The term “Detox” is a common misused phrase typically applied when someone periodically compensates for poor diet and lifestyle habits. Detoxing has become very popular recently and you can find pans for a detox cleanse, the best detox drinks, a detox bath and different detox diets. If you’re unfamiliar with macrobiotics, we encourage you to read our macrobiotic definition. This will help clarify the macrobiotic principles discussed in this article.

The macrobiotics detox is a comprehensive dietary and lifestyle practice that integrates the detox process in to everyday life as efficiently as possible. It is not simply a macrobiotic diet for weight loss. To make the detox process even more effective, from the surface to the deepest parts of our body, five practices can be incorporated in to the overall detox process.

1) Eat slowly and chew well
2) Walking outside daily
3) Daily BodyRub, especially in the morning and/or at night
4) Indoor green plants
5) Vitamin D from sunshine

The shared connection between these practices is that they regularly circulate all of the body’s fluids and energy. These processes give us the ability to clean and renew ourselves daily and in the most effective way. Moving water constantly cleans, renews, and refreshes itself to maximize the detox effect. We can follow this pattern with our daily lifestyle practices.

There are variances in the human body and there are many ways to achieve the best detox results. The paragraphs below explore different aspects of a holistic detox plan and how to move beyond the 10 day detox diet.

Holistic Detox

Macrobiotics approaches detox as a natural part of a healthy life; the ability to let go and release the physical, energetic, and emotional excess we’ve gathered throughout the day and over time. It is a similar process to cleaning a room; we tidy today’s mess, but we also clean the mess that builds up over time. Detox is more than what goes into our body, it is also about what we cannot release. The ability to consistently and rhythmically gather, process, and release excess is all part of the best way to detox.

Metabolism and Detox

The body regulates metabolism through mealtimes, how food is eaten and the food choices made throughout the day. Consistent eating at regular times with grains (like macrobiotic brown rice), beans, and vegetables as the focus allows for a healthy metabolism. The metabolism is further strengthened by sitting down to eat meals, thoroughly chewing, and by detox: walking, cleaning and promoting healthy circulation.

During the day, the body and mind are active, requiring substantial nourishment. At night, the body utilizes the foods eaten during the day to maintain, repair, and gather the excesses for elimination. Regular and abundant sleep is an integral part of the detox process.

What Are Toxins?
Toxins can come from many different sources including foods, air, any pollutants that the body contacts. The most common toxins in the external environment are heavy metals, industrial pollutants, plastics, and various forms of radiation.

Toxic Food Choices
Even the healthiest food will have some waste that must be eliminated through digestion. Poor quality (refined and processed), and excessively heavy foods (animal, dairy, and added sugars), leave behind more harmful byproducts for elimination. It is much better to stick with simple meals and dishes. An easy example of how to make one of these healthy dishes can be found in our macrobiotic miso soup recipe and it is very simple to master!

Digestive System Detox
The combination of eating habits and food choices may contribute to poor or sluggish digestion. Foods lacking fiber and overeating often stagnate the digestive system. There is physical limit to how much our digestive system can process. A weaker digestive system has more difficulty breaking down foods and absorbing available nutrition. This often leads to a lack of satisfaction and overeating. The later we eat a meal, the longer it takes for our body to digest the same amount of food and digestion becomes more sluggish. When we eat within three hours of falling asleep, we don’t have enough time to digest the foods, and while horizontal, digestion slows even more, which also causes foods to putrefy.

The Best Detox
Our kidneys, intestines, liver, lungs, and skin are all part of the detox process. To effectively eliminate toxins or detox, our body needs to localize excess first, in various areas of the body. The most healthy and efficient way of detoxing is through our kidneys and intestines. If there is excess that cannot be eliminated through the kidneys and intestines, the lungs and skin assist the detox process. The liver breaks down and metabolizes fats, as well as neutralizes both toxins and acidity. Detox is further aided through natural outdoor activity, expression, and even positive thought. With a positive mind and active body, one can reach the best detox. When we are depressed and closed off, there is a higher chance of stagnation and gathering of excess into toxins.

The best detox process is comprehensive and related to our entire diet, lifestyle and outlook. It is absolutely critical for your health to start consuming macrobiotic diet foods and incorporating them into your routine. The body is constantly trying to create order, to cleanse, and renew itself. Healthy dietary and lifestyle habits contribute to a more efficient detox process.

If you are looking for macrobiotic foods that will help with a specific illness, we encourage you to reach out and schedule a macrobiotic consultation with Denny directly. Also, if you want macrobiotic recipe ideas, you can take macrobiotic courses at the SHI Macrobiotics, which is a non-profit macrobiotic school that Denny founded.

The 7 Steps to Promote Detox

I’ve found that the causes of many illnesses are from what we are unable to release. The 7 steps explained in “The Complete Macrobiotic Diet” are designed around the daily practices we can adopt for healthy nourishment and elimination. Combining food choices, eating habits and physical activity, mental purification and the body rub will allow the best detox to happen naturally.

Detox can be aided through different types of internal and external home remedies. However, remedies must be combined with diet and lifestyle habits to be effective in the detox process. Short term Detox remedies cannot replace or substitute for macrobiotic diet and lifestyle practices.

For more interesting articles about nutrition, macrobiotics, and living a healthy lifestyle, please visit Denny’s macrobiotic blog.