Spring Cleaning Your Home and Body From Unwanted Toxins
Written by Heather Sunderland, Health Coach
Heather Sunderland is a board-certified functional health coach with a personal journey of recovering from 28 years of illness due to undiagnosed Lyme disease and mold toxicity. She founded Health Coaching by Heather, LLC and Navigating Mold & CIRS: Expert Insight for Practitioners Course.
Spring is a season of fresh starts, when many people instinctively begin to declutter their homes, wipe down surfaces, and swap out the heavy layers of winter clothing. But while attention often turns to physical spaces, few consider the need to do the same for their bodies.
Our bodies were beautifully designed to handle toxin, filtering, neutralizing, and eliminating them regularly. But in today’s world, that system is under strain. The average person is now exposed to thousands of chemicals daily, from cleaning products and cosmetics to food, water, and even the air they breathe.
Part 1: Where toxins are hiding in your home and lifestyle
A toxic load we didn’t sign up for
As of 2018, over 82,000 chemicals were registered for use in the marketplace. Most have never been tested for long-term safety, let alone how they interact with one another in the human body. One study even found more than 200 synthetic chemicals in the umbilical cord blood of newborns.
Toxins have been linked to everything from hormone disruption and inflammation to neurodegenerative conditions and cancer. According to environmental medicine expert Dr. Scott McMahon, 95% of illnesses have an environmental toxin component.
Everyday exposure: Where toxins hide
Toxins are not just “out there.” They’re right in our homes:
Cleaning products can release phthalates, ammonia, chlorine, and formaldehyde, all linked to hormone disruption, asthma, and more.
Body care products can expose users to up to 168 unique chemicals per day. Many are absorbed into the bloodstream in under 30 seconds.
Cookware and food storage often leach plastics, aluminum, or Teflon-based toxins into our food.
Food can be a hidden source of pesticides, preservatives, additives, heavy metals, and GMOs.
Mold and mycotoxins from hidden water damage can severely disrupt immune and neurological function. If you suspect potential water damage, consider an ERMI dust cloth test for 36 toxic molds (DIY test) as a starting place.
The impact on the body
Displace essential minerals
Disrupt enzyme and hormone function
Damage DNA and cell membranes
Increase systemic inflammation
Modify gene expression
Impair the body’s natural detox pathways
The result?
Fatigue. Brain fog. Autoimmune disease. Skin conditions. Digestive issues. Pain. And more.
So, what can be done?
The good news is that small changes, over time, make a big difference. Here’s how to start a gentle “spring cleaning” of your external environment:
Where to start: 6 easy swaps for a less toxic home
Replace all-purpose cleaner with a homemade mix of vinegar, water, dish soap, and essential oils.
Switch from plastic to glass food storage containers.
Choose fragrance-free laundry detergent.
Swap body lotion for coconut oil or shea butter.
Ditch non-stick pans for stainless steel or cast iron.
Replace dryer sheets with wool dryer balls and your favorite essential oil.
Part 2: How to support your body in clearing toxins out
Spring cleaning your internal environment
Just as we deep-clean our homes in the spring, our bodies deserve the same kind of attention. Supporting your body’s natural detoxification process can help reduce the burden of modern toxin exposure and restore balance.
It starts with decreasing what comes into our body, but we also need to think about supporting our body in releasing the toxins we have stored. Just like an oil change for a car, routine, gentle detoxification allows our body to run more efficiently.
What is detoxification
Detoxification is the elimination of toxins from the body. Our bodies possess natural detoxification mechanisms, but today, we are being exposed to more toxins than ever before.
Detox pathway support
The body eliminates toxins primarily through the liver, kidneys, skin, lymphatic system, and colon. But when these pathways become sluggish or congested, toxins can recirculate and contribute to chronic symptoms.
Supporting detoxification means nourishing your body through adequate hydration, nourishment, movement, rest, and stress reduction.
7 tips for supporting your body’s detox pathways
Here are seven foundational ways to gently and effectively support your detox pathways every day.
1. Stay well hydrated
Water is essential for flushing toxins out through urine, sweat, and bowel movements. Aim for half your body weight in ounces of clean, filtered water daily. Add a pinch of sea salt or a splash of lemon for added minerals and support.
