In this series we give you tips on how to reach your most vibrant health by giving your body what it needs to thrive. Here are the 10 health foundations:
- Stress Relief
- Movement
- Love and Self Care
- Fill the Food Gaps
- Remove and Avoid Toxins
In our last article in this series, we talk about toxins and give you ways to support your body’s natural detox systems.
How to Best Support Detoxification
In today’s world, toxins are everywhere: in food, water, air, household cleaners, personal care products, furniture, clothing.. If you are healthy overall, your body might be able to take care of most toxins – but if you already have a health concern, toxic exposure can overburden your body and worsen symptoms. Some chemicals (specifically PFAS) are binding to proteins and accumulating in organs like your liver and brain, which increases your long-term health risks.
PFAS, the “Forever Chemicals”
PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) are man-made chemicals used to make products water-, stain-, and grease-resistant. They’re called “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down and can build up in our bodies over time. Research links PFAS exposure to hormone disruption, immune suppression, and even certain cancers.
How to Reduce Exposure:
- Use a water filter certified for PFAS removal
- Swap nonstick cookware for stainless steel, cast iron, or ceramic
- Avoid stain-resistant sprays and treatments
- Limit fast food and packaged foods (PFAS often line wrappers)
The Body’s Natural Detox Systems
A healthy body has several pathways to deal with toxins: the liver, kidneys, lungs, skin, and lymphatic system. Overexposure to toxins can lead to fatigue, headaches, allergies, hormonal disruption, or more serious health concerns.
Liver – The Master Filter
As the primary detox organ, the liver constantly filters blood from the digestive tract. It converts fat-soluble toxins into water-soluble compounds the body can excrete. To work at peak efficiency, it requires antioxidants (vitamin C, E and B-vitamins), sulfur compounds, and hydration to support this process. Great foods for the liver are:
- Garlic, onions, leeks, shallots (allium family)
- Broccoli, kale, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts (cruciferous vegetables)
- Eggs (especially the yolk)
- Legumes, nuts, seeds
- Protein sources like fish, chicken, and beef
- A glass of water with some fresh lemon juice first thing in the morning.
Kidneys – The Flush System
Our kidneys filter about 50 gallons of blood every single day, removing waste while conserving water and nutrients your body needs. And that while each kidney is just the size of a fist! 99% of the water that passes through them gets reabsorbed, only about 1-2 quarts get sent to the bladder as urine.
The kidneys are not just filters, but also blood pressure regulators, and convert vitamin D into its active form, which is critical for calcium absorption and strong bones.
Eating a whole-food, plant-rich diet with plenty of hydration, electrolytes and minerals like magnesium and potassium is one of the best ways to support kidney health.
Lungs – Clean with each breath
“Your lungs aren’t just for breathing – with a surface area as big as a tennis court, they’re also one of your body’s greatest detox filters.”
Your lungs –one of your body’s key detox organs – expel carbon dioxide and even volatile compounds like alcohol. But they’re constantly challenged by pollution, smoke, mold spores, and allergens. Support them with fresh air, deep breathing exercises, and by reducing indoor air toxins whenever possible.
Skin – Sweating it Out
“Can you accept the notion that once you change your internal state, you don’t need the external world to provide you with a reason to feel joy, gratitude, appreciation, or any other elevated emotion?” ~ Joe Dispenza
The skin acts as a protective barrier, shielding the body from environmental toxins and pathogens. Research shows that sweating can help release heavy metals, BPA, phthalates, and other fat-soluble compounds.
Whether through sauna use or sustained moderate exercise, supporting healthy sweating is one way the body detoxifies. To keep this system working well, the skin needs proper hydration, a steady supply of minerals, and good circulation.
Digestive Tract – Bind & Eliminate
Your gut plays a major role in detox by binding toxins, cholesterol, and even excess hormones to fiber and carrying them out through stool. When digestion slows down, those toxins can get reabsorbed into the body. Support your gut with plenty of fiber-rich foods, good hydration, a diverse microbiome, and regular bowel movements to keep things going.
Lymphatic System – The Drainage Network
Your lymphatic system is your body’s drainage network, which collects waste, cellular debris, and toxins from tissues and moves them toward elimination. Keep your lymph flowing with plenty of movement, good hydration, and occasional gentle support like dry brushing, massage, or rebounding exercises.
What about Medication?
Modern medications are powerful tools that improve countless lives – but they can also add to the body’s toxic load. Whenever possible, work with your healthcare provider to minimize or safely eliminate medications you no longer need.
Pro Tip: Support your detox organs with good hydration, a nutrient-rich diet, and regular checkups — especially if you take daily medications.
Medications That Can Stress Your Liver & Kidneys (some of the most common ones — always use as directed!):
- Acetaminophen (Tylenol®) – Safe in normal doses, but high or chronic use can strain the liver.
- NSAIDs (Ibuprofen, Naproxen, etc.) – Can irritate the stomach lining and, in high doses, impact kidney function.
