This list comprises every tip and technique that you can do for free or next to no money to help you in your detoxing.  The emphasis here is assisting you in relaxing and helping you practice mindfulness and "letting go."   None of these therapies can replace being on herbal formulas and eating a raw fruit diet, but they do help one's quality of life and were important for me during periods of high stress.

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Rest More and Work Less

 

I have to mention this a million times but it bears repeating: Stop stressing so much with work and life and learn the art of taking a break and relaxing.  Be okay with doing absolutely nothing for a minute, an hour, or even a full day.  We are so conditioned to always be alert, active, and productive. 

 

You need to grab control of your life, and let go of the attachment to "Win" or make money or be successful.

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Drop the checklist, drop the to-do list, and drop the cell phone (preferably off your roof).  Do not sleep with your phone next to you.  Have ASMR YouTube videos playing on your laptop non-stop.  Breath through your belly and not your chest.    

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If you have savings you can live off of and stop working for a season, then absolutely do so.  Don't ever feel guilty for resting, ever.

 

Was the adrenaline hit from the adrenal glands worth the stress of a customer yelling at you for the greed and incompetence of your employer/boss?

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When you revolve your entire life around work, you blink and realize you wasted your entire life making someone else rich off of your blood, sweat and tears. 

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NO ONE on their death bed regretted relaxing more.  On the contrary, EVERY one of them regretted working TOO MUCH and not spending more time with friends and family.

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Someone lied to you and told you that you're lazy, incompetent, and a burden to society if you rest more.  That someone also made lots of money off of your insecurity.  The real burden that is shutting down kidney function and preventing you from healing is the stress that governments, employers, and your fellow citizens put you through every single day.

 

Instead of choosing Fight or Flight, choose Rest & Digest.  Instead of pushing epinephrine and norepinephrine to fight someone else's battles, fight your own war by playing the war of attrition.  It's a war of resources, and your adrenal glands only have so much energy to produce neurotransmitters for your body.  Choose to have your adrenals secrete dopamine and acetylcholine to turn on kidney function.  Energy is like a switch: You can either use your energy to fight or to rest.  You can't do both.  And with the level of adrenal weakness out there genetically, we have such little neurotransmitter to begin with. 

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The choice is clear: Get away from the stress as much as you can (without having to leave society) and love yourself more.  Enjoy every second of your life.  Be in the moment.  Every day is a gift that we certainly don't deserve, that's why it's called the "Present."  I know that joke is played out, but it's so true!

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Stop Watching the News

 

Something every person in the West needs to implement immediately: Stop watching the news.  Stop watching every single news station, podcast, and YouTube video regarding current events, be they political, economic, or social.  Don't listen to fear mongering or speculation. 

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My father spent hours every day watching Fox News and CNN and gained absolutely nothing from it besides a bad mood and frustration.  He would have been better off spending time at the casino rather than watching the news as he would have garnered a better return on his investment.

 

Don't give Fox News, CNN, MSNBC or any other news outlet a single dollar of your valuable time.  Yes, our society, the dollar, and our way of life may collapse any day now, but you don't need to hear about it or think about it.  You see enough degradation of our society on social media alone (which you should also drop like a bad habit).  I realize that Doomsday preaching does garner lots of attention and views, but its not constructive to your overall health and wellness.  You can stay ignorant of current events as there is nothing new under the sun.  Evil will continue to run rampant and our society will only get worse given how Gen Z and Gen Alpha are being raised and educated. 

 

We have to focus on fixing our health rather than listen to the distractions that these modern day news outlets use to control your attention.  Take your attention elsewhere on beautiful things and not the political dribble that these news networks have you addicted to.  In other words, look up towards the sky rather than look down at a screen perpetuating deception and sensationalism.  Your time is so much more valuable doing good deeds rather than sitting down consuming political advertising.

