The Forager's Journal

What exactly is a detox? Simply put, a detox is a process in which a person makes lifestyle changes to clear their body of toxins. These lifestyle changes typically involve abstaining from certain harmful things and optimizing body processes. Some changes are temporary, such as following a cleansing diet  others are permanent. I should also explain my use of the term “toxins."   What are Toxins? Toxins are any substance that can be poisonous or cause negative health effects. “Toxin” refers to all the metals, chemicals, pollutants, artificial food ingredients, pesticides, and poisons that cause the body harm. “Toxin” is a very broad term and it’s even, unfortunately, become a bit of a buzzword to some. Artificially created chemicals can be toxins, but naturally-occurring substances can be toxic, too. Arsenic is a natural toxin. Technically, so is cobra venom (though you’re less likely to find this contaminating your town’s water supply). We are in constant contact with harmful organisms and pollutants. They’re in our water, in our food, and in the air we breathe; it’s very difficult to get away from them. The source of many health issues is the toxins that have built up in our bodies over the years. There is no practical way to protect yourself from all the toxins in the environment. Fortunately, there are ways to counteract some toxins and pollutants. Your body’s natural detoxification processes exist to deal with the ones we can’t avoid. You can help your body perform these processes with the help of regular cleansing. First, let’s understand the natural ability we have to cleanse ourselves.   The Body and Detoxification I try my best to educate people that the human body has a natural ability to detoxify itself. In fact, the body has several systems in place for removing waste. The excretory system plays the largest role in detoxification. The most obvious job of this system is defecation and urination. The main organs that compose the excretory system are the skin, liver, lungs, large intestine, and kidneys. You may be surprised to learn that your skin is part of your excretory system, but it's true — the skin aids in elimination through the sweat glands. The purpose of sweat is to regulate body temperature, but it's a multifunctional system. When sweat passes through your sweat glands, it takes toxins with it. The roles of the other organs are just as important. It’s the liver’s job to filter and excrete waste, hormones, drugs, and other foreign substances. The lungs help remove carbon dioxide (the waste gas resulting from breathing). The large intestine has several important jobs. It absorbs water and remaining nutrients from food. It also converts waste into stool to be expelled from the body through defecation. The kidneys filter the blood and help remove waste from the body through urination. The entire body relies on this system to live a healthy life. Your body is detoxifying itself all the time, around the clock, 24/7. Even your brain flushes out toxins while you sleep. It’s essential to take care of these organs and allow them to do their job.   6 Ways To Detox Your Body   1. Choose the Right Foods   One of the best things you can do to support your body’s detoxification process is to lighten its load and decrease the toxins you put in your body in the first place. Choose organic vegetables and fruits over fast food and other processed foods. GMO products and pesticide-contaminated foods add harmful toxins to your diet. Avoid them.   2. Exercise and Meditation   Exercise and meditation help maintain a healthy body. Exercising helps you sweat, and sweating helps release toxins through your skin. Studies have found trace amounts of arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury in sweat. Meditation helps clear your mind  and reduce stress. Stress can be as toxic to your health as chemicals. A troubled mind can cause the physical body to function poorly.   3. Diet   Detoxifying your body is not only about what you avoid, but also about what you consume. Following a healthy diet can go a long way. There are also many foods that aid detoxification  — garlic, lemon, broccoli sprouts, mung beans, and raw vegetables. Many diets promote cleansing and detoxification. I follow and recommend an organic, variable, intermittent fasting diet but there are other options if that isn’t for you. You could also try a body detox diet. It’s a temporary cleanse consisting of only plant-based whole foods: fruits and vegetable, raw nuts, seeds, and sprouts. It’s a great strategy for detoxing the colon and liver. Juicing is also helpful and is centered around consuming freshly-made fruit and vegetable juice — preferably organic.   4. Purify the Air You Breathe   Breathing clean air is another way to reduce your exposure to toxins. While you can’t control the whole environment, you can control the air in your home. Smoke, fumes, pet dander, mold, mildew, and microorganisms can make the air in your home more toxic than the air outside. A high-quality air purification device is the best way to keep your air fresh and toxin-free. If a quality air purification device is out of your budget, get a few house plants instead; they're nature’s air fresheners. They help filter the air and remove toxins.   5. Purify Your Body With Water   Water is possibly the most valuable tool for detoxifying your body. The body’s most basic functions require water. Your body needs water to produce saliva, help with perspiration, and remove waste. When I say drink water, I do mean water, not coffee, or sports drinks, or soft drinks. If you’re one of those people that find the taste of water boring, try adding lemon or cucumber to your water.   6. A Complete Body Detox   A complete body detox is a step-by-step process that focuses on each organ involved in ridding the body of toxins. The program should focus on removing harmful organisms, chemicals, and toxic metals while cleansing your colon, liver, and kidneys. Cleansing the colon is an important part of any full body cleansing protocol. Our Colon Cleanse Program will help open up your main route of elimination and maximize your body's natural ability to cleanse itself. A complete body detox is a long and committed process but can be especially rewarding. If you’ve never performed a detox, I recommend the 9 Step Body Cleanse. It’s a total body detox that will help you eliminate toxin accumulation and feel great.     What Is the Colon Cleanse Program?   The Colon Cleanse Program is an oxygen-based intestinal cleanse that uses Oxy-Powder® and Latero-Flora™ to gently cleanse and rejuvenate the digestive tract so you can live more comfortably. This 6-day cleanse can relieve bloating, occasional constipation, gas, and discomfort. If any of these issues have been holding you back, it’s time to experience relief.

Parasites and Digestion What are the symptoms of parasitic infection and what should be done to expel them from your body?  With so many different types of parasites, symptoms can vary. Tapeworms, for example, cause very different symptoms than roundworms or hookworms.  Digestive system issues are a good indication that you might have parasites. Unexplained bloating, constipation, diarrhea, or gas are common symptoms. Parasites can collect in the GI tract and/or clog the bile ducts.  Parasites like liver flukes (and other species) can often be found in the liver. The body has multiple bile ducts that collect in two main channels through which bile flows: the right hepatic duct and the left hepatic duct. Bile is made in the liver and flows through the hepatic ducts and also through the cystic duct to the gallbladder, where it is partially stored and with the remainder used by other organs.  Parasites can cluster around the bile ducts, clogging them, and preventing the natural flow of bile—interfering with the normal process of digestion. Keeping your bile ducts open with herbs, like the ones in LivAmend™, that increase bile flow is important. Can Parasites Be Prevented? Parasites are usually invisible to the eye and often come into our body as eggs and larvae, especially on raw foods, undercooked meats and raw fish. Our stomach is designed to produce hydrochloric acid to kill parasites at a pH of 1 to 2. Hydrochloric acid is simply chloride plus hydrogen that is secreted by the mucosal lining at the top of our stomach. However, it is often literally missing in many especially as we age. Even young children may be low in stomach acid. Taking a digestive enzyme, like Assist for Protein and Dairy™ not only digests protein but also kills parasites. Pancreatic enzymes found in Assist SI, continue to digest the eggs, larvae and parasites since they are proteins. So, having an abundant of digestive enzymes working in the stomach and small intestine is a must! But Nature continues to protect us in another important way as well. Ideally our colon should have an abundant diversity of beneficial microbes that are always on the lookout for foreign intruders. Eating fermented vegetables ( Culture Starter )and drinking a few ounces of a Probiotic Liquid eg Kefir with your meal is further protection.