CHAPTER 9
Toxin Free

TESTOSTERONE RESET: Days 19 to 21

Imagine a world in which you follow every rule for good health. You’ve cut out meat and alcohol, sugar, high-fructose fruit, caffeine, grain, and dairy. You diligently exercise for thirty minutes four days per week. You manage your stress through yoga and meditation, have a close network of friends, and express your feelings. No need for a detox, right?

Wrong. Even with our best efforts, we become toxic simply because of the world in which we live. Our blood is full of toxins; scientists call it “body burden.”

The unsettling truth is that environmental exposure is on the rise. Most food you eat is probably genetically modified (GM) and sprayed with pesticides and fertilizers. Even if you’re careful to avoid genetically modified food at home, when you go out to a restaurant, you might order steak from a cow raised on GM feed and injected with synthetic hormones. Not only is your food toxic, there are harmful chemicals in cosmetics as well. The average woman applies 515 synthetic chemicals in a single day.¹ Even the water you drink and your household cleaning products could be toxic. Our toxic surroundings not only usher in the risk of certain diseases, but also make you resistant to losing weight. If you’re overweight, you’re toxic by definition because endocrine disruptors are stored in your fat cells. In short, this is again biochemistry gone wrong.

But all hope is not lost. I believe that when we create the optimal conditions, the body will naturally heal. That’s why detoxification is so powerful: it can flip the switch toward healing, repair, and fat loss. Along the way, you can uncover the innate intelligence of your body and soul. Detoxification is no longer a luxury. It’s essential to living in the body you deserve.

Self-Assessment

Do you have or have you experienced in the past six months …

Fatigue, even when you get the coveted eight hours of sleep?

Fatigue after exercising?

Withdrawal symptoms when you stop eating foods like refined carbs, sugar, or caffeine, such as feeling jittery, shaky, irritable, and just not right? Or a heartbroken feeling like you are pining after a long-lost love?

Achy joints?

Frequent colds, particularly bronchitis and chest congestion in the winter?

Ears that itch or tinnitus (ringing in the ears)?

Hives, rashes, or dry skin?

Dark circles or bags under your eyes? Itchy eyes or increased mucus in your eyes when you wake up in the morning?

Brain fog and/or poor memory?

Weight loss, but then you hit a plateau or regain it?

A puffy-looking face, like you’re retaining fluid?

Difficulty recovering from a major stress, such as a surgery?

Mood swings, including depression, anxiety, and/or irritability?

Tummy troubles, such as gas, bloating, nausea, burping, or heartburn?

Breath so bad you are constantly rummaging around in your purse for a mint?

Interpret Your Results

• If you have five or more of these symptoms, you need at least a three-day Toxin Free reset.

• If you have fewer than five of these symptoms or are unsure, you could have a lower burden than others. But you aren’t off the hook! I recommend a detox anyway. Done correctly, it has no negative repercussions and can only make you feel even better.

From Dr. Sara’s Case Files: Ginny, Age Fifty-Five

• Lost 21 pounds on the Hormone Reset Diet.

• Learned that environmental toxins are a common cause of blood sugar problems and weight gain.

• “I have more energy and am better able to handle my extremely stressful job. My energy and sleeping [have] vastly improved. My blood sugar is much better controlled. Before, my fasting blood sugar was 96 to 107 and my postprandials were usually around 130 mg/dL [or higher]. I thought that going off sugar would make me a crazy-eating machine. Now, my fasting blood sugar is 82 to 90, and my postprandials are 86 to 100. I have PCOS, and this is a fabulous outcome. I wasn’t perfect all the time, but I didn’t beat myself up about that. My edema in my legs [and] feet is gone. My facial hair growth has slowed dramatically.”

• Lost 8 inches overall (arms, bust, waist, hips, thighs).

• “The realization finally hit me that unlike other ‘diet’ plans where everything is prescribed by limits and/or exacting quantities, the concept about really HONORING what my body is telling is the key. In the old days, if I could eat four slices a day as my top limit, by golly, I was going to make sure I got it. Now, I listen!”