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Stop Watching Most New Movies/Shows/Series Released in Theaters and on Streaming Services

This applies to most modern movies, reality TV, dramas and programming on Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Paramount, AMC+, and the dozen of other worthless streaming apps out there.

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I've regrettably watched my fair share of these awful movies and shows over the last decade (mostly with other people so I didn't suffer alone).

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Do not participate in the politics and ideology these companies want to shove down your throat, whatever it may be.  Don't give them the opportunity to push any thought or idea to you as a means of controlling you.

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Vote with your time and attention.  Do not give them even a second of your time, as your time is precious.

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Not only are the politics bad, but the scenarios, writing, characters, dialogue and motivations can simply screw with your mind.  Yes, one has to detach from the media they consume, but these shows are designed to engross you.  They can warp your mind and change your expectations in daily life without your awareness. 

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The content you watch does have an effect upon your mind, even ever so slightly.  That's what these giant corporations are banking on: Push a message ever so subtly that you don't notice it and you eventually come to accept it more and more.

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They think that the more they shove their message down your throat, the more you will accept and approve of said message.  Don't let the message even attempt to sink in by not hearing the message to begin with.

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Every series has been milked, exploited, manipulated and destroyed by top executives of companies like Disney and Warner Bros.  Whether it's Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, Ghostbusters, or any animated Disney movie from the 90s.  Just wait and see your next favorite movie, sitcom, cartoon or show destroyed due to politics and some hidden agenda.

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I can't really name many movies or shows that I watched in the last 10 years that I didn't regret wasting time and energy to see. 

 

The last time I truly enjoyed a movie was 1917 that released in 2019, and that was primarily because of the historical context of the movie and excellent editing with no fast camera cuts.

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I have yet to find a decent show that isn't a joke and a mockery of human intelligence.  The Mandalorian was fine until the 3rd season, but I need more substance (and Disney appears to be driving Star Wars down the drain as of late).

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If you truly find a movie or show so amazing and worth your time, then please let me know about it.  I'd love to list some actually decent content worth viewing.  

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As it is, spare yourself the heartbreak and disappointment in consuming the politically charged slop that Hollywood and the media want to feed you. 

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Quit TikTok and Social Media

 

This may show my age but I used to love Myspace back in 2005-2006.  I loved the customization and being able to express myself by having my own custom background music, wallpaper and even "Top 8" layout. 

 

Soon after Myspace loses popularity, the Zuckerberg money making, privacy stealing machine of Facebook comes onto the scene and I wasn't buying it.  No customization, no expression, no ability to customize or personalize.  Just a boring template and another means for a company to stalk you and sell all of your information to the highest bidder.  What would soon follow was a glut of social media apps that exemplified the adrenal fatigue, emotional weakness, insecurities, hatred, bigotry, narcissism, and every other ill of society today.  

 

My advice as someone that cares for your mental health: Get off Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  No argument was every won on Twitter (especially now under Elon's tender, loving, care).  Neither has any individual stated anything original that was of value on that platform that wasn't immediately deleted or cancelled.  Discord is no better.

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Please ignore all of the makeup, thirst-traps and photoshopped images of "influencers" on Instagram.  "Fake" doesn't even begin to explain what these people embody.  All of the images of smoothies and acai bowls aren't worth the hassle of digging through the sheer amounts of narcissism and ego on this app.   

 

Most of all, get off TikTok.

 

TikTok is as addictive as crack cocaine and has absorbed the consciousness of young people everywhere, to dismal effects.

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The company behind TikTok knows exactly what its doing.  They know people have neurological toxicity from vaccines, giving them short attention spans, hyperactivity, and spasticity.  They know people have weak parathyroid and adrenal glands, making them shy, insecure, and more suspectable to addictions.  They use this knowledge to tailor-fit the psychology of their app and how they can get children to spend hours at a time on the app without boredom.  

 

I was toying with the idea of doing livestreams on TikTok where I would do Q&As and answer people's health questions, but I realized this platform wasn't meant for truth, and ultimately was not one I wanted to support (let alone get banned off of). 

