We cannot afford to treat only diseases, we must learn to stay well
The body deals with toxins from the environment and inside on a daily basis. The sources of toxins are varied and vast. They include urban pollution, such as car exhaust (lead, carbon monoxide), industrial smoke, smog, and tobacco smoke. Medicines and drugs are toxic. The foods we eat contain toxins ranging from chemical additives, preservatives, dyes, radiation, pesticides and herbicides, hormones, and genetically modified foods. Some foods, like alcohol, are toxic to our liver. The way we prepare food can be toxic – the heated and burned oils in fried and charcoal-grilled meats. Our water is contaminated with various chemicals, bacteria, xenoestrogens, chemicals (such as fluoride), and heavy metals (such as aluminum). There are many toxins in our home environment, especially those from cleaning materials, fumes from kitchens and boilers, paints, plastics, insulation materials, carpets, and even geopathic stress.
Microbes such as bacteria, parasites, and viruses are toxins and put a strain on our endocrine and immune systems. Even healthy organic fruits and vegetables contain toxins naturally present in the plant. In addition, our body produces various toxins from its own biochemical processes that generate free radicals that cause disease. One of the most constant sources of toxic exposure is endotoxins produced by bacteria in our intestines. Fortunately, our body has its own powerful detoxification system.
The body’s mechanisms to protect us from toxicity.
The body removes toxins by directly neutralizing them or excreting them in the urine or feces (and to a lesser extent from the lungs and skin). The intestines, liver, and kidneys are the main detoxification organs. The liver bears the burden of responsibility when it comes to detoxification. It is responsible for filtering the blood to remove large toxins, synthesizing and secreting bile containing cholesterol and other fat-soluble toxins, and enzymatically breaking down unwanted chemicals.
How toxins affect our health.
Toxins are a serious health threat. They drain energy and increase susceptibility to disease or cause disease directly. The accumulation of toxins can wreak havoc on normal metabolic processes and increase our sensitivity to chemicals, some of which are normally non-toxic. It is believed that up to 90% of all cancers are due to the effects of environmental carcinogens combined with deficiencies in nutrients that the body needs for the proper function of the immune and detoxification systems.
Symptoms of toxicity: chronic headaches, foul-smelling stools or breath, chronic fatigue, feeling of toxicity (dull headaches, chronic hangover such as from excess alcohol), sensitivity to chemicals, caffeine-containing foods and beverages that keep you awake , chronic allergies, unexplained itching
Toxicity diseases: acne, anemia, autoimmune disease, cancer, eczema, gallstones, Gilbert’s syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, toxemia of pregnancy, hives or hives, liver disease, especially acute or chronic hepatitis.
Children and food toxins.
Currently around 3,500 food additives are used. In the UK, 4.5 kg (dry weight) of food additives are consumed per person per year. This is 10 times the amount used 30 years ago. Children have a higher exposure and intake of food additives, since they are the most attacked by manufacturers of artificial foods, bright colors and sweet taste. Preservatives, colorings and flavorings are the best known additives, but they are also commonly used in our foods as antioxidants, emulsifiers, stabilizers, gelling agents, thickeners and sweeteners. These chemicals can pose many dangers to human health if consumed regularly and in large quantities. It is important to read food labels to avoid hidden chemicals that are often identified by E numbers. E numbers are codes assigned to certain food additives. There are numerous websites that explain which numbers refer to which chemicals.
Basic ways to avoid toxicity.
Support detoxification systems
o Avoid toxins that overstimulate detoxification pathways in the liver.
o Use chemical-free products on your skin, including healthy alternatives to aluminum-containing underarm deodorant.
o Going Green is all the rage and there are many products available to support a healthier environment. These include non-toxic household products and organic sprays to use in the garden.
o Get the right antioxidant nutrients to prevent free radical damage caused by detoxification, including vitamin C and fruits and vegetables rich in beta-carotene, selenium (tuna, oysters, mushrooms, herring), zinc (oysters, ginger root, lamb, walnut nuts, dried peas) and vitamin E (seeds, walnuts, beans, peas), phytonutrients found in fresh fruits and vegetables.
o Eat a diet rich in fiber (eg flaxseed, soluble fiber such as oatmeal, apple pectin) which speeds up stool transit time, reduces the load on the liver and is necessary for eliminating bile and for good health of the colon.
o Herbs such as silymarin (milk thistle) prevent liver damage by acting as an antioxidant and increasing the regeneration rate of liver tissue. Dandelion root helps cleanse liver cells of toxins and stimulates the flow of bile.
o Methionine, a protein, helps eliminate heavy metals through its sulfur content (it is also found in garlic and onion)
o Lipotropic agents, choline, betaine, methionine, vitamin B6, folic acid, and vitamin B12 promote the flow of fat and bile to and from the liver, and choline helps with peristalsis
Good food, good digestion.
o Include essential fatty acids in the diet that help the good intestinal flora adhere to the walls of the intestine.
o Make sure that the intestinal flora is balanced and that the intestine is free of yeast, parasites or any other pathogens and, if necessary, supplement with a good probiotic.
o Eat a balanced diet that eliminates sugars, refined foods and oils, and food allergens.
o Drink plenty of fresh, filtered, bottled, or distilled water daily.
o Eat organic foods that decrease your exposure to chemicals and hormones.
Detox Methods
Enhance liver detox through a supervised liver detox (including a coffee enema) or gallbladder rinse.
Brushing the skin is important to remove dead skin cells that clog pores and make proper removal through the skin difficult. It also gently stimulates circulation.
Saunas and lymphatic drainage to improve the elimination of toxins through the skin and increase lymphatic flow.
Caution: who shouldn’t detox and why
Pregnant or lactating women should not detox, as toxins are mobilized that can endanger pregnancy. In addition, it is a time when reducing nutrient intake should be optimal and fasting is not recommended.
Detoxification can be dangerous for people who are underweight or have diabetes, hypothyroidism, or hypoglycemia, as their nutrient needs are altered. People with a compromised immune system, including those recovering from surgery, should also avoid detoxification. Drug addicts or alcoholics should be careful when undergoing detoxification processes, as they may have severe withdrawal symptoms that need to be monitored. Physically weak people who have undergone surgery, have cancer, or the elderly may not have the stamina to undergo a detox program.
Our job in learning to stay well is to support our natural detoxification abilities by limiting our exposure to toxins and consuming nutrients that help detoxify them. This will help us feel good now and in the future by reducing our risk of developing deadly degenerative diseases (such as cancer, arthritis, diabetes, heart attack, and stroke) that are so prevalent in a 21st century urban setting.
Bibliography
Almoayed, A. 2007. I want healthy children. Kingdom of Bahrain: Union Press
Balch P and Balch J. (2000) Prescription for nutritional healing. Third edition. New York: Avery
MacDonald Baker, S. (2003) Detoxification and healing. United States: McGraw-Hill
Murray P and Pizzorno J (2000) Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. Second edition. Great Britain: Little Brown Company
Pizzorno, J. (1996) Total Wellness. United States: Prima