- Statins (Cholesterol Medications) – Can raise liver enzyme levels, especially early on.
- Certain Antibiotics – Some are filtered heavily by the kidneys, so staying hydrated is key.
- Some Herbal Remedies – “Natural” doesn’t always mean gentle — some herbs like kava or comfrey can be hard on the liver.
How to deal with Toxic Load
Relieving your body of toxins takes a three-fold approach:
“Nutritional and lifestyle interventions can modulate detoxification pathways and reduce the burden of environmental toxins.”
1. Flush Out Toxins – Safely!
Drink plenty of water to help your kidneys filter waste, eat fiber-rich foods to keep digestion moving, and include cruciferous veggies (like broccoli and kale) to boost liver detox pathways. Gentle sweating through exercise or sauna can also help. Go slowly — too much detox too fast can make you feel worse.
Here are several tools our naturopathic doctors may recommend to support detoxification:
- Functional Lab Testing
Tests for heavy metals, environmental toxins, liver function, and nutrient deficiencies to create a targeted plan - Individualized Nutrition Plans
Food-based detox protocols focusing on whole foods, cruciferous vegetables, healthy proteins, and hydration. - Botanical Medicine
Herbs like milk thistle (liver support), dandelion root (bile flow), and cilantro (gentle heavy metal chelation). - Nutrient Restoration
High-quality supplements or IV nutrient therapy (vitamin C, B vitamins, glutathione) to boost detox pathways. - Hydrotherapy
Contrast showers, sauna therapy, or constitutional hydrotherapy improve circulation and toxin clearance. - Lifestyle Adjustments
Stress reduction, sleep hygiene, and toxin-free living (cleaners, cosmetics, cookware). - Movement & Exercise
Move to promote sweating, lymph flow, and metabolic health.
2. Clean Up Your Environment
Reducing the toxins coming in is a very important step to support the body’s detox efforts. Even small changes in your daily routine can dramatically lower your exposure over time. Here are a few ideas:
- Switch to natural cleaning products, choose organic produce when possible, and store food in glass or stainless steel instead of plastic. Check your personal care products for common toxins like parabens or phthalates.
- Avoid xenoestrogens = estrogen-mimicking chemicals (e.g. glyphosate, BPA, in personal hygiene products, home cleaning products).
- Air out the house regularly, especially in winter.
- Organic food choices DO matter. They aren’t always perfect, but have less toxins and GMO modifications, which means they are better for you!
- Use a water filter – fluoride and chlorine in our drinking water adds up and can be burdensome to our bodies. (We like Berkey Water Filters)
- Living in a home with water damage or known/visible mold is not safe for you. If you aren’t sure – test your home or test yourself. There are options, even for renters, if you have mold in your home, and treatments for mold toxicity are available.
- Use a good air filter in your home:
- during fire season
- if pets are living in your home
- if there is high humidity in your home
- if there are smokers in the home
- if there are pesticides, fungicides, or chemicals used in or around your home.
3. Build Resilience
Strengthening your body will enable it to better handle the toxins you can’t completely avoid. Focus on nutrient-dense foods rich in antioxidants, minerals, and amino acids that fuel detox pathways, like organic broccoli, regeneratively grown meats and eggs, organic berries. Avoid the “Dirty Dozen.”
Support gut health with probiotics or fermented foods to improve absorption and immune response.
Make time for rest, movement, and stress relief — all of which keep your detox systems running smoothly.
Written by Karen Wegehenkel
Medically reviewed by Dr. McClane
Sources & Resources
Margaret E. Sears, Kathleen J. Kerr, Riina I. Bray (2012)
Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury in Sweat: A Systematic Review
Found that sweating is an effective means of excreting arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury, sometimes in higher concentrations than urine.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1155/2012/184745
Stephen J Genuis, Detlef Birkholz, Ilia Rodushkin, Sanjay Beesoon (2010)
Blood, urine, and sweat (BUS) study: monitoring and elimination of bioaccumulated toxic elements
Showed that sweat glands are important excretory routes for not just electrolytes but also toxic elements and xenobiotics.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21057782/
Stephen J Genuis, Sanjay Beesoon, Detlef Birkholz, Rebecca A Lobo (2011)
Human excretion of bisphenol A: blood, urine, and sweat (BUS) study
Found that sweat analysis revealed toxins not always present in blood or urine, suggesting skin excretion is unique and complementary.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22253637/
Tong Zhou, Yu-Jie Zhang, Dong-Ping Xu, Fang Wang, Yue Zhou, Jie Zheng, Ya Li, Jiao-Jiao Zhang, Hua-Bin Li (2017)
Protective Effects of Lemon Juice on Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury in Mice
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28567423/
Dr. Joseph Mercola
PFAS ‘Universe’ Mapped — Nearly 15,000 Chemicals, Scant Human Data
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2025/08/10/pfas-forever-chemicals-exposure.aspx