Reducing body toxic load is gaining popularity in Western cultures. Many health practitioners now consider it a must-do because of the glut of synthetic chemicals we encounter in food, water, soil, and air. Detoxification means both minimizing exposure to toxins and improving your body’s ability to get rid of them, says Gaetano Morello, ND, the British Columbia–based author of Whole Body Cleansing (Active Interest, 2009).

Here are some detox tips Morello recommends for a healthy body.

Eat organic, unprocessed foods.
Choose USDA Organic foods to help reduce your exposure to toxic pesticides.  Check the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Dirty Dozen list (ewg.org/foodnews) of the most contaminated produce to avoid. Beyond organic, opt for unprocessed, unrefined foods to relieve your system from having to digest complicated cuisine.  Your body can then put more energy toward breaking apart and excreting toxins. Also, use a filter for drinking water.
 

Boost lean protein.
Amino acids in protein fuel toxin elimination. To aid the process, up your protein intake by 20 grams each day during detox. Drink a protein powder drink—organic whey and pea-rice-hemp blends are high-quality, nutritionally complete sources—with your morning bowl of oatmeal. Or eat eggs for breakfast.
 

Get moving.

For 30 to 45 minutes at least every other day, exercise at a moderate intensity that makes you sweat and gets your heart pumping. The effort engages your lungs and skin, which are also exit routes for toxins.
 

Sweat it out.
Each week of the detox period, take a 30-minute sauna. Sweating stimulates adipose tissue so that toxins stored in fat loosen up for release and elimination.

Upgrade your body care.
Skin is permeable, allowing toxins in personal care products to easily enter the body. Before you buy lotions, shampoos, soap, and makeup, check the EWG’s Skin Deep database (ewg.org/skindeep) for clean options.
 

Adapted with permission from Delicious Living.