Immune Health

10 Signs Your Detox Pathways Are Blocked

And 7 ways to get them working properly again

Have you been feeling slow, sluggish, itchy, or achy? Does your digestive system feel like it’s mad at you? Are you struggling to focus, even on things that normally interest you?

If you’re living with symptoms that just don't seem to want to go away, there’s a good chance that your body’s natural detox pathways are blocked. That means that the toxins that normally get neutralized as soon as they arrive are lingering and accumulating in your body. And the symptoms you’re dealing with will begin to intensify unless you get the toxin trash train running on time again.

Your body knows how to do this… it just needs specific support for its natural detoxification processes. And it’s nearly impossible to live in this toxic world if you don’t provide that support regularly.

The Everyday Toxin Bombardment

A weekend food and booze binge is not the reason your detox pathways are blocked (though it definitely doesn’t help).

Every day you’re surrounded by toxins in the air, water, and food.[1] They’re in your neighborhood… your kids’ playground… your hiking trails. They’re all over your house in the paint, the carpet, the furniture, almost every household or personal care product.

Since you have to breathe, eat, and drink, you cannot completely avoid toxins. Even if you only use squeaky clean products in your home, you still walk around the block, go places in your car, and spend lots of time at work or school.

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The chemicals in the products we buy are frightening. Heavy metals, formaldehyde, endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), known cancer-causing compounds... All of these can cause serious problems if your body can’t get rid of them fast enough.

Heavy metals, like lead and mercury, can damage your vital organs. Formaldehyde can disrupt your immune system function. EDCs interfere with hormone function, which affects every system in your body. And these three killer chemicals can be found in everything from makeup to water bottles to the sofa you’re sitting on.

You can’t completely avoid these terrible toxins, but you can take proactive steps to revitalize your body’s detox pathways and clear the toxins out. Because without a fully functional self-detox system, those poisons will start to overload you.

Glaring Signs That You Have Toxin Overload

When your body is overwhelmed by toxins, you’ll start to feel it—even if you can’t quite figure out why you feel that way. Toxins can affect your body in a lot of ways, but the ten most common signs that your body needs some extra detox support include:

  • Fatigue and sluggishness
  • Weight gain and difficulty losing weight
  • Diarrhea, constipation, gas, and bloating
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Feeling depressed or stressed
  • Skin breakouts
  • Bad breath
  • Headaches
  • Getting sick a lot
  • Slower recovery from illnesses and wounds

If you’re starting to notice even one of these signs that you can’t tie directly to something else, your body is letting you know it’s overloaded with toxins that can do serious damage to your lifelong health.

Luckily, your body does know how to handle toxins using its built-in detox system. But if you’ve hit the point of toxin overload, that system will need extra support. That doesn’t mean costly detox cleansing kits or crazy lemon juice and olive oil diets—just simple steps you can take to support your body’s detoxifying powers so you can feel more like yourself.

Photo of man talking to doctor in background with liver model in foreground

Lymph and Liver: Your Toxin Cleaning Crew

Your body has a complex detox mechanism that relies heavily on two key players: your lymphatic system and your liver.

Most people don’t know much about the lymphatic system; it doesn’t get a lot of attention unless something is seriously wrong. But it’s critical to your immunity, circulation, and metabolism. It includes a network of lymphatic vessels and cells, lymph nodes, and organs including your spleen. Your lymphatic system connects to every part of your body, collecting excess fluid, cellular byproducts, and toxins that need to be eliminated.[2,3]

Your liver is your body’s primary detox organ, r