GAPS Overview - Detoxification

Continuing our GAPS Overview series, in combination with healing and nourishing through food and aiding our bodies through supplementation, we also must consider detoxification.

Our bodies do this everyday, since we breathe in and out, sweat, use the bathroom and cry. Our bodies have many ways to detox, but when overloaded from toxins in the air, in our homes (that new couch/bed/paint job), in our food and water, in our medicines and our beauty products, then we start to store toxins. Our bodies store them in different places - but mainly in fat. Interesting, yes? Just keep thinking about that for a while. Toxins are stored in fat. Your brain is made of fat. Your breasts. Internal fat layers resting next to your organs. You get the idea.

So, we need to include detox on this protocol to both clean our bodies from years of stored toxins and to help our bodies detox while on the protocol.

Some of the GAPS recommended forms of detoxing include detox baths, juicing, spending time in nature and surrounding yourself with healthy houseplants, as well as not putting anything on your skin that you wouldn't eat. Sounds great, right?

Go detox! But go slow, so as not to overwhelm your body. You don't want all those toxins breaking free overloading your system and being stored again.

Again, go please read more about this, as there is much more to know.

Emily

Since removing items that could tax the body will help the body heal and repair itself, it is essential to take an inventory of the products you use in your home and on your body to ensure that you aren't setting yourself back. I still have a long way to go on this, but here is what I am doing so far:

We removed almost all of the chemical cleaning products from under the sink. I never used these anyways because they gave me asthma, but it is nice to have them out of the house. For cleaning I am using Seventh Generation products and some Method products as well as just water and vinegar for the floors and bath tub.  We also use Seventh Generation for laundry detergent, but I have also made my own out a combination of borax, washing soda, vinegar - here is the recipe I used. It works well and is sooo much cheaper.

In the kitchen, it is a minimal use and/or elimination of plastics that could (and probably do) have BPA. I still use plastic water bottles as the stainless steel ones leave the water with a metallic taste I don't like. No non stick pans and no microwaving food.

We struggle with getting enough light in the apartment to keep plants alive. All of my plants live in the kitchen windows but I plan to get some that like the dark (do those exist?!).  Another issue is lack of fresh air since the air conditioners are in the only two windows that open. We do have a back door that we can open but it does not have a screen and that allows mosquitoes and other unwelcome critters to come inside.  I have a portable screen that can be hung in the door (thanks Mom!) so we will be able to open it and get some fresh air and hopefully let out some of that seemingly permanent chicken broth smell.

I have been pretty consistent until recently with the detox baths (using the shower filter to fill up the tub). I do a rotation of Epsom salt, baking soda, and apple cider vinegar. I add lavender oil or lemon oil to the tub too. Shampoo/conditioner is organic as are any body washes. For toothpaste I use Tom's of Maine - no fluoride.  For body lotion if needed I use coconut oil or Yes to Carrots. Face wash is Burt's Bees and hand soap is Mrs. Meyer's. I'd also like to experiment with some homemade face washes or shaving creams in the future.  Makeup is an area where I know I need improvement.  It is not really regulated by the FDA (shocking I know) and I can only imagine the things I put on my face every day.  I am slowly transitioning over to more 'natural' makeup.

I am not taking any type of medicine (Aspirin, Advil, etc.). For headaches I am using peppermint oil on the point of pain - and it actually works! Plus you smell like a big peppermint :)  I get acupuncture treatments about once per month which make me feel good and help me relax.

Getting substantial time outside is a challenge for me since I am in an office all day- but when I do it I feel so much more peaceful - even if it is just sitting on the bench at the park around the corner from our apartment. I must make an effort to do this more often!

 Kathryn

Clean home: 

We clean with water mostly and have for years. Some times we add in white vinegar and essential oils, like lemon or tea tree. For a scrubber we use baking soda. We use Seventh Generation dish soap and Biokleen dishwater detergent and Ecos laundry liquid. Made sure no enzymes are used in these as those irritate asthmatic lungs. But chemical smells irritate me in many ways both mentally and physically.

No Teflon pans.

Buying some more house plants is on my list and so is the tub filter. We do air out the house often.

Clean bodies: 

We all love the detox baths. Rotate apple cider vinegar, baking soda, Epson salt (include vitamin C powder in all to counteract nasty water chemicals) and sometimes add in sea veggies or dark greens. Out of lavender essential oil but would add that. Nice little site that shows you some of the purposes of each ingredient and ideas for more blends.

Skin brushing is something we need to get back into. It feels good and aids the lymph system in detox.

For the children:

Pre-GAPS for the girls we used water and occasionally Dr Brommer's baby castile soap, now just the water in the bath and soap for hand washing. I have a lovely homemade salve with olive oil, beeswax and herbs as the ingredients we use for any rough spots. We also use coconut oil, olive oil or any other fat that's on our fingers for moisturizing. We used a spry tooth gel and now we use water to brush their teeth. We used Badger sunscreen, sunshirts and hats, now we use the sunshirts and hats and avoid long term sun during peak hours. We will use Badger if needed.

For me:

Well, I'm on day 51 of no-shampoo. Actually I have just scrubbed my head with water and very diluted baking soda. And the transition is going fine to no-poo. I did this a few years back using baking soda and ACV, but just going with mostly nothing seems to be working really well. My children use nothing and it seems to work well for them. I'm not using deodorant and have no complaints. Funk Butter, my favorite, has corn starch which is a no. I'm using water for tooth brushing, but also playing around with baking soda, tooth soap and the occasional natural toothpaste (which has no's in it). I'm using a sunhat and scarves for cover-ups. I rarely used makeup or moisturizers, so not a big change for me and usually just used water and a wash cloth for my face, so all that is no change. I like coconut oil on my skin and the very ends of my hair, but no doubt duck fat would be lovely too.

Clean Food

No dyes, no sugar, no preservatives, no funny sounding ingredients that I can't pronounce. Organic, local/sustainable, pastured. Spring mineral water delivered.

Juicing is great!

Clean Medicine

We are going to the osteopath for the girls. I will also use acupuncture and professional massage at some points during GAPS. Herbs in the form of tinctures and infusions as needed!

Clean Spirits

We go barefoot, we get in the dirt, we climb trees, we play on the sand and in the ocean. We take a daily walk and also try to get the girls out on bikes. I go to yoga at least once a week and sometimes strike a pose at the park. We got a pet fish (instead of introducing fish oil) and we try to laugh as much as possible. Sometimes that last part is hard, but I'm working on it.