The Science Behind Toxin Free

You are confronted with an astounding number of toxins each day, including pesticides, herbicides, genetically modified foods, and about six different synthetic hormones in meat. Toxins are lurking in the fire-retardant materials in couches, the linings of tuna fish cans, face creams, prescription drugs, processed foods, as heavy metals in the environment and your lipstick, even the air you breathe. The list goes on.

The molecular sex in your body—that is, the interaction between a hormone in charge of your metabolism and its receptor—is disrupted by toxins.

Ultimately, toxins make you numb to insulin and leptin, and they are linked to the development of blood sugar issues, lowered immunity, increased inflammation, stroke, and a vulnerability to autoimmune disorders.² One study showed that a particular type of persistent organic pollutant (POP)—a class called organochloride pesticides—is linked to weight gain of 9.5 pounds over fifty years when you have high concentrations compared with people with the lowest concentrations.³ Your risk of weight gain and disease from exposure to toxins may be woefully underestimated. There is scientific evidence of a link between plastic-associated synthetic chemicals and heart disease, and the proof that they make you fat and insulin resistant is stronger. Taken together, the constellation of problems warrants application of the precautionary principle: assume these toxins are guilty until proven innocent.

A survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention demonstrated that 93 percent of the population has measurable levels of bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical that disrupts your estrogen, thyroid, and androgen hormones and is found in store receipts and canned foods. Endocrine disruptors have been shown to interfere with the production, transportation, and metabolism of most hormones.

We detox to rid our bodies of the inevitable buildup of toxins that happens in modern life. A detox is the perfect antidote for resetting your entire system so you can move forward with lightness and clarity. Daily exposure to environmental toxins can have a major impact on your health and can lead to becoming overweight. This fact makes me feel that the term “endocrine disruptors” doesn’t go far enough. Xenobiotics, a term that refers to chemical compounds that are foreign to an organism, also seems insufficient. We should call them metabolic blockers, since they block your metabolism and your endocrine system from performing their divine functions. I also call them party crashers, because they were not designed by your Maker to be in on the awesome party happening in your body, mind, and soul.

Detoxing is crucial for your long-term health. It boosts metabolism, helps remove estrogen-disrupting chemicals, improves thyroid functioning, and rids the body of extra toxins released in the bloodstream when you lose weight. Not to mention that you’ll feel clear, clean, and energetic. What have you got to lose?

Metabolism Blockers May Make You Fat

In the Toxin Free reset, the focus is on reducing exposure to and removing synthetic chemicals that block your metabolism and may make you fat. There are three main classes of metabolism blockers that cause undesirable hormone effects by adversely impacting your androgen, estrogen, and thyroid systems. They act by various mechanisms, such as fooling the body into an exaggerated response, blocking hormone receptors, slowing down or speeding up enzymes that convert one hormone into another, and causing liver damage (and raising liver enzyme levels, as measured in a simple blood test).

Androgen disruptors. Metabolism blockers that impact androgens include bisphenol A, phthalates, and mycotoxins.⁴ In general, androgen disruptors raise testosterone in women and lower testosterone in men. For instance, adolescent girls with higher levels of BPA are more likely to be diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, and BPA levels correlate significantly with testosterone levels.⁵ Additionally, phthalates and some mycotoxins, such as ochratoxin A, change aromatase, the enzyme that converts testosterone into estrogen.⁶

Estrogen disruptors. There are more than seven hundred synthetic chemicals that mimic estrogen in a toxic way, and their prevalence in our environment is on the rise. These toxins, found in an array of items from receipts to canned foods and from plastics to pesticides, have now been linked with early puberty, female infertility, ovulation, miscarriage, endometriosis, male infertility, obesity, diabetes, and an increase in certain cancers.⁷

Thyroid disruptors. As our exposure to endocrine disruptors has increased, so has the incidence of thyroid disease in the United States, particularly for thyroid cancer and thyroid autoimmune disease.⁸ People who showed the highest 20 percent of exposure to environmental toxins also experienced up to 10 percent more thyroid function impairment than those with the 20 percent lowest exposure.⁹ The most common exposure to thyroid disruptors is flame retardants, and the worst offender is your home and office furniture.

