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Cleanse Your Body Detoxification Strategies for Optimum Health by Bev Maya, Medical Herbalist Natural medicine strives to keep the body in constant balance to allow for optimum health. A person in a state of optimum health has the following characteristics: When our body is out of balance it produces signals in the form of symptoms (e.g. headache, stomach ache). A key element in natural healing that differs from conventional medicine is our understanding of symptoms. If symptoms are blunted as with conventional medications, the underlying disease process continues although the symptom is no longer present. The natural approach is to listen to these signals and address the origin. If the symptom is addressed, the onset of disease may be reversed and our health maintained. There are many factors that lead to disease such as genetics, diet and lifestyle, environmental toxins, and spiritual wellness. Often, many aspects of one’s life must be changed in order to regain a balanced body enjoying optimum health. The Process of Deterioration 1. Toxins 2. pH Disruption 3. Inflammation & Congestion 4. Increase Mucous Membrane Permeability 5. Invasion of Toxins 6. Immunoendocrine Dysfunction 7. Increased DNA Mutation 8. Increase Cell Destruction If we look at the origin of disease at a body tissue level, toxins come in contact with mucous membranes including the digestive tract (stomach, intestines and colon), respiratory tract (ears, nose, throat and lungs), urinary tract (kidneys and bladder), and genital tract (ovaries, uterus or testes and prostate). When toxins affect one of our “tracts”, a change occurs in all mucous membranes by reflex action. We are really just “doughnuts” with exposure to the outside environment from our mouth to our anus and all the openings in between. If the body is in optimum health, these areas have built-in defense mechanisms that work together to combat invading toxins (including pollutants, food additives, bacteria, fungi, and viruses). When our defenses become overloaded due to sub-optimal health, invading toxins disrupt the delicate pH (acid base balance unique to each body tissue) balance. Ongoing pH disruption leads to inflammation and congestion which increases permeability of the membranes commonly known as “leaky gut” syndrome, where the “mesh” that allows nutrients into the bloodstream become enlarged and allow toxins to re-enter the body from the colon. Over a period of time, unwanted toxins entering the body leads to dysfunction of the immune (our defense system) and endocrine (pancreas, adrenals, thyroid and reproductive organs) systems, which causes the onset of auto-immune conditions such as Crohn’s disease and multiple sclerosis, as well as endocrine disorders including hypo or hyper states of gland function (late-onset diabetes, hypo/hyperthyroidism, chronic fatigue syndrome, and infertility). Further dysfunction overloads the DNA repair system allowing for increased DNA mutations, leading to the loss of programmed cell death and allowing undifferentiated tissues to grow out of control. How do we reverse this process and keep it in check to maintain optimum health? The key actions that are necessary to reverse the flow of disease progression are:
Burdock, Slippery Elm, Blessed Thistle, Watercress Herbs to re-establish pH balance Slippery Elm Herbs to decrease membrane permeability Slippery Elm, Turkish Rhubarb, Red Clover Herbs to flood body with nutrients & antioxidants Sheep Sorrel, Slippery Elm, Turkish Rhubarb, Red Clover, Watercress Herbs to maximize elimination pathways Sheep Sorrel, Turkish Rhubarb, Blessed Thistle Herbs to re-set immune function Kelp Herbs for parasympathetic NS activity Red Clover Herbs to increase tissue perfusion Burdock, Sheep Sorrel, Turkish Rhubarb, Kelp Herbs to decrease cell destruction Burdock About the Author Bev Maya, BSc (Hon), Dip. Phyt., MNIMH, MCPP, Medical Herbalist – Upon attaining her degree in Chemistry from the University of Western Ontario, Bev spent four years working as a research chemist. As a chemist, she learned about the characteristics and personality of natural products with the intention of using this knowledge to help people in some profound way in the future. In 2000, Bev completed a Diploma in Herbal Medicine at the College of Phytotherapy, UK as a result of four years of intensive studies in medical sciences and clinical training. She is presently a member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists as well as a professional member of the American Herbalists Guild. Bev is the co-founder of New Leaf Natural Health Clinic, a clinical practice in North Vancouver where she employs herbal medicine, lifestyle and nutritional counseling, aromatherapy, and flower remedies in her practice specializing in women’s health. |
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