I was pleased to read recently that Dr Sarah Myhill who has had a lot of success in treating difficult chronic fatigue cases with a multi pronged approach that included detox was reinstated by the General Medical Council.

Dr Myhill, a private UK general practioner, has been hounded for over 10 years because she dared suggest that Chronic fatigue or ME is a physical problem and not a psychological one.

Her most recent fall from grace was triggered by a paper that she published showing that ME was connected with a problem in the mitochondria, the power house of the cell.

After thousands of people she helped signed an online petition and wrote to the General Medical Council with evidence of how she helped them they decided she had no case to answer and the latest hearing was cancelled.

In fact, they came to the conclusion that she has substantially improved the health of 70% of ME sufferers.

So how has she done this?

Dr Myhill states “the most important point to recognise about chronic fatigue/ME is that it is a clinical picture and not a diagnosis. It is important  to treat CFS/ME as a symptom that has many causes”.

She looks at a number of things in the body including thyroid function, adrenal function, gut function, diet, sleep, lifestyle as well as mitochondrial function.She discovered that the people with the worst fatigue had the worst mitochondrial function.

The mitochondria are tiny structures in the cells that produce energy.  With cutting edge biochemical tests it was discovered that in people with CFS/ME there was lowered energy output in their mitochondria.

More state of the art tests showed that these energy blocks resulted from either nutritional deficiencies or toxins.

The most common nutritional deficiencies are magnesium, Vitamin B3, C0-enzyme Q10, Acetyl-Carnitine and D-Ribose.

The toxins could be either internal from, for example, products of gut fermentation or external from pesticides, heavy metals or volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Gut fermentation can be caused by small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) or yeast overgrowth.

Heavy metals include such things as:

• Mercury from dental amalgam which Dr Myhill says is the biggest problem.

• Nickel from stainless steel saucepans, jewellery and cigarette smoke.

• Vaccinations ( often contain heavy metals)

• Lead, cadmium antimony, arsenic

• Depleted uranium in Gulf War Veterans

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

• Poisoning from un-burnt hydrocarbons such as oil, gas, coal and wood. Free standing gas heaters are particularly bad!

• Aerotoxic syndrome – ( cabin air is pulled in over the engines and may become contaminated with unburnt fuel and organophosphates).

• Vehicle exhaust fumes

• Solvents used in carpets – new carpets are the worst.

• Paints

• Glues

• Printing inks

• Cleaning agents – bleach

• Disinfectants – often include formaldehyde or related compounds.

• Sterilising agents – “Milton”

• Perfumes

• Cosmetics – many are toxic especially hair dyes

Drugs

Many prescription drugs such as beta blockers inhibit mitochondria directly. Statins inhibit the body’s own production of co enzyme Q 10 – an important anti-oxidant in mitochondria.

Most drugs are detoxified by the liver and put an extra strain on the liver detox capacity.

How to improve mitochondrial function

Once the underlying cause of the mitochondrial blocks are known there a number of things that can be done to improve their function.

1. Supplementing the nutrients that are deficient.

It’s probably best to be guided by a Functional Medicine doctor or nutritionist as to the doses and best absorbably forms of the nutrients to take.

2. Avoiding chemicals as much as possible.

Use only natural cleaning products in the home and natural personal care products and cosmetics. Avoid all chemicals in the home.

3. Treat gut fermentation.

Cleaning up the bowel with colon cleansing and dealing with gut fermentation is the first step. If this is not done then the toxins from the gut will continually overload the liver detox system.

4. Detox heavy metals and/or toxic chemicals.

Tests can be done to determine if the mitochondrial blocks are caused by heavy metals and substances such as liquid zeolite or HMD can be taken to detox them.

Dr Myhill recommends the use of far infrared suanas to detox pesticides and volatile organic compounds together with a good detox diet. Epsom salt baths can also be useful.

If you are struggling to recover from chronic fatigue then the good news is that you can beat it with a multi pronged attack that includes detox.

Although the exact cause of Whitney Houston’s sad death this week is not yet known it has once again  brought home the dangers of prescription drugs and alcohol. Virtually all drugs and alcohol have to be detoxified by the liver and they can damage your liver as well as your body.

Drugs are chemicals that are foreign to the liver. They are made from inorganic substances that are extremely hard for the body to eliminate. Drugs damage your liver directly or indirectly as a result of them being detoxified by your liver.

Liver detox is a 2 step process

Liver detox consists of a two step process known as Phase I and Phase II. The chemial produced by Phase I Liver Detox can be more reactive and damaging than the original if it is unable to be detoxified by Phase II.

This can happen when a person has a slow Phase II liver detox system or the detox pathways are simply too overloaded with chemical toxins for the liver to cope.

There a number of nutrients needed by the body to detox drugs, alcohol and other toxins as best it can. If  these nutrients are deficient then the detox pathways do not function as they should and the toxic residues do untold damage to the liver and other tissues where they accumulate.

