What to Avoid While Detoxing
When detoxing, most patients are advised to avoid certain things. This could involve a person’s diet, such as avoiding processed foods, sugar, refined carbs, and caffeine, and sticking to clean healthy eating. Diet is a powerhouse when it comes to restoring health during and after drug and alcohol cessation. When following the right detox plan, you don’t have to give in to any gimmicks. You’ll want to focus on scientifically proven techniques that aid in natural detoxification.
Holistic Detox Options
When looking for ways to detox safely, there are numerous options. Whether you are looking to detox from alcohol, prescription drugs, or environmental toxins, the professionals at Alternative to Meds Center can help. Our center is dedicated to providing holistic detox approaches that are proven to help individuals naturally rid their bodies of a variety of harmful toxins. When considering what service is best for you, a medical professional will first run tests to determine what toxins are most likely affecting your health. This information helps to determine what holistic approach will be best for your unique situation.
Medication Tapering
This holistic detox approach is the practice of reducing the body’s exposure to prescription medication slowly and safely. This helps to reduce the risk of severe withdrawal symptoms. 4 Another method of detox considered by many is the cold turkey approach. This is abruptly stopping any kind of medication. However, this method presents several concerns, including the risk of serious withdrawal symptoms. This approach can be even more dangerous for older adults.
This is why medication tapering is a much safer option. This involves gradually decreasing the daily dose of a specific medication to completely stop the medicine use. This is a common practice for psychotropic and opioid medication that affects both the brain and the body. This detox method can take days, weeks, or even months. This depends on the medication itself as well as the patient’s response to the process.
Methods Used in Holistic Detox include:
- Acupuncture
- Massage therapy
- Sauna therapy and ionic foot baths
- Exercise
- Diet modification and supplementation to repair neurochemistry
Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been performed for centuries to help the body, mind, and soul restore balance. It is a traditional Chinese practice that involves gently placing thin, sterile, disposable needles into key points of the body. Ear acupuncture is often used to aid with the detox process. 5 Doing this helps to stimulate the central nervous system, release chemicals and toxins, and promote the body’s natural ability to detox and heal. Those who practice this method of detoxification often experience an immediate sense of calm and relaxation. This service can also reduce pain, improve energy levels, promote better sleep, and reduce any cravings or withdrawal symptoms.
Massage Therapy
A massage is more than just a way to treat yourself on occasion. Massages have several health benefits that can aid in the detoxification process. Massage therapy is often used in conjunction with other detoxing procedures. This helps to promote relaxation, which is beneficial to both physical and mental health. Massage therapy helps to promote circulation, increase oxygenation, and can even restore organ health.
Sauna Therapy and Ionic Footbaths
When used with other detox services, sauna therapy, and ionic footbaths can help further promote relaxation, which is good for the body and mind. Feeling warm and comfortable can help ease some of the unwanted side effects of the detoxification process. The skin is the largest detox organ in the body, and can efficiently shed harmful toxins without taxing the liver or other vital internal organs.
Exercise
Exercise is a great way to naturally boost and maintain a healthy metabolism that aids in ridding the body of harmful toxins. Exercise can speed up the detox process, and fill your body and mind with natural feel-good chemicals. Exercise doesn’t have to be demanding. It can be as simple as going for a daily walk. Exercising outdoors can be even more beneficial. Getting out into nature and into the sunshine can help a person feel better both inside and out.
Nutrients and Enzymes
Focus on getting the right nutrients and enzymes your body needs. This includes nutrients such as glutathione which can aid in detoxification. Removing processed foods and focusing on clean foods such as fresh fruits, vegetables and proteins can aid in successful detoxing. Many herbal and micronutrient supplements can aid in recovery by providing mental health support during and after drug or alcohol cessation, and during general cleansing of toxins, including Ginkgo biloba, garlic, ginseng, lavender, passionflower, saffron, and chamomile 6
Power of Detox
There are potentially harmful toxins everywhere. While detox may be more commonly associated with alcohol or drug recovery, even prescription drugs can be dangerous to a person’s body and mind. In addition to drugs, our environment is filled with toxins. These toxins have infiltrated all aspects of our lives from the food we eat, the water we drink, and the items we have in our homes. Detoxification can help restore the body and mind naturally. While some methods rely on different medications to ensure the safety of the person, there are holistic options that can be blended to provide optimal results in ways that are completely safe, natural, and drug-free.
