How to help your body detox itself

Your body has plenty of ways to cleanse itself. Here’s how to help it along.

If you have been taking part in the usual excesses of the festive period, you may now be considering a detoxification, or “detox”, diet for a few weeks to try to cleanse your body. But from juice fasts to many other energy or protein-restricted detox diets, there is often little evidence that they actually work to eliminate toxins or control people’s weight.

Even the word “toxins”, which generally refers to substances poisonous to organisms, is frequently used in a hazy and undefined way when these diets are promoted. While there are certainly substances in our environment that may harm us, our bodies already have incredibly effective ways to get rid of them naturally.

Here are some of the ways you can help these processes along.

Eat more fibre

The vast majority of us eat far too little fibre. In the US, around 97% of men and 90% of women do not reach the suggested intake. In fact, most Americans eat less than half of what is recommended.

Fibre has a major impact on our health. It helps lower inflammation, strengthens the immune system, and can affect brain functioning, mood, and cognition. It has also been shown to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, and inflammation. One reason for these benefits is the role fibre plays in helping the body cleanse itself.

For starters, fibre increases the size and weight of stools, making them softer and easier to pass while reducing the amount of time harmful substances stay in contact with the bowel.

Research also shows that fibre can act like a magnet, binding to toxins and other substances and helping remove them from the body. A 2015 study, for example, found that fibre binds toxic ions such as lead, arsenic, and copper, aiding in their excretion. Fibre also appears to help the body get rid of bile acids, lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Studies further show that some fibres may directly enhance the detoxification of carcinogens and inhibit the growth of cancer cells, although this remains an early area of research.

Fibre may even help remove “forever chemicals”, a group of long-lasting and potentially harmful human-made substances. Small-scale studies in mice and humans found that taking a fibre supplement with meals appears to reduce their levels in the body, although research is still ongoing.

Fibre also helps protect the kidneys and liver, both of which are crucial for removing toxins from the body. It does this by protecting them from harmful bacteria and supporting the growth of beneficial bacteria.

To increase your fibre intake, focus on plant-based foods. Dried fruits like apricots, leafy vegetables like spinach, and legumes such as chickpeas, lentils, and beans are all rich in fibre. Porridge oats, wholewheat bread, and wholewheat pasta are also excellent options. Healthy snacks include apples, berries, nuts, seeds, popcorn, and roasted pulses. Variety is important because different fibres have different properties.

Drink more water

Water helps remove toxins from the body by supporting the kidneys and liver in excreting waste.

The kidneys, for instance, use water to flush out toxins such as sodium and urea. Dehydration can cause waste to build up in the body. Over time, even mild dehydration may increase the risk of kidney damage and reduce the kidneys’ ability to clear waste effectively.

Drinking enough water can also help protect your kidneys in the long run. One review of 18 randomised controlled trials found that increasing water intake may help reduce the risk of kidney stones, among other benefits.

So how much water is enough? The common advice of drinking eight glasses of water a day, around two litres, is outdated because it originally included water obtained from food. Instead, around 1.5 to 1.8 litres per day, roughly six to seven glasses, is sufficient for most people.

Water, lower-fat milk, and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count towards your daily fluid intake.

Help your lungs

There has been a rise in products claiming to cleanse your lungs, sometimes within days. The American Lung Association warns against trusting such “quick fixes”, noting that some detox remedies can even be dangerous.

However, there are proven ways to support your lungs’ natural self-cleaning capacity. The most important is avoiding pollutants in the first place. If you smoke or vape, quitting is the best step you can take. It is also important to avoid secondhand smoke.

Experts also advise keeping indoor air as clean as possible by avoiding cleaning products or air fresheners containing volatile organic compounds and fragrances. Limiting exposure to candles, fireplaces, and natural gas may also help. Vacuuming with a HEPA vacuum cleaner can reduce dust and allergens indoors.

Cardiovascular exercise supports overall lung health by reducing airway inflammation and improving the strength and endurance of breathing muscles. You can also exercise your lungs directly by activities such as playing a wind instrument.

Enjoy your sleep

Every night, fluid flows through channels surrounding brain cells to help remove waste products from the brain.

This waste includes excess proteins and molecules such as beta-amyloids, which are linked to Alzheimer’s disease. These substances build up during the day as the brain works.

Recent research suggests that cerebrospinal fluid, the colourless liquid protecting the brain and spine, is pumped into spaces between brain cells during sleep, helping wash away potentially toxic molecules. Light sleep stages appear especially important for this cleansing process.

Some scientists believe the sleep hormone melatonin may also help clean up harmful waste in the brain, although there is no evidence that supplements improve this process.

Sleep loss, meanwhile, has been shown to impair the blood-brain barrier, affecting the brain’s ability to clear potentially harmful byproducts. Even slightly less sleep than your body needs, usually around seven hours for most adults, can affect the brain’s ability to remove waste efficiently.

Without enough sleep, cognitive performance may decline and judgement may become impaired the next day.

Researchers are exploring ways to replicate some of sleep’s cleansing effects while people are awake, but most experts believe it is more important to improve sleep naturally through healthy lifestyle habits.

Some studies suggest sleeping on your right side may improve the clearance of toxins through cerebrospinal fluid, although research is still emerging. Drinking large amounts of alcohol can negatively affect sleep, while regular exercise tends to improve it.

Keep fit

Exercise helps the body remove toxins, but not through sweating.

Hot yoga, saunas, and heated workout studios are increasingly popular, yet scientists remain sceptical about claims that people can “sweat out toxins”. Sweat is mostly water, and its main purpose is to regulate body temperature and cool us down.

Instead, the liver and kidneys are the primary organs responsible for removing toxins, and exercise improves blood flow to these organs, helping them filter waste more effectively.

Excess body fat can impair the liver’s ability to filter toxins, and research shows that exercise helps reduce fat levels. In one study involving patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, both resistance training and aerobic exercise reduced fat content in the liver.

Another study found that long-term high-intensity interval training may slow the decline of kidney function in older adults. Kidney Research UK recommends brisk walking, swimming, and cycling among the best exercises for kidney health. Even gardening, housework, or taking the stairs instead of the lift can help.

For all these lifestyle changes, consistency matters most. Experts point out that while challenges like Dry January may bring short-term benefits, maintaining healthy habits throughout the year is far more important.

Similarly, permanently adopting a Mediterranean diet is often considered one of the healthiest long-term dietary changes a person can make.

So while making healthy changes for a few weeks can help, the greatest health benefits come from maintaining them over the long term.