Detoxing 101: If You’re Not Pooping or Sweating, You’re Not Detoxing

By: Dr. Alyssa McPeak, DC, CFMP - Roots Wholistic Health

“Detoxing” is trending right now—teas, powders, cleanses, supplements, challenges, etc... But here’s the truth: your body already has built-in detox systems, and when they’re supported properly, they work beautifully.

And at the center of that system?👉 Your bowel movements and your sweat.

If you’re not pooping daily…If you’re not sweating daily…Your body is not detoxing the way it was designed to.

Let’s break down why this matters—and how you can support your natural detox pathways every single day.

Your Two Most Important Detox Pathways

1. Bowel Movements

Your liver filters toxins and waste from your blood, packages them up, and sends them to your gut for removal. But if you’re constipated—or even going less than once a day—those toxins can get reabsorbed back into your bloodstream, creating inflammation, hormone imbalance, fatigue, and digestive issues.

You should be having 1–3 healthy bowel movements daily. Anything less means your detox system is backed up.

2. Sweating

Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and sweating is one of its primary detox mechanisms. Through sweat, your body releases heavy metals, environmental toxins, and metabolic waste.

If you're not sweating on a daily basis, these toxins have fewer pathways to exit—and your system has to work much harder.

Detoxing Doesn’t Require a Trendy Cleanse—Just Daily Habits

While the wellness world loves a good detox fad, the most powerful detox strategies come from simple, consistent, daily habits that support your body’s natural pathways.

Here’s what we recommend at Roots Wholistic Health:

How to Naturally Detox Your Body Every Day

1. Prioritize Daily Bowel Movements

A few ways to support regularity naturally:

• Hydrate (aim for half your body weight in ounces of water daily)

• Increase fiber from veggies, chia seeds, flax, and leafy greens

• Support your gut with fermented foods and high-quality probiotics

• Reduce inflammatory foods like sugar, alcohol, seed oils, and food sensitivities

• Move your body daily to stimulate digestion

If your digestion is sluggish, it’s a sign your detox pathway needs support.

2. Sweat Daily

You don’t need to run a marathon—just get your body warm enough to sweat:

• A brisk walk

• Strength training

• Hot yoga

• Infrared sauna therapy (one of our favorite detox tools at Roots!)

Infrared sauna uses frequency and heat to help your body release toxins more effectively while improving circulation, reducing muscle tension, boosting metabolism, and calming your nervous system.

3. Drink Enough Water—And Then a Little More

Hydration is essential for:

• Moving waste through your colon

• Supporting lymphatic drainage

• Helping your liver detoxify

• Keeping your sweat pathways active

Most people think they’re drinking enough water—until they actually start tracking it.

4. Infrared Sauna Therapy

Our infrared sauna at Roots is one of the simplest and most effective ways to support detox.

Benefits include:

• Increased sweating for toxin release

• Improved lymphatic flow

• Reduced inflammation

• Decreased stress levels

• Better sleep

• Faster muscle recovery

Even 15–30 minutes a few times a week can significantly improve your detox ability.

5. Massage Therapy

Massage is not “just relaxing”—it is a powerful detox tool:

• Stimulates lymphatic drainage

• Improves circulation

• Loosens tight fascia that restricts detox flow

• Releases stored tension that impacts digestion and hormones

This is why so many people feel the need to drink water or use the bathroom after a massage—the detox pathways wake up.

6. Move Your Body

Movement is medicine. It doesn’t matter what you choose—walking, weight training, stretching, yoga, a quick HIIT session—movement helps your lymphatic system pump and clear toxins.

Unlike your heart, your lymphatic system doesn’t have a pump. Movement is the pump.

7. Support Your Liver

Your liver is your master detox organ.

Support it by:

• Eating cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts)

• Adding lemon to your water first thing in the morning

• Reducing alcohol and Tylenol

• Eating bitter foods

• Using herbs like milk thistle or dandelion root (always in consultation with a practitioner)

The Bottom Line: Detoxing Isn’t Complicated

You don’t need a cleanse.

You don’t need a 3-day juice fast.

You don’t need expensive detox kits.

You need your body’s natural detox systems functioning the way they were designed to—through pooping, sweating, hydrating, moving, and supporting your liver.

And if those systems aren’t working well, that’s your sign to dig deeper.

At Roots Wholistic Health, we look at the root cause of why your detox pathways may be sluggish—whether it’s hormones, stress, gut health, food sensitivities, or nutrient deficiencies—and build a plan to help your body thrive again.

Want Help Improving Detox, Digestion, and Hormone Balance?

Schedule a functional medicine appointment or infrared sauna session with us and let’s uncover what your body is telling you.

Your body wants to detox. Let’s help it do what it was made to do.