Monday, October 8, 2012


Detox Now And Save Your Health

The fall season is almost here, presenting one of the best times of year to remove harmful toxins from your body — according to traditional Chinese and Holistic medicine approaches. The main reason that total-body detoxification is so highly recommended during autumn is because this cleansing process helps to enhance immunity and vitality in preparation for the cold winter months. But in order to have a successful cleanse, it’s important to follow the right steps and ensure that you are not detoxing too many toxins, too quickly — aka “a detox crisis.”
Detox Can Help You Feel Better… Or Worse
When engaging in a fall cleanse, many people often feel worse with symptoms that seem to be aggravated, rather than improved. This is commonly known as a detox crisis and is thought mistakenly by many people to be an inevitable part of any detoxification program: that one must feel worse temporarily before feeling better. However, this approach is flawed and can be largely avoided by using the right supplements, diet and exercises.
Most importantly, you want to move at a gentle and gradual pace. It can take years for toxins to build up in our systems and cause problems, so we can’t expect to remove them overnight. By slowly cleansing the blood and circulatory system first with the right diet and supplements, we can enjoy a much more rewarding and effective cleanse.
The Importance Of An Alkalizing Diet
Our fast-paced lifestyles and Western diets are highly acid-forming to our bodies. Proper acid/alkaline balance within the various systems of the body, commonly referred to as pH balance, is a vital aspect to any health-promoting program. Many chronic and degenerative conditions are related to an overly acidic body. Increasing alkalinity by reducing stress and following an alkaline diet also greatly enhances our natural detoxification capacities. Vegetables such as greens, cruciferous vegetables and sea veggies are all great examples of cleansing and alkalizing foods. For an in-depth article explaining the benefits of an alkalizing diet and for acid/alkaline food lists, click here.
Lemon And Olive Oil Drink: A Simple Yet Powerful Therapy
One of my favorite cleansing drinks is the classic lemon and olive oil mix. It is simple, inexpensive and easy to prepare; and it offers a dramatic boost to any cleanse program by providing support to the liver and gallbladder. Take the pieces of one organic lemon (seeds removed) and blend with about 1¼ cups of spring water, along with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Strain the contents and drink on an empty stomach each night before bed. You may want to start this dosage at half or one-third and work your way up each night. As an added bonus, many people find that that this refreshing drink improves their sleep.
Digestive Support
Another critical part of any detox therapy is to ensure that your digestive system has the support it needs. By providing your digestive system with extra vitality and “warmth” with digestive-supporting herbs and nutrients, you can optimize nutrient breakdown and toxin elimination, as well as support immune function.
Ingredients such as these listed are highly effective when used together:
  • Cinnamon
  • Cardamom
  • Ginger
  • Pomegranate
  • Tangerine peel
  • Black pepper fruit
  • Zinc
  • Chromium
  • Digestive enzymes such as amylase and protease
A combination of natural digestive aids can work to gently and effectively boost sluggish digestion; reduce harmful bacteria from the digestive tract; and relieve symptoms of bloating, nausea, flatulence, fluid retention and indigestion. This is critical during a cleanse when digestive capacity needs to function at its best in order to ensure efficient elimination of toxins and complete nutrient assimilation.
Simple And Safe Chelation
One of the safest and most effective ways to remove toxins and heavy metals from the circulation system is to use a clinically proven blend of modified citrus pectin (MCP) and modified alginates for one to three months. After this initial phase 1 period of one to three months, the MCP/alginate formula can be followed by aphase 2 detox formula containing a number of herbs and nutrients that bind and remove heavy metals and toxins from deep within organs and tissues. Published clinical studies show that the combination of these two unique formulas reduces overall heavy metal and environmental toxin levels within the body by up to 74 percent, in a gentle yet highly effective way.
Both the phase 1 and phase 2 detox formulas simultaneously remove harmful toxins and heavy metals —without affecting essential mineral levels within the body, as many other natural chelation therapies do.
In addition, ongoing research on modified citrus pectin, the main ingredient in a phase 1 formula, demonstrates that this unique nutrient offers powerful anti-cancer and immune-boosting benefits. It is also a safe and effective chelator of heavy metals and environmental toxins.
Pre- And Probiotics
High quality prebiotic and probiotic supplements are also very important during a cleanse. One of the goals of cleansing and detoxifying is to rid the intestines of harmful bacteria, fungi and parasites. Replanting and nourishing beneficial bacteria in the GI tract with pre- and probiotics significantly helps reduce the presence of harmful invaders and improve the overall environment in your gut, leading to increased digestive capacity and vitality. Recent studies have shown that probiotics directly enhance our immune function as well as the brain’s neurotransmitter activity, along with numerous other health benefits. They are true “friendly flora.”
Treatments And Exercises
It is critical to keep things moving during a cleanse so that toxins in the process of being eliminated do not get stuck in transit and create further areas of toxic stagnation. For this reason, it is very important to engage in mild to moderate exercise (even just 15 minutes of walking) every day of your cleanse.
In addition, specific treatments that promote the movement of vital energy within the body can be very helpful in deepening and enhancing the clearing process. Acupuncture, lymphatic drainage massage, micro-current therapy, homeopathic treatments, infrared saunas, yoga, Qi Gong and breathing exercises are some of my top recommended modalities for ensuring the movement of vital energy within the body to support natural detoxification processes.
Colonic Controversy
Many people recommend colonics and enemas during a cleanse as a way to assist the large intestines in its job of elimination. While these therapies may be beneficial for some people (many certainly swear by them), it is important to understand that this method of detoxification represents one small aspect of a total body cleanse and not the most important one. A well-planned cleanse can be equally, if not more, successful in helping rid the body of harmful excess wastes and toxins than simply receiving a regular schedule of colonics or enemas. That’s because colonic and enema treatments may offer some immediate relief from constipation and buildup but do not address the underlying causes of stagnant bowels or toxic body burden.
A successful cleanse uses herbs and nutrients such as those listed above, along with a cleansing diet and exercise, to help re-balance the body’s innate detoxification processes safely and naturally.

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