How Do You Know If You Need A Detox: Is It Really Aging or... Toxin Burden

Signs You Need A Detox

What if the symptoms you have come to accept as part of getting older were actually signs that your body is overwhelmed by toxins?

So many people chalk up fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, bloating or low moods to mid-life changes. But the truth is, these are not simply the inevitable signs of aging. They may be signals—your body's way of communicating with you- that you need support.

What Is a Toxin Burden?

Every day we are exposed to toxins from our environment, food, personal care products, plastics, heavy metals and even stress. While our bodies are designed to detoxify, the issue is that we now face a volume and variety of exposures that our systems were never meant to handle.

It is said that we are exposed to more toxins in a single day then our grand-parents were in an entire lifetime. This makes me picture my grandmother (born in 1925) as a child in a grocery store and the cereal options at the time (Cream of Wheat, Quaker Oats or Cornflakes) compared to today's entire aisle of cereal selections for children.

When the body can't keep up, toxins are stored, especially in fat tissue and accumulate over time. This is known as your "toxin burden."

How Do You Know If You Need a Detox?

Start by asking yourself:

Are You Exposed To...

• Pesticides or herbicides (in food or environment)

• Industrial chemicals

• Plastics and food packaging

• Chemical-laden personal care or cleaning products

• Processed foods with additives, preservatives

• Ultra processed foods (think fast foods) with no nutritional value

• Large amounts of high mercury fish

• Mold or air pollution

• Heavy metals

• Forever chemicals and unfiltered water

  
  

Do You Experience...

• Low energy or chronic fatigue

• Brain fog, forgetfulness, or difficulty focusing

• Headaches or migraines

• Joint pain or muscle stiffness

• Digestive issues like bloating, gas or constipation

• Food sensitivities or unexplained symptoms

• Resistant weight loss despite effort

• Mood swings, anxiety or low mood

• Skin issues like acne, eczema or rashes

Have You Been Diagnosed With...

• Autoimmune conditions (like Hashimoto's, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus)

• Cancer (active or in remission)

• IBS, IBD, or other chronic gut disorders

• Hormonal imbalances or thyroid disorders, PCOS

If you see yourself in these lists—it might not be "just aging." It may be time to reduce your toxin burden and support your body's natural detoxification processes.

My Personal Detox Story

I used to wake up feeling exhausted, battling chronic hip pain and barely having the energy to move through my day—let alone exercise. My moods were low and my motivation was even lower. I chalked it up to single-Mom stress and aging. I increasingly accepted these symptoms as a normal part of turning fifty. My diet at the time was definitely low in plants and protein.

It pains me to think of how in my cancer centre role, I used to tell 'patients' we don't need to detox because our body is quite efficient at the process. And quite often, it was the first questioned I was asked.

When I learned all things Metabolic Detoxification in Health and Disease (IFNA)- everything in my life changed. I committed to my own personal nutritional detoxification based on all I learned. During my detox, I increased my protein to meet my body’s true needs and brought in 10-12 servings of plants daily in addition to a 30-Day period of supplement supports.

The results? Honestly- I never knew I could live with so much energy and vitality. My hip pain vanished. My mood lifted. I had more energy than I knew what to do with. I know what it is like to live with balanced hormones. Haven't had any bloating ever since. For the first time in my adult life, I felt incredible. This is when I solidified my belief in the power of nutrition.

I now follow a detox nutrition and lifestyle. I continue to feel better than ever. No hot flashes, solid sleep every night, returning to my love of running, energy (most days) and optimal digestion.

The Bottom Line

I believe, we do not have to accept symptoms as a normal part of aging and perhaps we need to dive a little deeper into our root cause issues. Your body is designed to heal. Detox isn’t about restriction or fad cleanses like I used to believe- it is about giving your body what it needs to do what it was built to do: thrive.

Are you wondering if it's time for your detox? This week, you are invited to take the MSQ (Medical Symptom Questionnaire) and explore your own symptoms. Because healing starts with awareness.

Stay tuned- next week dives into the HOW! to do a nutritional detox.