by Dr. Alberto Villoldo: A key factor I discuss in my latest book, Grow a New Body, is the importance of detoxing…
As the largest—and fastest growing—organ in the body, the skin is one of the main organs involved in detoxification. The are several ways to detox your skin.
The rays of the Far-infrared (FIR) sauna penetrate up to three centimeters into the skin, helping to release endogenous and environmental toxins stored under the epidermis. It is one of the best investments you can make in your health. The FIR sauna also helps lower inflammation, burn body fat, boost metabolism, and improves mitochondrial function. (A conventional sauna, which circulates hot air, is not as effective at aiding detoxification, and can cause breathing problems for some people.)
Skin brushing detoxes and stimulates circulation. You can buy a brush for this purpose at a health-food store or online. The best time to brush the skin all over your body is before or during a detox bath, just be sure to clean the brush regularly and allow it to dry fully between uses.
The detox bath works by stimulating the body to release impurities through the skin. You literally sweat them out. Very warm water will cause you to sweat, and Epsom salts―which isn’t really a salt but magnesium sulfate―can be added to the bathwater to help with the process.
The magnesium is absorbed into your system and helps move toxins through your body and out your liver. Epsom salts promote healthy circulation and better utilization of oxygen and minerals—and can lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation. As a bonus, Epsom salts will relax your muscles, easing stress.
Adding essential oils to your detox bath will relax you even more. Lavender oil has a scent that has been shown to release muscle tension. Other ingredients you might add, alone or in combination, are baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and Himalayan salt―all of which support detoxing through the skin.
Once you’ve added your desired ingredients, enjoy your bath for about 20 minutes. Be careful getting out of the tub so you don’t fall, because your relaxed muscles might not adjust quickly as you stand to exit the bath.
Other aids to detoxification include Vitamin B12 (2,500 mcg a day of sublingual methylcobalamin, an enhanced form of B12 that dissolves quickly under the tongue),
Vitamin C (1,000 mg a day), Zinc (15 mg daily) and S-acetyl glutathione (1,000 mg a day). Coffee, perhaps more than any other food, is a powerful activator of Nrf2 detox pathways and longevity proteins in the body. No one knows exactly how or why this works, but even oncologists recommend that liver cancer patients drink three to four cups of the black stuff each day. However, if you’re stressed-out and living in a constant state of fight-or-flight, too much caffeine only exacerbates the problem.
