We are exposed to toxins and chemicals in our environment every day. These are in the food that we eat, the water we drink, air we breathe and the chemicals in our households. Our bodies try to clear these toxins out of our system so that we can function optimally.

There are several pathways in our body to clear these toxins, which are our skin, lungs, bowel, lymphatics, liver and kidneys. Often, one or more of these pathways can become overloaded which puts more strain on another and we can’t clear them out quick enough. Or, some of us have inherited poor genetic traits from our families, which can leave us with compromised liver detoxification pathways.

This toxic burden can show up in several ways. It could be a sluggishness that gets worse over time, weight gain, poor sleep quality, fatigue, gut issues or could simply be a rash that comes and goes, to name just a few.

Signs of toxic overload:

  • Sluggishness
  • Persistent weight gain
  • Poor quality of sleep
  • Water retention
  • Bad breath
  • Depression
  • A yellow or white tongue coat
  • Constant fatigue
  • Skin conditions such as eczema
  • Stomach bloating
  • Sensitivity or perfumes or odours
  • Constipation
  • Other skin problems like acne
  • Colour changes in faeces or urine

If you have any of these signs or symptoms you may have toxic overload. Even if you don’t, doing a regular detoxification is a great way to clear out your system and allow your body to function at its optimum level. A detoxification protocol helps to optimise clearing of toxic wastes from the body. During and after a detoxification people will often feel clearer, have more energy, lose weight, reduce any fluid retention, the whites of their eyes become whiter and their skin will look clearer.

When seeing a Naturopath we will assess you for these signs and symptoms and check your vitality. We use specific tools to assess your health and well being including detailed case taking, and Naturopathic and Integrative testing. This gives us a good overall picture of your health and vitality, and when combining that with your goals we come up with a health plan that is specific for you.