Detoxification

In addition to a whole food diet, rest and exercise, one's overall health is largely determined by how well the body's organs perform, and how efficient they are at digesting food, neutralizing and eliminating toxins and waste. We humans have become so accustomed to the pollution we create and therefore consume, that our digestive and other systems are continually working overtime just to keep up; and if they cannot keep up, it is only a matter of time before we become ill.

WHAT IS DETOXIFICATION?

Detoxification is simply a means by which the body neutralizes and removes toxins and waste (via digestion/defecation, urination, exhalation and perspiration).

Without the body's ability to eliminate toxins and waste, we simply could not survive. The body uses what it can from the foods we ingest, and what remains must have a viable means of exit. Put simply, the digestive process is similar to that of water flowing through a pipe, in that if the pipe becomes clogged, very little flows through it. If very little flows through the digestive system, it cannot do its job, which means all other bodily systems are also impaired (including the immune system), leaving the body open and vulnerable to disease. The harder the digestive system has to work to get what it needs to do its job, the less energy there is available for the immune system (and the rest of the body) to ward off and prevent disease.

GASTROINTESTINAL CONGESTION

If the gastrointestinal (digestive) system becomes congested, so will the other systems of detoxification. This congestion leads to a depressed immune system and hence, susceptibility to a whole host of disorders and disease. There are many ways in which the digestive and other systems can become congested, but usually it is caused by the over consumption of antibiotics (other than those found in whole foods and herbs), pharmaceutical and other harmful drugs, alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, animal products, chemicals, carcinogens, pesticides, poisons and cooked, processed and refined foods. The digestive system can also become clogged due to polluted air or water, a nutritional imbalance or lack of exercise...even from a lack of rest or sunshine.

HELPING YOUR BODY DETOXIFY: The Five Rs

The body will naturally detoxify itself if given the chance, but if bodily systems are continually congested, something will have to give way. Eventually it will lead to disorder and disease, unless some additional means of detoxification is provided:

Rebalance
a) PH Balance
b) Nutritional Balance
c) Natural Antibiotics and Phytochemicals in living foods
Remove External Toxins
a) Antibiotics (other than those naturally in foods and herbs)
b) Pharmaceutical and other harmful drugs
c) Tobacco, Alcohol, Caffeine and other addictions
d) Animal products; cooked, processed and refined foods
e) Chemicals, Carcinogens, Pollution, Poisons and Pesticides
Remove Internal Toxins
a) via feces (with herbal laxative teas)
b) via urine (with herbal diuretic teas)
c) via exhalation (with herbal decongestant teas)
d) through sweat (with herbal diaphoretic teas and exercise)
Recolonize Intestinal Flora (with foods containing live cultures)
Repair and Maintain
a) Cyclic Rest
b) Fresh Air and Sunshine
c) Balanced Nutrition
d) Meditation (or other stress reduction method/s)
e) Regular Exercise

SYSTEMS OF DETOXIFICATION

Provided below is a list of the five major systems of detoxification, along with the main organs involved and some foods and herbs to help detoxify the body:

ENDOCRINE SYSTEM (lymphatic)
Organs: lymph channels and nodes; glands
Foods: alfalfa (leaf), barley (grass)
Herbs: Lavender, Rosehips (detoxifers)

GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM (digestive)
Organs: mouth, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, colon, intestines
Foods: apples, barley, raspberries, soybeans, fresh fruits and veggies
Herbs: Lavender, Lemongrass, Rosehips (laxatives)

URINARY SYSTEM
Organs: kidneys, bladder, urethra
Foods: blueberries, cranberries, cucumbers, soybeans
Herbs: Lavender, Lemongrass, Mullein, Peppermint, Rosehips (diuretics)

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
Organs: nose, sinuses, throat, bronchial tubes, lungs
Foods: barley, carrots, soybeans, sunflower seeds, yogurt/w live cultures
Herbs: Lavender, Mullein, Peppermint (decongestants)

DERMAL SYSTEM
Organs: skin, tears, sweat glands
Foods: alfalfa (leaf), barley (grass), flax seeds, soybeans, sunflower seeds
Herbs: Lavender, Lemongrass, Rosehips (diaphoretics)

POSSIBLE DETOXIFICATION SIDE EFFECTS

The more in need of detoxification the body is, the longer it will take and the more unpleasant the process will be. Side effects may include headaches, decreased heart rate, general weakness and fatigue, weight loss, skin eruptions or rashes, colds, fever, diarrhea, nervousness, irritability, frequent urination, depression, etc. for up to several weeks or more. The best way to prevent (or at least reduce) these and other nasty detoxification side effects is by not rushing the process. If you spent ten years abusing your body, expect to spend up to two years or more to detoxify, remove congestion and repair the damage. If you begin experiencing unpleasant side effects, slow down -- but don't stop! These and other side effects are the symptoms of detoxification, but they do subside once balance is restored, congestion is cleared and the body is again able to detoxify itself efficiently.

ARTICLES & RESOURCES

» Nutritional Health
» PH Balance
» Detoxification
» Whole Foods Diet
» Whole Food Recipes
» More on Sprouts
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