As we start off 2020 with an emphasis on Detox, I am reminded by my mainstream medicine colleagues that detox-ing is considered by many (if not most) conventional practitioners as unnecessary and might well be called quackish. What these well-meaning practitioners forget is that they are relying EVERY DAY on detoxification pathways that they learned or were supposed to learn in medical school. Every single one of their patients needs optimal detox to efficiently metabolize the medications that they have prescribed. And what happens if those detoxification processes are not functioning well and as a result become overwhelmed? Liver failure, kidney failure, heart failure, immune failure, and the list of failures goes on and on. The irony is easy to detect.
So, while mainstream medicine is assuming that most of their patients are detoxing normally (to their credit, they do check liver or kidney function before giving some particularly toxic drugs), quacks like me are trying to assist their patients in optimizing detoxification to promote health. Why is this necessary for restoration of health? Because of the sheer amount of toxins to which we as 21st century humans are exposed. Not only are toxic substances produced by many of our internal physiologic processes, but we also
1. Ingest them in our standard food supply--trans fats being the most well known example, but there are others also: high-fructose corn syrup, processed foods...need I go on?
2. Take them as medications, both prescription and over-the-counter. Tylenol anyone?
3. Are exposed to toxic heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic, lead, cadmium, tin, and aluminum. The Flint MI debacle is only one striking example.
4. Are eating, drinking, and breathing chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, cleaning products, plastics, solvents, glues, and so many others. Sorry folks, put down your plastic water bottle for this news: that new car smell is actually toxic.
5. Fight them in the form of bacteria, viruses, yeast, and parasites. This really doesn't need any commentary.
Then add our toxic lifestyles to the above, and we've got trouble with a capital T. Stress in the forms of work, anxiety, worry, financial concerns, relationship problems, poor sleep etc. impact the level of toxicity in our souls, minds, and bodies. Add addictions, overeating, drinking too much, overstimulation from digital media, isolation, and lack of spiritual connection and we've got a recipe for a health disaster. At the very least, these toxic exposures lead to a disruption in homeostasis and a person's life is thrown "out of balance." Many of us have gone to the doctor with a number of symptoms for which a number of tests or scans have been done and potentially serious medical conditions have been excluded. However, we still know something is "out of balance" and just not right. Unexplained symptoms that might be related to a detoxification problem include the following:
Fatigue/sleep disturbances
Mood disturbances (e.g. depression, anxiety, fear, anger)
Headaches, neck/shoulder pain
Muscle aches/soreness, loss of muscle tone
Bloating, excessive gas, and IBS-type symptoms
Heartburn
Rashes and canker sores
Recurrent colds and infections
Infertility and low libido
There's more but you get the picture!
Fortunately, the Scriptures declare that we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14) and the way that we're designed involves the innate tendency to restore balance. And that's exactly what we want--to restore balance. To get this balance though, is the hard part. This process involves:
Getting rid of the toxic exposures whenever you can.
Optimizing the innate detoxification pathways to handle the toxins that you can't avoid
Promotion of a holistic lifestyle of detoxification involving the soul, mind, and body.
That's it! No gimmicks, potentially harmful programs and products, or dramatic claims for instant health and long life. Almost everyone needs help however. It's difficult to "go it alone" with so much dramatic marketing and misinformation out there--particularly on the internet. There are so many people yakking, who do you believe? That's where old fashioned values come in. Is the internet personality someone you can actually talk to? Is it someone you can reach if you're having problems or questions? Or could it be that the "great and powerful wizard" is just a little man behind the curtain who, by the way, is unreachable by phone, text, email, or any other form of communication? Make sure whoever is helping with your detox process is someone you can speak to if necessary. Be certain that whatever claims are being made that these are backed up with the science of physiology and toxicology. Remember that a lot of testing is not usually necessary and some testing may be misleading to both patient and physician.
All these caveats boil down to this: A safe and successful detox needs to be under the direction of a licensed physician experienced in this area and knowledgeable about the health of the body, mind, and soul. Be sure the one you work with has the proper credentials, is someone you can trust, and is reachable if you need assistance.
If you need help, give us a call (you'll actually get to talk to a human being). We are dedicated to safe and successful health restoration. And remember, detox always starts with the GUT!
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