What is detox? 

Introduction/Overview

Detox (short for detoxification) is a systematic approach to assisting your body to remove toxins stored in its tissues.  It is a process that occurs naturally and marvelously within the body. 

Unfortunately, in our polluted environment, many bodies simply become overloaded.  This can result from cumulative exposure to environmental toxins, beginning even before birth.  It can result from short-term high-level exposure, such as Gulf War Syndrome.  It can be the result of lifestyle habits, such as a poor diet, combined with excesses of drugs and alcohol.   It can also be the result of toxins generated within the body itself, as in the case of candidiasis, for example. 

Regardless of the cause, the bottom line is that for many people, the body's systems cannot process these toxins as quickly as they are ingested or generated.  The result is symptoms of toxicity.  Numerous additional factors may impact an individual, such as stress, unresolved emotional issues, or another illness such as HIV.  These other factors all impact the immune system which is our body's defense against illness.

The good news is that you can improve or protect your health by implementing your own personal detox program.

For our purposes, what detox is not, is a means to overcome a serious addition to alcohol, prescription or "street" drugs.  Although our information can be of great help to a person trying to get "clean," because of the risk of seizures, a person needs to work with a qualified physician, or at least work through AA or NA.  Call information in your town to find a listing for these organizations.

Why Detox is Important

 We live in a Sea of Toxins.  While there are a few success stories, by and large, the environment is more polluted than ever.  For example,  Californians for Pesticide Reform report pesticide use in California was up 129 percent from 1991 to 1995.  And California is considered progressive.

If you live in a city, the air is polluted.  Water sources are increasingly suspect.  Many individuals are exposed to chemicals at work, but are afraid to quit their jobs for fear they can't make as much money somewhere else.  Furniture, clothing, carpeting, new cars all "outgas" toxins into our indoor or Personal Environment.  Most of us apply chemicals directly to our bodies in the form of personal care products made from petroleum and other toxic substances.

The body might be able to handle all this if we all ate nothing but healthy food, drank pure water, got just enough of the right kind of exercise, were emotionally stable and well adjusted and took just the right amounts of supplements while avoiding second-hand smoke and rarely indulged in caffeine, alcohol or recreational drugs.  Though some of us know people like that, for most of us are a bit more relaxed. 

Your first level of insight must be to consider what that all means for your body.  It means that your body, especially your liver, must process out all the toxins, along with the rest of its activities.  Some of these activities include:

1. metabolizing proteins, fats and sugars, providing the nutrients that sustain life;
2. creating bile to break down fat.  High fat, or even just a high quantity of any kind of food, places an extra load on the liver;
3. metabolizing the drugs and alcohol many of us use to "take the edge off";
4. metabolizing the caffeine most of us use to get up in the morning;
5. breaking down and eliminates excess hormones;
6. cleaning up toxins including those: 
   • resulting from the metabolism of that food;
   • from the environment;
   • attached to the food we eat in the form of pesticides and herbicides; and
   • dissolved in the water.

When the liver can't accomplish all these functions, you eventually begin to experience symptoms, such as fatigue, skin eruptions, headaches, allergies, and numerous other health complaints that can lead to disease-states, mental confusion, inability to concentrate, "failure to thrive," or the blues. You thought it was your boss, or your spouse, or your (fill in the blank _______).  No, it's your poor overworked liver!

This is a job that calls for DETOX.   Basically, you have to learn to take a load off your liver.  The good news is THIS IS DOABLE.  When you understand why you need to, a little bit about how the liver works to detoxify all those poisons, and a little more than you already do about some other systems of the body, you're going to understand SO much more about current health research in general.  That's because detoxification is a unifying principle behind many of the current findings in medical research.  Then you'll understand why people who eat a Mediterranean diet are less likely to get cancer, and why people who get enough Vitamin C are likely to have fewer colds, why people who eat enough fiber have fewer intestinal problems and why people who live simple peasant lives in countries where they eat yogurt can live to be very old.  They're all related to the unifying principle for body function that detoxification provides, the ideas that inform functional medicine.

With that, we invite you to find out How to Detox.

How the Body Detoxifies

There are two major detoxification systems operating within the body--the antioxidation system, and the liver's detoxification processes.  They both work in conjunction with the body's circulatory and elimination systems.  Even superficial understanding of how these systems work can give you a whole new basis of health, because with this understanding, you can improve your body's ability to detoxify, based on a scientific framework. You will understand how and why these measures help to protect your health. 

We credit Sidney MacDonald Baker, M.D., author of Detoxification & Healing: The Key to Optimal Health, and Jeffrey S. Bland, Ph.D., author of The 20-Day Rejuvenation Diet Program for helping to make this biochemistry lesson understandable.  They both offer more extensive, yet easy-to-comprehend explanations of these processes in their books.  We recommend them both. 

The first process to understand is how the body prevents oxidation.  You've probably heard the word "antioxidant" many times in reference to vitamins, supplements, foods or teas.  In case you do not understand it, please read the following slowly and carefully and try to follow the thought progression:

Thought 1.  We need oxygen to live.   That's obvious. 

Thought 2.  Why do we need oxygen?  Because oxygen plays an important role in metabolism, in the breakdown of food into energy and the raw materials to supply every other function that goes on inside the body.  Every cell of the body--trillions of them--needs oxygen to carry on its individual function.  Brain cells, for example, begin to die after only three minutes without a fresh supply of oxygen.

Thought 3.  Oxygen is, however, a reactive substance, i.e. it reacts with other substances.    That's the reason why you have to be very careful in the presence of pure oxygen or you could have an explosion, i.e. a powerful reaction. (The air we breathe is only 20 percent oxygen.)

