I was first introduced to the practice of detoxification while in school for naturopathic medicine. As students we were encouraged to experience an “elimination diet” so we could better understand the challenges that would face our future patients. I remember scouring the internet for gluten-free, dairy-free recipes, the all-natural cookies I made that fell apart due to lack of a binder, and somehow developing a taste for foods that most normal humans would classify as “unpalatable.” Those days are all revisiting me now as I practice solidarity with the class of 8 willing participants who volunteered to take my Spring Detox Class. We have reached Day 11 of our 21 day detox program which consists of a progressive elimination diet and the incorporation of other naturopathic modalities such as exercise, hydrotherapy and mindful self-reflection.
When it comes down to it, detoxification is about coming back to what is simple and natural about living in this world. Unfortunately, it can take a lot of effort and planning to arrange for simplicity – waking early enough on a Saturday to make it to the farmers’ market, baking granola from scratch because all store-bought granola contains sugar, stopping to read labels at the grocery store and putting back on the shelf what you cannot pronounce. I am grateful for this time to remember the wonder of the human body and how it can rise to the challenge of the complex world we have created. It remains to be seen if my gluten-free baking skills have evolved as brilliantly as the liver’s detoxification system!