Some drugs such as Benzodiazapines ( Centrax, Prozac, Librium, Valium etc) supress Phase 1 liver detox in the liver and the brain. This results in slow metabolism of some brain chemicals that need to be eliminated before they build up and become toxic, increasing the risk of brain toxicity.

Drugs can interfere with the metabolism of other drugs causing many problems when a combination of prescription drugs are used. While working in hospitals as a nurse many years ago I saw first hand how one drug would cause side effects that needed another drug to try to supress them.

Drug companies have for years been looking for a drug that cures virtually any illness but they haven’t managed to find one. Drugs merely supress or manage symptoms. They do not cure.

Causes of disease

In fact mainstream doctors don’t look for the underlying cause of symptoms or disease which in the eyes of doctors who practice Functional Medicine, naturopathic doctors and many other health practitioners is down to deficiency of essential nutrients or toxicity.

It’s a sad fact that the majority of people just want to pop a pill to get rid of a symptom. They don’t want to have to change the way they eat or their way of life. And it’s another sad fact that the majority of doctor’s rarely encourage it.

People are drowning in unecessary medication. From statins to asprin the drug companies now want us to take drugs for prevention of disease, whether they are needed or not. Apparently the average person over sixty is likely to be on as many as 6 drugs at one time!

People have been brainwashed into believeing that once they are given a diagnosis, which is really just a label, that there is nothing that can be done except take a pill for the rest of their lives.

People also believe that certain conditions are a an inevitable result of getting older when in fact it’s more likely to be a result of a lifetime of bad diet and lifestyle leading to deficiencies and toxicity. We were designed to live healthily without drugs or labels of disease well into our 90′s and die peacefully in our sleep.

How do you heal your body without prescription drugs?

There is plenty of evidence around that the standard Western diet of processed food and the toxic chemicals we are exposed to every day are two of the main causes of chronic disease. Researchers are discovering all the time that certain foods are every bit as powerful as drugs but without the side effects.

You can heal your body without prescription drugs that damage your liver and end the battle of many conditions by getting rid of the toxins that make you sick in the first place and supplying the body with the nutrients it needs to repair itself. Yes, your body can heal itself given the right conditions.

Learn more about how to detox your body in The Definitive Detox Diet.

“Sugar is toxic beyond its calories”  say doctors at the University of California and argue that it should be taxed like alcohol and tobacco. So what exactly do they mean by that and is that why you should avoid it while on a detox diet?

What do we mean by sugar?

Carbohydrate is the main source of calories and energy in most diets. The two main forms of carbohydrates are sugars (such as fructose, glucose, and lactose) and starches, which are found in foods such as starchy vegetables, grains, rice, breads, and cereals.

The white stuff we know as sugar is sucrose which is made up of fructose and glucose.Our bodies digest and turn most carbohydrates into glucose, the most important carbohydrate for us. Glucose is the only source of energy that can be used by our brains.

So, what’s wrong with sugar?

Our ancestors ate far more complex carbohydrates and it is only since the middle of the 19th Century that our intake of refined carbohydrates increased significantly. And, the consumption of sugar worldwide has trebled over the past 50 years.

Refined foods have been processed in a way which removes vital vitamins, minerals and fibre.
Complex carbohydrates are digested slowly and the fiber slows the release of glucose into the blood stream.

Refined carbohydrates such as white sugar, foods containing it, white flour products, candies (sweets) and chocolate are all digested very rapidly and glucose is released very quickly into the blood stream.

There should be a constant level of glucose in the blood and any rise in the level normally triggers the pancreas to produce the hormone insulin which takes the glucose out of the blood stream into the cells to be converted to energy.

Too much glucose in the blood damages the arteries, nerves, eyes, and kidneys which is the danger in diabetes when the blood sugar is not controlled well enough.

Pancreas Problems

Very often the pancreas becomes over-reactive and too much insulin is secreted causing the blood sugar to plummet. This results in a period of low blood sugar before the body can bring in other hormonal controls to re-establish the status quo.

If the over-stimulation of the pancreas continues it may eventually become exhausted and no longer produce insulin which results in diabetes. In some cases of late onset or type II diabetes the insulin is produced but the cells are resistant to its effects.

This is a condition called insulin resistance. The glucose cannot be driven into  the cells and it is turned into and stored as fat instead. Sugar is fuelling the obesity crisis in many Western countries and doctors are calling for it to be controlled like alcohol and tobacco.

Why should you avoid sugar on a detox diet?

1 Eating sugar plays havoc with your blood sugar balance as you have seen above. Two other glands, the adrenals and the liver are involved in keeping the blood sugar stable.

If the blood sugar drops too low or too quickly adrenaline is released from the adrenal glands which counteracts the effects of insulin. Another hormone from the pancreas, glucagon, helps the liver to release stored glucose into the blood stream.

So, you can see that eating sugar causes the release of a lot of hormones which stresses your body and make you feel bad.