Thought 4.  When oxygen reacts with other substances, it causes oxidation.  Fire, for example, is rapid oxidation.  We also see it when iron rusts; the rust is oxidation.  An apple cut in half and exposed to air turns brown; the browning is oxidation. 

This process of oxidation also occurs within the body, where it's called biological rancidification.  Researchers have determined that biological rancidification is one of the primary causes of aging.

Dr. Bland states, "The way biological rancidification occurs in the body is similar to how oxygen combines with fat in a cube of butter and causes it to become rancid...The 20-Day Rejuvenation Diet Program page 80). ...activated forms of oxygen--oxygen radical or reactive oxygen species (ROS)--are manufactured in the body following exposure to radiation, pollution, viruses or other infectious agents, drugs and medication (including alcohol and cigarettes) and even as a consequence of the activation of the body's immune system." (Page 81.)

Thought 5:  The biochemical forms of oxygen that are most likely to cause this biological rancidification are commonly known as "free radicals." Free radicals are molecules that are missing an electron, so they steal a replacement electron from another molecule, causing oxidative damage to the "victimized" molecule and the tissue of which it is a part.

Thought 6.  Unfortunately, there's a domino effect caused by free radicals in the body.  They don't just cause one reaction and stop.  The "victimized" molecule now steals a replacement electron from yet a third molecule...and on and on it goes. 

Here's how Dr. Bland describes the effect of free radicals on the body:  "...imagine a Ping-Pong table covered with mousetraps.  All the traps are set, 'baited' with a carefully placed Ping-Pong ball.  Then imagine tossing another ball onto the table.  That ball springs one trap, bounces off and begins a reaction that in a short time triggers all the mousetraps on the table, with Ping-Pong balls bouncing everywhere.  This is very similar to the explosive chemical reactions which are initiated by free radicals..."  The 20-Day Rejuvenation Diet Program  (Page 84.) 

Dr. Baker clarifies how this pertains to the body:  "If a fatty acid molecule [back to that pat of butter] gets its electron ripped off by oxygen in the air, it is damaged...If the fatty acid molecule is nested among millions of others in ... our cell membranes, we call the damage 'oxidative damage'..." Detoxification & Healing: The Key to Optimal Health, (page 69).

Understanding Oxidative Stress

Dr. Baker helps us understand electron exchanges from the larger perspective of chemistry in general:  "...oxygen and all related oxidative stresses...put our molecules at risk of losing an electron.  Such a loss is a necessary part of all chemistry in which molecules participate voluntarily...chemistry has to do with the sharing, gaining or losing of electrons from one atom or molecule." Detoxification & Healing: The Key to Optimal Health, (Pg. 69)

Thought 7.  Fortunately, the body has a system that prevents damage from free radicals, if it has an adequate supply of essential nutrients.

The essential nutrients are vitamin C, E, B2, bioflavinoids, beta-carotene, glutathione, selenium and zinc. 

First a vitamin C molecule gives the "victimized" molecule a replacement electron and then the vitamin C molecule itself receives a replacement electron from a molecule of the bioflavinoids.  The bioflavinoid molecule in turn receives a replacement electron from a beta-carotene molecule.  The beta-carotene molecule in turn receives a replacement electron from a vitamin E molecule.  The vitamin E molecule in turn receives a replacement electron from glutathione.  As you can see, and as Dr. Baker informs us..."Antioxidants do not work alone."  (Pgs. 69-71)

The nutrients all work together and if the diet lacks any one, there will be oxidative stress.  For example, a beta-carotene molecule with a missing electron becomes unstable and toxic when its missing electron is not replaced by one from vitamin E and vitamin E cannot replace beta-carotene's missing electron if it is not able to borrow one from vitamin B2. 

Dr. Baker uses a bucket-brigade analogy to describe the chain of electron exchanges among the different antioxidants that prevent oxidative damage.  If one of the antioxidants in the chain is missing, that's the point where the process stops and damage begins. 

Dr. Bland emphasizes the same point:  "In order for oxidant free radicals to be properly quenched and detoxified, all of the antioxidants must be in balance one to another.  Taking high levels of a supplement of one antioxidant without increasing the others could significantly impair the effectiveness of the single protective nutrient."  (Page 93)

A state of  "oxidative stress" can result when the body does not have the adequate nutrients.  Most of the chronic illnesses that affect our society are related, in one way or another, to oxidative stress. This explains why some people age more quickly than others.  It is because, over the years, they have not supplied their bodies with adequate supplies of these nutrients. 

Both physical and psychological stress (see psychoneuroimmunology) increase the body's need for nutritional supplementation, as do exposure to toxins, lifestyle choices and internal toxins such as those generated by candidiasis, i.e. intestinal yeast infections.

The antioxidant defense system takes place throughout the body, on a cellular level. 

Another critical detoxification process takes place in the liver.  This is a two-phase process involving a series of enzymes.

Peter Bennett, N.D., and Stephen Barrie, N.D., describe it in their book 7-Day Detox Miracle: Restore Your Mind and Body's Natural Vitality with This Safe and Effective Life-Enhancing Program.  "Think of this detoxification process as a two-phase wash cycle.  Enzymes are like the soap that liberates grease into little droplets, removing impurities that the water can't remove on its own.  In the first part of the wash cycle, enzymes break toxins down into intermediate forms...Some toxins are ready for elimination at this stage, but others require a second wash cycle.  In Phase Two, these intermediate compounds are routed along one of six chemically driven detoxification pathways, where they are further broken down, and then bound to specific types of protein molecules which act as 'escorts' to guide them out of the body, allowing them to exit through the kidneys (in the form of urine) or the bile (in the form of feces).  This process is called conjugation."  (Pg. 97-98.)

