When most people think of “detox,” they picture tall bottles of green juice, lemon water with cayenne, or a week of sipping liquids and skipping meals. It’s easy to believe that cleansing means cutting out real food, surviving on liquids, and hoping for a miraculous “reset” by day seven.
But here’s the truth: your body is detoxing right now — and it has been every single day of your life. Real detoxification isn’t a one-off event; it’s an ongoing, built-in process your body performs 24/7, whether you’re eating, sleeping, or going about your day.
At Functional Medicine Los Angeles, and specifically at our functional medicine Burbank office, we help people understand that detox is not about “starving toxins out” — it’s about supporting your body’s own intelligent systems so they can work at their best.
Your Detox Team: Working Around the Clock
Think of your body as having a built-in cleaning crew:
- Liver: Acts as the master filter, transforming harmful substances into safer forms your body can eliminate.
- Kidneys: Filter waste from your blood and send it out through urine.
- Lungs: Release carbon dioxide and filter airborne toxins.
- Skin: Eliminates waste through sweat.
- Lymphatic System: Moves waste and immune cells through the body for processing.
When these systems are well-nourished and functioning smoothly, you don’t just “feel clean” — you feel energized, mentally sharp, and resilient.
The Juice Cleanse Myth
Juice cleanses can be a nice addition to a healthy routine when used mindfully. They flood your body with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which can feel refreshing — especially if your normal diet is lacking in fresh produce.
However, they also have drawbacks:
- Lack of proteinslows down detox enzymes in the liver.
- Low healthy fat intake affects hormone balance and nutrient absorption.
- Minimal fibermeans toxins that should leave your body may linger in your gut instead.
Instead of thinking of detox as “flushing everything out in a few days,” think of it as “keeping everything flowing smoothly every day.”
A Functional Medicine Approach to Detox
In functional medicine Studio City, we don’t rely on extreme diets to “fix” your health. We look for root causes: Why might your detox systems be sluggish? Is it nutrient deficiency, chronic inflammation, stress overload, poor sleep, or environmental toxin exposure?
We then create a plan that nourishes your detox pathways with:
- Whole foods rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.
- Daily movement to stimulate circulation and lymph flow.
- Hydration habits that keep your cells and elimination systems working efficiently.
- Targeted supplements when testing shows your body needs extra support.
The Everyday Detox Lifestyle
The most powerful detox isn’t a 5-day cleanse — it’s the small, consistent choices you make daily. Here’s what we guide our clients to do:
- Eat a rainbow of vegetables and fruits to supply a full range of phytonutrients.
- Include quality protein at every meal to keep liver detox enzymes active.
- Use healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, and nuts to help carry fat-soluble toxins out.
- Sweat regularly through exercise or sauna sessions.
- Prioritize 7–9 hours of quality sleep so your brain’s glymphatic system can clear waste.
Bottom line: Your body doesn’t need to be tricked into detoxing — it needs to be supported. And when you give it the right tools, it will cleanse, repair, and renew itself naturally, without extreme diets or deprivation.
At Functional Medicine Los Angeles, we believe detox is about empowering your body’s own wisdom — so you can feel clear-headed, light, and energized every day, not just during a “cleanse week.