Do Detoxes Really Work? Here’s What You Need to Know

The word detox gets thrown around so much these days that it almost feels like a fad. Juice cleanses, extreme fasting, handfuls of pills and spoon loads of powders, they all promise to “flush out toxins” and give you glowing skin, a flat stomach, and boundless energy. But do detoxes really work and are they worth the money?

The truth is that our bodies already have an incredible detox system built in. Your liver, kidneys, gut, lungs, and skin are constantly working together to filter out harmful pesticides, herbicides, pollution and other not nice compounds, to process nutrients from our food, and keep things running smoothly. The problem isn’t that your body can’t detox. The problem is that modern life bombards us with more toxins than ever before: Pesticides, pollution, plastics, processed food-like items with synthetic fats and flavors, alcohol, stress, medications…and that can overwhelm our natural systems.

So, let’s break it down: how does your liver detoxify your body? And what kind of reset really helps, without gimmicks?

How Your Liver Detoxes: Phase 1 and Phase 2

Your liver doesn’t just sit there like a sponge. It has a two-step detoxification process that’s constantly at work.

✨ Phase 1: Neutralizing Toxins
In this phase, your liver uses enzymes to transform fat-soluble toxins into intermediate forms. Think of this as breaking down a big piece of trash into smaller chunks. The catch? These “chunks” can actually be more toxic if left unfinished. That’s why your body can’t stop here.

✨ Phase 2: Making Them Safe to Eliminate
Phase 2 is where the liver attaches molecules (like sulfur, amino acids, or antioxidants) to those intermediate toxins, making them water-soluble so they can be excreted through urine, bile, or sweat. This is the clean-up crew phase, where toxins are neutralized and escorted out of your body.

For these processes to work well, your body needs specific nutrients, things like sulfur (found in cruciferous veggies and MSM), antioxidants (like vitamin C and carotenoids), amino acids, and minerals. Without enough of these building blocks, your detox pathways get sluggish.

Why Most “Detoxes” Don’t Work

Here’s the issue: most commercial detoxes or cleanses don’t actually support your liver. They either:

🚫 Starve you — like extreme juice fasts, which leave your body without the protein, fiber, and nutrients it needs for Phase 1 and Phase 2 to function.

🚫 Rely on gimmicky teas and supplements — some are overloaded with laxatives or diuretics that just make you lose water weight (not toxins).

🚫 Ignore the gut-liver connection — if your gut is inflamed, sluggish, or the beneficial bacteria out of balance, your detox process can backfire. Toxins that should be eliminated can get reabsorbed into your bloodstream, creating even more stress on your body.

A real detox shouldn’t leave you depleted or running to the bathroom. It should nourish your body, supply the nutrients your liver needs, and restore your gut microbiota so toxins can leave.

Sometimes in cases of extreme illness a physician-guided detox or fast may be considered. We recommend a consultation with the experienced doctors at True North or a facility they recommend.

The Smart Way to Detox: Nourish, Don’t Deprive

If you want to support your liver and gut in today’s toxin-heavy world, here’s what to focus on:

💚 Eat whole, plant-based foods – potatoes, rice, beans, vegetables, grains and fruit, rich in fiber, antioxidants, and minerals. These feed your microbiome, balance digestion, and fuel Phase 1 and Phase 2 detoxification.

💚 Support your gut – 50 to 100 grams of fiber keep digestion moving so toxins don’t hang around. A healthy microbiome also helps regulate inflammation and immunity.

💚 Hydrate properly – water, herbal teas, and mineral-rich broths help flush water-soluble toxins.

💚 Nourish your liver – cruciferous veggies (like broccoli and kale), sulfur-rich foods (like garlic and onions), and supplements like MSM or curcumin can all boost detox pathways.

Why the Boon Broth Gut Reset Works

Instead of deprivation or gimmicks, the Boon Broth Gut Reset is built on nourishment. It gives your body everything it needs to help your liver and gut do what they’re designed to do: detox naturally.

✅ Boon Broth – a rich, plant-based bone broth alternative packed with 72 trace minerals from three types of sea plants, MSM (a sulfur source for collagen and detox), curcumin (for inflammation), and yellow chlorella (for gut and cellular health). It’s the foundation for restoring digestion and supporting Phase 2 detox.

✅ Wholesome recipes – instead of juice-only, you get delicious, fiber-rich recipes that keep your energy up while feeding your microbiome.

✅ A guide to success – no guesswork, just a clear, step-by-step reset that walks you through nourishing meals and daily support.

The result? Less bloating, brighter skin, improved digestion, and a gut that feels lighter and more balanced.

Detoxes shouldn’t be about starving yourself or chasing trends. It’s about giving your body the right tools to do what it already knows how to do: Cleanse, restore, and thrive.

If you’ve been feeling sluggish, bloated, or just “off”, a gentle, nourishing reset could be exactly what your gut and liver need.