2. Sugar is very acid forming which is just the opposite of what we are trying to achieve on a detox diet. The cells detox themselves best when the tissues are very slightly alkaline.

The blood pH has to be very precicely controlled and your body has a number of buffering systems in place should it start to alter. One of the buffers is organic calcium which the body draws from the bones to neutralize the acid. Calcium is one of the essential minerals that is needed for detox.

Soft sugary drinks haven’t  been called “acid bombs” for nothing. A glass of Coke, Pepsi or similar drink  can shoot the equivalent of 9 teaspoons of refined sugar straight into your blood stream.

If you drink soft drinks and eat other refined products during your detox not only will you constantly be acidfying your body hindering detox but you will be draining your body of it’s calcium stores. The habit of eating and drinking refined sugar is one of the main causes of osteoporosis.

3. Sugar encourages the wrong balance of organisms in the gut. The right balance of organisms is essential for good immune and detox function.

Yeast and some bad bacteria ferment sugar in the gut. This produces gases which damage the gut lining. Some researchers have suggested that there may be a link between refined sugar intake and colitis.

4. Sugar is a nutrient robber. Your body needs magnesium, zinc, manganese, chromium, vitamins B & C for proper sugar regulation.

Refined sugar has been stripped of its vitamins and minerals so when you eat it your body has to draw on its reserves of those minerals and vitamins to digest and metabolise it. That’s why is sugar is referred to as “empty calories”

So it’s true, sugar is toxic and must be avoided even if you are not following a detox diet. Don’t forget that sugar is hidden in all sorts of food products. It’s hard to get away from it. If you normally have a lot of sugar and find it hard to give it up or contantly crave it you could benefit from the The Sugar Free Lifestyle Program

The story last week of Merlene Paul who had some bad reactions caused by the toxic chemicals from a packet of T shirts she had just opened caught my eye. This is a typical reaction of a person whose detox system has become overloaded.

Living in a chemical soup

We are surrounded by toxic chemicals in and out of the home but as most people can’t smell them or see them or have any obvious reaction to them they are rarely given a second thought. They get into our blood from the air we breathe as they are absorbed from the lungs.

They are then either processed by the detox system and eliminated or stored in the tissues until our bodies can figure out a way to get rid of them.

Formaldehyde is everywhere

Merlene discovered that she reacted badly to formaldehyde when she became ill 20 years ago while working in the interior design industry.  She was exposed to formaldeyde and number of other toxic chemicals given off by rolls of fabrics that had been treated with them for hours day in a day out.

Her detox system became so overloaded with the chemical or damaged by it that she became hypersensitive to it.  And the problem for Marlene is that it’s hard to get away from formaldehyde. It is found in mattresses, bedding, carpeting, ( carpeting is a major source of chemicals in the home), paints, furniture and in most of the clothes that we buy.

Your clothes are full of chemicals

Clothing manufacturers commonly use chemicals to prevent wrinkling and mildew and as flame retardants. Some experts believe that the chemicals on our clothes can contribute to a range of health problems from breast cancer to infertility.

Last year formaldehyde was described by the US National Toxicology Program as a human carcinogen. Several clothing manufacturers in the UK have said they are committed to removing hazardous chemicals from their supply chain by 2020. Seems like that’s too long to me!

In the 70′s many people discovered they were affected by formaldehyde when they had therir homes insulated with Urea Foam Formaldehyde Insulation. And more recently people were affected by the formaldehyde used used to make walls, cabinets, and furniture in trailer homes the government gave them after Hurricane Katrina

Some of the symptoms people complained of were fatigue, headache, dizziness, depression, poor memory, brain fog, burning eyes and throat, cough and dermatitis.

We are all exposed to toxic chemicals every day so how come we do not all get reactions like these? It all boils down to how well your detox system works.

Your Detox System

Your body has a very sophisticated and complicated detox process which neutralizes toxins so they can safely be eliminated from the body. It relies on a number of specialized enzyme reactions which in turn all rely on certain vitamins and minerals being present in adequate amounts. If an enzyme lacks the vitamin of mineral it needs to work it becomes inactive.

For example, formaldehyde is an aldehyde that that is normally changed into an acid that can can safely be excreted in the urine. One of the enzymes that does this needs the minerals molybdenum and iron to work.

If you are lacking in any of the nutrients needed by the detox system your detox pathways will not be as efficient as they should be and the chemicals can build up. If you have a heavy exposure to a chemical like Marlene did then it’s easy to see that the nutrients needed to detox this chemical can easily become depleted especially if there was a deficiency in the first place.

When the chemicals build up you are twice as likely to react to chemicals in the environment.

Genetic studies have shown that some individuals have genetic differences in the Phase 1 or Phase II liver detox pathways which could prevent them from detoxing environmental chemicals adequately.