Many toxins are fat-soluable.  The liver's job is to transform them into water-soluable substances so they can be excreted via the bowel or the kidneys.  (The bowel and the kidneys cannot process them out until they're water-soluable.)  When hormones, drugs, chemicals or other toxins enter the liver in the blood, the first group of enzymes, the Phase One detoxification system, go to work to transform them. When the Phase One enzymes have "biotransformed" the toxins into intermediate forms, Phase Two enzymes combine with the "biotransformed intermediates" to create nontoxic water-soluable compounds that can then be excreted.  If there aren't enough nutrients to generate these Phase Two enzymes, a dangerous bottle-neck in the detoxification process is created. The necessary enzymes are derived from various vitamins and minerals,  plus amino acids (glycine, glutamine, taurine, methionine, cysteine and glutathione) found in high quality proteins.

These biotransformed intermediates have another name we're now more familiar with, oxygen free radicals, and if they can't be immediately processed out due to lack of nutrients, they begin to cause oxidative stress within the liver and to other tissues where they're carried in the bloodstream.  The free radicals, can be MORE DANGEROUS than they were in their original form as toxins entering the liver. 

Dr. Bland reports "These intermediary materials have adverse effects upon the hormone-secreting endocrine system (the thyroid, adrenal and pancreatic glands), the immune system, which provides the body's defenses, and the nervous system.  These three organ systems seem to be most sensitive to endo- and exotoxicity [that is, toxins of internal and external origin], and the symptoms patients experience are often related to thyroid difficulties, adrenal stress problems, immune hypersensitivity or immune suppression problems associated with increased inflammation or "catching every bug that comes along," and chronic nervous system problems that may, in some individuals, progress to become such serious disorders as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease." (Pg. 116) 

The enzyme system in the liver is very delicate.  Like the antioxidant system, it depends on having the right combination of an assortment of nutrients that is almost impossible to get without nutritional supplementation, even from a very healthy diet.  The enzyme system is also subject to great genetic variation.  Dr. Bland reports that when all the health-conscious members of his staff had their liver detoxification processes tested, they found a 10-fold difference in Phase One detoxification ability among these "normal" individuals.  "In fact," he writes, "individuals among the staff who had the slowest cytochrome P450 [i.e. the liver's enzyme system] detoxification activity were the most sensitive, with histories of allergy, asthma and environmental sensitivity.  On the other end of the continuum, those who had very active cytochrome P450 and liver detoxification systems appeared to be the staff members who never got sick when they traveled internationally, experienced no allergies to foods or other substances and had no eczema or asthma." (Pg. 114)

Another complicating factor can be that a person may naturally have one phase that works better than the other.  Fortunately, there is now simple, noninvasive testing that tests a person's Phase One and Phase Two detoxification processes, allowing the individual to make dietary and nutritional adjustments to account for their individual differences.

If the body does not have the nutrients to process out the toxins when they enter the liver, they are stored, either in the liver or in fat tissue.  Persons who are overweight have a higher level of stored toxins.  During dieting, as the body uses the nutrients stored in the fat cells, these toxins come back into circulation, causing many of the unpleasant effects of dieting, such as jittery nerves, light-headedness and sometimes mild nausea.  If inadequate nutrition is being ingested during dieting, the additional biotransformed intermediates can cause extra oxidative stress while dieting.  For this reason, both Dr. Bland and Dr. Bennett believe fasting may not be the safest way to detox.
 

Do you need to detox?

Are you overweight or tired all the time?  Do you have headaches, other aches and pains, frequent colds and flus, constipation or digestive problems, high blood pressure, PMS, allergies or sensitivities.  Do you often drink too much alcohol, drink caffeinated beverages, smoke cigarettes, use over-the-counter or recreational drugs, or eat fast, fried or refined foods? 

  – Overweight?  If you're overweight, you have more toxins in your body than a thin person because the body stores excess toxins in fat cells.  But don't despair– one of the great additional benefits of detoxing is losing weight!

  – Tired all the time?  According to noted biochemist Jeffrey Bland, Ph.D., in his new book,  The 20-Day Rejuvenation Diet Program, "toxicology textboks list the first symptoms of chronic poisoning as low energy, fatigue, muscle weakness, inability to concentrate and intestinal complaints."

 Do you have

 – Headaches?  Food additives, sugar, alcohol, caffeine withdrawal, constipation, hormonal imbalance and exposure to irritants such as pollution, perfume or after-shaves are all causes of headaches that can often be relieved by detoxification. 

Warning:  if your headaches are accompanied by fever and stiffness in the neck, pressure behind the eyes relieved by vomiting, pressure in the sinus area, throbbing of head and temples, a pounding heartbeat, visual color changes, feeling as though your head will explode, light sensitivity, confusion or loss of speeech, blurred vision, or chronic headache pain that worsens after coughing, exertion, straining or sudden movement, consult your health care provider. 

 – Other aches and pains?  Holistic practitioners are finding that several forms of arthritis can be significantly relieved by a detoxification diet, plus proper supplimentation.  Drs. Barrie and Bennett   
in their book 7-Day Detox Miracle,
state, "Arthritis pain may be related to a toxic reaction to specific foods (food allergies), dehydration from inadequate intake of water, a very common problem, and bowel toxemia."  (Pg. 29)

 – Frequent colds and flu?  Frequent colds and flu are signs of a suppressed immune system.  Detoxification, appropriate nutritional supplementation, improvement in diet– Healthy Diet – improved stress management and regular, but not overly strenuous exercise are part of a comprehensive plan for improving your immune system.

