Making Your Detox Effective and Enjoyable

We hear about toxins all the time and have heard frightening statements of the saturation of environmental pollutants and chemicals in the air we breathe as well as in the food and water we consume. Another common reason people venture into a detoxification program is for weight loss. As we learn more about the body’s detoxifying processes and systems we learn that weight and toxins go hand-in-hand, almost literally. Environmental pollutants and an array of metabolic wastes are commonly stored in fat tissues giving a puffy/bloated appearance to the skin and greatly hindering the body’s natural ability to rid excess waste.

That certainly sounds scary, but the good news is that nutritional strategies such as those promoted in safe detox diets, help our bodies resist the daily exposure to toxic chemicals in our environment. But why stop with diet? The more detoxifying treatments we employ, the more effective, and enjoyable that detox will be. 

Here are some of our top recommendations for supportive therapies during any detox. 

Deep Breathing

Anyone who has ever received a professional massage has undoubtedly been encouraged to participate in long, deliberate deep breathing during their treatment. This not only encourages feelings of letting go of stress and facilitating relaxation, but it also stimulates the lymphatic system and expedites the removal of carbon dioxide. Giving attention to our breath may be the simplest yet most disregarded tool for freedom from not only congested internal waste products but maybe even more importantly, toxic thinking patterns.

Drinking Pure Water

Along with focused breathing, the increased intake of fresh, pure water is paramount to flushing released toxins that were stored in muscle and fat tissues, especially after a thorough massage treatment. A typical total daily intake is about two quartz and adding lemon, cucumber or herbs such as mint or basil will enhance the taste and benefit even more.

Drinking Raw, Organic, Fresh Juice

A combination of freshly juiced fruits and vegetables provide the body with an easily digestible, absorbable, nutrient dense food source that requires little energy to break down. Get creative on your own or visit your favorite juice bar to find your favorite blend.

Skin Brushing and Exfoliating with Supportive Essential Oils

Skin is the largest organ of the body and the body’s first defense against toxins. Besides being mindful of what daily products we apply, it is still necessary to exfoliate and stimulate the skin’s surface to unclog pores and create a clean surface for best absorption of nourishing products. While removing dead skin cells, daily skin brushing (with a good quality “dry skin brush”) also increases circulation and improves the flow of blood and lymph which as we now know is crucial for the body to effectively remove cellular and metabolic waste build up....and it feels wonderful especially immediately before a shower or bath! Exfoliating the skin with good quality cleansing ingredients such as sea salts, sugar, rice flour, seed and nut scrubs, are all wonderful foundations for weekly decongesting and detoxifying treatments. Adding supportive essential oils bring a wealth of aromatic and therapeutic benefits. A few drops of peppermint and rosemary essential oils to your sea salt can help to stimulate blood and lymph circulation while bringing a cool, soothing effect to sore muscles. A blend of chamomile and lavender to an apricot scrub bring anti-inflammatory benefits along with antibacterial and antimicrobial properties all while creating a sense of calming comfort.

Infrared Saunas and Epsom Salt Soaks

Saunas, especially those employing infrared rays, are excellent for detoxifying impurities from the body through sweat and burning excess calories. There’s hardly anything more soothing than a soak in an epsom salt bath. When your body is craving a little nurturing that you need to create at home, surrounding yourself in a warm cocoon of watery care is just what your internal physician ordered! The Epsom Salt Council reports that “Magnesium is a vital element to the human body and is involved with many important bodily functions including elimination and detoxifying.” Soaking in comfortably hot bath water with 2 cups of epsom salts + 1 cup baking soda + several drops of your favorite essential oil(s) for 15-20 minutes three times a week = alleviation from a lot that may be ailing you!

Massage Therapy

A large focus of a successful detoxification program will be to support and strengthen the lymphatic system. Massage therapy stimulates the lymphatic and circulatory systems for more effective detoxification by raising the lymphocyte count. Lymphocytes are the immune cells that help us to fight disease, infection and inflammation…very important cells for our well-being. By compressing and massaging body tissues, blood and lymph are better circulated to facilitate removal of metabolic waste.

Do it all at once and get a Kinara Spa Lymphatic Treatment with Turkish Salt Scrub and a detox juice at Kinara! Our Lymphatic Treatment envelopes your body in a castor oil, eucalyptus-based, far-infrared heated sauna wrap to increase lymph flow, circulation and detoxify your system while leading into a head to toe massage with stimulating, therapeutic essential oils. You will float away from this treatment only to find yourself in our beautiful Vichy Room while our Turkish Salt Glow cleanses your skin of the castor oil, perspired toxins, and awakens your senses. 

So whether you are journeying into your first or fifteenth detox, whether it’s a total body program or you’re just choosing one area of your life to bring a new perspective to, please do it with care and self-love. Keeping a positive attitude can help to bring humor and joy into an otherwise challenging situation. Remember that every day brings opportunity to learn something new, so try doing something different and maybe your actions will inspire someone else to clean up their act too.

Stay Healthy!