Rev up your detox system

Age, and diet has an effect on detox too but it’s not all doom and gloom though because it’s possible to get these detox pathways working again. By supplying the nutrients needed by the detox system both from food and nutritional supplements you can push the liver detox pathways so they function better.

You must of course also minimize your exposure to chemicals as much as possible. Use non toxic building materials and paints where possible. Choose natural fabrics for furniture and clothing. Use natural flooring and get new ]carpets cleaned using a non chemical method as soon as they are laid. Use natural personal car products. Make sure you have good ventilation both at home and at work.

There is still a lot to learn about how the detox system copes with these toxic chemicals and we are only just beginning to understand what impact they have on our health but it’s obvious that we do need to detox our bodies regularly if we are to prevent our detox pathways becoming overloaded.

My ebook the Definitive Detox Diet shows you how. The Definitive Detox Diet

The bowel is one of the most important systems for removing toxins from your body. Toxins that get into your body are processed by your liver and are eliminated from your body by the bowel or by the kidneys through the urine.

If you have decided to do a New Year Detox to kickstart your healthy eating resolution it makes sense to start with a bowel cleansing diet.

There are various schools of thought about the necessity for colon cleansing but there is no doubt that if your colon becomes sluggish or overworked it cannot function properly.

Toxins which remain for any length of time in the bowel can get reaborbed into your body. They get sent back to the liver where they have to go through the whole detox process again, overworking your liver.

So, it is important that you start any detox plan with a bowel cleansing diet. However well you clean your blood, lymph and liver if your bowel is not cleansed they will all become full of toxins again.

Do you need a bowel cleanse diet?

• Constipation or sluggish bowelsUnless you have at least 1 easy bowel movement a day you need to get them moving for a successful detox. Poor diet, stress, lack of exercise, lack of fluid and use of certain medication can all contribute to constipation.It’s estimated that 4 1/2 million people in the United States are constipated most of the time. And in the UK 1 in 3 people suffer with constipation.

•  Body & breath odorAlthough there can be other reasons for both any unpleasant breath or body odor  or a coated tongue can indicate a toxic bowel.

• Chronic health problemsA toxic colon can result in many problems such as acne, allergies, muscular aches & pains, recurrent bladder infections, headaches, fatigue, sore throat and frequent colds and infections.

There is a lot of controversy over the existance of so called mucoid plaque in the intestines and the need to remove it for health. Whether it exists or not a number of health practitioners such as Bernard Jensen have demonstrated that various symptoms in the body can be improved through bowel cleansing.

The Bowel Cleansing Diet

Fiber also known as roughage helps to cleanse the bowel naturally. If you increase high fiber foods in your diet fiber supplements are often not necessary. Fiber is essential for detoxification of the intestines. It helps to scrub your intestinal walls, absorbs water in the large intestine and makes the stools softer and bulkier and easier to pass.

Fiber shortens the time that toxins stay in the intestines and helps to prevent the absorption of toxins from the bowel. It helps to increase the excretion of bacterial toxins and products from putrefaction of undigested protein.

The fiber that comes from food is the best type of fiber to have. There are two types of fiber – insoluble fiber which does not dissolve and and soluble fiber which partially dissolves in water.

Insoluble fiber is found in whole grains, vegetables and seeds. Soluble fiber is found in fruit, legumes, oats, nuts and some seeds.

High fiber foods:

• Whole grains (especially brown rice but not wheat)

• Vegetables both raw & cooked

• Fresh Fruit with skin

• Dried Fruit

• Legumes

• Seeds

• Nuts

A high fiber diet has been shown to help prevent heart disease, diabetes, diverticulitis and obesity but the majority of people eat too little fiber. It slows digestion which helps to balance blood sugar levels, helps you to feel fuller longer. Soluble fiber lowers cholesterol.

When you increase fiber in your diet you may have some bloating and gas ( wind) at first. As your system becomes used to extra fibre the bloating or gas tends to settle. It’s best to increase it gradually.

Wheat

For a long time doctors and dieticians have recommended that people with constipation or bowel problems increase whole wheat, especially wheat bran, in their diets but wheat is difficult for a lot of people to digest. Consequently it tends to cause a lot of problems for many people.

Wheat and wheat products such as wheat based breakfast cereals, wheat bran and pasta are not recommended on a bowel cleanse diet. In fact it is best to avoid all gluten grains like oats, rye and barley as well.

Flax seeds

Flax seeds are good for bowel cleansing. You can take them whole or ground. Whole ones work better for some people and ground ones for others. If you are going to try ground ones it is best to grind your own just before you are going to use them.

Add them to your breakfast, yogurt, sprinkle then on salads or add to soup and vegetable dishes when ready to serve.

Take 1 – 2 tablespoons of whole or ground flax seed a day.

Chia Seeds

As a change from flax seeds you can try Chia Seeds. These tiny seeds have been dubbed a superfood. They contain both soluble and insoluble fiber and ounce for ounce more total fiber than Flax seeds. They are much softer than flax seeds.

