Rejuvenate With Detox :: Holistic Healing :: Detoxification and Cleansing

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Rejuvenate With Detox
by author Brenda Watson, ND, CT

In today’s polluted world, even with the best dietary habits and lifestyle we are susceptible to toxic overload through the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. Toxins stored by the body can overwhelm the liver and result in chronic inflammation, which leads to autoimmune disease.

The removal of toxins can be accomplished through cleansing and detoxification&most effectively involving every part of the body’s elimination system. The body’s seven channels of elimination are the colon, liver, kidneys, lungs, blood, skin, and lymphatic system. To cleanse and detoxify, we can choose colon hydrotherapy, dietary changes, herbal cleansing programs, some specifically for the liver, saunas and steam baths, nutrient supplementation, and exercise.

1. Flush away toxins

Colon cleansing is the first step in the detoxification process. By cleansing the colon with herbs and hydrotherapy, a pathway is cleared for other organs to begin to cleanse and detoxify. Colon hydrotherapy is the therapeutic application of water in the colon, which helps tone the bowel so it resumes normal function. Many people have been able to overcome chronic constipation problems through colon hydrotherapy as stools are softened and loosened, resulting in evacuation through natural peristalsis.

2. Change your diet

Begin by eliminating refined sugar, refined flour, caffeine, alcohol, preservatives, artificial colours, refined carbohydrates, refined oils, and processed meats from your diet to reduce the number of toxins you take in. Drink plenty so the kidneys can perform adequately, consuming one-half ounce (15 millilitres) of water for every pound of body weight (for example, a 120-lb person should drink 60 oz (1.8 L) water daily).

3. Use herbal cleansing kits

Easy-to-use cleansing kits ideally include herbs that simultaneously support all organs and systems of elimination, with special emphasis on the colon and liver. For example, all cleansing programs need to include fibre, which absorbs and helps eliminate toxins. Fibre from flax seeds provides a well-balanced ratio of 50-per-cent soluble and 50-per-cent insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre absorbs the toxins and insoluble fibre sweeps the colon clean.

Cleansing kits also should include magnesium hydroxide, which is useful in hydrating the colon, aiding elimination.

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are another essential component of any cleansing kit as they have many health benefits, help lubricate the colon, and enhance elimination. Use EFA-rich fish, flax, or borage oil for best results.

4. Cleanse the liver

Liver cleansing can be accomplished through diet (with added fibre and high water intake) and special herbal cleansing programs. Since much of the liver’s toxic burden is a result of heavy metal exposure, and we should reduce exposure to these metals. A heavy metal cleanse is often appropriate, and should consist of two parts: a combination of chelating agents and a multivitamin complex to replace nutrients lost during chelation. The chelating agent might include herbs and sea plants, amino acids, and antioxidants such as chlorella, cilantro, sodium alginate, garlic, kelp, and alpha lipoic acid to bind with the metal and facilitate its removal from the body.

5. Support natural detox

Anyone on a detoxification program can benefit from extra vitamins and minerals, particularly the antioxidants (vitamins A, C, E and the minerals selenium and zinc) as well as B vitamins. A multivitamin and mineral supplement, the use of green “super foods” (made up of concentrated land and/or sea vegetables), or both in combination, may be used to support the body as it detoxifies.

6. Get steamed up

Skin, our largest organ, eliminates waste through perspiration. Heat causes toxins to be released from cells into the lymphatic fluid and excreted as sweat when the body perspires. Saunas or steam baths create sweat for therapeutic purposes, to not only release toxins from the skin but also to relax muscles and help ease aches and pains. Those with impaired liver or kidney function may safely cleanse and detoxify in this manner, as releasing toxins via the skin through perspiration removes some of the detoxification burden from the kidneys and liver.

7. Move to lose

Exercise is an important part of the detoxification process. Exercise stimulates the movement of lymphatic fluid, allowing toxins to be excreted. Breathing deeply helps eliminate toxins from the cells and enhances immunity. Combining deep breathing with exercise will improve lymph flow and aid the body’s detoxification ability and general state of health.

Cleansing and detoxification of the body is essential in achieving vibrant health. It is up to you to take the first step.

Herbs That Help With Elimination

Milk thistle
Dandelion root
Beet leaf
Artichoke leaf
Mullein
Burdock root
Corn silk
Red clover
Larch gum
Hawthorn berry
Ashwaganda
Aloe
Rhubarb
Triphala

Infrared Saunas Provide Safe Detoxification

Scientists at Mayo Clinic have discovered that far infrared (FIR) light saunas are safe for heart patients.

The saunas induce perspiration at lower temperatures, letting patients detoxify without risky high temperatures.

Brenda Watson, ND, CT, is president of the International Association of Colon Therapy and is recognized as a specialist in the topic of digestive care and cleansing. Brenda is also the author of Renew Your Life: Improved Digestion and Detoxification, a best-selling book on digestive care and cleansing. Look for this book at local health food stores across Canada or visit renewyourlife.com.

Source: alive #257, March 2004

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