Why would we need to detox from living everyday life? After all, the good Lord made this world and us to live on it. There should be no problems, right? And up until about 200 years ago, that was mostly the case. We lived in harmony with the land like the other creatures of planet Earth.
The Industrial Revolution began about 1780 and was in full dirty swing by 1820. That is about 10 generations ago. So in only a few generations, our bodies went from living on fresh water, organic foods and clean air to the synthetic polluted over processed world we currently live on. I heard a lecture that stated that the measured pollution from one bus passing by released more cancer causing agents than our ancestors were exposed to in a lifetime. So let's take a look at a typical toxic morning.
So you roll out of bed and jump in a hot shower. The hot water is full of chlorine and a multitude of other chemicals. You grab your soap and shampoo and wash away the protective oils that your body created. Once dried off, you spray aluminum under your arms to stop your body from releasing toxins in your perspiration. You dress in synthetic fabrics or cotton that has been sprayed with arsenic. You make breakfast usually so processed that it has little nutritional value. Coffee, America's favorite legal drug, with over processed white sugar and cream that is full of the hormones and antibiotics the cow was feed. Keep in mind that you are breathing constantly. So each breath is full of an alarming amount of toxins. All this and more and you have not even left the house yet!
As you can tell from this description, you can't do much about some toxins. After all given the choice between breathing toxic air and not breathing, I'm going with the toxins. Want to know if you are suffering from a toxic overload, then take the Toxic test. If you don't pass, don't worry, there really are a lot of things that you can do to help the situation.
Step one is to avoid as many toxins as possible.
Stop putting over processed and synthetic junk in your mouth. Soda is OK as an occasional treat, but it should never be used daily or even weekly! Don't even get me started on cigarettes! Give your daily hygiene products a little consideration. Your fluoride toothpaste may stop cavities, but is that worth putting a toxic substance in your mouth twice a day? Your soap and shampoo may smell good, but there are products without Sodium Lauryl Sulfate that will not strip your skin of protective oils and they also smell good. Being conscious of a problem is the first step in solving it.
Step two is to drink filtered water (lots!).
Water is the body cleaner and water means water, not tea, Kool-Aid etc, drink water. Read my past article on water for more details.
Step three is to eat healthy.
The good Lord covered this planet with wonderful healthy things to eat, try eating them. If you are detoxing, you want to avoid the foods that many people are sensitive to, eat as much raw organic fruits and veggies as possible and do not eat processed meats such as corned beef. Your list of foods to avoid includes: All gluten-containing foods like wheat, rye, oats and barley which are commonly found in breads, pasta and other products from refined flour. Alcohol, caffeine (coffee, black teas, and soymilk), soda and fruit drinks that are high in refined sugars. Pork, cold cuts, bacon, hot dogs, canned meat, sausage and shellfish. Corn and tomatoes. Eggs and all dairy (milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, etc.) Citrus fruits and juices, strawberries and pineapples. Foods high in fats and oils, including peanuts, refined oils, margarine and shortening. Any other foods not listed that you know you are allergic to.
Step four is to increase fiber.
Since you are trying to get rid of toxins, the colon is high on the toxic dump list. The best way to clean out a colon is with eating lots of raw veggies and drinking lots of water (starting to sound redundant isn't it?) You can also add fiber from ground flaxseed. Just buy flaxseed and put them in the coffee grinder. I like to add cinnamon to it and sprinkle in on toasted Ezekiel bread or plan on a salad or in a smoothie. As I tell my patients, poop out is always better than poop in!
Step five is to start a parasite cleanse.
Sorry, but your dog is not the only one in need of a good de-worming! The average human is loaded with lots of critters using you as the meal of choice. It is one of the reasons people are chronically tired. Worms, flukes and yeast are the most common. You can go to the health food store and buy anti parasite products. These products usually contain black walnut, wormwood and common cloves, but many other things including common herbs will clean you out.
Your body wants to be healthy and clear of these poisons so once you start avoiding toxins, giving your body enough water to eliminate them and adding healthy foods for the fuel to do so, it will self clean. So here is the bad news: Detoxification of the body although necessary is not fun. You will usually feel like crap while doing it. So go slow. Typically, the onset of these symptoms is very rapid. You can expect: headaches, muscle aches, flu like symptoms, fatigue and nausea. This will last from several hours to several days or longer. Don't panic, it is a good thing. Your body is releasing stored toxins into your blood stream so actually you are more toxic until you can eliminate everything. Once the mess is cleaned up, you will feel better. Rest and give yourself the gift of exercise; both will make you feel better.
If you take the test and fail miserably, start by just doing steps one and two: clean up your toxic intake and increase your water. Do this for about two weeks. Add step three by eating healthy (this also adds step four if you are adding enough raw fruits and veggies). Do this for another two weeks. Now try adding lots of ground flaxseed and doing the parasite cleanse. Stay with this until you start to feel honestly good. We have a wonderful detox program from Biotics. Come in to the office and check out a DVD on detoxification and go on the detox program if you need something a bit easier to do.
When you are done, slowly start to add the eliminated foods back into your diet. If you add a food and find you do not feel well, eliminate it from your diet permanently. Its flavor is not worth feeling bad. Also take acidophilus to re-establish a healthy gut flora. Remember, it was your evil toxic ways that got you into this mess, so don't go back to them. Fast food is not food. Fast means to abstain from eating, food means nutrient so fast food means to abstain from nutrition!
It is difficult for many to realize that doing something that makes you feel bad for a few days can make you feel good for the rest of your life, but it can. Feeling good is a God given gift. So make some changes and let your reflection be one of radiant health.
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