DETOX-THE CLEANSE OF HEALTH

With pollutants in our food, drink and air during our daily living, we all accumulate lots of toxins in our vital organs. These toxins not only damage organs, but also produce oxidants that literally "rust" our entire body and cause a myriad of degenerative diseases such as atherosclerosis, arthritis, and Alzheimers. Moreover, it greatly shortens our lives and makes our latter years miserable. Many Doctors recommend detox cleanses as part of a weight loss program. The rationale is that excess toxins are absorbed into our fat cells, then our bodies, acting to be self preserving, enlarge (i.e. take on more fat) to store these poisons.

The body eliminates toxins through our liver, kidney, and skin. The liver enzymaticlly degrades them to less harmful products by well studied pathways (phase I, phase II etc.), then excretes them into the bile and blood. The water soluble substances are expelled through the kidney into the urine. Those that are fat soluble, including heavy metals such as Mercury, are the passed on to the fat which comprises 90% of our nervous system.

One of the oldest and least expensive programs is just fasting. Drinking lots of water helps renal excretion. As an add-on some Doctors recommend a Bowel Cleanse that may even include High Colonic Enemas. To detox the liver are herbs that encourage the above mentioned enzymatic reactions. The skin eliminates both fat and water soluble toxins in our sweat. Some clinicians even recommend herbs that cause sweating. However, I advise heavy exercise, occasionally saunas and rubbing down with a towel after a shower. Some practitioners believe that gently brushing the skin in the direction of the lymph flow detoxifies the lymphatics.

It is a good idea to have both a fall and spring cleaning. Many experts know this is the start of a shift in certain nutrient consumption for winter and summer, since food availability and temperature change do cycle seasonally. Our bodies need to be rebooted periodically for its best functioning. On a cellular level our tissue heals better when it can rest from its other functions such as the daily work of digestion, absorption, and metabolism. Moreover, our gut enzymes are relieved of their responsibility and replenish its store for the next onslaught of “nourishment”.

Many physical cleanses are combined with spiritual uplifting. There are 32 references to it in the Christian Bible, it is done by Moslems on holy days as well as by Native Americans. In Judaism, the Jewish New Year (day of atonement), God is asked to forgive the sins of his people.

As part of the HcG program, many health care givers advise a cleanse. We have been doing this to varying degrees in the past, but some were very difficult, others expensive and still others downright dangerous. In collaborating with Dr. Doug Pray, a specialist in nutrition, I have been recommending Novolife (www.novolife.net). I have even done it myself. I also encourage folks to buy his popular book, I DON’T GO OUT WITH FAT BOYS, published this year that well explains the plan. The ease of the implementation coupled with the leg up on a weight/fat reduction agenda makes this ideal. For an investment of this magnitude ($124 and a week of minimal deprivation) not only will one have a clean body (and heart) but if overweight, a 8 to 12 pound weight loss!!!