Detox is a Dirty Word Continues….

It’s that time of year when we start to think “uh oh!” Holiday splurging on buffets and festivities is around the corner and visions of expanded waistlines and belly bloats trigger a reality check for the New Year’s resolution list. So I thought ‘no better time than now to get this info out to my readers!’   Due to a busy summer, I had to put a pause on my “Detox is a Dirty Word” series. Now that my second ebook “Go with Your Gut” is published and I’m settled in my new office in Arcadia, I’m back on track and ready to catch you up to speed with “cleansing”. Yes, if you read Part One in April you know I prefer to use the term “cleanse”. However, most of us can relate to the word “detox”.  After publishing Part Two! My plan now is to continue the series by sharing my simple strategy for a general, easy cleanse and also include a piece on clearing the mind clutter – the mental cleanse. So keep reading and link over to the full articles anytime!

In Part One I talked about “Why Do It”, “Who Should do it?” and “When to Do It”.  You can click HERE if you would like to read the original full article.

In Part Two, I explained “What Happens” to different organs during the cleansing process. Click HERE for the full article “The Organ Purge. It’s not just a Colon Thing!”.

Here’s a summary of what you may have missed if you are a new subscriber or you need a refresher on what you read back in the spring (assuming you caught the blog feed!)

Signs That It’s Time to Clean House!

-Less than 1-2 bowel movements per day.
-Difficult bowel movements
-Bloated
-Allergies
-Chronic pain – joint and spine degeneration
-Headaches and migraines
-Fatigue and Low Energy Episodes at various times of the day –
-Skin Irritations
-Heavy coating on the tongue
-Loss of Hair or Early Graying
-Hormonal symptoms – menopausal, pre-menstrual syndrome, andropause
-Sleep disturbances
-Brain Fog – unclear thinking, poor short term memory
-Focus Issues
-Depressive thoughts and lack of motivation
-Repeated Negative thoughts and patterns
-Attention Deficit Symptoms
-Use of medications, birth control or synthetic hormone therapy

Another reason most of us wouldn’t suspect: You are still not holding improvement (nor achieving improvement) after a reasonable number of multiple physical medicine sessions: chiropractic, physical therapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, personal training etc. Blood sugar dysregulation, leaky gut, adrenal dysfunction and other common metabolic disorders prevent successful healing and repair. Blood sugar issues are linked to tinnitus, TMJ syndrome, chronic pain and more. I have seen it myself, those patients who commit from the inside out, achieve even better results from my therapies administered from the outside in!

When should you cleanse?

There is no perfect time to cleanse, especially if you are the busy on the go type. There’s no perfect time to get sick either. So, with that said, a commitment to repairing your health and reducing your risk of disease means owing yourself some valuable self-care from the inside out! I usually recommend a cleanse two to three times a year: The most popular times for most of my patients are Spring- to prepare for warmer season and for those who are concerned about their beach body and of course post-holiday winter months (Jan/Feb). Once you have benefitted from a targeted cleanse under the supervision of your doctor a maintenance cleanse every 3-4 months is a good idea. However it is best to check with your doctor or seek a functional medicine specialist for a thorough systems-based approach. It’s important to address the cause of your complaints. In Part One I talk about the Eastern Medicine approach to cleansing recommendations.

The Organs you will Clean Out and Recharge when you do a proper “Cleanse”

Colon– A congested colon (also referred to sluggish colon) can explain bloating, weight gain, poor sleep, low energy, fatigue, muscle weakness, malabsorption of vital nutrients, parasitic and bacterial infections and…..the toxic colon! The colon produces healthy bacteria responsible for preventing infections but a constant bombardment of chemical stress will deplete it and increase your risk for many types of illnesses.

Kidneys– The kidneys are constantly filtering out toxins from your blood and channeling them out through your urine. Kidney inflammation or damage is typically due to exposure of a drug or toxin. Some signs of toxicity include bad breath, skin rashes, chills and dizziness.

Liver and Gallbladder – The Liver is the first stop in the body’s “toxic assembly line”. It filters out toxins we absorb from food and our environment and prevents them from passing into your blood stream. Stagnation of the gallbladder (from toxins, prolonged fasting, prolonged stress, low fat diets, high carb diets etc.) results in inflammation. I elaborate on this in the Part Two article.

Brain – neurotoxins bind to structures rich in fat, so the brain is a bog target. This kind of toxicity comes from exposure to heavy metals, certain foods (gluten, additives and preservatives etc) and cosmetics.

Skin – Your skin is not only your largest organ but also a major organ of elimination. Some signs of toxic congestion in the skin include acne, red or dry blotches and inflammation/edema.  Skin toxicity is also a side effect of treatments for colorectal cancer patients. Heavy metal toxicity causes symptoms like brittle hair and nails and rashes.

Bodyfat? This isn’t an organ but toxins love, love, LOVE fat! The more fat you have, the greater your waist-hip ratio or BMI, the more toxins you are entertaining in your house!

The Book- An easy to read summary on the whole picture.

The Brain and Gut have an intricate connection in terms of health and longevity. I wrote an ebook this summer; a simplified explanation on the impact the Brain-Gut  axis has on sleep, thyroid, mood, cognition, energy, as well as a bonus section on the gut as your second brain! Download your copy HERE!

Your Health doesn’t come in a bottle.
Popular detox and fast cleanse programs advertised do not take into account your unique physiology and health status and may cause additional problems. Please seek the advice of a health professional if you want to do this safely and effectively.

Coming up in this Blog Series:

Part Three: Detoxing (oops!) Cleansing Made Easy. My simple steps to a healthy, simple cleanse process before you seek professional guidance. I will incorporate Eastern traditions and practices that have worked for centuries!

Part Four: The Mind and Heart Clutter: Understanding how blocked emotions, thoughts and energy centers can sabotage your health and hold you back from progress.

Please feel free to share or write a comment below (or both!)
Happy Cleansing!

Dr. Melanie