What does it mean to detoxify?
Detoxification is the process by which our cells release toxins into our blood stream, sometimes converted in our liver to a form that the body can eliminate. Our kidneys, colon, and skin are the roots of elimination. When these are blocked, we get a build up of toxins. Our bodies have a very difficult time releasing certain kinds of toxins and our cells end up storing them to avoid major illness and in some cases, death.
We all have different abilities to detoxify, and some of us are better at it than others. Ever notice that chronic disease is on the rise? We see younger and younger people with chronic illnesses that we only ever saw in older populations. And now we see kids with diseases and neurological conditions we’ve never even heard of – no one was familiar with Autism when the movie ‘Rain Man’ came out. Now 1 in 50 kids is affected by some form of the Autism spectrum. It is not surprising to me that this is the case. Over 2000 new chemicals are introduced into the environment every year – so our exposure constantly increasing.
Toxins are present in our air, food, water and in our material possessions:
- pesticides/herbicides/fungicides
- preservatives/dyes
- food that has been stored in plastic
- “BPA” Free plastics (actually more toxic than plastics with BPA)
- impurities in air that we may be sensitive to
- toxic molds
- heavy metals (number one is mercury in our fillings)
- farmed fish
- conventional meats
- over the counter and prescription drugs
- personal care products (perfumes/make up cleansers/lotions/deodorant/toothpaste/shaving cream/sunscreens etc.)
- cleaning products (detergents/fabric softeners/kitchen and bathroom sprays)
- air fresheners
- frequencies (phone/wifi/computer/microwaves etc.)
- fumes from gasoline
- fluoride/chlorine/chloroform in our drinking/bathing water
This is not an exhaustive list, but you can see how it’s really hard to avoid toxins. We are designed to clean and protect our bodies, but the problem here-in lies in that we are incapable of doing it all on our own. Our best bet is to avoid toxins as much as possible. But we can also help immensely by actively cleansing or detoxifying our bodies.
What is the best way to detoxify?
In September I had a mold exposure that lasted for several days. It wasn’t a toxic mold, but I later found out that I was extremely sensitive to it (where a normal number with no reaction is a 2, and my level was 39). Within 6 weeks I had gained 15 pounds. I started waking up with swollen hands and feet every morning. These issues lasted until early March when I finally figured out what the source of my problems were. This is when I did our new 14 Day Seasonal Detox Kit. I lost 8 of the 15 pounds during the 2 week cleanse (and have not gained it back). The swelling that had perplexed me for months resolved. The 14 Day Seasonal Detox Kit contains shakes and supplement packets with meal suggestions and complete instructions. It is very easy to follow. A typical day starts with a shake for breakfast. You then eat a healthy lunch and have a shake for dinner.
There are other effective ways to detoxify, which I will address in upcoming blogs, but if you’ve never tried a cleanse, this is a great way to start. If you’re looking for an easy way to jump start dietary changes and get rid of sugar cravings, this is it.
If you have any questions please call us at 650-233-7327. You can also call us for a FREE trial of our infrared sauna (another great way to detoxify!).
**I use the terms detox and cleanse interchangeably