Exactly How to Unlock Your Body’s Natural Detoxification Support

Our world has become increasingly toxic and it’s something I see the effects of firsthand in my telehealth functional medicine clinic. It’s no coincidence that chronic health conditions are on the rise and the lab work that I run shows high levels of a multitude of chemicals and other compounds that directly correlate to how my patients feel. 

That’s why it’s more important than ever to support your body’s own ability to detox. But it’s not always easy to know where to start. Read on to learn exactly how toxins impact your health and my ultimate tool for unlocking your body’s natural detoxification system.

Why should we detox?

The truth is, we are exposed to a large and growing number of toxins and chemicals on a daily basis. While our bodies are designed to withstand some level of exposure, we were never meant to be able to handle the current onslaught that we face on a daily basis.  

In functional medicine, we refer to this as “toxin load”. It encompasses all of the toxins like heavy metals, mold, and endocrine disrupters you could be exposed to from sources such as plastics, cosmetics, water, pollution, and food and how it impacts your overall health. Since everyone’s lifestyle is different, your specific toxin load — and how it affects you — is going to look different than someone else’s. Some people have a greater capacity to handle more exposure than others, but that doesn’t mean it won’t affect you at all. From minor symptoms to full blown chronic illness, toxin exposure can manifest in a multitude of ways.

When does toxin exposure become too much?

Like I mentioned, your body is designed to handle toxins. As two of the largest organs in your body, your skin and liver are responsible for hundreds of important functions and work together as part of your detoxification system. Your liver’s primary role is to filter out toxins from the foods you eat and the things you are exposed to in your environment and your skin follows up to expel those toxins through sweating.

However, when your liver is overloaded with toxins because it can’t process them fast enough, it creates a cascade of chronic inflammation in your body, which further affects your liver’s ability to rid itself of these toxins. It becomes a vicious cycle: toxins build up, the body becomes more inflamed, detoxification is inhibited, more toxins build up, inflammation increases, and on and on. And we all know everything from hormone imbalances, brain dysfunction, poor gut health, weight loss resistance, heart problems, cancer, and more can be traced back to chronic inflammation.

If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, it may be time to add in some detox support into your routine:

• Achy muscles and joints
• Anxiety
• Brain fog
• Chronic allergies
• Depression
• Digestive distress (bloating, constipation, diarrhea, gas)
• Fatigue
• Frequent cold sores
• Insomnia
• Persistent body odor or bad breath
• Skin problems (acne, rashes, eczema)
• Weight gain
• Weight loss resistance

Understanding sweat + your detox system

Thankfully, there are so many ways to naturally support your body’s detox pathways without having to do a huge overhaul of your life or commit to a whole-body cleanse. 

Swapping out the products you use the most (household cleaners, makeup, etc.), upgrading your water filter, and eating more green leafy vegetables and sulfur-rich vegetables like broccoli to support your body’s detox pathways (also known as methylation), are all great ways to encourage detoxification.

But one of the best ways to enhance detoxification is through sweating. Not only is it how your body is designed to naturally eliminate toxins, it is one of the most efficient. But don’t just take my word for it.

A study published in the Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology analyzed the blood, urine, and sweat of participants for roughly 120 different compounds and the results were very surprising. Researchers found that sweating eliminated the most toxins compared to blood or urine, including compounds like lead, mercury, aluminum, and nickel – toxins that have all been linked to increased risk of multiple chronic health problems.

But the most interesting part of the study was the specific method of sweating. Infrared saunas appeared to work better than traditional saunas or even exercise for several toxins including bismuth, cadmium, chromium, mercury, and uranium!

It’s also worth noting that mercury and BPA were detected in sweat but not in blood, which further positions sweat as the ultimate detoxification tool since it seems to target the toxins that live deeper inside of the body’s tissues.

READ MORE: Why Sweating Is The Ultimate Detox Tool (+ Other Top Health Benefits)

Exactly How Infrared Sauna Supports Detoxification

Alongside sweat and beyond it, infrared saunas work to activate multiple pathways in your body’s detoxification system.

1. Promotes circulation

The heat inside infrared saunas work to boost both vasodilation and blood flow to support your liver and kidneys — two major players in your detox system. This helps to move metabolic waste throughout your body and facilitates elimination.

2. Activates heat shock proteins

Heat stress prompts heat shock proteins whose role is to support cellular repair, the building blocks of your body, and protein maintenance.

3. Supports your nervous system

Infrared saunas are a relaxing wellness tool that helps shift your body to a parasympathetic “rest and digest” state. When this happens, your body is able to focus on what really matters (like detoxification) instead of trying to manage ongoing physical and mental stressors.

This is why I love infrared saunas. As a functional medicine expert, my goal is to make my life and my patients’ lives a cleanse. Detoxing isn’t just one action or miracle cleanse, it’s a total system that works in layers together.

Infrared saunas act as the foundation to detoxification because it works to support these various physiological pathways in tandem — sweating, circulation, heat shock protein activation, and nervous system balance. From there, any additional detox tools you want to incorporate can be that much more effective because you have already “turned on” those vital pathways necessary for them to be as effective as possible. Whether you want to try dry brushing, upping your hydration, exercising, or cultivating a better sleep routine, your body will be primed and ready to receive all of the benefits. 

How to use an infrared sauna

My favorite thing about infrared saunas is that it feels more like an indulgent time of relaxation rather than something you have to check off your list. When you enjoy what you are doing, the more likely you are to be consistent, and consistency is what really moves the needle for your health. Your wellness routine should be sustainable.

When starting out, ease into it by using it a couple times a week for 10-15 minutes. As your body gets used to it, gradually increase your session length and frequency. Choose a time of day that works best for you so you can easily fit it into your every day and make it a ritual. Supporting your session by staying hydrated with regular water and electrolytes is also important to not only protect against dehydration but to further detoxification by facilitating your body’s ability to sweat.

LISTEN: How To Use Red Light Therapy, Infrared Saunas & Cold Plunges For Longevity, Mood & Beauty | Sunlighten’s Connie Zack

Choosing the right infrared sauna for you

As with most wellness products, not all infrared saunas are created equal. After years of seeing patients in my telehealth functional medicine clinic and testing out various brands, Sunlighten is the one I consistently see results for myself and my patients due to their high-quality craftsmanship backed by scientific-research.

Sunlighten has multiple options for infrared saunas depending on your budget and personal needs. If you are ready to make the investment, I personally use the mPulse as it has separately controlled near, mid, and far wavelengths in addition to red light. But depending on your health goals, Amplify is great choice for a deeper, faster sweat, Signature is fantastic for those wanting a detox-focused far-infrared entry point, and the Solo System is the most compact, and the lowest cost for those wanting to get started on their infrared sauna journey sooner rather than later.

Whatever stage you’re on in your detox journey, Sunlighten wants to make it as easy as possible to access this level of detox support. For a limited time, save up to $2,100 + FREE shipping with any sauna purchase.

As one of the first functional medicine telehealth clinics in the world, we provide webcam health consultations for people around the globe. 

Photo: Sunlighten