How To Give Your Natural Detox System The Daily Support It Deserves

When you hear the word "detox," do you immediately think of celebrities and influencers trying to sell multiday cleanses on social media? If so, it sounds like "detoxification" has become synonymous with fad diets and scams in your mind—and who could blame you, given the multitude of diet-culture-fueled campaigns constantly blasted at you from all directions?

We have a number of organs (e.g., liver, kidneys, skin) and physiological systems (e.g., respiratory, lymphatic, digestive) that work constantly to flush out toxins and byproducts of the body's everyday processes. 

Human bodies are innately wise, and the complexity and effectiveness of detoxification pathways are proof the human body knows what it needs, what it doesn't, and how to eliminate toxins before they make themselves at home. 

That said, like any facet of health, there are many factors that support (or hinder) the detoxification pathways as they clear out what isn't needed in the body.

"Our environment is becoming increasingly toxic, and the linkage between environmental toxins and various health concerns continues to expand," explains Lise Alschuler, N.D., FABNO, professor of clinical medicine at the University of Arizona. "This suggests that ensuring adequate detoxification is important."

Alschuler notes that detoxification occurs on many levels throughout the body at all times, so fostering healthy detoxification requires a holistic, multifaceted approach. 

"One component is to ensure the proper elimination of waste by supporting bowel regularity by doing activities to generate sweat1 and remaining hydrated to support urination2," she says. 

In fact, many of the healthy habits we know to support other areas of our well-being—such as exercising3, drinking water, and getting good sleep4—also promote optimal detoxification. 

Unsurprisingly, nutrition plays a big role in promoting organ and system function5 for proper detoxification. Alschuler explains that the liver, for example, is considered one of the most important organs of detoxification and that "detoxification pathways in liver cells require adequate vitamins, minerals, as well as natural antioxidant compounds found in plants."* 

Detoxification pathways are not only important to buffer us against environmental factors, toxins, and stressors but also help us achieve homeostatic antioxidant-versus-oxidant balance (aka redox balance) in the body on a daily basis.

Vital detox pathways are actively working 24/7 to eliminate toxins, so every-once-in-a-while cleanses simply don't make sense when you could support your body's detoxification process on a daily basis. 

mindbodygreen's targeted, premium liver detox+ formula features a curated entourage of bioactives (i.e., glutathione, milk thistle, NAC, selenium, and vitamin C) to promote 360-degree support of whole-body detoxification pathways.*