Perhaps you’re looking for a new job and you need to clear a drug test, or maybe you’re tolerance has gotten too high and you want to clear yourself out; whatever your particular situation may be, if you’re looking to do a THC detox, you’re probably wondering how to go about achieving your goal as quickly and as efficiently as possible. There is tons of information out there about THC detoxing, which can make things a bit confusing.
In order to help clear up any confusion that you might be feeling, keep on reading. Below, you’ll find some handy information, including facts, myths, and tips, that will help to make your THC detox a hassle-free and successful experience.
What is a THC detox?
In the most basic terms, detox refers to abstaining from consuming specific substances so that you can either avoid the build-up of trace amounts of those substances in your body, or so that you can remove the trace amounts that have already accumulated in your body from repetitive use. When it comes to cannabis, every time you smoke it or eat it, the THC builds up in your system.
Over time, the buildup can become so much that your tolerance level can become extremely high, making it harder and harder to achieve a high. Additionally, if you need to take a drug test for any reason – to clear a background check for a new job, for example – when THC builds up in your system, it will most certainly show up in your urine or hair follicle test.
Side Effects of THC Detox
If your cannabis use is heavy and you’ve been using it for a long time, detoxing may be a bit difficult. While THC isn’t harmful to your health, the cannabinoid attaches to the endocannabinoid system within the body, so when you stop using weed, you might experience some unpleasant side effects.
Examples of some of the symptoms that you might experience while you’re detoxing from cannabis might include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Loss of appetite
It’s been debated whether or not these side effects are the result of THC withdrawal symptoms, or rather, if they’re just the result of stopping the use of a medication that you have been using to ease the above-mentioned discomforts.
Whatever the specific cause, it’s certainly that everyone can agree that the side effects aren’t exactly pleasant.
THC Detox: What Doesn’t Work
While there’s no doubt that you can find a lot of information out there about THC detoxing, some of the tips you’ll find are nothing but bunk. A lot of websites offer nothing but fast fixes that offer minimal results, or make suggestions that don’t do anything at all.
Examples of some of the strategies that won’t do anything for your THC detox include:
- Drinking excessive amounts of water. While water is certainly important for hydration and it does help to move some of the THC out of the body by way of the liver and kidneys, drinking so much that you get sick to your stomach won’t do you any good at all. Sorry athletes.
- Cranberry juice is great for your urinary tract, but when it comes to detoxing, it isn’t going to do much.
- Vinegar. Some recommend white vinegar and others suggest apple cider, but not only do they taste absolutely disgusting, but they likely won’t do anything but make you toss our cookies.
- Bleach. Yep, we said it. Bleach. We’ve actually seen some websites and forums promoting the use of bleach to detox from THC. DO NOT, under ANY circumstances, should you EVER ingest bleach! Never!
Most of these quick fix methods that you’ll find out there are nothing more than myths, and they totally shouldn’t be trusted. The truth is, no amount of juice, water, tea, or supplement will flush the THC out of your body in a short period of time. In order to get rid of the accumulation, it takes time!
THC Detox Methods that DO Work
Now that you know what doesn’t work and what to avoid, let’s take a look at things that you can try. Below are some tips that you can use to flush the buildup of THC out of your system.
- Stop using. While it might seem pretty obvious, it’s important to point out that if you want to detox from THC, then you’re going to need to abstain from using it. Obviously, if you keep on toking, it’s just going to keep on building up in your system and you’ll never reach your goal. If you think that stopping cold turkey will be too difficult, take the slow approach. Minimize the amount you consume each day until you completely stop using it.
- Work out. You’ll want to get moving! THC is stored within the body’s fat cells, so in order to cleanse it from your system, exercising is definitely recommended. Try cardio, weight training, swimming, jogging, biking, or anything else that gets you moving and burns fat.
- Stay hydrated. While drinking excessive amounts of water in a short period of time has been touted as a quick THC detox fix, that doesn’t mean that you should completely avoid drinking water all together – obviously! Staying hydrated is key to your overall health and well-being, especially when you’re going through a detox. Your body will use more fluid as it cleanse the system, and you need to replenish that lost fluid in order to avoid getting dehydrated. Make sure you drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day; however, even more is recommended. But, don’t do something outlandish, like drink 64 ounces in an hour or 324 ounces in a single day, for example.
- Eat healthy. A healthy, well-balanced diet is necessary if you want to detox from THC. Nutrient-dense, organic foods are the key to good health, and they will totally help to speed up your detox. Avoid junk food, red meat, foods that are high in sugars, fats, and nitrates, for example.
- Wait. You can’t rush human biology, your body works to it’s own clock and beating it up with unhealthy magic potions to rid your body of THC faster than biologically possible is just a waste of money.
How Guilty Should You Feel?
A lot of people look to THC detox because they feel guilt or shame from friends, family, employers, or culture at large. Personally we do not feel like this is a good reason to give up cannabis. Every person’s relationship with cannabis is a unique one, just like human relations, which have levels of complexity that only those involved fully understand.
That said, if you don’t feel guilty but are smoking all day every day, spending way too much money, missing commitments with friends and family, and/or only think about cannabis then a detox sounds might be worth considering.
The cannabis plant is a gift from nature; it provides much but only asks to not be abused. Treat it with respect and it will treat you well. Abuse it and you may find things in life not going as good as they might be if you are able to discern between moderation and over-use.
