Detoxification
Therapy
What Is It?
How Does It Work?
What Happens During Treatment?
What Is It Used For?
Side Effects/Cautions
Recommended Books
What Is It?
Detoxification Therapy uses a range of methods to assist the elimination
of harmful toxins and chemicals which may have built up in the body
over time. These methods are used mainly by naturopaths and nutritional
therapists, but other natural health practitioners and some doctors
may also suggest this type of treatment. The aim of the therapy is
to cleanse and purify the body in order to increase wellbeing, and
to prevent diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
How Does It
Work?
Advocates of detoxification therapy argue that an overload of toxins
and synthetic chemicals in our environment and in our diet, interferes
with the healthy functioning of our bodies. These toxins come in the
form of smog, pesticides, chemicals in paint and household cleaners,
cosmetics and prescription drugs, the additives, preservatives, artificial
flavourings and colourings in our food, and alcohol and caffeine. These
chemicals may build up in the body over years, causing damage to organs
and overloading the immune system. Symptoms of toxic overload may include
depression, headaches, fatigue, and poor digestion. By eliminating
harmful toxins from the body, practitioners believe the immune system
and the organs involved in waste removal - the kidney, liver, large
intestine and skin - can function more efficiently, and the body is
allowed to heal itself.
Many scientists remain skeptical about this form of treatment, arguing
there is no danger in the trace amounts of chemicals we are exposed
to. Since no specific chemicals are identified during the elimination
treatment, it is impossible to say whether the treatment used was successful.
However, proponents argue that detoxification therapy can increase
vitality, improve mental functioning and digestive problems, strengthen
the immune system and reduce blood pressure.
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What Happens During
Treatment?
At an initial visit your practitioner will ask about your general medical
history, your diet and lifestyle. S/he will check your blood pressure,
heart and lungs, and may arrange for samples of your blood, urine and
hair to be tested for chemical content.
Your practitioner will suggest changes to your diet and lifestyle,
such as giving up smoking and caffeine, decreasing your intake of sugar
and certain types of fat, and eating more whole grain foods or raw
foods. Additional treatments include chelation therapy, which removes
heavy metals from the body; colonic irrigation for cleansing the bowel
of toxic faecal matter; special diets, called “detoxification
diets” - these can involve eating mainly organic foods such as
whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables and eliminating sugar, caffeine,
alcohol, and sometimes dairy, or you may be asked to eat just one type
of food, such as grapes or apples or only raw foods; and fasting, either
a water fast, where you drink only water for 24-36 hours, or a juice
fast, where you drink only vegetable juices for up to 10 days. Nutritional
or herbal supplements may also be taken to aid the detoxification process.
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What Is It Used
For?
Detoxification therapy has been reported to be effective for relieving
rheumatoid arthritis, raised cholesterol, high blood pressure, skin
disorders, digestive disorders, clogged arteries and heart and lung
disease.
Side Effects/Cautions
Detoxification therapy should not be used as a substitute for conventional
medical care.
Do not use this therapy if you are pregnant, nursing, underweight,
elderly, have a weakened immune system, or if you suffer from diabetes
or ulcers.
See side effects/cautions for chelation
therapy.
Avoid colonic irrigation if you have any inflammation of the bowel,
haemorrhoids or tumours of the large intestine or rectum. This treatment
can cause infection, bowel dysfunction, and alternating bouts of constipation
and diarrhoea.
Do not fast if you have heart problems, diabetes, advanced cancer,
kidney or liver disease or lung disease. Fasting can cause anaemia,
depression, dizziness and fainting, fatigue, low blood pressure, nausea,
lowered resistance to infections and weakness.
References
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Recommended Books
Prices are in US Dollars
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The Detox Book: How to Detoxify Your
Body to Improve Your Health, Stop Disease, and Reverse Aging,
2nd Edition
Bruce Fife
Substances that are toxic to our bodies come at us from
all directions: the air we breathe, the food we eat, the
water we drink, the cleaning products we use, and the metabolic
waste produced inside us. Toxins build up in the body faster
than they can be removed, contributing to premature aging
and chronic and degenerative diseases. Fife, a nutritionist,
naturopath, and codirector of an alternative health centre,
provides a comprehensive handbook of detoxification therapies,
including healthy nutrition, fasting, juicing, oxygen and
heat therapies, exercise, and kidney and liver cleansing.
Chapters give extensive background information on each subject,
reports of research, and precise, detailed instructions for
self-administration of the therapies, though the reader may
also want to consult a practitioner for additional guidance.
Line drawings and charts enhance the text, and short lists
of additional resources are given at the end of chapters.
An encyclopedic look at how we can care for and cleanse our
amazingly resilient bodies.
Learn
more...
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Detoxification - All you need to know to recharge,
renew and rejuvenate your body, mind and spirit!
Linda R. Page
More than twenty-five thousand new toxins enter our environment
each year. Detoxification and body cleansing is a necessary
commitment in today's world - a way of life - for good health.
In this complete encyclopedia/guide of detailed instructions
for detoxification and cleansing, Dr. Page discusses why
body cleansing is necessary in today's world. She shows you:
what you can expect when you detox; what a good cleanse really
does; how to direct a cleanse for best results.
Also: Detailed detox charts for special needs; Step by step
instructions that guide the reader through every detox program;
Extensive "Green Cuisine" recipe section; Materia
Medica Detox Herbal Supplement Directory with over 90 herbs;
Glossary of detox terms; Much more!
" The commitment to having a clean body is a commitment
to enjoying a better quality of life as you rejuvenate your
body, mind and spirit through detoxification and body cleansing.
Cleansing improves every part of your being: physical; psychological;
sexual. You'll look and feel better!" - Linda Page,
N.D., Ph.D.
Learn
more...
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Lose Weight, Have More Energy & Be Happier in
10 Days
Peter Glickman
Most people have trouble losing weight because they think
the problem is fat. The real problem is the toxins they are
eating. Amazingly, when the toxins are eliminated, not only
does the weight melt off, but people discover boundless energy
and a new positive mental attitude.
This book is the first major book written exclusively about
the Master Cleanse since it was developed and published by
Stanley Burroughs in 1976. Hundreds of thousands of people
have done this cleanse to lose weight, have more energy and
feel happier.
The Master Cleanse became famous when Robin Quivers, Howard
Sterns producer, lost more than 60 pounds on it. Requiring
no special shakes or pills, the ingredients can be found
at nearly any health food store.
This book also includes 69 frequently asked questions and
many, many personal experiences of the more than 100 people
who have done the Master Cleanse.
Learn
more...
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More
Detoxification Books
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