– Constipation or digestive problems?  A healthy digestive system eliminates its contents one to three times daily.  If you do not have at least one bowel movement a day, or if you have flatulence or chronic indigestion, a detox program as part of a larger change of diet and awareness about food can often change those problems rapidly.

 – High blood pressure?  James F. Balch, M.D., and Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C., authors of  Prescription for Nutritional Healing recommend fasting (an ancient, but what we consider extreme, form of detox) for three to five days a month for those suffering from high blood pressure.  Those who are motivated to change their lifestyle will find numerous less strenuous forms of detox on this site that can achieve the same effect over a somewhat longer period of time, but that are much easier to endure.  The dietary suggestions the book gives for high blood pressure are similar to the Healthy Diet offered on this site.  Caution must be exercised:  High blood pressure is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and for those who suffer from it, there are many specific guidelines in reference to over-the-counter medications, supplements, herbs, foods, and food additives that must be observed to prevent stroke and heart attack.  You need to be under a doctor's care, but we encourage you to work with a holistically oriented physician who can support you in lifestyle changes that will address many of its risk factors. 

 – PMS?  In general, detoxing, at any level, enhances a woman's ability to deal with the ebb and flow of hormones that characterize her adult life.  Watch out, though, for the initial phases of more serious forms of detox, i.e going beyond more than gradual "pre-detox" diet improvements.  The liver is major storehouse for excess toxins, which includes hormones.  As you enter a period of more intensive detoxing, the excess hormones stored in the liver come back into the bloodstream for processing, and it's like the worst PMS you ever had.  Just stay home with your stuffed toys, maybe your dog and watch sweet movies.  Never mind that your own life is not a fairytale.  After a day or so of the blues, everything is much better.

– Allergies or sensitivies?  By and large, conventional health care only deals with masking the symptoms of allergies and food sensitivities, rather than attempting to resolve them.  The first step that many alternative practitioners recommend is a change of diet that cuts out wheat and dairy foods, two common allergens.  To do so is also the first step in "detoxing." Higher levels of detoxing, as well as additional immune support through nutritional supplementation, have been known to help many allergy sufferers.  Allergies are, however, almost by definition, a very individualized condition.  Allergy testing can yield important insights, but those who are disciplined may be able to forego the costs by following the extensive method for self-testing of food allergies offered in  Prescription for Nutritional Healing by James F. Balch, M.D., and Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C.

 Do you often

 – Drink more than a small amount of alcohol?  Are you ready to save your life as well as your relationships?  If so, a detox program can help you feel better, younger and stronger.  If you only have a few minutes, read this first.  Of course, if you're not ready to quit drinking, (and realistically that's the only way most heavy drinkers can cut down), a weekend detox won't do you much good.  No shame need be involved.  When you're ready, you're ready, and if you're not, what's so bad about a liver transplant other than that they cost about $400,000?  P.S.  If you eat a very nutritious diet– Healthy Diet – and take daily Essential Supplements, you still might live to old age, even if you're decrepit when you get there.  Don't kid yourself, healthwise, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol is one of the worst things you can do.

  – Drink caffeinated beverages?  Most Americans do.  And with the stress of our society, it's hard not to.  Even if you're not ready to quit for good, a spring and fall detox can give your liver a chance to rest from detoxifying all that caffeine every day, and that can have tremendous physical benefits in terms of more energy, better sleep and reduced stress which in turn can also make it possible to cut down significantly on caffeine after your detox.

 – Smoke cigarettes?  Surely no one has to tell you they're toxic.  But unless you're one of the few people who only smoke a couple at parties now and again, you've got an addiction that is not only expensive, but stinky, and truly unhealthy to others.  One great way to look at this is if you can kick this habit (and you can) which is detoxifying in itself, other health improvements are going to be easy by comparison.  Eldon Haas, M.D., had an excellent chapter on how to prepare to quit smoking in his book, The Detox Diet.

– Use over-the-counter or recreational drugs?  Any drug (that's right, even if it's prescribed by your doctor, or sold in a drug store as safe-to-use) has to be metabolized by your liver, your prime organ of detoxification.  Your liver is also busy doing a lot of other things that keep you alive, and if it gets too overloaded, it can't process all the toxins, so instead of processing them, it stores them within the liver itself, as well as in other organs and in fat cells.  The process of detoxing as we present it supports the liver's ability to do its job by 1) reducing the amount of toxins you ingest; 2) supplying additional nutrients to help the liver transform toxins into molecules that can be excreted by the body's systems; and 3) giving you techniques that allow the stored toxins within your body to gradually reenter the bloodstream where the liver can prepare them for excretion.

 – Eat fast foods, fried foods or refined foods?  In addition to having very little, if any, nutritional value, fast foods, fried foods and refined foods have to be processed by the liver and take its energy away from other detoxification work it has to do.  A low fat diet, with lots of whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables supports the liver with nutrients and easy-to-digest food.  Switching to such a diet is the first step in an over-all detox program that can give you more energy, help you to lose weight and feel years younger. 

If you have answered yes to any of these, you can significantly benefit from detox.  Even if you haven't, detox can help you feel even better, and help you protect your health to an even greater extent.

