Detoxification - what is it and do you need it?
We are all exposed to toxins on a daily
basis. The effect of toxins on our health will depend on how well our
bodies can detoxify (get rid of toxins) and on the level of exposure to
toxins.
What are the symptoms of toxic overload?
Many of the symptoms of toxic overload can
also be symptoms of many diseases, some of them serious. You should
always seek professional medical advise about your symptoms. In the
short term toxic overload could give any of the following symptoms:
Allergies; Constipation; Diarrhoea; Fatigue; Fever; Gut ache; Headache;
Indigestion; Muscle aches and pains; Nausea; Poor memory; Vomiting. More
prolonged toxic exposure can lead to the following: Asthma; Autoimmune
diseases; Bone loss (osteoporosis); Chronic fatigue syndrome; Dementia
(Alzheimer's); Eczema; Heart disease; Impotence and infertility; Psoriasis;
Recurrent infections, and possibly most degenerative diseases.
Toxins can come from within the body as
well as the environment.
Did you know that possibly the most common
source of toxins is from within the body itself?
* The digestive system is home
to approximately one and a half KILOS of bacteria. Some bacteria are
beneficial and produce a number of chemicals required for good health.
Other bacteria are harmful releasing endotoxins from their cells as they die
off. This toxic material is transported to the liver to do its job of
detoxification.
* Every energy producing cell of the
body is like a mini electricity power house producing waste products every
minute of the day which are toxic if not cleared from the body.
* The liver processes chemicals in two
stages, with the first stage often converting the original toxin to an even
more toxic chemical. The second stage then processes this chemical so
that it can be excreted by the kidneys. If the first stage is going too
fast for the second stage, toxins will build up.
* External environmental toxins from
the air, radiation, food additives, pesticides, medications and all other
sources of man made chemicals are a major source of additional detoxification
that our body needs to do.
How does the body deal with toxins?
The liver is the chemical factory of the
body that has to process all chemicals in the body so they can be excreted by
the kidneys. Like any factory, the liver has many different jobs to
complete and there is a limit on the amount of work it can do. For
example, if the liver is busy breaking down alcohol (or any other
toxin), it may be too busy to do some other jobs, or other jobs may be done
more slowly. If toxic load is too great, the liver will not be able to
handle it and toxins will build up in the body.
Some environmental toxins are stored in the
body and are very difficult to shift. These may require special
treatment.
What is detoxification?
Detoxification is what your body normally does, but in many
cases it needs some assistance. At St George Naturopathic Clinic, these
are the important steps to good detoxification.
- Avoid sources of toxins from food and environment.
A good diet is essential to assist the body in detoxification.
- A healthy digestive system is vital in detoxification and
maintenance of good health. Everything absorbed from the digestive
system goes straight to the liver (except fat which is absorbed by the
lymphatic system). The digestive system is a protective barrier
between the outside world and the inside of our bodies. Due to poor
diet, alcohol, stress, some medications, inflammation, and ageing, this
protective barrier can be reduced in its ability to prevent unwanted
substances entering the blood stream. Restoration of the digestive
system by healing the mucosal lining of the digestive tract and restoring a
good balance of beneficial bacteria is a vital step in detoxification.
- Once the source of toxins from the digestive system to
the liver have been addressed, the next step is to support the liver in its
function of getting rid of the toxins. This requires specific
nutrients and herbs.
- Toxins that have accumulated in the matrix between the
cells of the body can interfere with normal function of cells. There
is a homoeopathic combination specifically designed to address this problem.
- Heavy metals such as mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium and
aluminium are very toxic to the body and if present will require specific
treatment. A sample of your hair can be sent to a laboratory for an
accurate analysis of mineral content and more importantly, an analysis of
mineral ratios.
Call naturopath Peter Kelly at St George Naturopathic Clinic now on
9580 6708 for an assessment of your levels of toxicity and an individual
detoxification program to meet your needs.
St George
Naturopathic Clinic
