For a thousand and one reasons, stoners all over the world decide the time has come for a detox. Some have important engagements or drug tests coming up, others do it just to prove they can and then there are those that have simply gotten bored with it all and want a break. In any and all cases, a break from cannabis can be the perfect thing for ensuring you enjoy it even more on the other side.

That is of course, assuming you can make it happen.

So assuming you have decided to hit your body’s ‘refresh’ button and intend to make it stick, what do you need to know first of all about cannabis cleansing?

THC in Your Body

thc-in-body

Without getting too bogged down with the science of it all, THC stays in your body for a seriously long time. After entering your body, THC is converted into THC carboxylic Acid, or THC-COOH, which is then stored in the body’s fat cells for quite a while. Exactly how long it takes to disappear entirely will vary in accordance with the unique nature of your body, how frequently you consume cannabis and how strong the cannabis is that you use.

As a general rule of thumb, those that do not smoke cannabis on a regular basis may be completely THC-free within two weeks. By contrast, those considered to be the heaviest users of cannabis may not rid their bodies entirely of THC for up to 90 days. Suffice to say, you probably don’t have 90 days to play with and have no intention whatsoever of going without for three months. Which is precisely why you need a more realistic option – a quick-fix cleanse that hurries things along at least a bit.

Quick-Fix Detoxing
And that’s exactly what we’ll be focusing on right now – quick-fix detoxing. Just for the record, a true cannabis cleanse does not mean making the decision to binge on the kinds of products and synthetic supplements on the market, that are simply designed to ensure you pass a drug test. Instead, we’re talking about doing it properly – working in full accordance with the way your body works and achieving the desired results the honest way. You can rest assured that in doing so, you really will feel a thousand times better by the end of it all.

So if you have genuinely made the decision to give yourself some time off for any reason whatsoever, here’s a brief overview of just a few helpful tips and tricks for getting the job done properly.

Outline Your Reasons

reasons

First of all, you need to make sure that the reason for which you have decided to detox in the first place is one that you genuinely believe in. As previously mentioned, some decide to detox simply to prove they can – these also tend to be the individuals that fail most rapidly. The reason being that they don’t actually have a justifiable reason in mind to detox, but are instead just doing it for the sake of it. As such, you need to level with yourself why it is you have decided to do what you are doing. Maybe you want to allocate the money to something else for a while? Perhaps it’s something to do with work? Or maybe you have been challenged to quit temporarily by a friend or family member and have no intention of losing the bet. Just as long as there is sound justification for what you are doing, you will find it much easier to do.

Buddy Up

buddy

It could prove to be the hardest step of the entire process, but it is nonetheless in your best interests to try and find somebody to do the same detox as you at the same time as you. The reason being that when you have at least one other person doing the same as you, you are able to offer each other uniquely empathetic support and encouragement along the way. Right on the other end of the spectrum, it could be a case of outright stubbornness where you yourself absolutely refuse to be the one that caves in first. And of course, there’s once again always the option of putting a friendly wager on the line, just to make things interesting and improve your motivation that little bit more.

No Excuses, No Substitutes

no-excuses 

If you have been a relatively heavy user of cannabis for some time, it is largely inevitable that you will experience withdrawal symptoms. The symptoms you can expect to experience will be unique to you and you alone in terms of both their severity and how long you can expect them to last. In any case, there is nothing you can do to avoid them and therefore you cannot use them as an excuse to once again fall off the wagon. In addition, the same also applies to substituting your usual method of ingesting cannabis for any other whatsoever. If you are looking to detox, this doesn’t mean still indulging in cannabis edibles while giving your lungs a rest from the bong. Instead, it means making no excuses and no substitutions whatsoever – a cleanse is a cleanse…period.

Work Up a Sweat

 work-up

From a biological perspective, detoxing means allowing and encouraging as much of that THC-COOH as possible to depart your body. And given the fact that it is burrowed away in your body’s fat cells, there is one relatively obvious approach to speeding up the process that really can work – exercise. Quite simply, the harder you work out and the more fat you burn, the faster the THC-COOH will exit your body. But it’s not only about the scientific removal of THC-COOH, either. The reason being that distraction represents one of the single most important factors to focus on when it comes to quitting anything, whether short-term or permanent. The more you distract yourself with healthy exercise, the less time you will have to worry about those bong rips you’re missing. Not only this, but the effect exercising has on the brain will also motivate and energise you to such an extent that those side-effects you were feeling before will not feel nearly as bad. By contrast, sit around on the couch all day and the whole process will be nothing short of hell on earth.

Drink Plenty

 drink

Sadly no…this doesn’t refer to anything with alcohol in it. Given the fact that your sweat and urine will be expelling the THC from your body, it goes without saying that you will need to put plenty of liquid back in. Which in turn means drinking plenty of water, but you should also think about introducing isotonics, fruit juices and and drinks into your daily diet. As you are looking to avoid dehydration at all costs, anything containing caffeine or alcohol should be approached with caution. Of course, attempting to give up everything that brings you pleasure all at once can be difficult, but just keep telling yourself – it’s only temporary!

Eat Well

eat-well

You are going to need your body to be in the best possible condition to help speed up the detox process and ensure it is as painless as possible. Unfortunately, this does not mean comfort eating or stuffing your face with anything that comes along, just for the sake of doing so. Instead, it means significantly increasing your intake of fruits, vegetables, lean protein and whole grains, while at the same time reducing your intake of salt, sugar, alcohol, unhealthy fats and so on. There’s a relatively strong chance that this particular part of the process will make you want to throw in the towel. Nevertheless, it’s an important part of the process and if you can stick it out for just a few days, you will find it becomes so much easier over time.

Rest Up

 rest-up

There are two very important reasons while you will need to focus on getting plenty of restful sleep during your detox. First of all, there’s the way in which the human body cannot do anything properly whatsoever if it is not provided with sufficient rest. If your body’s tired, everything about the detoxification process will seem much more difficult and unpleasant than it actually is. Secondly, there’s the fact that the more time you spend sleeping, the less time you have to stare at the cupboard where the rest of your stash is hidden safely away. You can’t expect to sleep the entire detox period away, but there’s nothing to say you cannot indulge in plenty of early nights and late mornings.

Blaze Your Stash

blaze-stash

Last but not least, before even thinking about beginning any kind of temporary cannabis cleansing regime, you need to make sure the temptation is kept as far away as possible. As mentioned above, if you thing that simply locking the rest of your stash in a cupboard somewhere is going to help, it probably won’t. Instead, you will find it far easier to cope if you have absolutely no cannabis on the premises whatsoever. Which in turn gives you the perfect excuse for organising one hell of a night in, to burn through whatever you have left before kicking it for a week or two. And what’s more, overdo it the night before and the weed hangover you’ll earn the morning after might just be all the encouragement you need!