Detoxification Details 

By Ted H. Spence
DDS, ND, PhD/DSc, MPH

Introduction
Detoxification comes in many forms and refers to many different programs that cleanse the body of toxins. Today, our environment is toxic and the foods we eat, even the air we breathe and the water we drink is laden with chemicals foreign to our system. Therefore, everyone is undergoing some type of detoxification to maintain life and health. Although basic detoxification begins with diet, detox programs may include nutritional fortification for the liver, lungs, kidneys, bowels and blood. 

We will soon see why these organs are so important in detoxification. Detoxification for the body may refer to the cleansing of the bowels, kidneys, lungs, the liver or the blood, since these are the organs involved in detoxification of chemicals and toxins from the body. The liver acts as an "in-line" filter for the removal of foreign substances and wastes from the blood. The kidneys filter wastes from the blood into the urine, while the lungs remove volatile gases as we breathe. 

Our body is designed to utilize natural substances, which includes foods, herbs and phytochemicals. Any foreign substance will serve as a stimulus to our immune system, which has the function of removing these substances. Although the toxicity of a chemical may vary, it is the job of the liver to reduce toxins into compounds that the body can safely handle and eliminate through the kidneys (as urine), skin (as sweat), lungs (as expelled air) and bowels (as feces). Maintaining these eliminative organs in good working order is essential for one's good health to continue. 

While there are many detoxification programs available, they differ in their actions and their intent. Some detoxification programs (DP) work only with the bowels, others may cleanse the liver or the blood, and others may aid the kidneys or the skin in their functions. By combining these detox programs into a total health program, one can effectively restore their health to an optimal level and look younger in the process. When the body can eliminate toxins, then health is restored and energy and vigor are revitalized. Many different approaches to detoxification and wellness will work, even though they attack the problem at different levels. Any program that augments detoxification will improve health. Other factors must be considered in detoxification, like nutrition, water, and exercise, rest, sunshine, and fresh air.
 

Detoxification Diets
Detoxification diets help the body to eliminate toxins in many ways. First, natural vegetarian diets include the fiber needed for stimulating good bowel eliminate. They also contain the proper amounts of vitamins that feed and nourish the bowels and the liver, as well as other eliminative organs. They also include a valuable source of enzymes since most vegetarian diets are eaten raw. The elimination of meat from the diet for a short period enhances detoxification because meat is so difficult to digest and requires many enzymes for its digestion. Therefore, vegetarian diets are cleansing diets and aid the body in elimination of toxins. 

Of course, changing diets and lifestyle is easier said than done for some people. Many people want health and will go to any length to improve their health, including dietary changes. But there are others who do not want to change their life style for anything. These people will be difficult to motivate and will not stick with the detox programs for one day. They may not want to give up their sodas, or their cigarettes, their beer or their coffee.  They may make a few changes, like drinking more water, or they may give up completely in a very short notice. Our way of eating has been cultivated over many years and will not change over night. But to those who do want better health and do not want to rely on pills/drugs for their existence, nutritional changes will be welcomed, especially when they start feeling better and having more energy.

Diets are very important and are usually the basis for any detox program, whether it is herbs, cleansing or other detox programs.[i] Detox diets will generally eliminate trigger foods, which may cause many problems with digestion and elimination. Foods like wheat (glutens) and dairy (milk, cheese) are often the cause of allergies. Sugar is eliminated because of its "empty calories" and tendency to produce hypoglycemia. Meats are eliminated because they may contain hormones, antibiotics and are difficult to digest. Caffeine is wise to avoid, since it has many ill effects on the body's digestion. Refined, processed and junk foods are also out for any detox program to work.

Herbal Detoxification
Generic diets for detoxification are good, but may not stimulate the liver, lungs or the kidneys as much as one would like. Therefore, herbal cleanses are indicated when we want to hone our cleanse to a "sharp edge" and be organ specific. Of course, herbs are foods too and provide one with vitamins, minerals and enzymes for excellent nutrition. Herbs are powerful, because they may be combined together to fortify those herbs that aid specific organs. For example, herbal combinations that aid the liver may be found in many organic food stores.  The list below shows how herbal combinations help the various organs. 

Herbal Combinations

Liver
LIV-A Dandelion, red beet, liverwort, parsley, horsetail, birch leaves, chamomile, blessed thistle, black cohosh, angelica, gentian, goldenrod

Kidneys
Uva ursi, parsley, dandelion, juniper berries JP-X    Parsley, uva ursi, marshmallow, ginger, goldenseal, dong quai, cedar berries

Lungs
LH Comfrey, marshmallow, mullein, slippery elm, senega, Chinese ephedra

While herbs may be taken at any time, they are best for detoxification purposes when they are used with a good diet also.  It does not make any sense to take herbs to cleanse the liver if the bowels are clogged with junk or refined foods, since the liver dumps its toxins into the bowels. And while detoxification diets are effective by themselves, they may be reinforced and speeded up with herbs, which stimulate the eliminative organs. 

Herbs may be used as teas, powders or extracts. Powders are usually encapsulated for easier swallowing, but are best when taken with meals and digestive enzymes. Extracts may be used when specific herbs are needed, but may be extracted with alcohol, which we need to avoid. Herbal teas are easily made and easily taken all throughout the day. They are mild and gentle and sometimes refreshing and sometimes bitter. Experimentation may be in order until one develops the right tea to drink. Herbal teas is a topic in itself, since there are so many and different ways to make them.

Example Herbal Cleanse

Rising
Drink a glass of lemon water or drink a glass of water with added: one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and  one teaspoon of blackstrap molasses

Morning
Drink a glass of water with psyllium husk powder (follow with another glass of water).

