Detoxification
All you need to know to recharge, renew and rejuvenate
your body, mind and spirit!
The Growing Problem of Toxicity
In recent history, mankind has managed to drastically
change the chemistry of the environment in which we live.
For example, in 1989 alone, more than 1,000,000,000 pounds
of chemicals were released into the ground, threatening a
portion of the soil we grow our food in and the natural underground
water tables that supply some of our drinking water. Over
188,000,000 pounds of chemicals were also discharged into
surface waters such as lakes and rivers. More than 2,400,000,000
pounds of chemical emissions were pumped into the air we breathe.
A grand total of 5,705,670,380 pounds of chemical pollutants
were released into the environment we eat, breathe, and live
in, all in just one year.
To compound the problem of our toxic environment,
we have refined away much of the nutritional value of our
food supply and replaced it with artificial colorings, preservatives,
flavorings, conditioners, etc. This poor quality diet -combined
with extensive use of antibiotics in medicine and agriculture
-may have predisposed many of us to experience a kind of "internal"
pollution. Internal pollution occurs when unhealthful bacteria
overcome the healthful bacteria in the intestinal tract. These
unhealthful bacteria release toxic by-products into our circulation,
which can negatively impact many aspects of our overall health.
Will Toxicity Have an Effect on You?
What does this problem of toxicity mean for us individually?
It may present a threat to the vibrant level of health that
we would like to enjoy. But whether we succumb to the adverse
effects of toxicity depends on our knowledge of the subject
and the choices we make. We need to take personal responsibility
to make sure that we do not fall victim to toxicity. That
involves learning what we need to do to help our body protect
itself from toxicity.
Basic Ways to Avoid Toxicity
Let's begin with some of the basic requirements
to avoid toxicity. Do all you can to purify your work and
home environments. If you know the source of any toxic materials
at work, such as stored or leaking chemicals, dyes, paints,
solvents, glues, acids, or household offenders such as insecticides
or cleaning agents, remove them if possible. If the offending
materials cannot be removed, an effective air purification
system may be needed. Protective clothing and/or breathing
apparatus should be worn when using any toxic materials. Regular
replacement of furnace and air conditioning filters may also
be helpful.
It is also very important to eat a good diet
with plenty of fresh, wholesome foods. Avoid eating excess
fat, refined sugar, and foods high in additives and preservatives.
Eat moderate levels of protein (approximately 15% to 20% of
your calories) and fat (approximately 20% of your calories),
while increasing levels of complex carbohydrates (approximately
60% of your calories). Substitute organically raised animals
and organically grown fruits and vegetables whenever possible.
Drink plenty of purified water (ideally, eight 8-ounces
a day). A home water purification system is highly desirable
to provide pure water for drinking and cooking.
Support Your Body's Efforts to Eliminate
Toxicity
One thing is certain in our effort to purify
our work and home environments; it is impossible to avoid
toxicity completely! With that realization, the importance
of supporting your body's efforts to eliminate accumulated
toxins cannot be overstated. The illustration on the reverse
side of this sheet outlines the body's natural detoxification
mechanism and helps us understand the best way to strengthen
and support it. Please take a minute now and consider it closely.
Water or Juice Fasts Less Complete
Formerly it was believed that a water or juice
fast was a preferred detoxification program. These fasts were
thought to work under the principle that the body will be
able to clear stored toxins and heal itself when the "stress"
of digestion and the further accumulation of toxins are eliminated.
The modern-day realization that the body's detoxification
mechanism is a heavily nutrient-supported process has made
it clear that simple juice or water fasting is less complete
and no longer the method of choice. Prolonged fasting may
weaken muscles and various organs because of protein losses
and a gradual slowing of metabolic activity as the body endeavors
to conserve its depleted energy resources.
More Complete Support for Detoxification
A more current approach to detoxification is
to nourish the body thoroughly, fueling its natural detoxification
mechanism with the nutrients needed to achieve optimal detoxification
activity. By providing high quality protein, complex carbohydrates,
and essential fats, the body gets what it , needs to prevent
muscle and organ breakdown and depleted energy resources.
But that is just the beginning. Nutrients are needed to support
the function of the organs directly involved in detoxification:
the liver, the intestinal tract, and the kidneys. Intelligent
application of nutrition may help in the following ways:
Intestine: The nutrients zinc and panthothenic acid,
the amino acid L-glutamine, carbohydrates known as fructooligosaccharides,
and microorganisms known as acidophilus and bifidus, are a
few of the substances that provide support for the health
and integrity of intestinal function. In a proper state of
health, the intestine promotes elimination of toxins through
(I) regular bowel movements, (2) eliminating the build-up
of unhealthful microorganisms and internal toxins, and (3)
providing a strong and intact barrier to prevent the leakage
of toxic materials from the intestines into circulation.
Liver: The vitamins A, B3, 86, C, and E, beta-carotene,
the amino acids L-cysteine and L-glutamine, and components
known as glutathione and phospholipids are some of the substances
that support liver function. In a proper state of function,
the liver filters out and transforms toxic substances that
have entered the blood into harmless substances that can be
excreted in the urine. Interestingly, it appears that the
ratio of dietary protein to carbohydrate may be a very important
factor in determining the ability of the liver to detoxify
certain substances.
Kidney: The vitamins A, C, and 86, and the minerals
magnesium and potassium are just some of the substances that
support kidney activity. The kidney provides a major route
of toxin excretion via the urine.
Fat: Weight reduction and management is helpful for
those who are overweight. Excess fat provides a ready storage
site for fat-loving toxins entering the body. Once deposited
there, it is very difficult to remove them. Unless the excess
fat is removed, they remain there with the possibility of
being a continual source of toxicity.
Find the Help You Need
If you have any questions as to what you can do to help
eliminate internal pollution, do not hesitate to ask us.
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