Mixed hormone disruptors. Some metabolic blockers, such as bisphenol A (BPA), promote weight gain via multiple hormone pathways. BPA disrupts estrogen, thyroid, androgen, adiponectin, leptin, and ghrelin function in the human body.¹⁰ The most common exposures include handling receipts and eating food from BPA-lined cans.

Okay, we know these toxins are bad. So, how do we get rid of them? You may be as surprised as I was to learn that eating food containing olestra has been shown to reduce your toxic load of endocrine disruptors, specifically polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs, used as a fluid coolant in electrical systems) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE, a pesticide and reproductive toxin responsible for the decline of the bald eagle).¹¹ Even if eating these items seems to work, my common sense tells me there must be a better way. And there is: Look no further than your trusty organ the liver, which is your body’s natural filter, designed to purify the blood and remove toxins.

Your liver does this in two phases that my friend Dr. Holly Lucille calls garbage generation (phase one) and garbage collection (phase two). In phase one, your liver takes toxins like BPA out of your blood and converts them into molecules known as metabolites. In phase two, your liver sends the toxic metabolites to be removed from the body in your urine or stool. In other words, you take out the garbage, like I do every Sunday night at my home.

Unfortunately, most of us have a problem with both phases. From stress and constant exposure to toxins, you may have an overactive phase one and create too much garbage—some of which is worse than the original toxin itself. Then, to make matters worse, you forget to collect the garbage by neglecting your body’s need for detox. It keeps piling up, as if the garbage collectors were on strike. The result is that your liver isn’t doing its job of detoxification, which can lead to all sorts of symptoms, such as hives, rashes, itchy eyes, anxiety, and weight gain. By increasing your intake of key minerals, fiber, and other nutrients, you can strengthen the garbage collection and removal capacity of the liver.

MITO-WHAT?

You might remember the word from your high school science class: mitochondria. As a cell’s utility company, mitochondria generate chemical energy. Think of how you plug in your smartphone to charge it. Similarly, your mitochondria charge your cells so they can do their jobs. Why should you care? When not taken care of, mitochondria can’t charge your cells and they form free radicals, which can lead to all sorts of problems, from fatigue to multiple sclerosis to cancer.

The moral of the story is mind your mitochondria before the charge stops working. Since xenobiotics, drugs, and pollution can lead to their decay, take a careful look at the toxins you are letting into your body. Do what you can to reduce exposure and boost health: exercise and restrict refined carbohydrates. Amp up the fresh air, clean proteins, and veggies. Supplement with a multivitamin, ubiquinal, N-acetylcysteine, resveratrol, and magnesium. When you take good care of your mitochondria, you empower your body to power your life.

BUYER BEWARE: INVESTIGATE YOUR BEAUTY PRODUCTS

Know what lurks in your beauty products, because many contain some of the 700 known xenoestrogens or even estrogen itself. What you don’t know can make you fat, cranky, foggy, and maybe even cancerous. Sadly, your quest for youthful looks may have the opposite effect, causing excess estrogen to enter your body through your moisturizer or shampoo.

Here are a few actions you can take to avoid the most common fake estrogens that mimic the action of estrogen in the body and are often found in your cosmetics.

Avoid Parabens

Parabens are a fake estrogen preservative used in about 85 percent of lotions and lipsticks, and they’re linked to endocrine and developmental problems. You find them in many skin creams. In its studies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found parabens in all Americans surveyed, which confirms that they are ubiquitously stored in the body. While the evidence is not yet firm that parabens actually cause cancer, apply the precautionary principle.

