Basic Protocols Of Detoxification

Pollution is a basic fact of life which no one is immune to and though our bodies are wonderfully designed to cleanse itself naturally of the normal waste products of digestion and metabolism, it is not equipped to deal with the additional toxic overload from chemical preservatives, pesticides, poor dietary habits, chemical additives in food, water, cosmetics and household products, pharmaceutical drugs, artificial foods, fumes from your neighbours generator and other forms of toxicity common in our modern lifestyles. This pollution is the major cause of disease, degeneration and shortened lifespan.

To destroy is much faster than to build, therefore a purification process is clearly not as much fun as the pollution process. Most people therefore tend to overlook the importance of detoxification, or they pretend that it is not necessary. On the contrary however, purification of polluted blood and tissues is extremely necessary to preserve health and prolong life. Periodic detoxification is highly recommended to prevent conditions of imbalance that permit germs to breed, tissues to degenerate, and cancer to develop. It is probably the single most effective measure you can take to protect your life and it is also the best cure for most of the debilitating conditions common to us these days. It is important to learn about the process of detox before embarking on one as this will help you make up your mind on what to do.

The three protocols are as follows:

1.       Flush out acids: from the lymphatic system, blood and other bodily fluids, all of which should be slightly alkaline. Most toxins in the body are acidic and as every cell in the body is served by the blood, a polluted bloodstream carries little or no nourishment and is so saturated it cannot efficiently fulfil its function of carrying away cellular wastes. It is important to drink enough water daily, especially during a detox to help neutralise, dilute and flush away large amounts of toxic wastes the process releases from tissues throughout the body.

2.       Restores pH Balance: The pH value is a standard measure of acid/alkaline balance. Each of the vital bodily fluids (blood, lymph, and bile) has a specific pH at which it functions best except for the stomach fluids. The pH of blood is between 7.3 to 7.4, a drop to 7.1 or a rise to 7.5 leads to severe imbalance that can be fatal.

pH balance is so important it affects the functions of some of the vital organs. In the heart for instance, acid waste drastically reduces the blood’s capacity to carry oxygen and this can overtime cause damage to the heart leading to deterioration of heart muscle. For the lungs, breathing saturates the bloodstream with fresh supplies of oxygen (supports alkalinity) while removing carbon dioxide (supports acidosis). Polluted blood cannot absorb and carry sufficient oxygen from the lungs resulting in oxygen deficiency and paving the way for germs and tumours to develop. The liver’s job is to filter toxic wastes from the bloodstream and produce alkaline enzymes the immune response and other vital functions depend on. Constant pollution of the blood leads to the liver being overloaded with acid wastes and toxic debris and this eventually impairs its ability to filter acids from the bloodstream. The body then starts depositing toxic wastes into the joints and other tissues, causing arthritis and tissue toxicity all over the body. The kidneys help to filter acid wastes from the bloodstream, processing about one litre of blood per minute. Excess acid wastes corrode the delicate tissues in which the blood filters through and this can cause kidney stones and inflammation of the bladder and urinary tract.

3.       Cleans out the drains: The skin, lungs, kidney, bladder and colon are our organs of elimination and during a detox, they tend to work overtime to process and excrete all the accumulated toxic wastes released from all over the body.

Therefore during a detox process, proper care of these organs is necessary, for instance,  for your skin, have a herbal steam bath or hot bath with Epsom salt and essential oils. For the lungs, do a lot of deep breathing exercises. For the kidneys and bladder, drink lots of herbal teas and water and lastly, take care of the colon after the detox by having a colonic irrigation or embarking on a herbal colon cleanse program.

Finally, to have a good and effective detox process, set aside three to seven days and ensure you are not upset or annoyed, simply do your best to remain calm and do not interrupt the process. Avoid watching violent movies or listening to loud music as these pump stress hormones into the bloodstream. There are many detox processes and I am certain by now, some of you will embark on one. Have fun as you CLEAN OUT, TUNE UP AND REBALANCE.

Exercise That's Best For You

We all know exercise is best for us, but how many of us really do get down to doing it? It takes a principled, focused and determined person to stick with the program. I know of a gentleman who religiously exercises daily that it’s now second nature, like breathing in oxygen and a big kudos to him. I hear well deserved words of praise and admiration from people checking out his V-shape and toned body, oohs and aahs of “oh, you look so wonderful” ,“how did you do it?”, “amazing, great job”, but how many can do the hard work that comes with the terrain. Nothing good comes easy, but if we stop to think of the long term benefits, especially when we are much older, I would say it is a culture well worth it.

Some benefits of exercise include; great heart health, stronger bones, improved function of the immune system, release of the ‘feel-good’ chemicals (endorphins) in the brain, good bowel movement, increase in muscle mass which in turn burns calories,  prevention and reversal of  insulin resistance, reduction in blood sugar and of course good body shape. So, why aren’t we making it a priority? It is important to note here that we shouldn't get too hung up on our weight – we want to lose fat, not just weight. A kilogram of fat takes up about five times as much space as a kilogram of muscle. So as your fat levels decrease, your muscle mass increases and you will begin to look slimmer, but you will still be at the same weight.

If you go on a severely restrictive diet, and I dare say there are many out there now, your body goes into survival mode. This is a stress in itself and your body will go all out to hold on to body fat for protection. No doubt, you will lose weight, but it will mainly be muscle and water and some fat. Muscle is metabolically active and needs fuel (calories) to maintain it. Therefore, the more muscle you have, the more calories you consume and more fat you will burn. Note of caution: Do not over eat! There you have it, I have given the secret to why men find it easier to lose weight faster than women – they have more muscle! Also the male hormone, testosterone helps them build muscle faster through exercise. So next time you see a fat man, you can immediately guess that fitness in not his forte and oh what a sheer waste of testosterone (men…that was a joke). Exercise alone cannot do the job, it will make a big difference though, but making lifestyle changes does really get the job done.

So we need two types of exercise: cardiovascular and resistance training to burn off fat and build muscle. Cardiovascular only helps burn fat eight hours after exercise while resistance training continues to burn fat even when you are asleep. Our bodies are very clever and it quickly adapts to exercise. So if after four weeks you start to get discouraged, it means your body is more efficient and uses less energy to perform the same activity. The trick is to continually change the type of exercise or increasing your intensity, for example, walking to running to cycling etc.

Exercise types are general aerobics, dance aerobics, yoga, Pilates, t’ai chi, weight training, press-ups or lunges.  The aim is to get exercise into your life not turn you into a fitness freak. If you have not exercised for a while, join a gym in your area where you’ll be made to start off very gently and build up gradually. Following these tips will help: warm up for about five minutes; always cool down after exercise with stretching movements; choose an exercise routine that fits in with your life; if you plan on exercising in the evening, do it straight after work, think ‘activity’- walk up the steps instead using the lift at work; plan walks with friends or family; go for a brisk walk with your dog; get yourself a slimmer you photograph to spur you on. Try this exercise routine for three months. Remember to record your measurements as you go along and reward yourself handsomely (not with a large bowl of blue bunny ice-cream – oh no!) when you achieve your goal. GOODLUCK!