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Do not support these companies, this toxic culture, or people's toxic desire for attention and money.  Do not further suppress your adrenal and parathyroid glands by participating in the swamp that is social media. 

 

Instead of using these apps, might I suggest actually talking to people over the phone, or better yet, in-person?

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Volunteer

 

I find volunteering at a food pantry is a very therapeutic and humbling experience (and we all need more humbling).  A lot of these families depend upon these pantry to keep themselves alive and you truly are doing good work.  Food pantries are present in most parts of the country and readily take in volunteers without requiring tons of training or qualifications.  Most official pantries should have a website with instructions on  how to volunteer.

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If you don't want to volunteer around lots of people or in an institution, I recommend grabbing a "pooper-scooper" and a large trash bag and go to any park/lake/community center/trail and pick up trash.  You can use this time to listen to relaxing music or a podcast and you can get some much needed time in nature, under the sun and getting fresh oxygen.  Be prepared to pick up a lot of cigarette butts.  You will be doing good work for your neighbor and beautify this planet for the next generation (if we make it that far).  Some people may even give you money as a tip for your efforts.

 

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Quit Your Stressful Job

 

No, I'm not saying to become homeless or jeopardize your finances.  No, I'm not saying to be lazy.  No, I'm not saying to sabotage your life.  What I'm saying to do is the very thing everyone during the Pandemic did: Take a step back, reassess your life and ask yourself if your job is damaging your mental and physical health more than you can afford to tolerate.  The "Great Resignation" didn't become a thing because everyone suddenly became lazy.  They realized the high stress and poor working conditions were not worth the cost of dying from kidney failure (even if they have no idea about the adrenals and kidneys). 

 

Always look for a better opportunity, never stay stagnant, and understand your worth.  Sometimes you have to endure extremely stressful jobs to get your foot in the door or jump through another hoop for your career, I get that.  For everyone else, it's time to move onto a better opportunity.  Or better yet, start a business.  Plant every seed that you can, you never know which seed will sprout forth into a great opportunity.

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Don't micromanage your assets (Stocks, Bonds, Mutual Funds)

 

Don't pay attention to the Stock Market. HODL and play the long game.  Just because your overpriced stock in Amazon went down 1% doesn't mean you need to focus on that all day, or even for just a minute. 

 

The stock market will only go up, it will never go down much and even if it goes down by a lot, it will only shoot to the moon due to irrational speculation and a devalued dollar.  Relax and stop fussing over your money so much.  How many days do you think are ruined because someone was focusing too much on their Stock options?  Too many to count.  How many days did you add to your life by focusing on your over-inflated assets?  Zero.  Be in the here and now.  Sufficient for the day is all that matters.  Tomorrow will worry about itself, especially in this society.

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If you've trained yourself to live on Banana Boxes and rice, then you can weather any storm, especially any economic collapse fast approaching the world economies due to such tremendous debt and credit bubbles.

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Plus, if you have so much money in stocks, then we have bigger problems on our hands.  

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You don't need a money manager, you need a new outlook on how your money is managing you.

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Do Not Play Competitive Multiplayer Video Games

 

Instead, play co-operative games that have a Horde/Enemy Wave type modes or a cooperative campaign.  You can even just play by yourself against bots if the game enables that option.

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I believe there's too much competition and antagonism in our culture today, so I like to focus on games that have common goals where everyone is working together.  To be honest, I'm just tired of the constant grind to best someone else in multiplayer matches.  The pressure is off my shoulders and the joy factor is exponential when I'm playing with someone rather than against them.  And it looks like I'm not in the minority here either.

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I love playing Left 4 Dead with friends on Steam, Strikes in Destiny, Gears of Wars' Horde mode, Firefight in Halo ODST, Reach and Halo 5, and Counter Strike Global Offensive against bots.  Playing WITH others instead of against them takes off all the stress that one would easily get when playing competitively.  It also makes you value your teammates more than in competitive games where one's value is tied directly to their kill/death ratio.

