A sad truth is that chronic illness is on the rise. Medical diagnoses lead to millions of prescription medications given that in most cases serve to silence symptoms without ever unveiling the true root cause of an imbalance. We can no longer ignore the great toxic burden our bodies are enduring every day and that which are most likely causing many of these chronic diseases.

Sadly, food is our main source of toxicity, since most crops are grown with herbicides and pesticides. Conventionally-raised animals are also making us unwell. Our livestock are being fed GMO-corn, wheat, and soy instead of grass. This makes them sick so they are then treated with antibiotics and hormones and fed over 70% of all antacids produced to help with their acidic stomachs! When we eat meat and dairy products from these sources, we take on their inflammation through bioaccumulation. The quality of the food you eat is paramount to your health.

Toxins, if not safely eliminated, will continue to circulate in the body or be stored in fat cells and tissues, destroying the body from the inside out. By keeping toxic burden low and supporting the body with comprehensive nutritional support, the body will up-regulate its ability to heal and rejuvenate itself, the way it was made to do. A balanced detox approach (with both Phase 1 and Phase 2 support) will protect you from unnecessary cellular damage that mobile toxins can cause and help you continue to function normally in your day-to-day life. This is why a Seasonal Detox Program is one of the most beneficial things we can do to support our system, address imbalances, and prevent disease.

If you already eat mainly organic, that’s a great start. However, there are still other chemical exposures to consider. Almost every material our skin comes in contact with is more heavily sprayed with pesticides than the food we eat! Cotton grown with pesticides, petroleum-based synthetic clothes, bedding, furniture, and other home goods are common sources of toxicity. Beyond fabrics, toxin leaching plastics are everywhere from water bottles to the soles of our shoes! The list goes on and on. All of this adds up to over 6 billion pounds of toxic chemicals being released into the environment every year. You can imagine the toll that all of these substances can take on our systems.

Luckily, the body has a naturally built in detoxification system that can be up-regulated in order to eliminate this toxic load. Detoxing (primarily via the lungs, skin, kidneys and liver) has helped us survive over many, many years. However, we used to not need as much external detox support as we do now. As hunter-gatherers, we would fast or go on long retreats, naturally giving the body and the digestive system a break. During these times without food, the detox organs could focus on eliminating a back-up of trapped toxins. In today’s society however, we are dealing with a largely increased toxic load in combination with an epidemic of nutrient deficiencies. Because of these main factors, we have not been able to evolve as quickly as we would need to keep up with demands. This has led to an epidemic of toxic accumulation in all of us.

Signs and Symptoms you need to detox:

Chronic Fatigue
High or low blood sugar, pre-diabetes
Seasonal allergies
Joint pain
Weight gain /stubborn weight loss
Sensitivity to chemicals
Depression/ Mood imbalances d
Anxiety
Digestive Disorders: IBS (diarrhea, constipation) bloat, gas
Reflux/GERD
Skin issues: dry skin, rashes, eczema, etc
Headaches
Food cravings
Itchy/watery, red eyes
Bad Breath
Body Odor
Insomnia/restless sleep

If any of these resonate with you, a safe, whole food detox is a great place to start.

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Carli created WELLNESS BY CARLI to combine her love of real food with her knowledge of functional medicine. These article are to share what she has learned to hopefully help you heal and feel your best!