Meals
Take 2-3 multi-digestive enzymes
Take liver herbs

In Between Meals
Drink herbals teas which support the liver, including Dandelion/licorice/ginger/fennel

Note: Following a good diet is mandatory for herbs to work optimally. See section on diets for detox.

Skin Cleansing
Detoxification should include some type of skin cleansing, because our skin it one of our best eliminative organs. Heavy metals are actually released through the skin's pores when we sweat. Sauna baths and steam rooms are great for removing toxins from the skin and regenerating one's health and energy. It has been documented that our skin's sweat glands when combined can perform as much detoxification as one (or both) kidneys. Therefore, it is very important to support our skin for detoxification to be maximal. If our kidneys are damaged, then helping the skin will help the kidneys ... indirectly, but effectively. 

Good skin care is in order, if one's health is to benefit, also. Using chemicalized skin care products is not wise, even though they are cheaper. These chemicals may be absorbed into our circulation and provide more "toxins" for our liver to deal with.  We are not made out of cast iron, and even the chemicals in our soaps and shampoos will make a difference with our health. Most people do not "see" the ill effects of these subtle chemicals, because their liver is able to metabolize them. But, individuals who are environmentally toxic will see a great change in their health when using natural soaps and shampoos. We should take their advice and use only natural skin care products also. 

Cleansing our skin is rather simple. First, we need to bathe daily using natural soaps. Then we need to care for the skin by using only natural oils and products of natural origin. Even the clothes we wear can make a big difference in our health. Synthetic fibers do not absorb sweat (toxins), while natural fibers, like cotton, will absorb toxins. Dry skin brushing helps in removing the outer dead skin layers and keeps the pores open. Another good method of skin brushing is with vigorous toweling off after bathing. Towel roughly until the skin is slightly red. Change towels often because they will contain toxins.

Good skin care also requires good nutrition.[ii] Since our skin is mainly fat, we need high quality fats and oil from natural sources to give our skin health. Butter and olive oil are two excellent natural oils, which keep the skin in good condition. As always, the fats/oils should be natural ... only.

Detoxification Baths
Use 1/2 cup of baking soda or use 1/2 cup of Epsom salt or use 1/2 cup of sea salt. Soak for 15-20 minutes and then scrub the skin gently with soap on a natural fiber. Within a few minutes the water will turn murky and "dirty." The darkness to the water is heavy metals coming out of the skin (aluminum and mercury). Do this once a week during detox and once a month for maintenance.

Juice Fasting
Fasting with vegetable juices can be another excellent way to develop good health and cleanse the body of toxins. Juices, minus their pulp (fiber), contain an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and enzymes. When the pulp is not added, one is able to drink more juice than they are able to eat. For example, one can easily consume the juice of several heads of lettuce in one sitting, but may not be able to eat the lettuce whole. This allows the body to get an abundance of nutrients with minimal processing (digestion). Fasting on mono-juices also allows the body proper time to process these juices and helps to preserve our valuable digestive enzymes.

Juice fasting has helped many people over come serious diseases like cancer, because it gave them optimal nutrition and allowed the body to cleanse itself of toxins. [According to many nutritionists, cancer is merely a toxic condition.] With some juicers, the pulp is discarded, but it may be saved and added back for fiber (not too much). Juices contain good sources of antioxidants and enzymes, both of which are needed for cleansing and eliminating toxins. Juices are also easy to digest and help those with digestive problems.

 

Flora
Our bowel flora is also important for detoxification and normal health. Probiotics is the term given to the normal bowel flora, which are taken as supplements. It has been found that these normal flora actually defend our body from the pathogenic species of bacteria and perform many vital functions, such as detoxification of toxic chemicals and making valuable vitamins (mainly the B vitamins).  When our normal flora are present they secrete mediators in which the pathogenic forms cannot grow. But the reverse is also true, that when the pathogenic forms take over, they will exclude the normal flora with their toxins. 

Many scientists feel that it is the toxins secreted from the pathogens and not the pathogens themselves that create disease. The ability of all bacteria to change and grow under specific conditions of their immediate environment is called pleiomorphism. Cell wall deficient forms are "bacteria" which lack a defined cell wall, yet have all the specifications of being bacterial-like. Even viruses have been found to exhibit morphological forms, which resemble bacteria and fungus. While this is not widely accepted by modern medical scientists, it hass been proven beyond a shadow of doubt by eminent scientists, like Virginia Livingston Wheeler, Irene Diller, and Royal Rife. Their microscopic studies have revealed that bacteria and viruses and fungus may be all different forms of the same organism, differing only by the environment in which they are grown.

Antibiotics kill off the good bacteria as well as the bad and allow the bad to repopulate and develop antibiotic resistance. Natural forms of antibiotics are better, since they do not kill off the good bacteria with the bad and do not allow drug" resistance to take place. Garlic, for example, is perhaps, 200 times more effective against pathogens than most antibiotics today. And it does not produce antibiotic resistance forms, which is a danger to all our health. As antibiotics become more widely used, more antibiotic resistant forms will be encountered. Herbal antiseptics and anti-bacterial tonics are far better and less dangerous to our over-all health, because they do not kill of the good bacteria with the bad.

Replacing our natural flora is a good step for preventing disease and keeping our bowels healthy and populated with normal flora. Taking probiotics containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidus can help us in our detox program and also in repopulating the gut after a cleanse.  Our normal healthy flora should be a part of any detoxification program.

