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How to Help Your Body Eliminate Toxins

August 4, 2025

When it comes to your health, the idea of “detoxing” is outright dismissed by some

Critics say your body is equipped with a remarkably sophisticated system that processes and removes both internal waste and environmental toxins, all day, every day.

And guess what? They’re right. 

This system works incredibly well.
That is, until it doesn’t.

Think of it this way: If your sewer line backed up and you kept using the toilet, you’d have a real problem. 

Something similar can happen inside your body when your detox systems are sluggish. 

And while it’s true that the most extreme cases—like liver failure or kidney shutdown—can be fatal, even mild dysfunction in these systems can lead to symptoms that affect your quality of life.

In a healthy state, your liver, kidneys, lungs, skin, digestive tract, and lymph system work seamlessly to clear out what your body doesn’t need.

But in today’s world, the volume and complexity of toxins we face can overwhelm those systems, contributing to chronic illness, reducing your health span, and accelerating aging. 

What’s more, your genetics, nutrition, and lifestyle all play a role in how well your body manages toxins.

How do you know if you’re struggling to clear toxins? And more importantly, what can you do to lower your levels—so your body feels and functions its best? 

You’re about to find out. 

The Beauty of Your Body’s Natural Detox Systems

Your detoxification system is nothing short of remarkable. It’s made up of organs and tissues designed to protect you from harm. Specifically, your:

• Liver: Transforms toxins and excretes them through bile.
  
  
• Kidneys: Filter blood and turn waste into urine.
  
  
• Lungs: Exhale carbon dioxide, a byproduct of cellular metabolism.
  
  
• Skin: Excretes toxins through sweat.
  
  
• Digestive system: Eliminates food waste via your colon.
  
  
• Lymph system: Clears metabolic waste and cellular debris.

Each organ has a unique role, but they’re most effective when supported together as an integrated system. Trouble is, sometimes this system can get bogged down. 

Why Your Body Can Struggle to Detox 

Even though your detox systems run automatically, that doesn’t mean they don’t need support. And today, they’re under more pressure than ever. 

We’re exposed to an estimated 84,000 chemicals since the industrial revolution, and fewer than 1% have been tested for safety. 

Toxins in food, air, water, and personal care products can cause inflammation, oxidative stress, hormone disruption, gut damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, and more.

Even common habits can interfere with detox. Ultra-processed foods, excess sugar and starch, alcohol, Tylenol, and many medications deplete nutrients like glutathione—your body’s main detoxifying molecule. And yet most conventional doctors don’t assess or address toxic load in any meaningful way.

How to Test Your Toxic Burden

Start with the simple quiz below to assess risk, and then pair it with more advanced testing if needed. 

(Functional lab panels, like those offered through Function Health, can measure key markers of liver and kidney health, environmental toxins, heavy metals, and more.) 

Take the quiz

Your quiz score will help you determine how much support your detox system might need. Give yourself 1 point for each statement that applies to you.

1. I have hard, difficult-to-pass bowel movements every day or every other day.

2. I’m constipated and only go every other day or less often.

3. I urinate small amounts of dark, strong-smelling urine only a few times a day.

4. I almost never break a real sweat.

5. I experience one or more of the following:

• Fatigue
• Muscle aches
• Headaches
• Concentration and memory problems

6. I have a family history of fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome.

7. I drink unfiltered tap or well water or water from plastic bottles.

8. I dry-clean my clothes.

9. I work or live in a building with poor ventilation or windows that don’t open.

10. I live in a large urban or industrial area.

11. I use household or lawn and garden chemicals or get my house or apartment treated for bugs by an exterminator.

12. I have more than 1–2 mercury amalgams (fillings) in my teeth.

13. I eat large fish (swordfish, tuna, shark, tilefish) more than once a week.

14. I am bothered by one or more of the following:

• Gasoline or diesel fumes
• Perfumes
• New car smell
• Fabric stores
• Dry-cleaned clothes
• Hair spray
• Other strong odors
• Soaps
• Detergents
• Tobacco smoke
• Chlorinated water

15. I have a negative reaction when I consume foods containing MSG, sulfites (found in wine, salad bars, dried fruit), sodium benzoate (preservative), red wine, cheese, bananas, chocolate, garlic, onions, or even a small amount of alcohol.

16. When I drink caffeine, I feel wired, experience an increase in joint and muscle aches, and/or have hypoglycemic symptoms (anxiety, palpitations, sweating, dizziness).

17. I regularly consume any of the following substances or medications:

• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Acid-blocking drugs (Tagamet, Zantac, Pepcid, Prilosec, Prevacid)
• Hormone-modulating medications in pills, patches, or creams (the birth control pill, estrogen, progesterone, prostate medication)
• Ibuprofen or naproxen
• Medications for recurrent headaches, allergy symptoms, nausea, diarrhea, or indigestion

18. I have had jaundice (skin and whites of eyes turning yellow) or I have been told I have Gilbert’s syndrome (an elevation of bilirubin).

