Ancestral Approaches to Detox

Since our bodies evolved over hundreds of thousands of years to thrive on whole, unprocessed foods found in nature, today’s renaissance of the ancestral diet promotes eating how our ancestors ate before the modern age of industrialized food systems.

While our ancestors lived in a less toxic world than we do today, their seasonal eating patterns and diets, consisting of wild, whole foods, bolstered their bodies’ detoxification systems.

This holistic detox guide incorporates time-tested culinary wisdom to support our ancient bodies in a modern world.

Well-nourished detox

“When healthy and nourished, the body will have the raw materials it needs to support liver function, kidney function, and detoxification,” says Stefanie Adler, functional diagnostic nutritionist and certified nutrition consultant.

Protein and B vitamins

Nutritional protein is required as a building block for the body to make detoxification enzymes. Animal foods are the richest source of protein, as well as of B vitamins, which are required for the methylation reactions that occur during detoxification.

Many of us could benefit from increasing the amount of whole, food-based protein in our diets.

The ancestral way

Eating nose-to-tail involves consuming all parts of the animal, including the meat, fat, organs, marrow, dairy, eggs, and fish with bones. This practice honours the animal by not letting any part go to waste and benefits us with nutrient-dense food.

Organ meats (liver, kidney, and heart) are nutritional powerhouses that are particularly rich in B vitamins.

Traditional practices of consuming whole grains with the germ and bran intact help preserve B-vitamin concentration. The microbial activity that ensues when fermenting dairy and vegetable foods also produces B vitamins.

[callout]

Supplements to support detoxification

• chlorella
• turmeric
• N-acetylcysteine
• indole-3-carbinol
• greens powder
• mushrooms
• psyllium

[/callout]

Phytonutrients

There are many plant-based bioactive compounds that modulate detoxification, some of which include sulphoraphane (cruciferous vegetables), polyphenols (berries, herbs), catechins (green tea), and allicin (garlic).

In terms of phytonutrients, many modern diets pale in comparison to the amount estimated to have been consumed in ancestral human diets.

The ancestral way

Traditional diets rely on wild plants, heirloom varieties of vegetables, and foraged herbs, which may contain higher levels of phytonutrients and a greater diversity of phytonutrients than selectively bred crops. For instance, wild blueberries may contain twice the amount of phenols and three times the amount of anthocyanins than some cultivated blueberries.

Unlike our modern-day preference for mild- and sweet-tasting greens and herbs, ancestral diets are thought to have included more bitter-tasting ones, such as dandelion, chicory, and nettle. Bitters are traditionally used to promote digestion and detoxification.

Ancestral diets also honour seasonal rhythms. Dandelion makes its appearance in the spring, for instance, making springtime a natural time for bolstering your detoxification by foraging locally.

Minerals

Adler says that adequate levels of minerals like magnesium, selenium, sodium, potassium, and calcium can replace heavy metals in the body, which is important when it comes to detox.

But when we lack minerals, the body compensates by stocking up on heavy metals. Heavy metal toxicity is associated with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, neurological disorders, and some cancers.

In today’s soil, magnesium is the most depleted mineral. Animal research suggests that a low-magnesium diet is associated with reduced concentrations of glutathione, the master antioxidant involved in liver detoxification.

The ancestral way

In comparison to conventionally raised animals, wild and pastured animals naturally eat a greater diversity of nutrients in their diet. This makes their meat richer in minerals, including magnesium and selenium.

Traditional food preparation and preservation practices also enhance the mineral concentration and absorbability of food.

Ancestral food preparation

Traditional food preparation and preservation methods may help enhance the nutrient availability in food.

Soaking

Soaking the seeds of grains and legumes reduces the concentration of oxalates and lectins, which act as antinutrients in the body.

Sprouting

Germinating legumes and cereals can increase the bioavailability of minerals, such as iron, calcium, and zinc, by reducing phytates―known to prevent the absorption of these minerals in the body.

Fermentation

Fermented vegetables (such as sauerkraut, pickles, and kimchi) and fermented dairy (yogurt, kefir) contain organic acids and bacteria, which improve gut health and nutrient absorption. Fermenting vegetables may also increase concentration of vitamins A and C and phenols.

The fermentation process involved in making sourdough reduces the phytate concentration in the bread.

Bone broth

The long simmering of bones, joints, and marrow with a splash of vinegar extracts minerals into the water to create a nutrient-rich broth. Bone broth is rich in collagen; amino acids (glutamine, glycine, proline, histidine, arginine); and minerals (calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and zinc). Drinking bone broth may improve gut health and enhance nutrient absorption.

[callout]

How to practise ancestral nutrition

whole, unprocessed foods	Eat food as close to its natural state as possible (how it grows on the farm). This applies to fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and animal proteins. Avoid ultra-processed products, refined sugars, refined flours, and industrial seed oils.
all parts of the animal	Eat nose-to-tail, including meat, fat, organs, bone marrow, dairy, eggs, and fish with bones. These parts of the animal are nutrient dense, and make your overall diet more nutritionally diverse.
traditional preparation methods	Use fermentation, soaking, sprouting, and slow cooking to improve digestibility and nutrient availability. Making your own fermented vegetables can ensure a higher concentration of beneficial microbes, which are reduced in pasteurized consumer products.
local	Produce intended to be sold locally is allowed to ripen fully, which increases its concentration of nutrients. Join a community supported agriculture program, shop at the farmer’s market, or forage for wild greens and herbs in your area.
in-season	Eat what’s available in your environment through the seasons; for example, bitter greens in the spring, berries in the summer, and squash in the fall. Preserve the bounty of the growing season by canning your produce at home to enjoy throughout the winter.

[/callout]

This article was originally published in the January 2026 issue of alive magazine.