The fibers trap more than three times the weight of the seed in water which keeps the bowel hydrated so the food and waste move easily through your digestive system.

Green Foods

One of the best substances for bowel cleansing is chlorophyll which is found in all green vegetables, especially the green, leafy vegetables. So, make sure you eat plenty of these.

Green algae are the highest sources of chlorophyll in the plant world and if you want to speed up the process of cleansing your colon then chlorella is a great addition to the diet. It does an  excellent job in removing toxins from the bowel and healing damaged tissue in the digestive system.

Fluids

Many people are constipated or have difficult bowel movements because they do not drink enough liquids. There is controversy over how much water you shoudl drink but 6 – 8 glasses of pure water a day is about average. It is important to drink enough water for detoxification.

You will increase your fluid intake by eating more fruit and vegetables , fresh vegetable juices and soups. You can drink green or herbal teas too.

Apple Cider Vinegar

To help digestion and stimulate the bowels drink a small glass of water with a little lemon juice and 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar before meals. Add a little apple juice to sweeten if you want.

Herbal Cleansing

You can also add some herbs for deeper cleansing. You can learn more about this in my blog post here:  How To Colon Cleanse

Foods To Avoid on the Bowel Cleansing Diet

As well as including the foods to help cleanse the bowel naturally you should also exclude these foods that can damage your digestive system and are bad for your health. It probably won’t come as any surprise that the following foods should be avoided.

• Refined sugar and food containing it

• Junk food and processed food.

• Red meat

• Fried and fatty food

• Dairy products except live yogurt or kefir

• Alcohol, fizzy drinks, sodas

• Reduce coffee and regular tea.

After following the bowel cleansing diet for a week or two and your bowels are working well you should make sure that you continue to eat plenty of fiber and avoid the foods that are no good for your health such as refined and processed food, deep fried food, all food additives and artificial sweeteners.

It started early this year. It’s usually not until January that doctors speak out against detox. Last week a British doctor claimed that detox is pointless and and could be highly dangerous.

Writing in the December issue of The Biologist,  Prof David Bender, professor of nutritional biochemistry at University College London, argues that the term detox has gone from being applied to a chemical reaction involved in the production of urine, to “a meaningless marketing term”.

Meaningless detox products

Well, I have to agree with him about the meaningless marketing term. Manufacturers have jumped on the term detox to describe all manner of things. For example, Nicky Clarke, one of Britain’s best known hairdressers, has launched a hair dryer claims to help detox your hair. It’s stuff like this that brings the whole idea of detox into disrepute.

The basic fallacy, says Professor Bender, is that ‘large amounts of toxic waste accumulate in our bodies and must be eliminated by some kind of dietary regime’. In fact, ‘the human body processes and removes toxins very efficiently’

Is the body good at removing toxins?

I would like to ask him this: “If the body is so good at removing toxins why we all have numerous toxic chemicals and metals stored in our bodies?”

In a 2004 study funded by the European Union  and the World Wild Fund UK , the blood from 155 volunteers was examined for 77 different toxic chemicals. The number of toxic chemicals found ranged from 49 to  9 while the average number was 30.

In July 2005, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, USA, published a 475-page report entitled, “Third National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals” which clearly indicates the growing number of chemical toxins present in all age-groups in the USA.

A number of other studies have shown that babies are being born with toxic chemicals in their bodies which they have received from their mothers while in the womb.

It doesn’t seem to me that the human body is removing these toxins very efficiently does it to you?

Over the counter Detox products

He is probably right in saying that many commercial detox products and devices have no scientific merit. Some commercial detox products are made up of a few herbs that act as laxatives. They are likely to have a drastic effect on your bowels but that is not the same as detoxing chemicals from your body which is the aim of a good detox diet plan.

Other over the counter detox products may contain a few herbs that are known to help support liver function but it’s doubtful that they contain enough of the right nutrients to enhance the liver detox pathways.

Is detox dangerous?

I haven’t read the original article so I don’t know what he was referring to as dangerous but the Daily Mail brought up the story of a woman who died at a detox spa last August. She and another woman were rushed to hospital in Canada after becoming severely dehydrated. They had apparently spent hours wrapped in mud and plastic intended to draw ‘poisons’ from their skin but not drunk any water.

Well, that goes against all detox principles. It is absolutely essential to replace fluids when doing any sweat therapies such a saunas or baths. All good detox diet plans will recommend that you drink enough fluids but not too much.

Enough water but not too much

The Daily Mail brought up the case of a woman who drank too much water and upset her body’s sodium balance and suffered brain damage as a result of her cells swelling up. She apparently drank 6 pints of water a day as part of a cleansing regime recommended by a nutritionist although the nutritionist had not advised that much and was cleared of any wrong doing.

Extensive research

Although many doctors say there is no scientific evidence that detox diet work, according to a report published by the Institute of Functional medicine entitled Detoxification a Clinical Monograph “there has been extensive research into an individuals ability to detoxify different xenobiotics” and references to published papers are given.