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If you do want to play competitive games, opt for Battle Royale type games that are filled with lots of downtime like Fortnite, PUBG and Apex Legends.  My opinion on part of why these games got so massively popular was that the games did not consist of 15-20 minutes of constant stress and tension.  Instead, the games involve a few minutes here and there of tension but lots of downtime in-between.  The constant stress of competitive Deathmatch places so much demand on the adrenal glands.  Compare that stress to the brief intervals of stress among long recovery periods of rest from Battle Royale and you have a MUCH more enjoyable experience and long-term player base.  It also doesn't hurt that most of these games are all free to play, allowing one to play with more friends due to no financial barrier to entry.

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Drive at or Below the Speed Limit

 

Driving is stressful.  Everyone is speeding, going through yellow lights about to turn red, tailgating, and not paying attention to the road.  Our society is in such a rush to reach their destination and we need to take a step back and slow things down a bit.  People also have no patience as their adrenal glands are absolutely spent.  Always avoid high traffic areas and rush hour if you can while driving.  If there's a particular road, traffic light or freeway you despise, try to avoid it if at all possible.

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Always use the "traffic" feature on the Google Maps app to pinpoint areas of high traffic or population density.  If the freeway is green, you're good to go.  If it's red, avoid and wait for a better opportunity.

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Drive on the right-most lane on the freeway and cruise.  I used to always think those driving slowly were afraid to drive at speed, seniors or those new to driving.  I thought they were wasting their time, but the joke was on me.  Now my eyes are open to the wisdom of driving slowly deliberately and subsequently reducing one's stress on the road.

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Practice defensive driving by always having a huge gap between you and the car in front of you.  If you drive slowly and give other drivers plenty of space, the chances of you getting into an accident are so much lower.  Plus, you love your neighbor as yourself by giving them plenty of distance from your car as you would want them to do for you.  Defense driving requires a great deal of awareness and that is draining on the adrenal glands.  Listen to your body and try to drive only when you need to, so that when you do drive you give 100% effort to be in control on the road.

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Always make sure there are plenty of open lanes to your left on the freeway to allow for the natural flow of faster cars.  You will probably still have giant SUVs and Trucks tailgate you when there's plenty of other lanes wide open.  Regardless, you will notice just how refreshing it is to not be in a rush while driving. 

 

Don't stress about the speed of other cars on the freeway.  Don't pay attention to the make and model of their vehicle.  Don't worry about the constant red lights you might find yourself in by going slower.  You don't need to stimulate your adrenal glands more than you have to, and driving is already stressful enough.  

 

A bonus is that you won't ever get a speeding ticket and you will be actively preserving the safety of your fellow neighbor.

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Move Slowly and Never Rush Yourself

 

To take a cue from the previous recommendation on driving slowly, go through your day walking and moving in a way that isn't intense or demanding of energy.  Walk and move in a relaxed manner, without any intention of rushing to your next destination.

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There's a place and time to rush yourself, but not out and about in your daily life.  I used to always walk fast and with intent whenever I was out in my daily work life.  I was always in the zone with the focus on my objective.  Being so determined does get work done, but I can definitely concede it doesn't make life anymore enjoyable.  Going a little slower helps keep one grounded.  It helps you to appreciate the trees swaying in the wind, the birds chirping, and the sunshine on your face. 

 

Think of moving in a way that is meditative, like Qigong, where you synchronize your breathing to your movement.  Running around Trader Joe's might get you out of that stressful cramped store faster, but you lose focus, concentration and most importantly, you lose your connection to your breathing.  

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By going slow, you focus on your breathing which grounds you and regenerates your adrenals glands.  You lose your breathing and you lose your energy and your mindfulness.  You lose your breathing and you might as well call a mortician.  How much time throughout the day do you lose your focus on deep breathing?  Be in the here and now.  Focus on deep breaths through your belly and let go of all the stressors ever-present in the background.

