WHY WE NEED TO DETOXIFY

Do you often suffer from headaches, fatigue, digestive problems (e.g., bloating, gas), skin problems (e.g., acne, etc)? Would you like to feel better and look better? Then you may need to detoxify. Don’t be offended—it’s not just you. Virtually everyone living the modern lifestyle has stored up a veritable toxic waste dump of chemicals and various toxins in their fatty tissues. Unfortunately, these nasty toxins can interfere with a variety of metabolic processes, and result in the previously mentioned problems, as well as many others. The very good news is that by detoxifying, you can rid your body of these toxins and begin feeling better and looking better in short order. Still not convinced that you need to detoxify? Then consider the issue of multiple chemical sensitivities.

Multiple chemical sensitivities

Exposure to certain types of chemicals (primarily petroleum and coal-tar derived), can result in a condition known as MCS, or multiple chemical sensitivities. In MCS, the individual is may experience symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, depression and an overall feeling of malaise and being sick. MCS seems to develop after consistent, long-term exposure to these chemicals.

Eventually, these individuals develop intolerance to these chemicals, and starts suffering from MCS. For many MCS sufferers, a sensitivity reaction will occur when exposed to even minute amounts of the offending chemicals which, in turn, can lead to severe symptoms characteristic of the MCS condition. Does this sound like you?

You’re exposed indoors too

Now, you may be thinking, “Petroleum and coal-tar causes the problems—so that’s like breathing exhaust fumes, right? No problem, I’m indoors most of the time. I probably have very little exposure to petroleum and coal-tar derived chemicals.” If so, then you should know that these chemicals are actually found primarily at home or in the workplace. For example, common household items like aspirin, perfume, shaving cream, toothpaste, nail polish, and deodorant, contain coal-tar derivatives. You should also be aware of The Total Exposure Assessment Methodology (TEAM) study. TEAM was a five-year study of twenty common toxic or cancer-causing chemicals, comparing them in indoor air and outdoor air. The investigation found that

indoor air was three to seventy times more polluted than outdoor air, even in heavily populated areas like Los Angeles and Bayonne, New Jersey. Specifically, personal exposure to eleven of the chemicals that were present more than 75 percent of the time was much greater indoors. More than 99 percent of the exposures came from the air, with the exception of two chemicals which were found mostly in the drinking water, also tested in the homes.

Pesticides are also a problem

Of course it’s not just the air you breathe and the water you drink, it’s also the food that you eat—or more specifically, the pesticides in the food that you eat. Certain pesticides affect the nervous system by inhibiting an important enzyme. The resulting interference with nerve function can cause twitching, paralysis, tremors, convulsions, and death from respiratory failure. Moreover, according to other experts they can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea; heart irregularities; excessive sweating, salivation, and watering of the eyes; chest discomfort; headaches; and abnormal brain function and behavior. The can mimic brain hemorrhage, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, gastroenteritis, asthma, and pneumonia. Pesticides pose a danger to the immune system. In her book Staying Well in a Toxic World, author Lynn Lawson states that immunologist Alan Levine “sees patients whose immune systems have been wrecked by pesticides.” She also states that such patients often have “lower counts of infection-fighting white blood cells.” The moderate to severe immune reactions that can occur include runny eyes, itchy skin, dripping nose, hives, muscle and joint pain, shock and death.

Other Reasons to Detoxify

Max Gerson, M.D., the developer of the Gerson therapy, an alternative therapy for cancer and most chronic, degenerative diseases believed that the body was capable of healing itself from many chronic diseases as long as it were properly detoxified, and then build up again to promote a health immune system.  In fact, my own grandmother was cured of lymphosarcoma (a type of cancer) through the Gerson therapy, and detoxification played a major role in the process.  Dr. Gerson believed that his therapy would be effective in the treatment of chronic diseases as diverse as migraine, all forms of tuberculosis, most forms of advanced cancer, arthritis, both osteo- and rheumatoid, and diabetes. The bottom line here is that just about any degenerative disease can benefit from detoxification prior to or concurrent with therapeutic treatment.

How to Detoxify

Convinced that you need to detoxify? Even if you don’t have the types of problems discussed above, why wait until you do? After all, toxins will continue to build up in your system, so you might as well help your body get rid of them. And when you do detoxify, you’ll be surprised how much better you feel, and how much better you look.

So right about now you may be wondering how best to go about the process of detoxification. According to the Textbook of Natural Medicine, the mnemonic “A NERD” can be used to identify the important elements of the detoxification lifestyle:

  • Avoid – Avoid exposure to all known sources of toxicity. This includes any off the following:
    • Chemical dependencies (recreational drugs, tobacco, excessive alcohol, unnecessary prescription drugs)
    • Toxic work and home environments (see prior paragraph “You’re exposed indoors too”)
    • Lead paint
    • Significant air pollution
    • Polluted drinking water
    • Typical American diets (sugary drinks, junk foods, processed meats, fast foods, and deep-fried foods)
    • Dental amalgam fillings
  • Nutrition – The core of nutrition should be a whole food diet focusing on vegetables, fruits, and fibrous foods such as whole grains and legumes.  These foods have an alkalinizing impact.  Likewise, lower amounts of acid-forming foods, such as dairy products and animal proteins, should be consumed. Generous portions of cruciferous vegetables should be eaten daily with modest amounts of olive oil, as well as onions, garlic, and modest amounts of lean, unprocessed protein. More on this later.
  • Exercise – A simple exercise program (e.g., brisk walking) increase blood flow, accelerates lymphatic flow, induces sweating, and increases the efficiency of metabolism and detoxification efficiency. Exercise should be a daily part of the detoxification lifestyle.  More on this later.
  • Rest – Certainly getting enough sleep is vital for proper detoxification.  Also, relaxation and stress management can help support the process.
  • Detoxification – In this case, the use of the term “detoxification” denotes the use of specific therapeutic activities that should be used periodically to support your body’s own natural detoxification mechanisms including, but not limited to, the liver, bowel and kidneys.  Key herbs can be used to achieve such support.  More on this later.

Rogers SA. Chemical Sensitivity: Breaking the Paralyzing Paradigm. Internal Medicine World Report 1992; February 1-14:15-16.

Lawson L. Staying Well in a Toxic World. Chicago: The Nobel Press, Inc.; 1993.

Rogers SA. Chemical Sensitivity: Breaking the Paralyzing Paradigm. Internal Medicine World Report 1992; February 1-14:15-16.

Gibson PR. Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. Oakland, California: New Harbinger Publications, Inc.; 2000.

Lawson L. Staying Well in a Toxic World. Chicago: The Nobel Press, Inc.; 1993.

Gerson M. A Cancer Therapy: Results of Fifty Cases and the Cure of Advanced Cancer, San Diego; 1990.

Pizzorno Jr JE, Murray MT. Textbook of Natural Medicine, 3rd. ed. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone; 2005.

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