You wouldn’t run a triathlon without doing some training would you?

So, for whatever reason, you want to detox.

Cleanse your body, lose weight, clear your skin—the reason doesn’t matter. Detoxing is a great move, especially during the transitional seasons like spring and fall. What’s not a great move is falling into the common traps that set you up to fail.

Here’s just a few:

 1. Choosing the wrong detox program.

What? There’s a wrong one? Ummm…yes. Detoxing should be a personal program that jives with your body, lifestyle, and health. Don’t just follow along with the program that worked for your friend/sister/lover.

For example, if you are underweight and have low energy, please don’t go on a fasting diet. This will only leave you more depleted and you will feel terrible! However, if you are an experienced detoxer, are in good health and have high energy, then fasting just may be what you want/need. The point is that you need to do your research. 

2. Not prepping.

After you do your research, you need to prep yourself, your house, your friends and family. Take away any items in the pantry (give them to a friend, lock them in a safe, whatever) that might cause you to fall off the detox wagon. Stock the fridge with whatever you might need, so you don’t have the excuse of running out. Warn your friends that you don’t want to be invited to that hip cocktail party (or that they need to reschedule it). Get the point?  Set yourself up mentally to succeed in your detoxing endeavors.

 3. Keeping the same hectic schedule.

If you’ve never detoxed before, perhaps you haven’t been let in on the secret yet.  Detoxing does not make you feel good for the first few days. You might feel tired, hungry, cranky, have headaches, etc. as your body flushes out all those nasty toxins. Do yourself a favor and clear your calendar the best you can. Give yourself time and space to curl up in a ball and take a nap. It’s what you need. And that will make you feel good.

 4. Diving into and out of your detox program. 

You wouldn’t run a triathlon without doing some training would you? No. You would fall on your face in the mud, gasping for breath.

The same holds true for going on and off your detox program. Slowly ease into it. This means giving up coffee, maybe dairy and sugar a few days before. Lightening your diet. It will allow you to feel so much better those first few days.

Then, be sure to slowly integrate those things back into your diet. First introducing grains, then maybe dairy the next day, eventually leading back up to your normal diet. Don’t shock your system by going from Master Cleanse to McDonald’s in zero to 60.

5. Having no special “you” time.

You are amazing for detoxing and honoring your body. You are amazing for going the extra mile for health and wellness. For god’s sake say thank you to yourself, by giving yourself a little treat. Go for a massage, gentle yoga class or herbal body treatment.   It will feel so good, and allow yourself to truly appreciate the benefits of detoxing. And hopefully encourage you to make it a part of a lifelong practice for health and wellness.

Kristin Henningsen is a Yogini Herbalist, integrating herbal medicine and yoga therapeutics for over 10 years. When not practicing, healing, or teaching, she writes, mothers and tries to find inspiration in all the little moments in between. Find her at www.banyanmoonbotanicals.com.

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             Editor: Evan Livesay

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