The Ins and Outs of Detoxification

I frequently hear about "detoxification". To a certain degree, I believe in the concept, however, as this article explains, there may be quite a bit of misinformation out there. Read more:

www.cleveland.com

From the article:

Tamara MacDonald, a naturopathic physician who practices in Brunswick, thinks that some people aren't able to detoxify chemicals and toxins naturally because their systems aren't working well for one reason or another. Couple this with the daily "assault" of chemicals in the modern world, and it's easy to see why people benefit from detoxification, she says.

MacDonald, who does a supplement-based detoxification once a year with her husband, is wary of poorly researched techniques like foot baths and colonics. She also thinks that people should steer clear of fasting techniques like the popular "Master Cleanse," a 10-day detox plan that consists of nothing but lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper.

"One of the worst things that you can do for your body in terms of detoxification is doing a fast," she said. "That was the idea about 20 or 30 years ago, but we know now that your body actually needs specific nutrients to be able to perform its job of detoxification."

Dr. Tanya Edwards, director of the Cleveland Clinic's Center for Integrative Medicine, believes fasting has helped some of her rheumatoid arthritis patients, however, and says she wouldn't rule it out for others, particularly those who overeat.

"Sometimes I'll have patients who come in and they've just abused their bodies and they're gluttonous and they feel like crap," she said. Edwards said many of these patients feel a lot better after two or three days of fasting and a mild herbal laxative like senna, "just to get their systems completely clear."

"Brain fogs clear out, their aches and pains go away, and they feel amazing."

For most patients, Edwards starts with a change in diet - a whole-food diet heavy on the fruits and vegetables, with lots of water and as much fiber as possible.