Detoxing Part One

One of the big things that happened when I came off sugar was a massive detox. It really was pretty bad - much worse than I would expect given that my only vice for years HAS been sugar (and tea, though that's much less of a vice).

As I need to come back off the sugar soon, I need to find a way of not going into such a massive detox all at once.  My solution is to detox more moderately now, while still on sugar.  It's still difficult, I'm having issues with my blood sugar levels, and I find it really hard to do anything after about 7pm. But it is much, much better than before.

So, how am I doing this detox?

Welcome to part one: o more toxins in!

Quite frankly, when i started reading about this, I was surprised at the extent of toxins in our daily life.  I may never have smoked, but I do put on two deodorants every day - roll-on AND spray.  I wash my hair (aren't you glad) and use body wash.  I wash my hands up to 20 times in an hour for work, with soap every time.

All of the conventional versions of these products contain lots and LOTS of toxins. Some are famous (like parabens and sulfates) but others are less so.

One of the things you realise as a coeliac is that you can absorb gluten through your skin every bit as much as through your mouth.  Sure, you may not get the terrible stomach pain, but other effects are still going to happen. For me, this includes panic attacks, general anxiety, and fatigue. That's right, play-dough gives me panic attacks!

Just as you absorb gluten through your skin, you can absorb the chemicals in hygiene products through your skin. And boys, don't think you've got off easy - you still use deodorants, shampoo and body wash on a regular basis, as well as other products (like sunscreen) occasionally. Most of these will contain some toxins.

So I replaced mine. I didn't try and work out which were the most toxic and therefore should be replaced first, I replaced the ones I use most often first, and am slowly working my way down the list.

So deodorant got replaced first, followed rapidly by body wash. (I've used herbal toothpaste for years, as if I use conventional ones I get sensitive teeth.)  I still have my old soap at home, but I have an organic soap at work. I have organic, natural hand creams, and an organic shampoo.

I do still have other stuff to replace. I still have all my old make-up, for example. But I wear make-up only once or twice a month, so it's nowhere near as big of a deal as deodorant.

I really advise that you read the ingredients on any products you put on your skin - and even what you wash your clothes with.  Some people ARE more sensitive than others, but no one does well with aluminium sprayed on their lymph nodes.

This has actually made a big difference to me.  The dry patches on my hands are now just dry, and not red and bleeding, I don't cough when I spray my deodorant, and I am slowly detoxing, without the sudden and horrid effects of the first time!

And incidentally - cost wise most of these products weren't any more expensive than the hypo-allergenic ones I had to use anyway.  Some were much cheaper, as I was able to get a good deal from my local organics store.  I bought my (organic and all natural) spray deodorant for $5 at chemist warehouse!  So it can cost more, but it doesn't have to.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll post part two of my slower detox!