Detox Your Body With These 15 Next-Level Superfoods
We live in a toxic world. Everything from the food we eat, the air we breathe, to the products we use on a daily basis are loaded with toxins. While it may not seem like a big deal at first glance, more and more research is coming out about the negative effects of toxin exposure and how it contributes to chronic health problems.
In my telehealth functional medicine clinic, I work with patients on a daily basis to mitigate toxin exposure and help restore the body’s detoxification system to its healthiest state. One of the main ways to do this is through food. But before we get into the best foods that detox your body, let’s learn more about why we need to detox and what to consider when choosing foods that will nourish our body.
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What is detoxing and why is it necessary?
In order to understand how to detox, we first need to understand why we should detox. The amount of toxins we are exposed to on a daily basis has grown by leaps and bounds. So much so that research is starting to show the link between our increased toxin exposure and autoimmune conditions. (1) Because our genetics haven’t changed in thousands of years, our bodies can’t keep up with the onslaught of foreign chemicals once nonexistent in our society.
A few examples of these common toxins include:
- Perchlorates: A by-product of jet fuel production found in drinking water and food supply chains that has been linked to thyroid problems.
- Flame retardants: Used in furniture, computers, and tvs, these have been linked to developmental issues.
- Plastics: All around us, plastic chemicals can lead to thyroid problems and other chronic health conditions
- Xenoestrogens: Chemicals used in personal care products that act as estrogen in the body contributing to imbalanced hormone levels.
And that’s just the tip of the chemical iceberg.
While most of these chemicals are considered safe in small amounts, that is on an individual basis and doesn’t take into account the consistent exposure of multiple different chemicals over time in our personal care products, pollution, and food.
Normally, the body does an excellent job at eliminating toxins to keep us healthy and thriving - in fact, we humans are alive because of brilliant biochemistry. As one of your body’s largest organs, your liver is primarily responsible for filtering out toxins from the foods you eat and the chemicals you are exposed to in your environment.
The problem happens when your liver becomes overloaded with toxins because it can’t process them fast enough. This leads to 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.
All this to say, for most people detoxing is absolutely necessary. While some people need more detox support than others, the unfortunate reality is that no matter how hard you try, you can’t avoid toxins altogether.
So how exactly do you detox? It starts by limiting toxin exposure as much as possible (remember you can’t avoid toxins completely, but you can mitigate your exposure) and support your liver’s natural ability to detox. This allows the liver to restore itself and catch up with the detoxification workload.
Here are a few ways to start detoxing:
- Switch to non-toxic beauty and cleaning products
- Support methylation
- Support liver function
- Switch to a clean, whole foods diet
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What qualifies a food to be detoxing?
Before looking at foods that detox your body, let’s look at what foods are not detoxing. Ultimately, anything that is processed or contains added ingredients aren’t going to do your body and detoxification system any favors. These unnecessary additives are unfamiliar to your body and are going to increase inflammation and add to your toxin load.
On the other hand, clean, whole foods are filled with naturally-occurring nutrients that your body needs to thrive. Not only will these support normal function of the various systems of your body, some in particular have specific-detoxification abilities. In general, you’ll want to stick with foods rich in healthy fats, antioxidants, pro- and prebiotics, vitamins, and minerals.
Foods that detox your body
Any clean, whole food is going to help keep your toxin load low while also facilitating proper function. But as I mentioned earlier, some foods are going to be more beneficial than others when it comes to detoxing your body of build up toxins and improving the function of a sluggish detoxification system.
1. Dark leafy greens
Methylation requires folate, which is found in greens like kale, collards, chard, and spinach. Make sure to fill up on lots of nutritious greens every day. If you find you can’t handle the roughage of raw greens, cooking them first can help mitigate any gastrointestinal upset.
2. Sulfur-rich vegetables
Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, garlic, mushrooms, and asparagus also support methylation because they also contain the powerful antioxidant glutathione. This antioxidant is essential for activating phase 1 and phase 2 liver detoxification.
3. Milk thistle
Milk thistle is a plant that aids in eliminating toxins that have built up in the liver. It also helps to restore liver cells that have been damaged from increased toxin exposure. It’s one of the most well-researched natural remedies for treating liver problems and has been used for years to treat a variety of liver ailments, from hepatitis to alcoholic liver disease. You can drink milk thistle as a tea. (2)
4. Cilantro
As if you need another excuse to indulge in some much-loved tacos and guacamole, cilantro has been shown to help detox your body from heavy metals especially when taken in conjunction with chlorella.
5. Spirulina
Up to 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water, yet we overlook the superfoods found beneath the sea. Sea vegetables and algae like spirulina and chlorella live in lakes – both fresh and saltwater – throughout the world and contain rich amounts of nutrients including antioxidants that help protect your body from oxidative damage. Spirulina in particular helps support your liver and kidney function due to its chlorophyll content that makes it super detoxifying.