2. Prioritize daily bowel movements
Your colon is one of your body’s main exit routes for toxins. Eating fiber-rich foods (like vegetables, chia seeds, and flax) and staying hydrated helps keep things moving. Increasing hydrating fruits can also add fiber and support daily bowel movements.
3. Sweat it out
Sweating through exercise or sauna use helps eliminate toxins through the skin. Even a brisk walk or a 15-minute stretching session that gets you sweating can help. Infrared saunas can be especially supportive for detoxification.
4. Support liver function
The liver is your body’s master detox organ. Eat bitter greens (like arugula and dandelion), cruciferous veggies (like broccoli and cauliflower), and sulfur-rich foods (like garlic and onions) to support the liver. Herbs like milk thistle or dandelion root tea can offer additional support.
5. Breathe deeply and move your lymph
Your lymphatic system needs movement to flow. Unlike blood, it doesn’t have a pump. Try rebounding (light jumping), dry brushing before showers, or gentle stretching to encourage lymph drainage. Deep breathing also helps release carbon dioxide, a form of toxin elimination.
6. Reduce the toxin load coming in
Supporting detox isn’t just about clearing toxins. It’s also about limiting new exposure. Choose non-toxic products, eat organic when possible, filter your water, and avoid plastics and synthetic fragrances. Every small change reduces the burden on your body.
7. Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables
Fresh fruits are the highest form of detoxification. They are hydrating, support the lymphatic system, and aid in detoxification. Vegetables support liver detoxification, especially cruciferous vegetables.
10 benefits of detoxification
Promotes healthy organ function
Decreases inflammation
Decreases pain
Improves sleep
Improves digestive health
Supports weight loss
Improves hormone balance
Improves skin and hair texture
Improves mental clarity
Improves energy
Reputable resources on toxins
Environmental Working Group (EWG.org): Skin Deep database and Clean 15/Dirty Dozen list
MadeSafe.org: Helps identify non-toxic products for home and body
Think Dirty app: Scan personal care products to check for harmful ingredients
Final thoughts
If you're experiencing persistent symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, skin issues, chronic pain, or hormone imbalances, your toxic load may be a missing piece. Schedule a one-on-one consultation today to learn how to support your detox pathways and give your body the fresh start it deserves.
My story: Healing through detox
Some of you may not know my story, but addressing toxicity in my body was the turning point in restoring my health after living with Lyme disease for 28 years, 22 of those undiagnosed.
From the age of 30, I experienced chronic pain and was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Over the years, my health continued to decline. I struggled with severe neuropathy, debilitating fatigue, bladder issues, chronic sinus problems, asthma, and relentless brain fog, just to name a few.
It wasn’t until I was 52 that I finally received a diagnosis of Lyme disease. While treatment helped somewhat, I still wasn’t getting better. The missing piece? I had never addressed my total toxic load.
Once I began focusing on detoxification, opening drainage pathways, supporting my liver and lymphatic system, and using real, whole foods to nourish and gently detox my body, everything began to change.
Within the first three months, my digestive issues started to improve, my brain fog lifted, and I no longer needed the three-times-weekly chiropractic visits I had relied on for years. As I continued to support my body’s detox pathways, I experienced one breakthrough after another, regaining the ability to walk without assistive devices, reversing not only chronic Lyme and mold toxicity, but also asthma, Graves’ disease, osteoporosis, and more.
Detoxification was the key that unlocked true healing for me, and it’s now a cornerstone of how I help others reclaim their health.
This is a powerful reminder that detoxification isn’t a trend. It’s a vital part of reclaiming health in a toxic world. And it's never too late to begin.
Ready to give your body the fresh start it deserves?
If you're tired of chasing symptoms and are ready to get to the root, let's work together to reduce your toxic load and restore balance.
Click here to schedule your personalized consultation today and take the first step toward reclaiming your health.
Read more from Heather Sunderland
Heather Sunderland, Health Coach
Heather is a board-certified Functional Health Coach who restored her health from 22 years of undiagnosed Lyme, Mold Toxicity & CIRS using the Regenerative Approach.
Her passion lies in providing hope while addressing root issues, using food as medicine, alkalizing tissues, restoring the gut, addressing pathogens, and supporting detox so the body can return to vibrant health.
She founded Health Coaching by Heather, LLC, and Navigating Mold & CIRS: Expert Insight for Practitioners Course.
