If you think reducing your toxic load at home means investing in expensive biohacking devices, you’re doing it wrong. Here’s our list of low-commitment and (almost) free habits anyone can begin.
There’s a common misconception about clean living that it’s all or nothing.
There’s a myth that one small “clean living” swap puts you on a slippery slope to pricey wellness gadgets and impractical DIY habits. In reality, small changes can stay small.
Clean living is simply about doing what you can. If that means taking your shoes off at the front door, early morning grounding sessions, or drinking lemon water to support your liver, then welcome! You’re in the right place.
To start the new year off right, we’ve compiled a list of low-commitment and (almost) free habits you can use to detox your home and reduce the toxic load on your family. Essentially, if we had to start all over again, this is what we’d do…
What Is a Toxic Load and Why Does It Matter?
Toxic load refers to the amount of toxins in your environment and body. From microplastics to pesticides, heavy metals to EMFs, exposure is now a daily reality. That’s why it’s up to us to be aware of our spaces and do what we can to reduce the cumulative “toxic burden” on our bodies.
Drainage Pathways: How Our Bodies Detox
First, let’s talk drainage pathways. These are the organs and systems we use to drain toxins out of the body. They’re always moving and working on our behalf to keep our bodies vibrant and healthy. Whether you remove environmental toxins or boost your immune system with whole food vitamin C, the end goal is to keep these eight systems strong and functional.
-
Liver. Your main detox organ, the liver removes toxins from the blood and turns them into waste. It also metabolizes nutrients, turning them into energy.
-
Bile ducts. Bile transports toxins from the liver to the stool.
-
Lymphatic system. Moving toxins out of body tissue, the lymphatic system works alongside the circulatory system to filter toxins and bacteria.
-
Kidneys. Taking excess fluid from the blood, the kidneys process what we need and don’t need, filtering fluid into urine.
-
Lungs. Yep, the lungs are a detox organ, too. They use mucus and their own filtration system to cleanse oxygen.
-
Colon. When your colon is functioning well, waste doesn’t get backed up in the intestines.
-
Mitochondria (or cells). Detox happens on a cellular level, too. The mitochondria are tiny housekeepers that sweep out cellular waste.
-
Glymphatic system. Located inside the brain, the glymphatic system uses fluid to drain toxins from our brain while we sleep.
10 Ways to Reduce Toxic Load
Clean living doesn’t require perfection or a total lifestyle overhaul.
If you’re making even one thoughtful choice to reduce toxic load in your home, you’re already moving in the right direction.
-
Use glass instead of plastic
Microplastics are all around us, and it can be difficult to avoid them entirely. But we can reduce our overall exposure with small lifestyle shifts. Glass water bottles, lunch containers, and mixing bowls are easy swaps. It’s a small change that meaningfully lowers everyday exposure, especially when heating food.
-
Filter your drinking water (and add minerals!)
Check out the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Tap Water Database to get a full report on your local drinking water. They check for toxins like PFAS, chloroform, fluoride, heavy metals, and more. A simple pitcher or filtration system can turn your drinking water from a chemical cocktail back to a cellular hydration powerhouse. We opt for reverse osmosis systems.
-
Move your body and sweat
In Chinese medicine, stagnation is considered responsible for toxin overload. This can look like a sluggish lymphatic system or a sedentary lifestyle. Movement is medicine, and any kind of movement helps your detox pathways thrive. If you move enough to sweat, then you get the extra bonus of sweating out toxins.
-
Regulate before you detox
Stuck emotions can keep the body in a state of suspension. The nervous system — which influences the brain, gut, and detox pathways — needs to feel safe in order to function well. When emotions are avoided or needs are consistently set aside for others, the body stays on alert. Supporting your health means addressing this layer, too.
Nervous system regulation is free, but it requires intention. Time alone, journaling, and emotional awareness allow what’s been stored to move through. This isn’t about forcing feelings or reliving pain — it’s about giving your body the safety it needs to regulate, repair, and restore.
-
Prioritize local whole foods
Whole foods are your insurance policy against environmental stressors. This step isn’t just about avoiding pesticides and hormones in your meals. It’s about building strong cells that stand up against environmental toxins.
Local whole foods don’t necessarily have to have the “organic” label, either. This label isn’t cheap, and it takes a lot of infrastructure for your local farm to earn. Ask your farmer what kinds of regenerative and organic practices they use before counting them out. Even non-organic fruits, veggies, and meats tend to have more nutrient density when they’re local.
-
Have a strict “no fragrance” policy
Unplug your air fresheners and get picky about your candles. Environmental fragrances are usually unnecessary and just add hormone disruptors to your environment. If you still want your home to smell good, try herbs, essential oils, and tallow or beeswax candles.
-
Swap your cleaning products
Have you ever read the warnings on the back of your bathroom floor cleaner? Yikes. There are so many healthier options that get the job done, without polluting your indoor air quality. We love Branch Basics, but kitchen staples like borax, rubbing alcohol, baking soda, and vinegar work well too.
-
Open your windows
If you live in the countryside, freshen up your indoor air quality by opening the windows. This can help release trapped toxins and reduce the risk of mold growth.
-
Turn off your wifi at night
Before you write this off as too extreme, see what happens when you try it. Likely, you’ll experience better sleep, improve your scrolling habits, and reduce daily EMF exposure. Remember, real traction happens when we take small steps.
-
Touch grass (no, really)
The practice of grounding naturally helps regulate our nervous system and reduce inflammation. All it takes is connecting your body to the earth’s negative charge. You can do this by putting bare feet on the grass, using barefoot shoes, or laying out a natural fiber blanket for your picnic lunch. Often, even concrete counts, as long as there’s no plastic between you and the earth. Grounding is a totally free, natural medicine that reconnects us with the natural world.
Community Builds Long-Term Habits
This New Year, we’re focused on cultivating long-term habits, not quick resolutions. Whether you’re just dipping your toes into the clean living space, or you’re a seasoned pro, we’d love to help you build real wellness habits, starting with community. Join our Instagram group for New Year tips, challenges, and giveaways to jumpstart your year.