Tag: daily detox

My Morning Routine

You do that every morning?!

This is what I hear whenever I share my favorite daily detox tools and personal care products. It sounds like a lot to fit into a morning, but once it becomes a part of your routine it is really very easy! Being able to do two things at the same time such as oil pull while I am taking a shower definitely helps speed up the process. I am always perfecting and changing my routine, but I will share with you what I am currently doing!

My Morning personal care routine & detox tools:

Lemon Elixir

Depending on my mood, I start the day with either warm lemon water (half of a lemon in a full mug of water) or room temperature water from my Berkey. When I drink room temperature water I add a half of lemon and 1 -2 tablespoons of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV). This elixir will warm up your digestion to get you ready for your day and also aids in clearing any toxins that your liver has been working to eliminate throughout the night.

Note: Because ACV is a ferment with live bacteria, do not heat the ACV or you may kill the live bacteria – be sure to add it to your room temperature water.

Some people have an aversion to ACV because it makes them feel nauseous. This feeling may go away in a couple of days or it could be a sign that you have a candida or bacterial overgrowth. As always, test what works best for you! If that feeling doesn’t go away or you have a tightness in your chest, ditch the ACV and stick with lemon water. I recommend checking back in every so often to see if you are able to tolerate the ACV

After my lemon elixir, I have some ME time. I try to wake up before my daughter so that I can do some stretching or writing. This is when I do my most creative work, so I avoid checking my email or social media until later in the day!!

Tongue Scraper

Next I head to the bathroom and start with my tongue scraper. I have a Dr. Tung’s Tongue Scraper which is such a good investment in your health at only around $7!

All night long your body is repairing itself and getting rid of toxins. One of the exit routes for these toxins is on your tongue. If you notice that you have a thick yellow or white coating on your tongue, this is a sign that your body is working hard to try and get rid of extra waste. You can help your body out by scraping this film off instead of swallowing it again and having to get rid of it again the next night!

Detoxification support is not the only benefit or tongue scraping. It is also great for oral health since you are removing a significant amount of bacteria that can lead to bad breath and dental issues. In addition, by removing this coating on your tongue you improve your ability to taste food, which makes it more satisfying. By reigniting your taste buds, you eliminate the need to add more sugar, salt and excessive spice to the food to make it more flavorful.

Oil pulling

Next I put one tablespoon of coconut oil in my mouth and literally pull it through my teeth. You can start with a few minutes and build up to the recommended 15 – 20 minutes. This is a long time to be oil pulling, so starting small and working up is better than nothing at all!

The antibacterial properties of the oil will pull out bacteria and fungus, alleviating inflammation, congestion and even allergies. It helps with bad breath, bleeding gums, cavities, gingivitis, plaque, sensitive teeth and will make your teeth noticeably whiter. If you’ve ever had any dental work or root canals, this is something you should commit to for at least a month. Make sure you check with your dentist if you have crowns or loose fillings as this can pull them out.

I leave the oil in my mouth and move on to…

Dry Skin Brushing

Dry skin brushing is an amazing detox tool. You can find watch my Periscope on dry skin brushing here (as well as all my other Periscope broadcasts) or read a blog post about How to Dry Skin Brush. There is an in depth, how-to explanation of how to do this.

In general, dry skin brushing is spectacular for losing weight, diminishing cellulite, flushing the lymphatic system and overall boost to your immunity.

You can find a dry skin brush on Amazon or your local health food store.

After I finishing dry brushing, I hop in the shower and continue to oil pull. When I’m done pulling, I spit the oil in the trash – not in the sink – so that I don’t clog the pipes with oil!

Brush my Teeth -The Dirt

I brush my teeth with The Dirt, which is a trace mineral tooth brushing powder. I love this toothpaste (or powder)! My daughter uses the MCT oil toothpaste from the same company which is another option if you can’t get into using powder on your teeth. Most toothpaste (even the “healthy” ones) contain glycerin, fluoride and other chemicals so this is a fabulous alternative. You can get 15% off with this link.

Fatface Skincare

Fatface offers clean skin care products that use healthy fats and organic ingredients. They are chemical and toxic free.

Every day after my shower I use the Myrrhaculous Face Cream but while I am pregnant I use the one without myrrh (you can mark that on your order and they will send you one without myrrh!). After I give my face some love, I also rub Body Butta all over your belly and body. Last winter the Body Butta made all the difference in my skin since, because I HATE dry skin! Last winter was my first winter back East in almost 10 years, and happened to be the longest, driest winter in a while!!! The Body Butta is also fabulous during pregnancy to help keep form getting stretch marks (if you are wondering about other tips for stretch marks, grab my free Holistic Pregnancy Guide) .

Next it is time for my breakfast and my vitamins. That sums up my morning routine. Now I am off to workout with my trainer Jocelyn (well not really off to workout since she comes to me via Skype!). Don’t forget to keep your lymphatic system moving with some daily exercise!!

