Toxicity in Body and Mind: The Hidden Feedback Loop of Physical and Mental Stress
“Detoxing the body was just the start. I soon realized the mind held its own poisons — doubt, fear, and self-criticism. Sometimes, the body’s struggle amplifies the mind’s toxicity, creating a feedback loop harder to escape than any chemical contaminant.”
When Fasting Becomes a Mental Challenge
It all started with trying to fast. As a child, I couldn’t even go two hours without food — so surviving days on just water or juice felt impossible. My first kale juice attempt was… grim. Think raw cucumber skins and broccoli, scientifically packed with goitrogens that could interfere with thyroid iodine uptake. Luckily, my thyroid was healthy, but the experience reminded me that even “healthy” foods can challenge the body in unexpected ways.
I switched to a CABAAL juice — two kilos of carrots, red and yellow apples, beetroot, lemon, and green apple. It tasted like a wintery non-alcoholic martini or Bloody Mary. This fast wasn’t about forcing toxins out; it was designed to flood my body with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to aid natural detoxification.
By the end, my skin glowed, my eyes were bright, and I’d lost a kilo or two. But hunger was relentless. The juice fast triggered a transderivational search — one thought spiraling into another, imagining beaches, waves, frozen yogurt, a beer, a burger, live music. Every choice became a mental calculation: more juice, more preparation, trips to the shops. The fast became as much a mental exercise as a physical one.
Saunas, Supplements, and Biochemistry
I incorporated infrared sauna sessions. Heat stress promotes circulation, sweating, and stimulates metallothioneins — proteins that help bind and excrete heavy metals. Beyond the physical effects, the sauna created a meditative state, clearing mental clutter as I imagined athletes, jockeys, or models performing similar routines.
Even supplementation required nuance: balancing antioxidants, vitamin C, and polyphenols to support liver detox pathways, avoiding overconsumption of cruciferous vegetables, and maintaining gut health through fiber. Nutrition and biochemistry became tangible, influencing energy, cognition, and recovery.
The Feedback Loop of Mental Toxicity
Despite all the science, mental toxicity grew. Cognitive fatigue, anxiety, and self-criticism intensified. Chronic stress triggers cortisol release, increasing inflammation and slowing detoxification. Every perceived failure or doubt literally altered my biochemistry. Even nature walks and meditative singing weren’t fully restorative — sometimes, I drove my neighbors crazy.
Slowly, awareness and gratitude became my tools. Junk food lost appeal, and simple, nourishing meals like baked potatoes with olive oil, peanut butter, and fruit became pleasurable and healing. Motivation came from unexpected sources — Michel Lotito, the man who ate a Cessna over two years, became a symbol of endurance. If he could survive consuming bicycles and airplanes, surely I could endure juice, sauna, and mental strain.
It wasn’t just metal poisoning slowing me down — it was the synergy of physical stress, cognitive fatigue, and toxic thought patterns. Awareness, reflection, and self-compassion became essential for breaking the vicious cycle.
Coaching Insight
Lesson: mental toxicity is as real as physical toxicity. Chronic stress alters biochemistry, slows detox pathways, and amplifies fatigue. Healing the body without addressing the mind is incomplete. Awareness, self-compassion, and structured reflection are essential tools to break the cycle and restore balance.
Mini Hypnosis / Reflection
Close your eyes. Take a deep breath.
Visualize toxins leaving your body — heavy metals, oxidative stress, free radicals — flowing out with each exhale.
Imagine your mind releasing doubts, fears, and self-criticism like smoke drifting away.
Inhale clarity, energy, and calm.
With each breath, body and mind synchronize, restoring balance and harmony.
Closing / Teaser
Tomorrow, I’ll share the moments when hope felt impossible — when the weight of body and mind threatened to crush me, and yet, something inside refused to give up.