanced Tools to Reduce Toxicity
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Rebounding
Rebounding is a great way to support lymphatic drainage. You can purchase a used rebounder on Craigslist or buy one on Amazon. I suggest rebounding for 15 minutes each day.
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Castor Oil Pack
Castor oil packs are another way to efficiently remove toxins from the body. There are two ways to do a castor oil pack:
Rub castor oil on your stomach, the right side of your liver, and the upper abdomen. Some people prefer to soak a cloth, towel, or old shirt in the castor oil, wrap the pack in plastic wrap (BPA-free preferred) and then apply over the desired organ. You can lay a hot water bottle or a heating pad on the top of the pack and relax as you release toxins for about 45 minutes.
OR
Lay down on a towel and rub the castor oil on your stomach, the right side of your liver, and upper abdomen. Then re-apply every 15 minutes until you've reached the 45-minute mark.
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Oil Pulling
Oil pulling is one of my favorite and most effective advanced tools because it cleanses the mouth of bacteria and yeast that can lead to infection and toxicity in the body.
You should oil pull in the morning on an empty stomach, and follow up with tongue scraping (above).
• Put 1-2 tablespoons of coconut or sesame oil in your mouth.
• Swish the oil for 5-20 minutes.
• Spit the oil into the trash to prevent it from clogging your sink.
• Rinse your mouth with water and sea salt, then brush your teeth.
• Follow up with tongue scraping.