January 4, 2016
Elimination Diet Basics
Unfortunately, intolerances and food sensitivities are common in today’s world. I think this is really obvious when you go to a restaurant. A little over 10 years ago I was a waitress and things were quite different. The menus did not list gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free options. I would have had no idea what to tell someone if they asked for those things…and they never did! The experience of going to a restaurant today has changed dramatically and in just 10 years!

Many children have sensitivities and intolerances to food as well; this is not just a problem for adults. Actually, it seems to me that the younger my client, the more sesitivities they have! (I have a theory about this but won’t get into it here). We learned this lesson very early on with my daughter. When she was 2 she had an eczema rash that wouldn’t go away for months. Once the lightbulb finally went off and I put her on an elimination diet, we quickly discovered gluten and dairy were the culprits. Within 2 days the rash was gone after removing those foods.

When you ingest food to which you are intolerant, the body releases histamines into the bloodstream, causing inflammation. If the body thinks it is under constant attack, then we start to feel sluggish and may experience other health issues including candida, digestive issues, or blood sugar imbalances.

An elimination diet starts with the premise that everybody is different, and as such, there is no one-size-fits-all diet. What works for you may not work for someone else, and vice versa. One person might thrive on grains, for example while they make another person drag.

Food allergy tests are pricey and are not always reliable, as intolerances shift over time. When my clients test their food sensitivities while their gut is still compromised, their tests often show they are sensitive to EVERYTHING! If we retest after a few months of gut healing it seems to me that at that point we are actually seeing the foods they are sensitive to, instead of a list of the whole grocery store. The most inexpensive and accurate way to determine various foods’ effects on you is to do an elimination diet, in which you eliminate common allergens and add them back in one by one to determine your reaction.

You can hear more about Chris Kresser’s opinion on the accuracy of food intolerance tests here.

We all have one or many foods that may be wreaking havoc on our system, but if we’re eating several of the main culprits (wheat, eggs, dairy, corn, soy, sugar, and caffeine), it’s hard to tell exactly what’s triggering the reaction. Sometimes symptoms of intolerance manifest themselves immediately upon eating food, but other times there is a delayed reaction, further complicating matters.

Using a food diary will allow you to systematically and objectively track your physical and emotional reactions to each meal and determine exactly which foods suit you or not. Ironically, it’s often the foods we crave the most that are harming us.

You will be amazed how great you feel when you eliminate your personal culprits from your diet. And the great news is you can use the same technique of the elimination diet if you ever feel tired or have health issues in the future.

Here are the basics. I suggest you remove the list below:
- Remove the foods that people are most commonly sensitive to as well as foods that are hard on digestion. Ideally you will remove these foods for 3 weeks (this would be ideal if you are dealing with multiple health complaints, autoimmune conditions or severe gut dysfunction) but during the seasonal detoxes that I offer we are only strictly removing the whole list for 1 week. Most people can tell when a foods does not agree with them after eating so cleanly for only 1 week. I also suggest that you remove additives, artificial ingredients, sugar and caffeine. By removing these items you will have a very clean slate to reintroduce foods and see how you feel.
Foods to remove
- Coffee
- Sweeteners (white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, agave or cane juice
- Eggs
- Sugar alcohols (often found in chewing gum, like xylitol)
- Soy milk
- Yeast
- Nuts
- Alcohol
- Dairy products
- Corn
- Cheese
- Gluten
- Grains (only low-glycemic grains, soaked, allowed)
- Soy (except miso)
- Processed foods
- Soft drinks
- Nitrates
- Artificial sweeteners
- Potatoes (except for sweet potatoes or yams)
- Beans (except for lentils, mung, and adzuki)
- Reintroduce slowly and systematically. The most common food sensitivities are to gluten, dairy, soy, corn and eggs. These are good foods to start with and to watch carefully for reactions (if any of these foods are already removed from your diet than there is no need to add them back in).
- Every 2-4 days, add back in foods that are common allergens or hard to digest, giving you the opportunity to see how your body reacts after you have cleansed for at least 7 days.
- Be conscious of how you feel emotionally and physically when you consume food you have not eaten for at least 7 days and take the time to write this down. A journal is really important for this process!
Watch out for any of these signs when adding food back into your diet. These signs can signify a food intolerance:
- White coating on the tongue
- Acid reflux or heartburn
- Bad breath
- Constipation
- Foul-smelling stool
- Headaches or migraines
- Joint pain
- Sinus issues
- Clogged ears
- Rashes or hives
- Fatigue
- Poor sleep
- Water retention
- Gas and bloating
- Dry eyes
- Weight gain or weight loss
- Racing heart
- Bags under the eyes
- Food cravings, sugar or salt
- Canker sores or a sore tongue
- Difficulty breathing or cough
- Poor concentration
- Swelling of hands/feet
This is your opportunity to see what fuels your unique body. I always suggest that you first test the food you most suspect is giving you a problem, often the foods that we can’t live without! Note how your body feels in your food diary during this process.

By eliminating the foods from your diet that you are sensitive to, you may notice great improvements in your health without expensive tests! And this process can be used to check back in anytime in the future if you are not feeling your best. You can be a true health detective!!