Antioxidants
The use of antioxidants, like vitamins A, E, and especially C, are very essential for detoxification since they are involved with the detoxification of toxins. Antioxidants are involved with helping cells to neutralize free radicals that can cause mutations and cellular damage. As these free radicals are neutralized, the antioxidant vitamins will be used and exhibit low levels. Vitamin A and E are fat soluble and will be found in our fat tissues/stores, but vitamin C is water soluble and will be found mainly in our skin (between the cells according to Reams). Vitamin C is also involved with many other important bodily functions, like collagen formation, wound healing, energy production and fighting off colds (viruses). 

The function of antioxidants is so important that any deficiency of them will be seen as catastrophic to one's health. When our antioxidants are low, energy is not available and detoxification cannot take place in a normal fashion. Therefore, toxins accumulate or are stored until they can be processed.  The liver and many other organs are compromised in their functions when antioxidants are low. Just the lack of energy is enough to cause the body to have compromised or poor health, because it is energy that is required for the removal of toxins and wastes. 

Vitamin C should be taken with bioflavinoids to ensure that all the components of the vitamin C complex are taken together, since they work together. Pure ascorbic acid is called vitamin C, but does little by itself. We tend to think that ascorbic acid as vitamin C, but it is only part of the vitamin C complex. Vitamin C is very essential to any detoxification program, because that is what the body uses for energy to process and eliminate these toxic wast Vitamin C can be taken in very high doses until the bowel tolerance level [BTL] is achieved. This BTL is different for different people. Some persons reach tolerance at 4-5 grams (4,000-5,000 mg), while others may not reach tolerance until 10-15 grams (10,000-15,000 mg). Cancer patients notorously can take 20-30 grams (20,000-30,000 mg) of vitamin C before tolerance is reached ... meaning that they needed more vitamin C than most people. 

By taking vitamin C to its tolerance level we find out 1) what our BTL is and 2) how saturated our body is with Vitamin C.  Vitamin C was found by Linus Pauling and Ewan Cameron to be very effective in helping many patients to over come that killer disease, called cancer. Perhaps, this was because vitamin C was needed for detoxification of toxins, which "caused" the cancer in the first place. Although Pauling and Cameron were greatly criticized for their work with vitamin C, they were able to help many people overcome cancer and without compromising their health as toxic che

Enzymes
The use of enzymes in detoxification is important, because the body needs an adequate supply of enzymes, not only for digestion, for also for detoxification.[iii] Enzymes are best obtained from fresh raw fruits and vegetables, but may be taken daily with meals as nutritional supplements of multi-digestive enzymes. Enzymes in our food helps us to digest that food, but many foods today are processed, refined, heated (cooked), radiated and stored, which destroys enzymes and leaves it non-vital.[iv] Foods with enzymes destroyed will have a longer shelf life, but will not give one health when it is eaten. 

Fresh raw fruits and vegetables are the best source for enzymes and help to give one vibrant health.  Enzymes are also used by the body in detoxification of toxic substances. The liver is the source of most detoxification enzymes, which it must make, or store. To aid the body in removing and eliminating wastes and toxins, enzymes are best taken in between meals. This way they do not get involved with digestion, but go to the liver and to the blood for detoxification.

Many therapies have utilized enzymes for improving health and enzymes have long been the key to many detoxification therapies which have helped many to over come that dreaded disease, cancer. Kelley, Gerson, Moerman, and Neiper used alternative  nutritional therapies with enzymes for curing cancer. The famous Wobe Mugos enzymes from Europe were utilized with Laetrile therapies for cancer. Never was Laetrile give alone, but was used with vitamins, diet and enzymes. This made the Laetrile therapy very successful in the 1970s. If cancer is a toxic condition, which many feel that it is, then taking enzymes will help it. And it does.

The use of raw foods in many detoxification diets are using the enzymes found naturally in those foods. Additionally, these raw foods provide fiber and, with proper food combining, will not waste the body enzymes reserves. Preserving enzymes is the key to over coming disease and living to ripe old age and remaining healthy.  Yes, vitamins and minerals are important, but vitamins are enzyme co-factors and many minerals are use to activate enzymes.  Therefore, the vitamins and minerals themselves are only augmenting the role of the enzymes which are detoxifying toxins and supporting metabolism. 

Enzymes also help the bowels in cleansing, because they liquefy the bowel content, which makes transit much easier. The role of enzymes in digestion is to break down foods for digestion and absorption. When foods are broken down they become more liquid and the bowels move much easier and faster. Transit time is decreased and our health is increased when toxins are removed and eliminated.  Perhaps, this is a link to breaking the "constipation chain." Enzymes are the key to health. Preserve our enzymes and we will be healthy for a long time. 

Bowel Cleansing
Keeping the bowels clean and moving is a major step in regaining our health since the bowels are crucial in the elimination of toxins, especially those processed by the liver. [The liver dumps in to the bowel via the gall bladder.] This is why one hears a lot about the bowels, and bowel cleansing.  In severe cases, enemas and colonics may be needed to breakup and washout long-standing bowel encrustations. Diet may do the same thing as an enema or colonic, it will just take longer. Also, one should be very diligent in repopulating after a total washout of the normal flora and probiotics will be necessary to restore that balance. 

Constipation is a national pastime and slow bowels are more common today than years previous. For one thing, people not only ate better 100 years ago, they were more active and got out doors more.  When the bowels slow down, toxins are not eliminated and are reabsorbed and carried back to the liver for recycling and elimination. Reabsorbed bile salts have been linked to increased cholesterol levels; therefore, cholesterol is a major indicator of constipation. Also, when the bowels get slow and toxin levels increase, the pathogenic microorganisms grow to out-number the normal flora causing dysbiosis.  Although flora is needed to correct this, it is the clogged bowels that are the major problem. When the bowels move again, everything else will fall into order. 

