|
Clean it Out: Why Detoxing is Important and How to Do It
"As crude a weapon as the cave man's club, the chemical barrage has been hurled against the fabric of life-a fabric on the one hand delicate and destructible and on the other miraculously tough and resilient, and capable of striking back in unexpected ways."~Rachel Carson, Silent Spring
If detoxification conjures up images of starving yourself to death, running to the bathroom, and generally feeling miserable, read on! There are ways to give your body the cleansing that it needs while eating a healthy diet and going about your day without incident.
The Case for Cleansing
There are currently 85,000 chemicals registered worldwide and less than half of these have been tested for toxicity to humans. One need only look as far as our friends and relatives to see that the incidence of such health issues as cancer, Alzheimers, ADD, IBS, Crohn's disease, autoimmune diseases, hormone imbalance, allergies, asthma and more have gone up dramatically in the last two decades. The National Cancer Institute estimates that environmental toxins are responsible for at least 70% of all cancers. Not bad genes, bad habits or bad luck, but the simple fact that our bodies can no longer handle the mess we have made of the environment. In addition, it is estimated that 30-40% of all cancers can be prevented solely by diet and lifestyle changes. I suspect the number is actually much greater than this.
According to the EPA, over 1 billion pounds of pesticides were used in the U.S. in 2007, the most recent data available. DDT, a pesticide banned in the U.S. in 1972, is still routinely found in the tissues of animals, birds, fish and humans and in remote corners of the earth like the Arctic, a full 30 years after it was banned. Bisphenol A, a chemical found in plastics like those used in baby bottles, has been the target of environmental groups like EWG for years and was banned in Canada several years ago. Most people have seen the press about RBGH, which companies have begun to ban from use in their products (Yoplait, Starbucks, and Dannon, to name a few). There will be more and more of these that come to light and it is our job as consumers to make sure these poisons are not in our food or our environment.
Toxins are of two types, those that come from inside the body (endogenous) and those that come from outside (exogenous). Those from inside the body are by-products of normal metabolic processes. Ridding the body of these is part of normal metabolism. Those from outside the body are ingested, inhaled and taken in through the skin. Exogenous toxins can be found in milk and other animal products, pesticides, household cleaners, consumer products, carpets & paints, prescription drugs, plastics, drinking water, and skin care products. An estimated 95% of chemicals used in synthetic fragrances (which are abundant in toiletries, perfume, cologne, and skin care products) are derived from petroleum. These derivatives can cause birth defects, central nervous system defects, and allergic reactions.
Taking a Proactive Approach to Managing Toxins in the Body
As our bodies battle a constant barrage of toxins, few of us are doing anything about it. We go along without symptoms and assume we are okay until one day we are not. Just as our cars need an oil change, our bodies need to be maintained. One great way to do that is to periodically cleanse the body. The toxins in our body are stored in our fatty tissues and can remain there for years if we don't make an effort to clean them out every so often. How often we should cleanse is debated, but most experts suggest from 2-4 times per year. The length of a cleanse can be from as short as 3 days up to one month. Any cleansing you can commit to doing is better than doing none at all.
Spring is a great time to detox. The body is renewing its tissues and getting ready for new growth. I'm sure you've noticed how kids have a big growth spurt in the spring. As adults we don't (hopefully) grow larger, but our bodies are continually renewing themselves and this activity peaks in springtime. A cleanse is a great way to jump-start this process and is also a great way to begin a weight loss program. Since most of the toxins in our body are held in the fat, getting rid of the toxins will also help us let go of fat.
Cleanses are of four main types: fasting, herbal, vitamin, and homeopathic. Fasting cleanses usually involve either no food or just fruit and vegetable juices along with the cleansing nutrients. The "lemonade diet" is one example. While some sources feel this is a good method of cleansing, its detractors point out that one big problem with it is that there is not enough fiber to help carry the toxins out of the body, and so they can be reabsorbed. And while juice cleanses give the digestive system a chance to rest, they often do not provide all of the nutrients necessary for the liver to perform adequate detoxification. If you choose to do a fasting cleanse, doing it very short-term (3 days) is wise. Read More
|
