Image by Vivian Chen, M.D. March 19, 2025
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Detoxing deserves a total rebrand. For so long, we’ve associated the term "detox" with juice cleanses, restrictive diets, and the like, but according to board-certified internal medicine doctor Vivian Chen, M.D . (aka Dr. Viv ), detoxing isn’t about limiting your body—rather, you should focus on what you’re putting inside your system.
"The body needs you to nourish it in order to detox effectively," she says on this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast. See, your body naturally works on detoxification all day long, but certain habits can aid the process.
In addition to nutrient-dense diets, little habits can help you detox every single day. Below, Chen offers her nonnegotiable tips:
1. Poop
First things first: "You’ve got to poop," Chen says. "Poop is such an important exit pathway for toxins." See, your liver may break down various toxins you encounter, but those toxins are then sent to the gut to be eliminated. "If you’re not pooping, these toxins are reabsorbed back into the body, so you’re not actually detoxing at all," Chen explains.
It’s a mistake Chen sees all the time: People become enamored with "liver detoxes" and the like, but only a few actually target gut health . If you’re constipated or have an unhealthy balance of bacteria, she notes, you may be sabotaging your body’s natural detoxification process.
Even if you are pooping regularly, make sure you’re pooping properly. "Your poop needs to look like a long sausage," Chen explains. "If it’s [rabbit-like], if it’s not formed, if it’s watery, there’s something going on in your gut. You’ve got to work on your gut health first before you do anything else." Here, find our full guide to getting rid of constipation . liver detox+ Supports liver detoxification* ★ ★ ★ ★ ★★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (39) 2. Move Exercise is also essential for detoxification, as moving your body improves circulation and stimulates the lymphatic system, which essentially acts […]
4 Easy Habits To Detox Your Body Every Single Day, Backed By An MD