 

Relax, move slowly where applicable, breath and enjoy the ride of life.

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Spend a Day Every Week Doing Absolutely Nothing

 

Some would refer to this as a "Sabbath" or "Lord's Day" and they're spot on.  The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.  We all need a day to disengage from our typical labor, and that involves all of out ambitions, goals and desires.  So many of us (myself included) have a million tasks going on in the background.  Whether it's trying to learn another language, learning how to play an instrument, or build a business.  Our work lives are one thing, but these extra side hustles and interests can seriously preoccupy our time and energy to the point where they become part-time or even full-time jobs in and of themselves.  The amount of time we dedicate to our passions even on our days "off" mean we really aren't resting, and if we're not resting then say goodbye to your adrenal gland function.

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Put all work, goals, ambitions, desires, studying, note-taking, and even hobbies aside for one day every week.  Actively commit to accomplishing nothing for that entire day.  Actively try not to watch an extra episode of whatever show you've been binge watching.  Try not to clear out your video queue on YouTube.  Try not to check off any box off any list you may have.  

 

Do nothing but be in the moment.  Listen to some random music, walk around spontaneously and be strictly in the moment.  Let your goal for the day be to ultimately have no goal.  Be OK not being a part of the rat race that is always competing, always trying to leg-up the competition and always trying to get ahead.  You'll never get ahead or be happy trying to endlessly compete, let alone not be content with your life.  

 

Try it out.  Pick out the most convenient day for you to lounge around and be "lazy" according to the world's standards.  You always have the other 6 days to go absolutely crazy in accomplishing all of your goals.  Spare one day for your sanity and mental health.    

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Play (Rather than "Work Out")

 

Why make getting into shape a part-time job?  Why do you think most people stop visiting the gym or lose their fitness so easily?  They're treating exercise like work and we're all already working too much as it is.  If you're wincing or grimacing throughout your workout, might I suggest finding another lifestyle that will get you equally as fit and less burnt out?  Live a lifestyle that will incorporate as much activity as possible that doesn't involve strict sets/reps and specific exercises.  What do I suggest? 

 

1) Take the stairs any chance you can get and avoid elevators/escalators.  Even if you're lifting cases of water or something somewhat heavy.

 

2) Ride a bicycle to destinations or take public transit so that you're always walking.  I went car free for most of my late teens/early 20s and always maintained a great level of fitness as a result.  Walking everywhere while carrying a heavy backpack will build up your legs and endurance.

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3) Install a doorway pullup bar in your home or apartment.  Rack up some chinups or pullups anytime you go underneath it throughout your daily home activities.  You could also do burpees or pushups or any other exercise in place of the pullup.  You'd be surprised how strong you can get from doing a little bit here and there throughout the day.

 

4) Stop sitting so much. Try not to use any furniture and do everything off the floor from time to time.  The furniture is doing the work of keeping us upright when our muscles should be doing so.  Imagine a chair with a backrest.  The backrest is doing the work your back should be doing in keeping you upright.  Instead, we rely on the chair to prop us up, our back muscles slowly atrophy from the lack of use and the body soon compensates by using your shoulders and hips in everyday movements.  Your body has a kinetic chain, and what muscles you use in everyday tasks will invite compensation.  It's been said that sitting is worse for you in the long term than smoking is.  Try to sit, eat, and even sleep off the floor (if you sleep on your back).  Spending less time seated in a chair would be ideal.  A standing desk would be a great addition if you work at home and most employers offer standing desks that pivot to a seated height as well with the touch of a button.  You could always switch from seated to kneeling in front of a desk if you work from home (and have carpet or a makeshift cushion for your knees when kneeling).

