Why is Cleansing and Detoxification Important?
Through the years of practicing as a naturopathic doctor I have come to realize just how essential the importance of cleansing and detoxification is to restoring and maintaining optimal health. In today’s fast-paced society, it is easy to forget to take care of our health. Most start off with vibrant health but by age 30 begin to develop minor irritations. These small problems often become more serious, causing our health to fall into further decline. Eventually, chronic disease sets in and we long for the days when we could do simple things without pain or suffering.
We live in a toxic world not only with nutrient depleted food and poor drinking water, but also with chemicals from factories, trucks, pesticides, cleaning solutions, and many other sources. Toxins are chemicals that cause harm to the body’s cells, organs, and impair everyday functions. There are two main groups of toxins: exotoxins and endotoxins.
Exotoxins come from sources outside the body and are inhaled or ingested. Examples are polluted air, water, cigarette smoke, alcohol, medications, food additives, environmental allergens, food allergens, heavy metals, and household chemicals.
Endotoxins are created internally within the body. For example, undigested food can putrefy, creating toxins that damage cells, tissues, and organs in the body. Also, fungal overgrowth within the body such as Candida albicans, or parasite infections can produces endotoxins which can overload the liver’s detoxification capabilities. And finally, toxins like acid waste are produced every second by the millions of chemical reactions happening within the body, including in response to our life stressors.
Toxic residues can directly prevent the body from functioning normally by compromising the body’s ability to regulate itself, resulting in functional changes or illness. The type and severity of an illness is determined by the duration and intensity of the toxin loading in relationship to the body’s capacity for detoxification.
The key is to reduce the body’s toxic burden by: 1) reducing toxic exposure, and 2) fascilitating drainage of the toxic residues from the system.
The body can eliminate toxins through 7 different channels of elimination:
- Liver
- Colon
- Kidneys
- Blood
- Skin
- Lungs
- Lymphatic System
Detoxification is the process of filtering waste and toxins from the cells, organs, and the bloodstream. Cleansing is the process of eliminating these toxins from the body. When these two processes function normally; optimal health is possible.
There are many different diagnositc assesments and treatments that I use when recommending detoxifation programs and cleansing to my patients. Each individualized program will depend on the specific needs of the patient, their symptom picture, and what type of toxins have led to a decline in health. In the patient’s initial visit, I will make recommendations for further testing if necessary and/or specific treatment programs. The patient can expect the use of a combination of therapies that typically include:
- Infrared Sauna
- Intravenous Therapies
- Food & Environmental Allergy Testing
- Nutritional changes
- Dietary Supplementaion
- Acupuncture
- Chelation
- Homeopathic Therapies
- Lymphatic Drainage
Detoxification is often the starting point for many patients when they are looking to treat a pre-exisitng symptom picture. It can also be an excellent way to maintain and optimize health even when you are feeling good. I have found that many patients who have suffered with chronic conditions for years can start to see amazing results when the poisons are removed from their body. Lowering the body’s toxic burden allows the body to heal itself by re-establishing its normal homeostatic state.
I look forward to meeting with you personally to discuss specific questions and help you reach your goals of improved health!
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