Is YOUR Body Fat Toxic? 8 Ways to Know for Sure
If you’ve never done a proper cleanse, the answer is most likely yes. Toxic body fat is not uncommon.
In the U.S., we’re exposed to over 85,000 toxins, chemicals, and pesticides. The stronger and healthier our liver, kidneys, bowels, skin, and lungs, the more efficiently they can remove these toxins.
The Problem? Toxins Accumulate
Over time, toxins build up from medications, hair dye, household cleaners, laundry detergents, and air fresheners. The liver becomes overburdened, the colon accumulates impacted waste (up to 25 pounds!), and the kidneys become sluggish. Unexplained back pain, fatigue, or bloating? These may be signs of toxic overload.
When detox organs are overwhelmed, body fat acts as a shield, storing toxins to protect the body. As a result, fat becomes resistant to burning.
8 Signs Your Body Fat May Be Toxic
If you’re wondering whether you’ve been storing toxins in your body, here are 8 signs to look out for:
- Waking up between 2 AM – 4 AM – The liver is most active in detoxification at this time. Waking up restless and sweaty after drinking alcohol? That’s your liver struggling.
- Morning grogginess – If you need coffee to function despite a full night’s sleep, your liver may need support.
- Constipation – Healthy digestion means eliminating 2–3 times per day without struggle. Foul-smelling gas and stool may indicate toxicity.
- Skin issues – Rashes, acne, or dry, itchy skin can signal that toxins are trying to escape through the skin.
- Aches and pains – Chronic inflammation, muscle spasms, and stiff joints are common with toxic buildup.
- Mood swings – Quick to anger? Feeling hopeless? Liver stress can impact emotional stability.
- Brain fog – Poor concentration, muddled thoughts, and fatigue are signs of toxic overload.
- Strong body odor – Bad breath, smelly feet, or strong body odor suggest toxins are trying to escape.
The Good News? Cleansing Can Change Everything
A liver and colon cleanse removes years of accumulated toxins, leading to:
✅Increased energy and mental clarity
✅Deeper, more restorative sleep
✅Stable mood and emotional balance
✅Clear, glowing skin
✅Reduced joint pain and inflammation
✅Effortless digestion and regular bowel movements
✅Natural weight loss
A cleanse is NOT a fast. You’ll eat clean, nutritious food while using cleansing herbs and fiber to safely eliminate toxins. I recommend cleansing 2 – 4 times per year for optimal health.
Want to Learn More?
For my free PDF “What to Expect When You’re Cleansing” and a science-backed cleanse guide, email drshirleysays@gmail.com or message me on Facebook.
Join my free Facebook group, Dr. Shirley’s School of Natural Health, where I teach live classes on sleep, joint health, anti-aging, healthy hair, and more!
Coming Up Next: The Younger You – The Natural Hormone We All Need… Daily!
From our resources: 5 Things You Can Do NOW to Help Your Body Detox.
Medical Disclaimer: This article is not intended as personalized medical advice. Always consult a doctor before making any changes to your diet, medical plan, or exercise routine.
Questions for Discussion:
Have you ever done a cleanse? What was your experience? Which of the 8 signs of toxicity do you notice most in yourself? What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to detoxing?
Tags Medical Conditions
Why is Sixty and Me featuring an article on a scientifically unsound practice?
Hi Lin and thank you for your comment. Detoxification is not a scientifically unsound practice. In fact, this study concludes that a carefully crafted program can help in combatting many chronic diseases.
It is unfortunate that diet and natural remedies that have been used for centuries are looked down on by modern day humans. Not many studies are done in this regard, sadly. We should remember where we came from and what it took us to get here. Forgetting the past seems to be the modern day man’s biggest flaw.
Best to you!
I’m surprised and chagrined that Sixty and Me would promote this type of unproven medical advice.
Hi Danna, and thank you for commenting. People in many countries outside of the West do natural cleanses. It’s not so uncommon though it may not be, per se, medical advice based on mainstream practices.
Many clinicians don’t like natural remedies, but those have kept human kind alive through the centuries as that’s all that was available.
Of course, no advice should be taken blindly – this goes for medical advice as well.
Best to you!
Proven medical advice? Where has that gotten people? Years of taking fda approved drugs that never actually cure an illness. Sadly in the west, natural remedies have been pushed aside even though they have worked for lifetimes. Thankfully people are waking up to the truth. Everything we need to cure our body already exists in nature.
This article reads more as an advertisement for a product. Show us the studies that back this approach. I’m going to also throw in that the underlying message is a dog whistle for fat shaming women. In our society, fat shaming women is endemic and we need to stop it and be supportive of one another. If only, we “do” this product or “that” program, our lives will magically get better. Our bodies are way more complicated and there is no one “solution”. Men are not subjected to this type of “advice” anywhere near the frequency that women experience it. What about our sisters with lesser means? In general, I enjoy the content of this site. Not so much this article.
Thank you for this notation, Barbara!
My goodness…this article exists to help women and yes, I agree women are subject to so much more scrutiny than men. It’s true our bodies are toxic. It’s true toxins store in our body fat (and our brains, livers, etc.) and when thet’re removed? We feel SO much better. And are so much healthier. Here to help in every way. Always.
According to Google search: According to medical experts, a liver and colon cleanse is generally considered harmful as there is no scientific evidence to support its benefits, and it can potentially lead to negative side effects like dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and disruption of the gut microbiome; most healthcare professionals advise against them
Hi Karen, There are certainly a lot of different ways to get healthy…and we all get to choose that! I agree, there are many cleanses that are not well designed, full of poor-quality non-tested herbals and lack professional guidance along the way as well. It’s important to drink water all the time, but more important when we’re cleansing. I offer the PDF guide for clients, so they know what to eat, what to expect (what their bodies will most likely do) and that it’s not advisable to drink alcohol during a cleanse. I cleanse 4-5x per year…especially after traveling. I used to do a small cleanse every time I dyed my hair and advised clients to do the same. All natural in the hair department now! :) We are assaulted with over 85,000 chemicals in the US-and they accumulate and store in our fat, liver and brains. I, personally am SO thankful to be able to get these toxins OUT of my body. I wish you the very best!
Here’s what Harvard Health says: “There’s a stark contrast between powerful claims made by those promoting various cleanses and the scant evidence that they do anything good for your health. Searching the medical literature for “detox diets” or “cleanse diets” yields almost no relevant, high-quality medical evidence demonstrating health benefits.”
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/harvard-health-ad-watch-whats-being-cleansed-in-a-detox-cleanse-2020032519294
Thank you for sharing the truth about unnecessary “cleanse”s. they are dangerous and should NOT be used.
I agree…one simple Google search brings up so many options-many not containing proper, safe ingredients or fiber-the most important product that protects the body. Thank you!
Hi Stella! I’m afraid I’ll be disagreeing here…I do appreciate your opinion, of course! I’ve been working with 1,000’s of clients for well over 30 years helping people to create more energy, sleep more solid (liver time is 2AM-4AM according to TCM) and level out their mood. It’s also important that a good cleanse have a fiber component as it helps to encapsulate toxins that if detoxed too quickly, can cause headaches, body aches, etc. I personally cleanse 4-5x per year and feel amazing (66), full of energy, sleep solid, fit, strong, great skin and more. I attribute so much of my great health to removing toxins on a fairly regular basis. Best to you!