Cleanse or Detox?

DETOX

Is it simply a buzz word? No.
In actual fact our body has its own built in detoxification pathways.

Just to simplify things:

Detoxification = cleansing the blood of impurities

Elimination = the removal of toxins

THE FIVE PRIMARY FILTERS

If you can picture the filters in your car – the filters start to get clogged up, which is why you look after your car and have it serviced regularly, have the filters cleaned or replaced. Otherwise they can cause the motor to run sluggish – not at its optimum.

The human body has 4 main filters.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

IMMUNE / LYMPH SYSTEM

LIVER

KIDNEYS

LUNGS

And they need care and cleaning from our modern lifestyle.

Symptoms that we need to clean them include:

DIGESTION:

Bloating
Metallic or sour taste in mouth
Flatulence / Wind
Reflux
Lethargy after eating
Food sensitivities
Stuffy sinuses
Constipation / Diarrhoea
Irritable bowel
Skin disorders – eczema etc
Constant worry / anxiety
Light headedness or dizziness if don’t eat on time

IMMUNE / LYMPHATIC SYSTEM:

Constant colds / Flu OR no cold / flu for more than 5 years
Glandular fever & viruses
Ross River
Constant virus +/or bacterial infections
Autoimmune Disease like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Crohn’s disease
Yeast overgrowth outbreaks – Candida

LIVER / SPLEEN:

Mood swings – Depression, anger, irritability, anxiety
Sighing
Muscle aches & pains
Eyes – vision – gritty / tired
Blood flow – tiredness, lethargy
Gynaecological problems
Weak knees
Weight gain
Thyroid issues
Increased cholesterol & triglycerides
Fluctuating blood sugar levels
Skin disorders
Insomnia

KIDNEYS:

Lower back pain
Bones – arthritis, osteoarthritis or osteoporosis
Damaged knees
Ears – tinnitus or increased production of wax
Low libido
Prostate problems
UTI
Fears and phobias
Bladder +/or kidney infections
Decrease in constitution – Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

LUNGS:

Breathing problems eg asthma
Lethargy
Bronchitis / Pneumonia
Shortness of breath
Sleep apnea / Snoring
Pulmonary Embolism
Coughing – can be chronic
Chest pain
Increased blood pressure
Congestion

The lungs are actually one of the first lines of defense against incoming invaders, especially against xenobiotics (environmental pollution) and microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, etc.).

Imagine an empty glass – when you were born this glass is clean – it contains no toxins (trusting that you had healthy normal birth) – there are no toxins.
By the age of, say 20 there may be toxin level of about 2 cm – but our filters cope with ridding most of these.
However, as time passes and our body ages, the exposures continue we begin to build that level up.
We reach dangerous levels of toxins. So then we get ‘ill’ and look for solutions.
Unfortunately, the quick fix just doesn’t cut it anymore.
So the treatments we undergo may take longer than previously.
Don’t get despondent and think that natural therapies just don’t work – it may be that we need to detox or clean those filters for any treatments to have the desired effect.
How long treatments take can be dependent upon the level of toxins in your body – is the glass now full?
So I see detox as a preventer. Don’t wait till you have symptoms to get clean.
Detox on a regular basis to clean those filters – just like a regular service for your car!

What happens when you eat?

The food enters your mouth and while you are still chewing it immediately starts to break down.
It is digested and broken down by the gastrointestinal tract into absorbable nutrients.
The blood circulates through the gastrointestinal tract and picks up those nutrients and escorts them throughout the bloodstream.
Some of these nutrients are then changed into usable forms by the liver and kidney and are sorted for storage or release.
These nutrients are also transported to the body’s internal environment where they can be ingested by the hungry cells.
Any unwanted leftovers (cellular debris, antigens, or other circulating waste) are sent through the liver, kidneys, spleen, and lymphatic system (or peripheral circulation) where it can be properly discarded from the body (usually via the bowel and urinary system).

If any one of these filtering organs or systems is not functioning properly, the entire body may suffer an accumulation of toxins.

This can lead to extensive cell damage, symptoms, sickness, and disease. It can also prevent the body from absorbing nutrients, thus depriving the cells of proper nutrition. This, too, can lead to deficiencies that produce cell damage, symptoms, weight gain, sickness, and disease.

By understanding these fundamental workings of the body, it seems obvious that providing adequate nutrients (vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, enzymes, etc.) and maintaining proper filtration would lead to optimal health, thus greatly diminishing sickness and disease.

A good everyday illustration is that we clean filters in our cars, swimming pools, and air conditioners. We do this in order to keep the accumulation of waste from choking the life out of the motors. We usually accomplish this by some form of flushing. The organs we have just learned about also serve as filters for our body.

Just like our cars, swimming pools, and air conditioners, we also need to flush the filters in our body. Otherwise, they too become clogged and we become sick.

The last thing we want is to have waste products (toxins, chemicals, cellular debris, metals, bacteria, yeast, viruses, etc.) accumulating in these filtering systems.

For optimum health we need to not only avoid toxins (internally and externally), put the right balance of nutrients in but also help our body absorb these nutrients. We can help ourselves by pushing the RESET button on our body.

Going on a cleansing journey helps clean those filters, reduce toxin load AND take stock of habits!

These are two of my eBooks about Cleansing.

Quick cleanse is for a 3 day wholefoods cleanse.

Cleanse – More the skin Deep is a more in depth booklet for cleansing not just your eating patterns but also your environment.