Your Hormone Reset Solution

When you can, buy paraben-free products, such as Aveda, Dr. Hauschka, Josie Maran Cosmetics, and Origins. Do your research before you buy.

Avoid Phthalates

Phthalates, another form of xenoestrogen (fake estrogen), are added to shampoos, deodorants, body washes, hair gels, hair sprays, and nail polishes for fragrance. Phthalates have been found to cause birth defects in male fetuses. One form of phthalate, called diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), is allowed by the FDA in foods that mainly contain water. Scary.

Your Hormone Reset Solution

One of the best ways to avoid phthalates is to check labels and vote for phthalate-free beauty products with your dollars. Phthalates are known as “everywhere chemicals” because they are so commonly used, not just in beauty products but in most plastics we use daily. Another way to reduce your exposure is to avoid microwaving your food in plastic containers.

Avoid Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Here’s yet another fake estrogen used commonly in soaps, toothpastes, and shampoos. There is some concern that exposure may be linked to breast cancer and also to a drop in male fertility.

Your Hormone Reset Solution

Once again, check labels. Use organic soaps, toothpastes, and shampoos. For more information, check out the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database of sixty-eight thousand cosmetics.

Get Your Micronutrients

When it comes to detoxing, my task with patients is to find the obstacles to their detoxification and remove them. Most of my patients get very focused on the macronutrients (relative quantities of protein, fat, carbohydrates) yet few understand the role of micronutrients, such as vitamins, amino acids, polysaccharides, and minerals. In this reset, I want to shine the love lights on minerals. Plain and simple, minerals detoxify you, and you probably are running low on many of them. They are instrumental to 95 percent of the delicate biochemistry in the body, and if you’ve been a carb addict for years, you are probably deficient in minerals.

You’ve already heard me talk about magnesium in chapter 2 (see page 37), and now I want to get serious about sulfur, another crucial mineral to your detoxification and health.¹² My friend David Wolfe calls sulfur the “world’s best cosmetic” because it’s fundamental to the health of your hair, skin, and nails. My colleague Dr. Stephanie Seneff, senior scientist at MIT and pioneer in sulfur research, says that sulfur deficiency is far more pervasive than most people realize, and the majority of conventional physicians seem unaware of the pivotal role played by sulfur in proper insulin function.

When it comes to detoxification, sulfur relieves inflammation and helps to turn on the fat-burning machine. Where do you find it? Dietary proteins, including fish, organic and/or pastured beef and poultry, coconut and olive oils, arugula, bee pollen, hemp, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, blue-green algae, kale, pumpkin seeds, radishes, spirulina, and watercress.

Are you short on sulfur? A deficiency is common and heralded by obesity, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, chronic fatigue, acne, arthritis, brittle hair and nails, gastrointestinal challenges, immune system dysfunction, lingering muscle injuries, memory loss, rashes, scar tissue, and slow wound healing.

Sulfur isn’t the only need-to-know mineral. Selenium, copper, and zinc are important for your thyroid, and the copper-to-zinc ratios must be kept in order. Taking a high-potency multivitamin keeps the ratio in check. Sea salt contains important minerals too, such as trace amounts of calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and iron.¹³

You also need to fill in the nutritional gaps related to amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Here are a few favorites:

• Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant that your body produces to detox free radicals. I think of it as your antirust protector.

• N-acetylcysteine is the precursor of glutathione (see the Supplements section, page 210).

Toxin Free: The Three-Day Reset for Testosterone and Other Hormones

Our final reset augments the previous six food-based resets by addressing environmental factors that may make you fat and upgrading your body’s own detoxification pathways. In addition to being mindful about what you put into your body, let’s address what you put onto your body. The skin absorbs many environmental toxins and sometimes makes them even worse once inside. Over the next three days, you’ll swap the metabolic blockers for natural products, replace your missing minerals and other nutrients, and upgrade your liver and gut function.

TOXIN FREE RULES: DO THESE EACH DAY

In the Toxin Free reset, you are integrating the previous sex resets and deepening detoxification by replacing two meals with a clean protein shake.