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Go Barefoot as Much as Possible

 

Shoes have had detrimental effects to our posture, running gait, and load-bearing joints.  Imagine how a young child would run barefoot and watch that child start wearing shoes and see just how much shoes have warped their running form.  Humans should not be wearing shoes that cause them to strike the ground with their heels first.  Yet Nike, Adidas, New Balance, Sketchers, and other worthless shoe manufactures just love making people walk around like ducks slamming the pavement with every stride.  If you don't want more reason to boycott Nike and Adidas, ask yourself what does an elevated heel do to your walking stride?  What does a cramped toe box do to the connective tissue in your foot?  How about circulation?  What about your arches?

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You should take your shoes off immediately when you come home.  You should be working out as barefoot as possible.  Everything you do should be in connection with the ground.

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Only a few shoe companies with actual integrity that care for biomechanics exist.  Xero, Merrell, Vivobarefoot, Vibram, Lems, and a few others have barefoot shoe offerings.  Forget Nike's Free models of "minimalist" shoes, I've had them for years and they are horrible shoes.  I got a few pairs from an outlet store for $50 each and I felt like I overspent.  Sadly, all the decent barefoot shoes nowadays are all over $100, which is a complete ripoff.  You're better off spending $30 on this DIY Sandal kit from Xero:

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https://xeroshoes.com/shop/sandals/diy-feeltrue/

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These give you all the benefits of barefoot shoes for dirt cheap.  You can fit the sandals into your backpack or even into the back pocket of your jersey when cycling.  The problem is that you can't wear these out to social events without getting stares and weird looks from people.

If you're able to wait, Xero Shoes does have an annual 50% sale on their website including all of their popular shoe models, including the Prio and HFS models.  I got a pair of HFS in late 2022 for $60 just by waiting for that sale.  If you're concerned about sizing and buying shoes online, Xero Shoes are sold at REI, allowing you to try on the Prio model in different sizes to find your exact fit (keep in mind that REI doesn't stock the shoes in half sizes).

I'm not aware of any of the other barefoot shoe manufacturers offering any decent discounts apart from maybe Vibram for a select model or two of their 5 Fingers line in specific colors.

One other budget barefoot option that I recently stumbled upon are Feiyue Shoes which are minimalist shoes without a wider toebox you'd get from competitors.  They're only $30 but lack any durability and are meant for wearing indoors only.  The sizing may not be ideal due to that narrow toe box, so consider this option into your rotation along with the Xero barefoot sandals to have a shoe on you for any context whether indoors or outdoors.  You can easily fit both pairs into your pack and never be without a minimalist shoe for any occasion.

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The next best thing is to go with a pair of Vans or Converse that have no elevated heel for your daily driver and try to incorporate the barefoot sandals any chance you can get without too much embarrassment or awkwardness.  The barefoot sandals are so lightweight and foldable you can carry them in your backpack or purse.  Whatever shoe you pick, just try to get no raised heel, and try to have as open toebox as possible.  If there's a "wide" option for the shoe, then go for that option exclusively.

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I just can't justify everyone paying $100+ for these shoes that will break down after a few months.  I know your posture and muscles need the benefits of being barefoot, but spending over $200 or $300 a year on footwear that will rip and tear from basic wear is flat out ridiculous.

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I've heard of people modifying water shoes as their everyday shoe.  That's a project I'll have to soon start.

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Stop Thinking & Be Here Now

 

As credited to Robin Sharma, "The mind is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master."  The more you can get out of your head and be present in the moment, the better.  Stop worrying about your life.  Stop worrying about your health and all of your dreams and aspirations.  They're not going anywhere.  Be the watchmen on the high tower, the cat on the highest ledge observing the landscape, the observer.  No thoughts, no judgements, just existing in the present moment.

 

Find your personal way to get "In the Zone" and free from the chattering and negative thoughts of the mind.  Some people can get lost for hours composing music.  Others can immerse themselves in art.  For others still, a book is all they need to quiet down and get cozy.  Most would say playing video games or watching shows on Netflix is their way to unwind and pass the time.  Embrace what truly helps you escape and practice being in the present moment as it is truly a skill that is lost in our society today.

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