Detoxification: A Necessary Step in Achieving Optimal Health

We live in a world where it can be challenging to reduce and avoid exposure to toxic chemicals and pollutants. Toxins are presently found everywhere….in our air, water, soil, personal care products and unfortunately in our food. Many individuals have no idea of how toxic the earth we live on really is. Who really wants to read and be informed about this in detail…..it’s all too depressing. (But you can make a difference with your choices!)

Aside from lack of knowledge and access to information, there is a great deal of inaccurate information. Take for instance sunlight. You have been told for many years by many doctors to stay out of the sunlight……”it’s unhealthy!” Now research is proving quite the opposite! Exposure to sunlight actually lowers your risk of many cancers and improves your healing capabilities. A new review of 63 previous studies concluded that 1,000 IU of Vitamin D can cut the risk of colon cancer by 50%, reduce the chances of breast and ovarian cancer by 30% and prolong survival rates. A study of men in San Francisco revealed that those with the highest amount of sun exposure had half the risk of prostate cancer as those with low sun exposure.

And speaking of the sun and sunscreens…. The greatest rise in melanomas has occurred in countries where sunscreens are heavily promoted. Also, there is actually no scientific proof that they protect against cancer.

But, in getting back to the issues of pollutants in the environment, let me share a study of pregnant women. The average woman had 286 chemicals in her fetal blood. It is believed by some that there is no child born in the world now without synthetic chemicals (pollutants) in their blood. Today there are more than 85,000 synthetic chemicals registered for use with the US government. Of these, 90% have not been tested for their effects on human health. These may include solvents, fuels, pesticides, herbicides, flame retardants and heavy metals.

Let’s look at the age of pubescence….. In traditional cultures, woman used to enter puberty between the ages of 15 to 17, now in the US, age 12 is considered normal, with 1 out of every 6, 8 year old Caucasian girls also entering puberty and for African-American girls, this number is one in every two. This is the result of hormone disruptors. Estrogenic pollutants that wreck havoc on our health and the earlier that you are exposed to them the greater your lifetime risk of developing hormone dependent cancers of the breast, ovaries or uterus. These synthetic chemicals are invisible saboteurs that disrupt hormonal systems and produce all manner of disease including cancer, thyroid and endocrine disruption, infertility and hyperactivity. They have contributed to the sperm count in males having dropped 50% in just 50 years! We all really need to think about the changes we can each make to contribute to our health and a healthier environment.

How many of you use conventional cleaning products, regular deodorant, pharmaceutical medications, eat foods with additives and preservatives and food coloring, use personal care products or tampons, swim in chlorinated pools or hot tubs, perm or color your hair, use bleach for cleaning or in your laundry, have wall to wall carpets, or drink hot liquids in a Styrofoam or paper cups and use disinfectants, antiseptics, perfumes, mouthwashes, glues or air fresheners? These can all put you at risk for toxicity and chronic illness. Did you know that hair dyes are a cancer hazard and are linked to lymphomas, myelomas and Hodgkins disease, as well as breast,  bladder and childhood cancers.

Did you know that Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disease affecting over 1,000,000 individuals has a new case diagnosed every 9 minutes and is associated with pesticides? Autism is associated with mercury in immunizations and cancer and learning disabilities with environmental pollutants?  

The CDC (Center for Disease Control) did an ongoing study to calculate exposure of individuals to environmental contaminants such as tobacco smoke, mercury, pesticides, etc and used blood and urine samples to monitor chemicals in air, food, water and soil. In their report on “Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals” they found that the general population had contamination levels exceeding those as safe by the EPA”. The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) guidelines are based on 1x exposure not chronic or cumulative exposure which is much greater and more common.    

A 10 year study at the Medical Center of Louisiana in New Orleans found that 10% of a group of over 1,100 who died had developed cancers that were not diagnosed or were undetected and for some was the principle cause of their death. Are more people dying of cancer than we realize?

Researchers at the University of Washington analyzed the urine of 100 school children and found that 99 had detectable levels of pesticides, while only one had no evidence of exposure, because that child ate organic foods.

In relationship to pesticides and toxic residues on our foods…..Consumer Reports states that some single servings expose us to dangerously high levels of pesticides which with chronic exposure could cause brain damage especially for children. Foods such as winter squash, apples, strawberries, peaches, celery and spinach are some of the worst offenders.

Toxic buildup in the fatty tissue in foods we eat and in our own bodies gets stored in our fatty tissue and can cause preventable illnesses such as: headaches, cancer, depression, fatigue, bloating, excess weight, poor digestion, insomnia, water retention and premature aging. To reverse many of these chronic illnesses and imbalances, individuals may cleanse and detoxify and juice fast to support their process. Dietary changes, organic foods, herbs, enzymes and exercise are also important in the process. In doing any type of cleansing, it is very important for your safety to see a qualified practitioner who can guide you through the detoxification process. I have personally juice fasted and taught juice fasting classes for almost 20 years.  

If you have been exposed to many pollutants, you may need to detoxify your body gradually and support it with one or two modified juice fasts a year. Cleansing should address and support the different channels of detoxification and elimination in the body:  the liver, skin, lymphatic system, bowels and urinary tract.

Thousands of individuals have participated in my fasting programs and many return year after year. They know how valuable it is for them.    I have even done long distance programs. Many individuals have lost weight, improved their energy and vital force, eliminated symptoms, reversed chronic illness learned a great deal about nutrition while changing their health forever. I have even been surprised with the results with some individuals.    

The program is easy and enlivening and taught for groups and individuals as well as adapted to each individual’s needs and health conditions. It is a 4 week program, involving a transition week at the beginning and the end and a 2 week juice fast in the middle (all adaptable to the individual). Most individuals are surprised to find that it is so easy to do. Many wish that they had decided to join the program earlier. During the program I am available to provide support and answer questions while their process is unfolding.   

With a spring juice fasting class beginning April 2, I hope that many individuals will choose to join me for a delightful, inspiring and healthy experience. Individuals may call with questions or to sign up for the class or mailing list.

Becky Mulkern is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor with 25 years of experience who practices at The Center for Natural Health in Conway, NH  She may be reached at 603-447-3070.