I have to tell you a secret…

I had not worked out since my 2nd child was born… until today! Whoopee! I’m just so excited that ~~my husband twisted my arm~~ I went and worked out.

Actually, I have had this crazy urge to sweat. I think I have felt kind of a burning desire to help my body detox. Probably because it has been THAT long since I’ve worked out and I didn’t want to do any full body detox during nursing or pregnancy.

It is not a good idea to do any intense detox protocols during pregnancy or nursing since it can be dangerous for your baby. You don’t want to pass all the yucky stuff in your body on to them, right? It is also not wise to do an intense full body detox if you don’t have proper diet, digestion, blood sugar balance, hydration, and fatty acid balance. Nutritional Therapy Practitioners, such as myself, are trained to help clients balance these foundations before a detoxification protocol so that the body is able to heal properly and dump the bad stuff the way that it is designed to do.

Even though intense full body protocols are a no-no during pregnancy, nursing or when you aren’t properly healing, the body does and should detoxify itself on a regular basis. The foods you eat can help the body detox properly, as well as using non-toxic personal care products and eating nourishing foods.

Today, I wanted to pass on a few tools for very mild and gentle detox. These protocols are so gentle that they can help assist your body do what it is already doing, and are safe for pregnancy as well if you haven’t perfected your diet. In fact, they are wonderful tools to add into your life daily or a few days a week to help you take steps toward a healthier lifestyle.

What can you do to gently detox and decrease the toxic load on your body?

1. Start Dry Brushing – Dry brushing helps the skin to properly detoxify as well as assist the body in lymph drainage which is one of your body’s natural detoxification systems.

All you need is a gentle brush with natural bristles. It needs to be clean and dry. This brush would be a good choice. Start at your feet and gently stroke your skin in a circular motion toward the heart. Stroke each leg, your abdomen, then stroke each arm. With each limb you will want to continue to stroke in a circular motion toward your heart. This process doesn’t need to take long at all. 5-10 minutes is adequate. It can be done daily and is safe for moms that are pregnant, nursing, or if you aren’t quite in prime shape.

2. Use a Clay Mask or Take a Clay Bath – Clay is fantastic for helping to draw toxins out and away from the skin. Sometimes, when I take a detoxifying bath I like to use a Redmond Clay Mask while I’m in the bath. I like to get the water hot enough so I’m sweating a little bit, I generously apply the mask to my face, neck and chest and let it dry for 15-30 minutes. Then I wipe it off with a warm cloth. You can also add loose Redmond Clay to a bath or, if you are in fear of clogging your pipes, you can add it to a foot soak or a bucket and stick your feet in. Then, you can simply dump it in your yard when you are finished.

3. Get your body moving and sweat – Sweat is one of the body’s most fantastic natural means of detox. As you sweat your body is designed to purge the body of waste. Now that I’ve started my work out for the year I can’t wait to keep this natural process rockin’. If you are in good condition, sweating and working out can be safe during pregnancy and nursing. However, for some women it is not a good idea at all. Make sure you talk to your doctor or feel like you are up to working out when pregnant and nursing.

4. Eat Your Greens Daily – Your liver is your most important detoxification organ. Everything in the body gets filtered through the liver. Greens, which are very high in Chlorophyll, can absorb environmental toxins and help reduce your toxic load. They can help reduce the already heavy burden on your liver.

5. Get Started With Essential Oils – If you use Pinterest, your feed may look a little like mine. You may see tons and tons of information floating by on essential oils. Then, you may get overwhelmed with which company to buy from and how to get started. I know, I feel for you.

Essential oils help assist and encourage the body to detox at a cellular level. (Lemon is one of my favorites.) These oils are able to help remove cellular waste because of the small chemical constituents in their make up. They are the living life force of the plant. I share about essential oils with my readers, clients and friends because they are a fantastic stepping stone into natural health.

Don’t be fooled though. Not all essential oils are able to detoxify. There are a lot of toxins in essential oils that aren’t cultivated properly. Young Living IS the only brand of essential oils that I trust. I trust them because they are the only company with a Seed to Seal guarantee. They are the only company with their hands on the whole process from Seed to Seal.

There benefits have been amazing for myself, my clients and my family and I urge you to get started in 2015 if you haven’t done so already. Our team will help you use them successfully by providing an essential oils reference guide as well as Facebook groups filled with valuable information.

6. Take Regular Epsom Salt Baths – Use 1/2 a cup for child or up to 10 cups for an adult (I don’t recommend that much if you are first starting out), add just a few drops of your favorite Young Living essential oils, and fill up your tub. Epsom salt baths help to replenish mineral stores and relax the body. They are a wonderful way to encourage the body’s natural detoxification process. Epsom Salt baths can be taken 3-4 times a week.

This is by no means and extensive list, but a good one to get you started.

Here is to a happy, healthy 2015!