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Safe and Sensible Detoxification

maryann@evenstaronline.

maryann@evenstaronline.com.

Best regards

Mary Ann Copson
http://evenstaronline.com

Safe and Sensible Detoxification
In my private practice, I recently received this question
about liver cleansing:

"My friends are doing a community liver cleanse and I was
wondering how you felt about a liver cleanse/detox? There
is something appealing about the idea of GETTING RID OF
whatever isn't working in a particular organ. I have always
avoided them; however, because I was (and remain a bit)
nervous about what type of healing reaction (as I have
heard it called) I would get. I've heard people having
quite amazing results, even seeing stuff like stones and
weird color things in their stool."

I shudder when I hear about detoxing and liver cleanses. I
have treated many complications from these liver cleanses
and it can take a lot of effort to repair the side effects.
Liver cleanses are a popular practice - an appealing quick
short cut to washing away all sorts of imbalance in the
body.

In a very healthy person or a really sick person, the right
kind of detoxing and cleansing could be beneficial.
However, for most people, cleanses arouse the system
abruptly and make you feel a false increase in energy.

People tell stories of passing stones and odd things while
on a liver flush, etc. However, what may look like stones
is usually a soft, saponified complex of minerals, olive
oil and lemon juice produced within the GI tract in
response to the cleanse. These flushes actually can have
the effect of contracting the gallbladder and increasing
the chance of trapping any gallstones - leading to all
sorts of problems.

While a seasonal fast/cleanse in a healthy person can have
benefits, in someone who is stressed they can lead to
increased toxicity. The detox capacities are set in phases.
Phase one detoxifies many toxins by turning them into even
more toxic toxins so that Phase Two can remove them from
the body.

During fasting certain detoxification enzymes are
relatively resistant to depletion by fasting and can be
significantly induced by the products of fasting such as
ketones and xenobiotics released from stored fat. On the
other hand the conjugating enzymes that break down Phase 1
toxins are heavily dependent on certain substrates that
come from protein, vitamins and minerals and these
conjugating enzymes are consumed rapidly under the states
of high xenobiotic load or oxidative stress produced by
fasting. The end result is that the substrates needed for
Phase Two detoxification are not provided for and there is
a marked rise in highly toxic bioactive intermediates and
free radicals with a concomitant decrease in Phase 2
detoxification activity.

All that means is - fasting and cleanses can result in an
unbalanced detoxification system leading to marked
oxidative stress and that may be particularly deleterious
to those who are chronically ill and whose antioxidant
reserves are already exhausted or significantly weakened.

Liver health and healthy detoxification is not about
embarking on some rigorous, purging ?liver cleanse.?
Healthy liver detoxification does not depend upon fasts,
enemas, and intensive bowel cleansing. It is more
beneficial to implement moderate but effective daily liver
health and friendly detox routines.

You can get the effect you are looking for without any
disruptive side effects.

Your body naturally and automatically detoxifies itself.
All you have to do is to ensure that those natural
detoxification processes can do their job. The natural
detoxification systems of your body depend upon the right
supply of enzymes. These enzymes depend upon getting the
right combination of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and
other healthy nutrients.

Five Tips for Sensible Detoxification

1. Pesticides, herbicides, and poisonous agricultural
chemicals in food and water are a primary source of toxins.
The organs of detoxification have difficulty breaking them
down and eliminating them. These toxins then get stored in
the body where they damage cells, create premature aging,
and contribute to degenerative diseases. Therefore, eat
organic foods as often as possible.

2. Eat a variety of health supporting foods because every
day your dietary needs vary depending on physical activity,
stress, climate, season, weather, emotional, mental and
physical demands.

3. Eat an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits. These
contain a variety of vitamins and minerals and other
protective substances that prevent cell wall damage. They
are also the most purifying foods for the body. Eat 7-13
servings of vegetables and 2- 4 servings of fruits a day.
Fresh, organic vegetables and fruits are the primary
components of a cleansing diet. Fruits and vegetables
provide phytonutrients that help prevent cancer, heart
disease, glaucoma, arthritis, and other degenerative
diseases.

4. Drink enough water ? 1/2 oz per pound of bodyweight. As
you liberate stored toxins, you will need plenty of water
to flush them quickly out or your system. Evenly spread
your water intake throughout the day. Drink only clean,
pure water.

5. Fiber rich foods are important for cleansing the colon
and lungs. Sufficient fiber in the diet can reduce the
incidence of some cancers by 60% or more. All fiber
improves the functioning of the intestines. Fiber
encourages healthy bacterial growth in the colon, assists
in nutrient assimilation, and aids the formation of
anti-cancer short-chained fatty acids. The most balanced
approach to including more fiber in your diet is to eat a
variety of the different types of fiber in whole foods.

----------------------------------------------------
Mary Ann Copson is the founder of the Evenstar Mood &
Energy Wellness Center for Women. With Master's Degrees in
Human Development and Psychology and Counseling, Mary Ann
is a Certified Licensed Nutritionist; Certified Holistic
Health Practitioner; Brain Chemistry Profile Clinician; and
a Health, Wellness and Lifestyle Coach. Reconnect to your
physical, emotional, mental, psychological and spiritual
natural rhythms at
http://evenstaronline.com

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