19. I have a family history of any of the following conditions:

• Breast cancer
• Smoking-induced lung cancer
• Other type of cancer
• Prostate problems
• Food allergies, sensitivities, or intolerances

20. I have a family history of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), or other motor neuron diseases, or multiple sclerosis.

Your Score

Add up the number of positive answers, divide by the number of questions (20), then multiply by 100 (to get your percentage).

• <10 percent: Healthy.
  
  
• 10–50 percent: Moderate imbalances. Follow the guidelines under How to Support Detoxification (below), and consider trying my 10-Day Detox (the program I use with all my patients to reduce toxic load and help them feel better quickly).  
  
  
• >50 percent: Severe imbalances. Consult with a functional medicine practitioner to get further testing and support. (Visit my private practice at the Ultrawellness Center or find a practitioner through the Institute of Functional Medicine.)

How to Support Detoxification

While detoxes are often associated with extreme fasts and juice cleanses, a true detox is much more strategic and nutritious. It’s not just about removing things—it’s about providing your body with what it really needs. 

There are three main ways to support your body’s detoxification system: reduce what’s coming in, improve how your body clears it, and give your systems the raw materials they need to function.

1. Reduce Toxic Exposures

Lowering your exposure means your detox systems don’t have to work as hard. These strategies are key:

• Eat organic or regeneratively raised food to avoid pesticide residues. Avoid ultra-processed foods.
  
  
• Use EWG’s Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen to prioritize where it matters most.
  
  
• Filter your drinking water (reverse osmosis preferred) to reduce contaminants like chlorine, lead, and PFAS. (Learn more: How to Make Your Water Safer to Drink.)
  
  
• Use non-toxic cleaning and personal care products to limit absorption of chemicals through your skin and lungs. (Learn more: How to Eliminate Environmental Toxins.)
  
  
• Avoid high-mercury fish (like tuna, swordfish, shark), which can accumulate in your brain, liver, and kidneys over time.

2. Support Daily Elimination

Your body clears toxins through your stool, urine, and sweat. If any of these get backed up, toxins can recirculate. Here’s how to keep things moving.

• Drink 8–10 glasses of filtered water daily to support kidney function and bowel regularity.
  
  
• Aim for 1–2 daily bowel movements. If you’re constipated, try magnesium citrate. Recommendation:  Magnesium Citrate by Pure Encapsulations; 300 to 600 milligrams (mg)/day.
  
  
• Sweat regularly—through exercise, saunas, steam, or hot baths—to help clear fat-soluble toxins through your skin.

3. Nourish Your Detox Pathways

Detoxification is a complex, enzyme-driven process that transforms and eliminates harmful compounds. To do this well, your body needs specific nutrients and compounds:

• Start with glutathione. It’s your body’s most important detoxifying molecule—and you need the right inputs to make enough of it. Foods like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, garlic, and onions are rich in sulfur, which supports glutathione production. (For nutritional supplement recommendations, see Glutathione: Your Master Detox Molecule, below.)
  
  
• Eat detox-supportive foods daily. Cruciferous vegetables (like those above), beets, green tea, ginger, turmeric, and garlic contain phytochemicals that support your liver’s detox pathways.
  
  
• Get enough B vitamins, selenium, zinc, and magnesium. These nutrients act as cofactors in your body’s detox enzyme systems, helping transform and eliminate waste efficiently. You’ll find them in leafy greens, nuts, seeds, seafood, and high-quality animal protein.

4. Consider Advanced Support

If you suspect a high toxic burden—from heavy metals, mold, or years of exposure—you may benefit from additional help:

• A functional medicine doctor: can assess your toxic load through testing and guide you through a safe and targeted protocol.
  
  
• Chelators: Compounds (like DMSA or EDTA) that bind to heavy metals and help your body eliminate them through urine. These are typically taken as prescribed supplements during a monitored detox protocol—so ask your doctor if they might be right for you.
  
  
• Binders such as activated charcoal or bentonite clay: They work in your gut to capture toxins and prevent reabsorption. They’re often used in mold detox protocols but should be taken under medical supervision, as they can interfere with nutrient absorption.

The 10-Day Detox: A Simple Approach That Works

If you want a comprehensive, food-first approach to help reboot your detox systems, my 10-Day Detox is a great place to start. 

It combines science-backed nutrition and targeted supplementation to reduce toxic burden, fill common nutrient gaps, and eliminate frustrating symptoms that people think they “just have to live with.” Only they don’t have to—and neither do you. In fact, after completing this short, 10-day program, many folks say they feel better than they have in years. (Learn more.)

Toxic overload doesn’t have to be a mystery, and it’s not something you have to accept. With the right tools and knowledge, you can lighten the burden and get your body and mind feeling right again—fast.