People often wonder what they can do to detoxify their bodies of harmful toxins. There are many different methods of detoxification that range from the traditional to the more current and innovative approaches.

TRADITIONAL METHODS

FASTING
Probably the most well known detoxification method is simply fasting. There are many in the field who believe that a periodic fasting is the best way to detoxify your body. They say that a day without food allows your liver, colon and other organs to rest up and eliminate all the waste that has built up and accumulated over time. By fasting, you are giving your body and organs some down time to recover from all the toxins that have accumulated over time. Usually drinking lemon water and natural detoxifying herbal teas during the fast in place of food is recommended. The problem with fasting is that it is difficult to do in a healthy way without harming yourself and it is not for everyone. If you are young, sick, nursing or pregnant, fasting can be especially dangerous and should be strictly avoided. Since many toxins are fat soluble and stored in fatty tissue (especially heavy metals), fasting which lowers body fat levels in our bodies, releases these toxins in the blood stream and may make one temporarily sick (see Detox Side Effects below). If you believe that a fasting program could be right for you, you should discuss the option with an appropriate health care professional before you start, or you can use one of Innovative Medicine’s services and see if fasting is an appropriate detoxification method for you.

MASSAGE AND SAUNAS
Two more traditional detoxification methods are massages and saunas. Massages help relax the body, release tensions, and stimulate the lymphatic system. This in turn can help the body eliminate and process the toxins more efficiently. Massaging the muscles and tissues also helps circulate blood and fluids into those areas where toxins can be hiding and bring them out for elimination. Saunas have been used for thousands of years as means to detoxify and maintain overall health. The Romans were famous for their use of saunas and baths. Saunas use heat and steam to produce sweat all over our bodies. The sweat carries with it a lot of toxins and in this way a large number of toxins are eliminated from the body. In their book, 7-Day Detox Miracle, doctors Barrie and Bennett state, "The body stores many toxins in fatty tissue. Sweating therapy reduces fat stores quickly, releasing these poisons for excretion through the stimulation of receptors in the fat. Tissue biochemistry and nervous system functioning undergo changes in sauna therapy, activating fat stores and facilitating fat loss."

COLONICS
Colonics are another form of detoxification where toxins are forced out of the colon (the area of the large intestine from the cecum to the rectum). Colonics can take the form of enemas, colon flushes, and clay or fiber cleanses. There are some professionals who do not believe in colonics and say that a healthy diet with proper supplementation can be enough to cleanse and support normal colon function. A growing majority however feel that colonics are excellent means of detoxification and recommend them to people interested in cleansing their colons.

EXERCISE
Exercise is probably the single best thing you can do for your overall health. One of its many benefits is in aiding in detoxification and elimination. When you sweat during exercise, you are excreting toxins through your skin. In addition, you are circulating blood to the various muscles and organs of your body where the blood picks up toxins for excretion. Exercise is also an excellent way to deal with stress which can produce chemical imbalances (endotoxins), and if unchecked can lead to illness. By dealing effectively with stress you are ensuring that your body functions smoothly and efficiently thereby allowing the body’s own detoxification processes to function more smoothly.

INNOVATIVE METHODS

NATURAL SUPPLEMENTATION
Natural supplementation is also effective in overall body detoxification. The most important aspect of any detoxification program is to support the major bodily organs and systems of detoxification and let the body take care of itself. This means mainly supporting the liver, kidneys, colon, lymphatic system and other areas of the body associated with elimination and detoxification. The natural homeopathic, herbal and nutrition supplements found at Innovative Medicine.com designed for detox do just that. Homeopathics are especially helpful in supporting the bodies own detoxification pathways. They are natural, safe and effective ways of supporting and aiding in the body’s natural detoxification pathways. Their increased energetic properties also help them boast the body’s energy levels making you feel good and energized.

CHELATION
Chelation therapy is a very effective means of detoxification. Chelators act as heavy metal binding and elimination compounds. Heavy metals are compounds such as lead, mercury, iron, copper, manganese, cadmium, arsenic, nickel, aluminum, silver, and beryllium. In general, heavy metals produce their toxicity by forming complexes or "ligands" with organic compounds. These modified biological molecules lose their ability to function properly, and result in malfunction or death of the affected cells. The most common groups involved in ligand formation are oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen. When metals bind to these groups they may inactive important enzyme systems, or affect protein structure. A very common and powerful natural chelator is vitamin C. Other chelators include Calcium and Magnesium EDTA. Different chelators are used for different heavy metal toxicities. Chelators come in two main forms: oral and intravenous. Of the two, intravenous chelations are far more effective and recommended for people suffering from severe heavy metal toxicity. Here at Innovative Medicine.com we offer many great oral chelators and supplements to help support detoxification of the body. (See article on Chelation)

DETOX SIDE EFFECTS

Sometimes during a detoxification program, temporary symptoms develop as a result of the body removing and eliminating toxins from the body. If you detox too fast, do not support the body with proper supplementation, overstress the body or do not drink enough water, the toxins that are released for processing may overwhelm the body and produce physical symptoms. Even if you are doing everything in the proper manner, you may still experience some symptoms. These symptoms can include: headache, skin rashes, stomach aches, cramps or diarrhea, lowered energy and in some cases fever.

It is important to understand that these symptoms are a natural part of the detoxification process and are temporary. The whole process is like doing a spring cleaning in your house. The first few days of the cleaning the house looks like a mess and is worse off then when it started. But once the garbage is removed and things are put back in place the house is cleaner than it ever was. The same thing happens to your bodies during a detoxification. The detox causes all these toxins that were being stored in the body to be released and dumped into the blood for processing. This increase in toxins is what causes these symptoms. It’s important to not get discouraged and continue with the program. If symptoms become serious or last for a period of 2 weeks or longer, than you should consult a licensed health care professional immediately.

Content on this site is provided as informational material. Innovative Medicine LLC does not diagnose, treat, prevent or cure any conditions. People with serious conditions should consult with their health care practitioner before applying self-administering supplements.