6. Red clover blossom
This herb is primarily used for detoxification purposes in functional medicine due to its diuretic effect that helps remove waste and other toxins from the body. It is often referred to as a “blood purifier” and has been praised for its lymphatic drainage abilities.
7. Beets
Beets are also great for helping break down toxins through increasing enzyme activity. (3) Give your liver a boost with beautiful beets – I enjoy roasting them as a side dish, or adding them to a salad seasoned with garlic (a two-for-one live- supporting combination)!
8. Sauerkraut
We can’t talk about detoxification without talking about your gut. Supporting a healthy microbiome balance with probiotic-rich foods like sauerkraut is going to help lower inflammation, support methylation pathways, and overall health of your detoxification system. Plus, sauerkraut is made from cabbage that contains both sulforaphane and glutathione that will continue to level up your methylation pathways.
9. Burdock root
As a tea or supplement, this root is another detoxifying wonder, especially when it comes to heavy metals. Burdock root has natural diuretic properties, so it flushes fluids from your body along with toxins. This is especially stimulating for your detoxifying lymphatic system.
10. Blueberries
I love blueberries because they are low fructose and contain some of the highest amounts of antioxidants of any food. Plus, research has found that blueberries can support pathways in the body that aid in detoxification. (4)
11. Green tea
There are many benefits to drinking tea - green tea specifically - but one of my favorites is its catechin antioxidant content that can help neutralize free radicals. Plus, it acts as a natural diuretic to flush toxins out of your body. Just one more reason to pour yourself another cup!
12. Organic organ meat
Grass-fed organ meat, like liver, is the most bioavailable-rich source of B vitamins on the planet, which are essential for optimal methylation.
13. Artichokes
Even though this vegetable might be intimidating to cook, your liver will be thanking you with each one that you eat! Your body produces bile that acts as a carrier for toxins to your small intestine in order for them to be eliminated from your body. However, when bile production is inhibited, toxins end up building up in your body. Studies have shown that artichoke extract can increase both proper bile production and movement. (5)
14. Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are great for many reasons including their vitamin A and fiber content that supports healthy digestion. They also contain a special compound known as phytochelatins that work to bind to heavy metals in the body to enhance detoxification. (6)
15. Avocados
Load up on everyone’s favorite fruit, as these also contain a surprising amount of detoxifying glutathione!
Consulting a functional medicine professional
When it comes to detoxing, everyone is different. If you have reached a plateau in your healing journey and just can’t seem to reach the next level, it might be time to seek out help from a functional medicine practitioner.
In my telehealth functional medicine clinic, we specialize in running labs to identify the exact heavy metals and toxins you are exposed to on a daily basis so that you can make the necessary adjustments that are applicable to you. Not everyone is going to be exposed to the same toxins, so proper identification is key when devising a healing plan that will move the needle for you.
If you are ready to take that next step, check out our telehealth consultation to learn more about how we can partner with you on this journey to better health.
As one of the first functional medicine telehealth clinics in the world, we provide webcam health consultations for people around the globe.
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References:
- Hess, Evelyn V. “Environmental chemicals and autoimmune disease: cause and effect.” Toxicology vol. 181-182 (2002): 65-70. doi:10.1016/s0300-483x(02)00256-1
- Abenavoli, Ludovico et al. “Milk thistle in liver diseases: past, present, future.” Phytotherapy research : PTR vol. 24,10 (2010): 1423-32. doi:10.1002/ptr.3207
- Krajka-Kuźniak, Violetta et al. “Betanin, a beetroot component, induces nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2-mediated expression of detoxifying/antioxidant enzymes in human liver cell lines.” The British journal of nutrition vol. 110,12 (2013): 2138-49. doi:10.1017/S0007114513001645
- Hodges, Romilly E, and Deanna M Minich. “Modulation of Metabolic Detoxification Pathways Using Foods and Food-Derived Components: A Scientific Review with Clinical Application.” Journal of nutrition and metabolism vol. 2015 (2015): 760689. doi:10.1155/2015/760689
- Artichoke. Life Extension Magazine January 2021.
- Kristine K. Dennis, Ken H. Liu, Karan Uppal, Young-Mi Go, Dean P. Jones, Distribution of phytochelatins, metal-binding compounds, in plant foods: A survey of commonly consumed fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes, Food Chemistry, Volume 339, 2021, 128051, ISSN 0308-8146, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.128051.
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BY DR. WILL COLE
Dr. Will Cole, DNM, IFMCP, DC is a leading functional medicine expert who consults people around the globe, starting one of the first functional medicine telehealth centers in the world. Named one of the top 50 functional and integrative doctors in the nation, Dr. Will Cole provides a functional medicine approach for thyroid issues, autoimmune conditions, hormonal imbalances, digestive disorders, and brain problems. He is the host of the popular The Art Of Being Well podcast and the New York Times bestselling author of Intuitive Fasting, Ketotarian, The Inflammation Spectrum and the brand new book Gut Feelings: Healing the Shame-Fueled Relationship Between What You Eat and How You Feel.
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