Is this overwhelming?

If you feel like you wouldn’t know where to start or would have a hard time sticking to these changes, you can join one of our group seasonal online detoxes!!! The group follows a basic elimination diet over 18 days and you will be provided with recipes, what to eat, what to add back in, daily detox tools , daily emails and an amazing Facebook group for support.

Join us!
September 15, 2015
How to Dry Skin Brush
This is one of the first and easiest additions that I have my clients and detoxers add to their daily routine. This also turns out to be one of their favorites!

What is the largest organ in the human body and releases over a third of toxins in our body? That’s right! It is our skin. Dry skin brushing is an effective daily practice to help the body detox and remove these harmful toxins, not to mention it opens and unclogs our pores.

Unlike our blood which gets pumped around the body by your heart, the lymphatic system counts on our movement to stay moving. And guess what? Many of us aren’t moving as much as we used to. Who else is tied to a chair at a desk for the majority of the day? When we dry skin brush, we are massaging and helping our lymphatic system cleanse itself. We pull waste from the body as well as remove any lingering toxins from soap, environmental factors, lotions, deodorant, and other things to help improve skin health.

The best part is that skin brushing should only take about 5 minutes per day, so it is easily fit into a busy lifestyle and has great benefits! I personally was able to completely remove the bumpy skin that lived on my thighs and the back of my arms after a month of consistently dry skin brushing. Some of the benefits include:
- Exfoliation
- Lymphatic system stimulation
- Reduce or eliminate cellulite
- Unclog pores
- Invigorating; you may feel more energized after brushing
Here are ten simple steps and tips for you to follow to help you get started with dry skin brushing:
1. Get a long-handled, non-synthetic bristle brush.
2. Remove your clothes and stand in the bathtub or on a tiled surface. You will want to do this because you are scraping off dead skin, so you don’t want that to get on your carpet or your rugs.
3. All of your brushing motions should be heart-centered, meaning you will want to have all the motions be moving towards your heart.
4. Start at your feet and use long flowing motions, again, towards your heart.
5. You will want to brush several times in the same area, overlapping your strokes as you continue.
6. For sensitive skin areas, you will want to go easy. Your skin in those areas should become less sensitive with time.
7. Once you have your whole body brushed, hop into the tub or shower. I find that the benefits of an Epsom salt bath are heightened after dry brushing.
8. Alternating cold and hot temperatures help bring the blood back to the top of the skin.
9. Continue this practice daily, but for best results, consider dry brushing twice a day; once in the morning and once before bed.
10. Remember to clean your brush at least once per week with soap and water.
Although this seems like a very simple daily detox tools, some detoxers report having detox reactions such as headaches just from dry skin brushing. If you know that your liver and lymphatic system are burdened than start slowly.

Watch this periscope replay if you want more of a visual!

Want to learn more of my favorite tips and have a group for support? Join our next seasonal detox here!!

What is your favorite daily detox tool? Leave us a comment below!!
September 14, 2015
Lemon Water Elixir

Good morning! Do you have any morning routines that you never miss?

Well, for me it’s my morning lemon water. Although I don’t always drink it in the same form, I almost always have one. Sometimes it hot, sometimes it room temperature and sometimes it is a Lemon Water Elixir with apple cider vinegar. I like to rotate the apple cider vinegar on and off, a couple weeks or a month on and then I take a break for a month. I have just found that is what personally works best for me and if I continue to drink it every single day I get really sick of it.

Why is this a good way to start your day?

The elixir stimulates and wakes up your digestion, releases toxins from the liver, jumpstarts your digestive enzymes, and is loaded with vitamin C. What else could you ask for first thing in the morning? This is a staple for the seasonal detoxes that I offer and sometime this change alone can provide drastic results.

Lemon Water Elixir

1 cup room temperature water

Juice from 1 lemon

1 teaspoon Bragg’s raw apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon honey (optional)

1/4 in of fresh ginger root os 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (I use Primal Palate spices because the quality and taste are amazing!)

If you feel nauseous or experience tightness in the chest after drinking the morning lemon elixir, please omit the Bragg’s raw apple cider vinegar. This reaction can occur from the body’s releasing of bacteria and unwanted toxin. Continue to drink the lemon elixir, omitting the Bragg’s, for at least three days, and then try to re-introduce or use only ½ teaspoon of the apple cider vinegar. If the reactions continue upon reintroduction, continue to only drink the lemon water. I have had this same reaction happen for clients just by adding lemon to their morning water so you might find that you need to start with a 1/4 lemon and work up if your liver is really struggling.

Note: I have heard some dentists say that having apple cider vinegar daily can be damaging to the enamel on your teeth. If you are going to be consistently consuming this beverage you might want to consider drinking this through a straw. At our house we buy either glass or stainless steel reusable straws because who want to be sucking on cheap plastic? (Not to mention filling the landfills!)

Cheers to a healthy liver!

July 29, 2015