Have you been lured by the idea of an herbal cleansing detox? In this modern world, we are exposed to more toxins than ever before. Josh and I have been going through a detox journey under the supervision of our healthcare practitioner, so a detox protocol is at the forefront of our minds.
With the recent release of his book, The HomeGrown Herbalist Guide To Herbal Cleansing and Supportive Therapies, I wanted to get Doc Jones’ perspective on an herbal cleanse from a DIY perspective.
Dr. Patrick Jones from the HomeGrown Herbalist is a naturopath and veterinarian and has been a popular guest on the Pantry Chat, covering topics such as medicinal herbs & their uses, how to use herb medicine safely at home, and what to do in an emergency until help arrives, just to name a few.
Whenever I’m looking for practical, accessible, and realistic herbal wisdom, Doc Jones is my go-to.
It’s important to note that I am not a certified medical practitioner. This post is not intended to diagnose or treat but is for informational purposes only. Please contact your healthcare or animal care professional before introducing new herbal remedies into your wellness routine.
What Is an Herbal Cleansing Detox
Because our bodies are designed with the ability to detox naturally, the idea that we need an herbal cleansing detox is often challenged. This confusion can be cleared up when we understand what an herbal cleansing detox is and isn’t.
The marketplace is flooded with harsh detox and cleansing protocols peddling the idea that they need to be hard and painful. This isn’t true and can be downright dangerous.
You should expect to feel good during an herbal detox cleanse because you are providing your body with herbs that enhance your body’s natural ability to detox. When it comes to digestion, you can expect to loosen up a bit, but not to the point of painful gastrointestinal distress.
As a general rule of thumb, you can ask yourself if your protocol is one your body would recognize as a natural process. Our bodies were not designed to recognize extreme approaches like drinking a bottle of olive oil or intrusive colonics.
Another great principle to remember is “ABC.” This means you must first “activate” and “build” your systems before “cleansing” can begin.
Therefore, it is not recommended to include water or juice fasts in your herbal detox cleanse because they can deplete your body of the nutrition it needs to activate and build your detoxing organs.
Signs You May Need an Herbal Cleansing Detox
Signs that it’s time for an herbal cleansing detox include low energy, brain fog, susceptibility to illness, digestive irregularities, and, in general, just not feeling well. You might have read that and asked who doesn’t have these symptoms, which is to Doc Jones’ point.
Our bodies were not designed to handle the modern processing of our food supply and environmental exposures we have today, and the symptoms mentioned above have become normalized.
However, we can help offset our exposures by giving our bodies the support that’s needed to function at an improved level.
How Often Should You Do an Herbal Cleansing Detox
Detoxes should be part of a holistic effort to live a healthy lifestyle.
Do what you can to improve your diet, limit environmental exposures in the home, and support your immune system. Once those habits are firmly in place, an herbal cleansing detox 1-2 times per year should be sufficient.
Pregnant and Nursing Mothers
It’s important to note that not all herbs are safe during pregnancy and nursing. Doc Jones does not recommend detoxes during this season of life, but certain herbs can still be safely used so you can enjoy their nutritional benefits.
Always consult with your health care practitioner before incorporating medicinal herbs while pregnant or nursing.
What About Children
With the rise of chronic illness in children, many want to know if children can benefit from an herbal cleansing detox. Just like pregnant and nursing mothers, a cleanse can be too harsh for a little one’s body.
The best approach for young children is to give them a solid foundation of nutrition. Feed their growing and developing bodies with nourishing foods, and try to limit their exposure to environmental toxins.
Teenage children who have finished growing could benefit from an herbal cleansing detox. Just like the normalization of symptoms mentioned above, teenagers’ moodiness has become normalized. Sometimes, their systems are just sluggish, and supporting their ability to detox can help them feel better.
How to Do an Herbal Cleansing Detox the Right Way
When you begin your herbal cleansing detox, one of the most important factors is to make sure you are working in the correct order. You need to consider the organs you are activating and make sure the subsequent organs have already been handled.
As an example, consider a cleanse designed for the liver. The liver will effectively detox, but then dump those toxins into an unhealthy gut that won’t continue the detox process. Therefore, the toxins will be reabsorbed into the body, wasting all the hard work of your liver.
So, in short, the proper order of a cleanse begins with your digestive tract. Once your colon and small intestines are functioning well, then you are ready to move on to supporting other organs like your liver.
Where to Find Doc Jones
For more information on Doc Jones or the School of Botanical Medicine, visit the links below.
- Doc Jones’ Book – The HomeGrown Herbalist Guide To Herbal Cleansing and Supportive Therapies
- HomeGrown Herbalist Cleanse Kit
- HomeGrown Herbalist on Facebook
- HomeGrown Herbalist on YouTube
- HomeGrown Herbalist website