Detox Abilities

Researchers have noted that certain people with certain diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis and Parkinson’s Disease have impaired detoxification abilities. They have defects in their ability to detox sulfur containing xenobiotics which cause damage in their bodies.

In fact Joe Pizzorno, the well known Naturopathic Doctor tells the story of an event that changed his life forever. He was stunned by the fact that the woman who was married to his room mate was cured of Rheumatoid Arthritis (considered to be incurable by main stream Doctors) by a Naturopathic doctor who detoxified her liver.

Specific foods improve the detox system

Researchers have discovered which nutrients are needed by the various detox pathways in the body. By supplying these nutrients as food and supplements they have shown with specific tests that they can improve the detox pathways.

Effects of drugs detox

It’s also known that various drugs and chemicals have an inhibiting or stimulating effect on the liver detox pathways. Just recently I read a about a 25 year old fitness instructor who died of an accidental paracetamol (acetaminophen) overdose. The pathologist report concluded her death was due to liver failure caused by a paracetamol overdose.

If our bodies were so good at detoxing should this have happened?

Variations in Detox function

Studies of detox function have shown that the enzymes involved in liver detox can vary significantly from person to person. Differences in the detox capacity of individuals, their exposure to toxins and their nutritional status can have a profound effect on their susceptibility to a wide variety of diseases.

Many clinical studies done at the Metagenics Functional Medicine Research Center in Gig Harbor Washington have shown that symptoms of people with poor health can be vastly improved when they follow a properly designed detox diet and take supplements rich in the substances shown to support liver detox.

Does detox work?

In spite of the lack of double blind, placebo controlled, trials that the medical profession are so fond of many people will testify to the benefits that a specially designed detox diet with the support of some specific supplements brought them.

If you use hair dye to look younger or improve the way you look you could actually be shortening your life.  In England a 17 year old girl recently died in hospital after she reacted badly to Para- Phenylendiamine (PPD) an ingredient in the hair dye she used to darken her hair.

Although it has not been proven that PPD killed her it is present in many hair dyes and is known to be toxic to the liver, kidneys, immune system, nervous system and respiratory system. Campaigners are calling for a ban on it.

PPD is also used in black henna skin paint used for temporary tattoos. Strangely enough the US FDA has banned it for direct application to the skin but allows it in hair dye although studies have shown that the chemicals are absorbed into the body through the scalp.

Hair Dyes & Liver Disease

Scientists have been warning women and men for years that hair dyes may cause cancer but some latest research revealed that millions of people who regularly dye their hair could develop a fatal liver disease.

Researchers suspect that octynoic acid, a chemical found in hair dye, nail polish and other cosmetics could cause a progressive liver condition called primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). It can  block bile ducts which interferes with the liver’s ability to detox toxins properly. Other chemicals in hair dye are suspected of causing liver damage too.

Hair Dyes & Cancer Risk

Incredible as it may seem over 5,000 different chemicals are used in hair dye products. Early hair dye products contained chemicals that were found to cause cancer in animals and some of these were removed in the 1970s.

The main concern is over semi-permanent dyes and the permanent dyes. Dark hair dyes are considered to be worse than lighter ones because they contain a higher concentration of chemicals.

Some studies have shown show that hairdressers and barbers have a higher risk of cancer of the bladder, lung, larynx, and multiple myeloma than the rest of the population. Most studies on people people who have their hair dyed have not found a the same increase in bladder cancer risk.  it seems that hairdressers are more likely to be breathing in the toxic fumes as they mix the dye and apply to their customer’s hair.

Dr Yu, professor of preventive medicine at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine found that the more hair dye a person uses, the higher that person’s risk of bladder cancer.

Hair Dye and Liver Detox

Studies on the dangers of hair dye are conflicting but evidence of the dangers is increasing as more studies are done. Dr. Manuela Gago-Dominguez, a California researcher, stated that women who detoxed the carcinogenic chemicals more slowly had a higher risk of cancer.

Due to their genetic make up some people are not able to detox certain compounds and others have detox enzymes that work more slowly. Researchers know that is is possible to rev up the liver detox enzymes with certain substances found in food and herbs.

I have heard of several people who had used hair dye and were following the Gerson Therapy for cancer say that they leaked black liquid from their scalps during the therapy. The detox effect of the juices and foods and juices were enabling the cells to push out the toxic chemicals that were still being stored in the tissues.

If you have regularly used hair dye in the past it is a good idea to follow a detox program to help detox the chemicals that may still be stored in your body.

Natural Hair Color

Fortunately there are some natural hair coloring products on the market. Unfortunately some so called natural hair color products still contain the same chemicals as conventional products. Read labels and avoid PPD, octynoic acid, formaldehyde and ammonia.

