Dear Readers,
This week our question comes from Andrea in Barrie. She writes, “Is summer a good time to do a detox? I did one before and it gave me a wretched headache and made me run to the bathroom so I wanted to do one while I have the time off. I heard that’s normal in a detox. Is it and can you tell me if summer is a good time and is there any easier way than doing fresh juices and fibre for a week?”
What a great and timely question, because yes, summer is an excellent time to do a detox! Why? Well, for starters, a lot of the foods and herbs that are naturally detoxifying are fresh and plentiful in the summer and also because we often have more flexibility or time off from our busy schedules at that time. Too, rest and relaxation are important during a detox and we often make time for that more in the summer months.
Additionally, detoxes often utilize herbs and foods that are rather cooling and the warm months are obviously better suited to undertaking that. Very thin or sensitive people can find they get chilly when they do a detox so a summer detox makes it more pleasant. On that note, the sun’s rays boost vitamin D levels and natural immunity and taking in the sunrise and sundown through the retinas helps to reset the hormonal system - both of which enhance a detox protocol. Summer time is the time we generally have the opportunity to take advantage of these.
What do I mean by observing the sunrise and sunset? We now know that there are specific spectrums of light and that the sequence and timing of our exposure to these light spectrums programs our endocrine and central nervous systems. For example, blue light or sunlight spectrum bulbs at night can wreak havoc on our sleep wake cycle and our melatonin levels. This can greatly impact sleep and energy, as well as the body’s ability to detoxify itself, as melatonin is a very unique detoxifier.
In addition, we use glasses to block our eyes from natural spectrum light during the day, expose ourselves to artificial blue light in the evening when the body needs red spectrum lights, and sleep with all sorts of light pollution around us, even looking at blue screens in the middle of the night! For those with hormonal issues including infertility or those wanting to optimize their health and reduce their risk of cancers (proven correlation with regular blue light exposure at night) observing nature’s program for lighting is advisable. Simply watching the sunrise and exposing ourselves to unfiltered midday light and then watching sunset can be incredibly powerful.
New science out of the University of Washington Health Sciences Centre shows that, “the wavelengths at sunrise and sunset have the biggest impact to brain centers that regulate our circadian clock and our mood and alertness. A 2013 study out of the University of Colorado at Boulder found, “a week’s worth of camping syncs the internal clock to sunrise and sunset.” And other data like this Harvard study shows our circadian clock and light exposure has everything to do with our hormones.
Sungazing can also be deeply spiritual. During fasting, I suggest replacing watching Netflix with the family with watching the sun together. Summer months when it’s warm out in the evening and we are often enjoying the outdoors and together are a great time to do this. I think it’s a very important part of detoxing and I suspect research will add to the data to support this in coming years.
So, for many reasons, a summer detox is a great idea.
On the flip side, if you’re travelling all summer it may not be the best time to do a full detox, as we can expect that detoxification protocols will impact our digestive system and often bring on headaches or flu like symptoms for a day or two. In that case I suggest a spring detox of this nature or a winter reboot. In winters I suggest people work on a keto reset to increase their metabolic flexibility (the ability to burn fat and sugar for energy without strain) with something like my Crash Course Keto program. This is because it is heavy on warming foods like soups and meats and we are moving and exercising less in the winter, which lends itself to fasting and resting - both a part of this reset. In addition, entering ketosis by January or February as a reset is similar to how our ancient ancestors would have maintained their metabolic flexibility naturally - because in winter months the availability of fruits and veggies and starchy tubers is so limited in our clime.
Eating seasonally is a great way to ensure we stay connected to our farmers and to the earth, deepening our appreciation for sustenance. It also helps us to protect against food intolerances and boredom because we rotate our foods naturally. It boosts our bodies' innate metabolic flexibility by providing different energy sources at different times of the year. And the foods available in summer are often naturally quite detoxifying, like greens and shoots and fruits and herbs and berries.
Many detox protocols rely heavily on juicing and these are great, but you don’t need to juice all day every day for a week to do a detox. I have some suggestions for an easier, less stressful summer detox protocol readers can undertake with equal benefit.
The primary goal of a detox is to remove the toxins from the body and this is done by a) removing them from the diet and b) facilitating the body to do its work of removing them from the tissues. The first is rather straightforward - we remove from our diets anything that contains toxins. I meet many people who mistakenly think this means meat and then go on to eat fresh juices and fruit and completely imbalance their blood sugar levels. They of course feel fatigued and moody on these detoxes. This is not what I suggest. The idea that meat is toxic to humans is similar to the Victorian idea that sex is sinful. Studies that are used to validate this argument almost always compare participants who have horrible eating habits all around, consuming a typical SAD (standard American diet) with participants who have made conscious decisions to eat natural, unprocessed foods without meat. Of course those who are conscientious and remove processed foods have better health markers. Meat, when it is raised conscientiously and humanely and butchered with reverence and respect is a sustainable and healthful and I would argue, ethical, food source.
So yes, a detox can contain meat. It can also contain any seafood, eggs, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fruits and sprouts you like - as long as they are unprocessed. It should eschew all processed foods, including non-food supplements, juices you don’t make in the juicer yourself, all dairy products, all gmo foods, all grains, all lentils unless sprouted, and all strongly caffeinated beverages. Nuts and seeds should be unsalted and some, like almonds, should be soaked first. Water should be filtered. I recommend reverse osmosis, which eliminates all toxins, including glyphosate and fluoride. Simply make sure you have remineralized it with mineral drops or an extra filter before consuming it. Spring water is also great for detoxification.
Some simple ways to do a summer detox are:
- Replace coffee with organic green tea
- Replace all juices and other beverages with filtered and mineralized water and drink copious amounts
- Replace breakfast with a smoothie of the following foods: fresh dandelion leaves, watermelon, grapes (with seeds and skins), an organic apple (with seeds and skin), some cucumber, some parsley, and a small, cubed beet
- Eat fruit and berries - as much as you like, as long as they are fresh (organic where possible)
- Buddha bowl for lunch of diced veggies, some boiled eggs and sprouts for protein, and some fresh herbs for flavour. Use raw apple cider vinegar and organic, certified extra virgin olive oil for a dressing (make sure it’s certified with a date stamp - more on this next week)
- Dinner of meat or seafood and a large, leafy salad with a homemade dressing
In addition, I recommend herbal tinctures added to your water to drink all day. These tinctures contain herbs like dandelion root, red clover, yellow dock root, chicory, turmeric - and many others - to help your organs detoxify themselves more deeply. I recommend getting a herbal tincture made for your specific problems. I charge a minimal fee to discern the detox remedy best suited to your specific needs and offer to ship these tinctures to clients. They are all formulated by master herbalists. It’s a super convenient and easy way to do a detox that will have a lasting impact on your health - no two weeks of juicing needed!
Thank you for your question, Andrea. I hope this information helps you undertake a safe and enjoyable detox this summer! As always, if readers have their own health questions, I welcome them! Just send me an email. And if you’re looking for more specific health information check out my website. I provide one-on-one health coaching online and several interactive webinars to help people better manage their health holistically.
Namaste!
Nonie Nutritionista