1. Be wary of skin products. When you wake up in the morning, become increasingly aware of what you put on your skin and mucosal membranes such as your mouth. Start with your first action. If you’re like me, you scrape your tongue and brush your teeth after arising from bed. Make sure the first product(s) you apply are free of metabolic blockers, such as organic toothpaste or deodorant, natural shampoos and conditioners, biodynamic soap or lotions. (See Resources for recommended brands.)

2. Up your intake of alkaline-forming foods. An easy way to do this is to start your morning with a hot cup of water with lemon, followed by a green shake for breakfast. Aim for two to three servings of greens each day.

3. Continue to eat one pound or more of vegetables every day. Prepare your pound accordingly: half lightly cooked, half raw. (Note: if you have thyroid issues, lightly cook all your veggies.) Cruciferous vegetables boost both phases of liver detoxification—make sure to consume cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Add vegetables to your shakes to keep volume high. Alliums such as onions and scallions will boost Phase II liver detoxification.

4. Keep up your fiber consumption of 35 to 45 grams per day. If you’re gut is feeling fine (no gas or bloating), you can try higher amounts. Fiber helps to bind metabolic blockers.

5. Add seeds and spices to your cooking. Caraway and dill seeds improve Phase I of liver detoxification (garbage generation), and curcumin (turmeric), rosemary, thyme, and oregano help Phase II.

6. Make sure your food containers are safe by using glass and stainless steel. Avoid storing or cooking food in plastic containers.

7. Get outside. I was shocked to learn from the Environmental Protection Agency that the air we breathe inside the home could be up to five times more polluted than the air outside. During the Toxin Free reset, consider getting outside more, opening more windows in your home, running a HEPA filter, putting encasements on your pillows and mattresses, and replacing toxic home cleaning products. If that feels too ambitious, focus on a brisk walk outside after a meal for fifteen to twenty minutes, and get rid of one or two cleaning products. Household cleaning products contain more than 17,000 chemicals, and only a fraction have been tested for their effects on human health. Use white vinegar, herbs, borax, olive oil, and lemon juice as safer ingredients for cleaning, and see Resources for recommended recipes.

SAMPLE MENU

On the following page is a suggested menu for resetting your estrogen, insulin, leptin, testosterone, and thyroid. For nutritional data, check out the Notes section.¹⁴

WATER FILTERS: THE LOWDOWN

It’s important to drink extra water during the Toxin Free reset to flush out impurities. But what if the water itself is toxic? Water can contain any number of scary contaminants, including lead, fluoride, chlorine, arsenic, nitrates, sulfates, herbicides, pesticides, bacteria, and other microorganisms like parasites. So, the first step to getting a water filter is testing the tap water in your home.

Assessing for a range of common contaminants can cost more than one hundred dollars, but the investment is worthwhile because it can help you identify the best system for your water. When you test, keep an eye especially on the two most common contaminants: chlorine

and lead. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 20 percent of lead exposure comes from water.

Once you know what you are dealing with, you might want to consider purchasing a home water purifying system, like I did. These systems vary greatly in effectiveness and cost. Here’s a small sampling:

• Alkaline water filters. Proponents claim that alkaline water neutralizes acid in the blood and fights free radicals. But I am wary about these systems, which often cost thousands of dollars.

• Carbon filters. This method uses activated carbon to absorb impurities in your water. They vary greatly; some just remove chlorine, while others remove a wider variety of contaminants. I use a carbon filter that I purchased online for less than thirty dollars. I think these inexpensive carbon filters are the way to go to keep your water clean and your detox in full gear.

• Reverse osmosis systems. This method pushes water through a membrane that blocks certain particles. These sometimes contain carbon filters, and the best option appears to be the combination.

