We’re about to enter holiday season, and until the last hour when we tip ecstatically into the New Year, it’s easy to feel like our bodies are literally made of gingerbread, champagne, and smoke.

If you’ve enjoyed an “elevated” holiday season and want to hit the ‘restart’ button on your body by abstaining from your beloved herb for a time, then Verdant Herbals would like to offer you a little professional guidance for a New Year’s 2017 Cannabis Cleanse.

Marijuana In Your Body

When you consume pot (inhale or ingest), Tetrahydrocannabinol (AKA THC), the main psychoactive compound of the cannabis plant, is metabolized through the liver into the non-psychoactive THC carboxylic Acid, or THC-COOH. This is a lipid soluble metabolite detectable in the body long after the effects of THC have worn off and is what drug screens test for.

This means that THC metabolites are stored in your fat cells. Before the metabolites can find their way out of the body, they need to be released into the blood stream. The ‘half-life’ of the metabolite, or the amount of time it takes to rid the body of all traces of THC-COOH, depends on a few specific variables: the quantity and potency of the cannabis you consume, how frequently you partake, and the rate of your metabolism.

Infrequent consumers (1-2 times per month) may be able to eliminate all traces of THC from their system in 10-13 days. Heavy users, (4 – 7 times per week) have a higher baseline of the metabolite in their cells, which may require 30-90 days to be totally released.

Detox Kits

When choosing a detox kit, you should ask yourself this question, “Do you want to mask THC in your system or actually eliminate it from your system with zero possibility of detection”. There are plenty of quick-detox products on the market you can start 1-10 days prior to a drug test that will likely get you a ‘pass.’ Most of them mask the THC in your body, and encourage you to drink a lot of water and Gatorade.

However, most rapid cleanse products will not actually rid your body of THC. Actually, in the last days leading up to the test, some specialist, would advise you to refrain from practices like sweaty workout sessions or consuming high-fiber foods that would otherwise be good for a cannabis detox. How come? Not exercising will signal your body to store your THC-laced chub in your fat cells instead of releasing the metabolites into the kidneys – and then into your urine. A fatty, meaty diet spikes your creatine levels, which will darken your urine and thus allow it to not appear to be so diluted.

Verdant Herbals has spent 10 years developing a detox kit of pharmaceutical grade supplements that actually remove THC detectable metabolites from your system. Unlike many other detox kits on the market that “mask” the marijuana, Verdant’s 48 Hour THC Detox kit contains herbal components that actually remove toxins. We strongly recommend a product that is proven to remove marijuana from your system over products that mask THC in your system. Verdant’s 48 Hour Marijuana Detox Kit is gentle enough that it won’t have any negative side effects yet strong enough to actually remove unwanted elements in a rapid timeframe.

Tips For Natural Way’s To Detox

For those looking for a more natural process, you will find that some elements of a cannabis cleanse lasting 30-90 days might dovetail nicely with your New Year’s health regimen. To really get THC Metabolites out of your body you need time and some good habits. But there are a few things you can do to expedite the process. Here are the basics:

Stop Consuming Marijuana

Any form of cannabis: Concentrates, topicals, edibles or flower. It should be noted that while few consider marijuana to be an addictive drug, some people do experience withdrawal symptoms.

Laboratory studies and surveys reported that after stopping their consumption of cannabis, more frequent users felt irritable, angry, or depressed and had difficulty sleeping. Headaches, muscle tension, night sweats, trembling and weird smells might also be part of the fun. Symptoms appear within 24 hours of quitting, peak at the 2-4 day mark, and generally stop after 1-2 weeks.

So before you start your cleanse it might be good to stock up on natural remedies for nervous tension like Theanine, Gaba, and Magnesium and herbal sleep aids like Valerian, Hops, or Melatonin.

Exercise

As we mentioned, THC metabolites are stored in your fatty tissue. The more you exercise and burn fat, the faster your body will remove the metabolites from your system.

Exercise is also an excellent habit “replacer.” As Dr. Moss says, “Energy, if unused, becomes morbid.” When people detox in any area of their lives, they often find they have significantly more energy – but don’t know what to do with it. Moderate exercise, or initiating a hobby or project can give you a place to channel and release new energy.

Drink Water & Green Tea

You know this, right? THC is released from the body through sweat and urine, so the more water you drink, the more you will be able to flush out any toxins through your kidneys and organs of elimination. The alkalinity of fresh vegetable juices – including wheatgrass shots – will help to neutralize and absorb THC-COOH.

If you need more flavor in your fluids or want to supercharge their cleansing effects, try steeping sliced cucumber and ginger in a jug of water, or make a concoction of lemon juice, cinnamon and hot water in the morning.

Eat A ketogenic Diet

Eating a ketogenic diet forces the body to metabolize fat for energy as opposed to glucose (carbohydrates and sugar). If THC metabolites are stored in you fat, then burning fat will cause them to be removed from your system more quickly. Also, you’ll look and feel great.

Supplement

Niacin, or Vitamin B3, triggers the production of histamines and causes blood capillaries to dilate, which then allows more toxins to be eliminated. You might have experienced the rosy ‘skin flush’ associated with taking higher doses of niacin. Usually enlisted for fast detox processes before a drug test, niacin in its ‘flush-free’ form can also be taken in smaller amounts as part of your daily detox routine. Try taking a tablet just before a hard work out and let the sweat pour.

Enjoy the Detox Process

If you’re experiencing some discomfort, or find yourself fantasizing about the next time you’ll get to smoke, or that you are ultra-sensitive to the smell of cannabis, don’t punish yourself. After all, most of us want to cry or punch someone if lunch is 20 minutes late. If cannabis has been a regular or daily part of your life for a while and you suddenly take it away, some negative emotions are bound to arise, and they’re completely valid. Just take a breath and reconnect with your reason for doing the cleanse in the first place.