Doctor Marchese says the most toxic chemicals in hair dye include: coal tar, sodium laurel sulfate, parabens, pthalates, acetate and ammonia.

You can find companies who have pledged not to use chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer in their products here: http://www.safecosmetics.org/ Or look up products on the Environmental Working Group’s cosmetic database: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

Have you found any good really natural hair color products? If so please share them with my readers in the comment box.

Niacin Detox was an important part of the Purification Program developed by scientists by 1979 for releasing toxins from tissues. The program was developed as a result of research into methods of cleansing the body of drugs.

Niacin is Vitamin B3 and along with B1 and B2 is needed for the Phase 1 detox. Niacin, nicotinamide and nicotinic acid are all forms of Vitamin B3 but niacinimide plays no part in detoxification.

Niacin is needed for energy production, proper digestion, manufacture of hormones, gene expression, a healthy nervous system and healthy skin. We cannot do without it. A certain amount can be made in the body from the amino acid tryptophan, found in meat, dairy and eggs, if there is adequate B1, B2 and B6 but this does not supply our total needs.

Vitamin B3 is found in all organ meats, chicken, beef, salmon, tuna, wheat germ, green leafy vegetables, beans, peas, raw mushrooms, avocados, nuts, dried figs, prunes and dates. Processed food suffers from a loss of niacin.

Sometimes the term niacin detox is used to describe a program often used to lower LDL cholesterol without drugs.  Niacin can improve cardiovascular health and it is often used by doctors of alternative medicine and naturopaths as part of a program to reverse coronary artery disease. It can lower blood fats including cholesterol and widen the small blood vessels known as capillaries improving circulation.

The niacin detox I am talking about here is different. It bursts open fat cells ( lipolysis) to release chemicals or drugs that are stored in them. Many chemicals are stored in the fatty layers of your body. Once the toxins have been released they are detoxed from the body through the skin and intestines.

You may read some articles that say there is no scientific evidence that niacin can detox stored chemicals from the cells but the truth is that they have known that it works for some years but not exactly how.

Niacin is used in the Gerson Therapy for cancer.  Dr Gerson recommended 50mg six times a day for four to six months. He stated that Niacin helps to bring back sufficient glycogen into the liver cells. It also helps in protein metabolism, acts to open small arteries and capillaries and raises electrical potential in cells

Dr George Yu described the niacin detox program that he uses in his practice at the Longevity Now Conference held earlier this year

The dose for the niacin detox protocol varies from practitioner to practitioner but the program should include exercise and far infrared ( FIR) sauna.

Here’s a regime which should be followed for a month.

Niacin

Start by taking 50 mg a day with food and gradually build up the dose to at least 500mg. You can go up to 1000 mg a day if you think you are quite toxic. People with severe toxicity problems can take up to 5000mg but should be supervised by a health practitioner.

By gradually increasing the dose you will avoid the niacin flush. Niacin dilates the capillaries, increases circulation and releases histamine from cells which will cause the skin to flush, feel hot, make your heart pound and may cause you to itch. It can last for up to an hour but is not at all harmful.

When you continue to take niacin you develop a tolerance and will no longer flush. Don’t be tempted to take non-flush niacin and this will not have the same detox effect.

Exercise

Use a mini-trampoline ( rebounder)  for this. Jump on it for at least 10 minutes and preferably 20 minutes prior to using a FIR sauna. You may have to gradually build up your exercise time if you are not used to doing any.

FIR Sauna ( or other heat source)

Spend 40 minutes if you can in a sauna built of environmentally safe materials. If you don’t tolerate heat well, have multiple chemical sensitivity or chronic illness then start out with 5 minutes and gradually increase the time by 5 minutes a day.

Wipe sweat from your body while in the sauna and follow it with a cleansing shower using neutral pH organic soap to wash off toxins from the skin. Be sure to wash your hair too. Wipe down the walls of the sauna and launder your towels as soon as possible in hot water because they will be laden with toxins that you have excreted from your body through the skin.
Drink 8 oz pure water for every 15 minutes you spend in the sauna to replace lost fluids.

Additional aids to detoxification

You can take Bentonite clay, activated charcoal, chlorella, psyllium seed or zeolite to help eliminate the toxins from the intestines.

A massage or other form of body work can help to relax muscles and increase circulation encouraging further cleansing.

A good detox diet that includes fresh vegetable juices, green smoothies and a large amount of fresh, raw and lightly cooked vegetables to help replace vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are needed for detox and repair of tissue damaged by the chemical toxins.

Long term intake of 2000mg ( 2 grams) or more a day may lead to side effects of nausea, vomiting, dizziness, flare up of gout, headache; heartburn, skin discoloration and raised liver enzymes in rare cases. These all disappear when therapy is stopped. Dr George Yu says that he never sees any permanent damage with doses up to 5000mg.

