Not too long ago I created a post which spoke about how we are constantly being exposed to xenohormones, as they are in the foods we eat, the products we buy, etc. The purpose of that post was to educate you so you will try your best to minimize your exposure to these potentially toxic chemicals. The reason why they can be toxic is because many of them are endocrine disruptors, and frequent exposure over a long period of time can lead to numerous health issues, including thyroid conditions.
In any case, while I went in depth about how you can try to avoid being exposed to many of these toxins by making healthier choices regarding the foods you consume and the products you buy, I really didn’t focus on what you can do to “clean out” your system of any xenohormones that have already accumulated in your body. After all, everyone has been exposed to xenohormones, and although some people have had much more exposure than others, most people can benefit from cleaning out their system.
You might have guessed that doing this involves beginning a detoxification program. While eating organic food and buying natural household products will help minimize future exposure to xenohormones, doing this alone won’t clean out your system. In order to accomplish this you really do need to detoxify your body, and you need to do this in a smart way.
I frequently talk about how people shouldn’t self-treat their thyroid condition, and the same concept applies with detoxifying their bodies. Just going to your local health food store and purchasing some liver detoxification supplements usually isn’t going to do a sufficient job. And a big reason for this is because most detoxification supplements out there are crap, and many don’t actually do what they claim they do. Plus, any successful detoxification program is going to take at least a few weeks to complete, which is a big reason why most people won’t start one. Taking detoxification supplements is easy, but changing your diet and being strict about it for two or three weeks is something that most people aren’t willing to do, no matter how much it will benefit their health.
You Should Detoxify Your Body On A Regular Basis
Let’s face it, most people don’t eat a 100% organic diet (including myself), and most don’t buy 100% natural household products. As a result, it’s a good idea to detoxify your body on a regular basis. I actually spoke about this in another blog post which focused on detoxification, but it’s definitely worth mentioning again. The thing is, most people won’t even go on a single detoxification program during their entire life, so I realize I’m speaking to the minority when I talk about doing one or two detoxifications each year.
So the obvious first step is to set a goal for yourself to detoxify for the very first time. It’s probably not a bad idea to set a date a few months in advance. This way you have a set date and can mentally prepare for your detoxification. Because while some people do experience symptoms during detoxifying that makes them quit (headaches, nausea, etc.), you’ll stand a much better chance of completing a detoxification program if you are mentally prepared.
But even once you go through an initial detoxification program, it is a good idea to do this at least once each year, and for some, every six months would be better. If you’re accustomed to eating junk food on a daily basis, then it definitely is tough to make such a change, even if it’s only for a few weeks. On the other hand, and as I also mentioned in the past blog post on detoxifying your body, the goal shouldn’t be to detoxify once or twice each year so you can “get away” with eating junk food the rest of the time, as the goal should be to eat healthy most of the time, perhaps cheat a little bit every now then, and go through a detoxification program once or twice each year to help maintain your health.
Will You Still Need To Detoxify If You Eat Healthy Most Of The Time?
If you eat healthy most of time, and buy natural household products, why would you need to detoxify your body once or twice each year? Well, even if you do eat healthy most of the time and try to buy all natural household products, chances are you will still be exposed to xenohormones, as well as other toxins. There really is no way to completely avoid exposure to xenohormones, which is why it’s a good idea to go through one or two detoxification programs each year regardless of your eating habits and whether or not you solely buy natural household products.
While you might not look forward to detoxifying, I promise that once you have completed such a program you will be in a much better state of health. This of course assumes you don’t do it on your own and instead consult with a holistic doctor who has experience putting patients on such programs, which will help minimize any symptoms you experience and will make sure you receive optimal results. In summary, going through your first detoxification program can be a challenge, but due to the health benefits it can bring you it is definitely well worth it. So make it a goal to detoxify your body sometime within the next few months, and set a date on your calendar to mark when you plan on starting this.
roslyn kenney says
Thanks, however it would be even nicer if you would also post your recommendation for what regimen to follow for this yearly cleanse. Simply saying you need to do one, does not answer how to get xenoestrogens out of your body..thanks
Dr. Eric says
Hi Rosyln,
I typically follow the purification program by Standard Process (I’m actually following it right now!):
http://www.standardprocess.com/display/psppurification.spi