For more details, visit the Environmental Working Group’s Water Filter Buying Guide.¹⁵

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE … DETOXING

Toxin Free is a big change for your system, which is accustomed to brand-name toothpaste, shampoo, and plastics. The first day or so you might notice symptoms that are familiar from some of your past resets. Just stay with it, observing the discomfort instead of getting wrapped up in it. Know that you are doing this for a good reason. If you feel discouraged or tempted, rely on a buddy system, write in your journal, or ask for divine help.

Symptoms during your detox might include:

• mood swings

• irritability

• restlessness

• nightmares

• acne

• headaches

Supplements

Supplements can put you on the detox fast track by helping you eliminate toxic chemicals that might be building up in your body. There is a dizzying array of detox products on the market that claim to restore your body’s balance. Many of the following supplements I’ve discussed in previous resets, but they are serving double duty when you are Toxin Free. One of the most important is N-acetylcysteine, but keep up your supplementation with fiber and a daily multivitamin too!

• N-acetylcysteine (NAC). NAC is derived from the amino acid l-cysteine. (Amino acids are building blocks of proteins.) NAC has been used for many years in medicine for detoxification of the liver, such as in people who get too much acetaminophen (Tylenol). I recently found that my mercury and lead levels are high, so I take NAC to reduce my levels of these toxic metals. Overall, NAC is a great supplement to support your detoxification. I recommend 600 mg once or twice per day.

• A high-potency multivitamin. This will improve the enzyme-dependent detoxification pathways.

Cell to Soul Practice

News flash: your thought patterns just might be contributing to your overall toxic burden. If you are anything like me, your mind is going a mile a minute. Sometimes you feel like you can’t have a clear thought. Some of this is hormonal; I’ve addressed brain fog, fatigue, depression, and anxiety at length in my previous book, The Hormone Cure. Some of my unhelpful (to put it nicely) thoughts are the result of the ingrained patterns I’ve gathered over decades. In yoga, these thought patterns are called samskaras. Just like the grooves of a record that get deeper and deeper the more you play it, the thoughts in the mind get more ingrained the more they are repeated. There is a scientific backing for this, called neuroplasticity. This is why negative thought patterns are difficult to release and insidious. Over time, they can hijack your heart and mind without you even realizing it.

It’s time to detoxify your mind. It takes some work, because sometimes toxic thoughts happen in an instant: one tiny word can trigger a series of thoughts and emotions … and off you go.

As a woman of science, I always like to look for a process. That’s why I challenge you to apply the Socratic method to your thoughts—and then write out what you discover. Let’s say you are a worrier. The first step is noticing each worried thought. This simple act alone will make you keenly aware of how much time and energy you dedicate to worrying. Once you are able to notice these worries, start to ask questions. For example, if you have a minor symptom like a cough that you’re convinced is lung cancer, try applying Socratic questioning instead of getting carried away with worried thoughts. What is the evidence for this? What are the odds of this happening? Am I being fully objective? Over time, you’ll see more clearly how your thoughts can be counterproductive. Sometimes I like to talk to my thoughts, telling them they are irrational, made up, or just ridiculous. Sometimes I get mad at my thoughts for trying to control me. But most of the time I try to replace them with positive ones.

Another possibility is taking a particular worry to its utmost conclusion and asking yourself what’s the worst that can happen if one of your worries comes true. Of course that’s not for everyone. Some of us might just worry more.

When we let go of something—negative feelings, an old hurt or wound, something we really needed to say—we feel lighter too. Whether or not you’re trying to lose weight, discharging heavy emotions and petty annoyances leaves you with a lightness. It feels like lifting a weight off your shoulders.

Norman Vincent Peale, author of The Power of Positive Thinking, suggested a way of examining your negative emotions. For twenty-four hours, every time you feel frustrated or irritated, write it down—no matter how petty or minor the annoyance. At the end of twenty-four hours, review the list. Does it give you insight into what you need to let go of?

In your journal, write down your negative thought and then your positive counterstatement. Over time, you’ll be able to detox your mind, releasing unnecessary fear and worry. And while you are at it, use that very same journal each night to write down things that went well or things you feel grateful for in your life. Science shows that this process, done repeatedly, will bring you more happiness through simply acknowledging the positive.