It’s worth noting that diabetics may see a reduced tolerance to glucose and people with peptic ulcers may experience more pain. It should not be used in cases where there is any danger of bleeding. If in any doubt be sure to seek the advice of a health practitioner familiar with the Niacin Detox before taking it.

Guest post by Anna Tolson of Vital Detox Retreat

Oil pulling therapy is widely know in Eastern health traditions and is a simple, yet astoundingly effective method of cleansing the blood. It is helpful for numerous disorders, including tooth and gum diseases, blood diseases, lung and liver disorders, headaches, skin diseases, gastric ulcers, poor appetite and intestinal problems, heart and kidney ailments, encephalitis, nervous conditions, poor memory, female disorders, a puffy face and bags under the eyes – it has so many benefits that it really is worth trying!

The therapy consists of simply of swishing a good quality, organic, cold pressed oil in the mouth.  It is best to do this in the morning, preferably after awakening or anytime before breakfast.

Put 1 tablespoon of unrefined olive, sunflower or sesame oil  in your mouth, but do not swallow it.  Slowly swish the oil around, chew it, and draw it through your teeth for 3 TO 4 MINUTES ONLY.  This is to ensure that the toxins that are drawn, or pulled, into the oil are not re-absorbed.  You will find that the oil takes on a milky white or yellowish colour as it becomes saturated with toxins and billions of destructive bacteria.

For best results repeat this process one or two more times (if this releases too many toxins and you feel uncomfortable, do this only once).  Then rinse out your mouth with half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda or unrefined sea salt dissolved in a small amount of water.  Then rinse your mouth with water.

Additionally, you may want to brush your teeth and maybe use a tongue scraper for a really good clean. A squeeze of lemon juice (from a lemon, not a bottle) neat or in water will also freshen the mouth and further enhance liver function.

The effects of oil swishing may be visible as teeth may appear whiter and gums less prone to bleeding. It can also be used in times of illness and repeated three times per day, but only on an empty stomach.

For more information on detox and nutrition please visit our site Vital Detox Retreat

Have you ever considered the fact that the way you think might be related to the toxins in your body and brain? Feeling of anger, anxiety, panic, depression, neurotic behavior can all be the result of toxicity. And to create a vicious cycle, emotional stress or negative thoughts can, in turn, create toxicity. So, to benefit fully from a detox diet you have to learn to deal with your emotions. It is also known as emotional detox.

Mental and emotional stress contribute to most diseases in some way. Stress causes the body to release certain chemicals which, if allowed to build up, are toxins in themselves. They disrupt the body’s delicate biochemical balance. Doctors know that mental attitude has a huge effect in the outcome of treatments of various diseases.

In Chinese medicine the emotion of anger affects your liver function, worry will upset your digestive system, fear disturbs your kidney function and grief damages the lungs.

When you don’t worry or are stressed your adrenal glands don’t secrete the stress hormones such as cortisol which suppresses the immune system and upsets the nervous system.

Stress prevents liver detox

Many researchers have observed the profound effect the mind can have on the cells in your body. One study showed that stress could prevent the liver detoxifying a certain drug. Scientists have verified that the hormones released in response to stress do have an adverse effect on the liver’s detox pathways. So to get the full benefits of a detox diet it’s very important to be able to control emotional stress.

When you are happy your brain secretes neuropeptides, the happy hormones, that switch on the healing response.

Heavy metals affect the way you feel and think

On the other hand, as I mentioned above, toxins affect the way you feel and think. Heavy metals are neurotoxic. This means that they are toxic to the brain cells and cells of the nervous system. They affect the way your brain and nervous system cells communicate. Heavy metals and other toxins such pesticides and solvents prevent them sending and receiving vital messages affecting your mood and intelligence.

Toxins also cause free radical damage to brain cells which can ultimately lead to destruction of brain cells. Scientists believe that Parkinson’s Disease is caused by damage to the dopamine producing cells by pesticides.

Excessive stress damages your health

Stress is a normal human reaction that we depend on for survival. When it is excessive it damages your health. Some people are better at controlling stress than others. Smoking and alcohol are used by some as a way of dealing with stress but this is not the answer as these substances cause further damage.

Detox brain altering toxins

A detox diet helps you get rid of the toxins that affect brain function.  A diet high in fatty, sugary and processed food, alcohol and stimulants dulls the communication between your mind and body because it puts a strain on your elimination system.

A detox diet of alkalizing and nutrient rich foods makes the communication system more vibrant. You will feel more energized, alive and mentally clear. You will be more aware of how foods affect the way you feel and think.

A word of warning though. During a detox you could find that old memories and feelings are released which can be very frightening if you are not prepared for this to happen

Generate positive thoughts

Making an effort to generate positive thoughts is an important key to controlling emotional stress and detoxing the mind. Focusing on the positive can be done with deep relaxation, visualization, meditation, yoga, breath work, affirmations, enjoyable hobbies, music, adequate rest and exercise. Find out more about some of these techniques in this post:  How to Reduce Toxic Stress Chemicals