Our endocrine glands that control metabolism are also involved; since it is our thyroid that controls metabolism and metabolism affects how our bowels are functioning. In this way, constipation can be seen as a symptom of hypothyroidism. Low body temperatures (a symptom of hypothyroidism) are very common today ...although they are not "normal" ... as many authors have reported. One major factor in low body temperatures is the suppression of thyroid function by heavy metals, like mercury, which binds to our thyroid hormones and renders them inactive. Eliminate the mercury and the body temperature is likely to return to normal. 

The easiest way to get the bowels moving is by using a high fiber diet consisting of fresh fruits and vegetables.  Sometimes, one may add extra fiber during the day by drinking a glass of water (juice) with psyllium husk powder. The extra fiber adds to the bulk of the stool and decreases the bowel transit time, which means better toxin elimination and better health.  It makes sense that if one can eliminate toxins their health will improve. 

One of the best ways to improve the bowel function is with herbal remedies that act as bowel stimulants or laxatives. These products range from the very mild - slippery elm - to the stimulant - cascara sagrada- to the very harsh - aloes and senna. Everyone may react differently to these products, so they should be taken cautiously at first. Some persons may take two aloes with no effect (meaning they are heavily blocked), while others may take a mild herbal and get a much greater effect than most. Herbal bowel combination formulas are excellent because they not only stimulate the bowels to move, but give the bowels the nourishment it needs to move on its own. 

Herbal formulas should not preclude a wholesome natural diet, since diet comes first in matters of health. One should not become overly dependent on herbal laxatives, since they deplete potassium and may be "addicting" as some authors claim. Yet, herbal products play a key role in getting the body to eliminate toxins by stimulating the eliminative organs like nothing else can and, therefore, cannot be ignored. 

Herxheimer Reaction
The Herxheimer Reaction occurs when the body is detoxifying too rapidly and toxins are being released faster than the body can eliminate them.[v] When this occurs, one will suffer from headaches, nausea, vomiting, and malaise. Even though this is but a short period of the health program, it can be severe and deter one from reaching their intended goals.  Also, the person may not know what they are experiencing and think that they are regressing.

• To minimize the Herxheimer Reaction:
• Drinks lots of pure water
• Get minimal exercise daily
• Lots of sunshine
• Take detoxification slowly... one step at a time
• Don't increase the dose of herbals
• Keep the organs of elimination (bowels, lungs, skin, kidneys) open
• Take detox baths 
• Use aromatherapy oils for aches -like peppermint, birch, and wintergreen
• Sweat by using exercise, saunas, baths, and herbs
• Avoid foreign chemicals and refined processed foods

If the Herxheimer reaction occurs, cut back on your health detoxification program. Reduce the dose of herbs and follow the above outline to reduce the symptoms of toxin elimination. The more toxins there are to eliminate, the sicker one is when they come out. Generally, one will feel better when all is over and health is restored again. Just remember, don't give up. 

Conclusion
Detoxification may produce symptoms of headaches, nausea, malaise and vomiting due to the toxins being released [Herxheimer Reaction]. If this occurs, one should back off the program and proceed slowly. Proceeding to fast with detoxification can have disastrous results when toxins are released into the circulation. Our body should be primed and ready to eliminate toxins before they are released. We do this by getting the bowels working, keeping the skin clean and getting the kidneys and lungs operating.  Only by having all organs of elimination in proper operating order can our body begin to dump toxins efficiently and maximally. Keeping the skin clean and healthy is of prime importance also. 

Detoxification is essential for good health to exist. Our body must eliminate toxins daily or we would die immediately. Since our environment is more toxic today, our livers are over stressed with environmental toxins to deal with daily. Processing other toxins, when the liver is stressed, may be delayed. Detoxification is also a lifestyle change. For it is by the way we live that determines our health and how our liver processes toxins. Detoxification is easy if we eat a wholesome natural organic diet and live life in a natural way. But for those who want their cake and eat it too, detoxification may be compromised. A change your lifestyle may be needed and detoxification will be forthcoming. Nature has afforded us the chance to live in a toxic environment and not be affected by it. Of course, we have to live right to get that chance. Without detoxification we may not get a second chance. 

Good health is within our reach, but first we must cleanse this "temple" and eat a wholesome natural diet that provides us with maximal nutrients and fiber. Herbs can help us stimulate the liver, lungs, kidneys and bowels when needed, but diet is the first priority in any detoxification program. Don't become overly dependent on herbal laxatives. When toxins are released one may feel bad for a day or two, but when our good health is restored we will have renewed energy and will "soar on the wings of an eagle".  Many people living today have never known what good health "feels" like. They survive with an abundance of toxins and an existence less than healthy. 

Good health is not hard to find, but does require diligence and life style changes which are compatible with toxin elimination.  Sir Jason Winters Says, "Death begins in the colon." With good toxin elimination through natural detoxification programs our health and energy are restored.

 

[i].  "The Best Way to Detox," Jill Ruttenberg, Natural Health, Oct 1999, p 88-92, 152.

[ii].   Aubrey Hampton, Natural Organic Hair and Skin Care, 1987, Organica Press, Tampa, FL 33614

[iii].  Harold Loomis, DC, Enzymes: The Key to Health, Vol 1, The Fundamentals, 1999, 21st Century Nutrition, Madison, WI

[iv].  Anthony J Cichoke, DC, Enzymes and Enzyme Therapy, 1994, Keats Publishing, Inc, New Canaan, CT

[v].  Ibid, p 148.