Exercise

Yoga encompasses the belief that we all have an inner fire that needs to be stoked for proper digestion and detoxification. To this end, yoga has many kriyas, or cleansing practices, designed to clear the physical and subtle bodies. I love agni sara, a kriya that burns up impurities in the energy bodies. It’s an advanced practice that is considered foundational for many yogis: agni means “fire,” and sara means “essence.” In this practice, you contract the muscles from the floor of your pelvis to your diaphragm while emptying out your breath. The act of creating heat in the internal organs boosts circulation, improves elimination, and releases toxins. These aren’t the only benefits. Working with the core also helps you connect with your center, bring awareness to your breath, and get in touch with your emotions.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Stand in a comfortable position with your feet spread 3 feet apart and your knees bent at 90-degree angles (known as “horse stance”).

2. Bring your hands to your thighs, coming into a slight squat while keeping your back erect, not rounded.

3. Exhale completely. Holding the breath out, contract your pelvic floor and abdomen, “sucking” your belly in and up. The whole front of your body should be contracted and the breath should be emptied out. Pump the diaphragm in and out five times, while still not breathing, keeping all breath out.

4. After the final pump, take a deep inhale and release the contraction.

5. Continue with these exhalations and inhalations, making them as smooth and steady as you can.

6. Repeat the sequence five times, and gradually build up to thirty repetitions.

Test Yourself

Your body is designed to detoxify, but sometimes there are roadblocks. In my first book, The Hormone Cure, I talked about the importance of organ reserve—the capacity of an organ, such as your liver, thyroid, or adrenal glands, to function beyond its baseline needs. When it comes to detoxification, the most important organs on your team are your liver, gut, skin, kidneys, fat, and lungs. You can detoxify your lungs with exercise, sweating, and breathing practices. Moreover, it’s worthwhile to test your liver in a simple blood test (performed by most doctors in an annual checkup) called alanine aminotransferase (ALT). The ALT level in your blood is primarily produced in the liver, as well as in lesser amounts in the heart, muscles, kidneys, and pancreas. The ALT level indicates whether the liver is diseased or injured.

Notes from Hormone Resetters

“I completed my chemo, radiation, and Herceptin treatment for breast cancer. I had gained weight and lost many other things, my self-esteem and my not-so-bad-looking body and my beautiful hair. My friend recommended your program, and it worked for her! I was ready to look and feel better. Needless to say, I feel great and lost 12 pounds in a delightful way, and I even did it while on vacation!” —Rhona

“My main reason for going on the [program] was to eliminate unnecessary toxins in my body. In the middle, I experienced serenity and lots of energy. I learned much more than I expected to learn from the program, and Dr. Gottfried does an amazing job in explaining not only what you need to do, but why, and she uses the latest information available today from the best science out there. It is a great learning experience, and you will feel great afterwards.” —Mark

Final Word

Courage transforms fear. I encourage you to use this as a sacred time to clear off the dust and discover how courageous you can be toward yourself. Take an inventory of your fears. Release your fears along with the toxins. Start anew from the powerful, strong center within—a resource you can always count on, no matter what is happening in the external world. Cross the bridge from fear with courage and reach toward your deepest and most heartfelt dreams.

Remember to invite the Divine into your life by setting up a regular practice of prayer—whether it’s attending church, walking in the woods or near the ocean, or just spending quiet time clearing your mind each day.

I suspect you’ll be surprised at how many environmental toxins and synthetic chemicals we expose ourselves to each day. Many of these products are metabolism blockers. It’s important to identify the worst culprits, reduce your exposure, and replace them with healthier alternatives.

Good luck with the Toxin Free reset. I’ve seen profound results when it’s approached with an open heart and mind. When you give yourself permission to release ingrained habits that don’t serve you anymore, integrate what you’ve learned, and honor what is unique for your body, my hunch is that you just might find a profound and renewed connection to your life.