Professional Documents
Culture Documents
I was your “typical” American male who ate and drank and smoked whatever I
wanted, whenever I wanted into my early 30s.
I couldn’t breathe without taking puff from an inhaler. I found myself very
constipated with a “mad muffin top” overhang of flesh around my midsection.
Crisis struck when I caught pneumonia in early 2002. I was 33. Flat on my
back for two solid weeks, I was forced to take a good, hard look at myself and
the lifestyle choices that led to this point. At a crossroads, but unsure of which
path to follow, I was forced into action less than a year later when both my
mother and sister were diagnosed with breast cancer within 4 months of each
other.
Watching them seek out and find successful alternative health solutions like
acupuncture, Detox and colonics to in addition to conventional chemotherapy,
gave me the courage to research and try my own cleanse.
Exploring the benefits of detox and internal cleansing was my first step in the
journey to better health, the gateway that has completely transformed my entire
life forever.
I now use it once or twice a year and consider it my best weapon in the fight
against the harsh side-effects of the high stress, non-stop pace of life in New
York City.
1. What is Detox?
A “cleanse”, “a Detox”, “detoxification”, “internal cleansing” or ”internal
Detox” are all terms used interchangeably to describe a normal body process of
eliminating or neutralizing toxins through the colon, liver, kidneys, lungs, lymph
glands, and skin.
With the exception of oxygen, everything your body needs to survive must pass
through the GI Tract. It is the foundation of your physical health.
Everything you consume must be identified, broken down, utilized and absorbed
or discarded. Combined, these activities form the basis of your the natural
detoxification process.
Day in and day out, morning, noon and night, Detox is happening somewhere in
your body.
Your organs of detoxification need their own Detox from the constant, consistent
intake of foods with little nutritional value and/or stressful lifestyle choices.
While Fasting is one type of Detox program that involves a short-term “liquids-
only” diet, the vast majority of detoxification programs recommend eating 3
meals a day.
2. Benefits of Detox...
Using a Detox to clean your insides will result in a noticeable
sense of improvement in the way you look, feel and think
about yourself.
In short - Your life looks and feels a whole lot better. Aiding in your body’s
detoxification process will effectively “turn back the hands of time” in your
body.
Your vital statistics return to healthy levels for your age, gender and weight.
Healthy cholesterol balance, stabilized blood sugar levels and proper
acid/alkaline blood pH are among the many benefits of doing a short-term,
Maintenance Detox program, just once.
*Constipation
*Diarrhea
*Halitosis (Bad Breath)
*GERD (Acid Reflux)
*IBS
*Bloating &Gas
This happens when your body dumps stored toxins into your bloodstream,
temporarily overloading your system.
In other words, things sometimes need to get a little worse before they can get
much better.
Many symptoms of a healing crisis are very similar to catching a cold or flu, but
milder.
*Runny nose
*Congestion
*Slight Headaches
*Excessive gas & bloating
*Ache & pains
*Dizziness
*Nausea
*Irritability
*Mild fever
It’s also important to note that some people will never experience a healing
crisis and still receive all the same benefits from an internal cleanse.
6. Wrap-Up
When done properly, Maintenance detoxification, internal cleansing, colon
cleansing or simply Detox, will change your life for the
better.
Treat it right - rotate the tires, change the oil and air-
filters every 2500 miles, let the engine warm up on cold
days, etc. and your vehicle will perform beautifully while saving you money well
into it’s golden years...
Cut corners - neglect it and ignore the warning signs(knocks and pings, poor
acceleration and smoky exhaust) and it will eventually brake down on you.
Unlike a car, replacing a diseased body part is a lot more DANGEROUS (not to
mention EXPENSIVE) than replacing car parts.
Plus, you can trade-in a “lemon” for another model whereas you’re pretty much
stuck with the body you have for life.
Once you see how easy it truly is to reclaim a solid foundation of good health
and allow your body to maintain that good health on its own, doing a
Maintenance Detox program will feel like a natural choice.
Toxemia is a broad term for a physical imbalance that occurs when the
accumulation of undigested food, alcohol, cigarette smoke overloads the natural
Detoxification organs.
A Liver Distressed
Your liver searches for hiding places in your body (joints, love handles) to store
what it cannot use or properly sweat, pee or poop out. Toxemia can take many
forms ranging from mild to acute.
*Acne
*Allergies (food, sinus, seasonal)
*Certain cancers
*Chronic Constipation/Diarrhea
*Diverticulitis
*Dry mouth
*GERD (acid reflux)
*Gout
*IBS
*Indigestion
*Midday brain fog
You may have noticed the similarities between symptoms of Toxemia and a
“healing crisis” from Lesson 1.
While it’s true the two are often indistinguishable from the standpoint of how
your body feels - crappy - they differ greatly when it comes to the underlying
causes of each condition.
It’s the indication that the action you’ve taken (starting a Detox program) is
working and your body is ridding itself of years, even decades of toxic waste.
While Toxemia, on the other hand, is the manifestation your body’s current
toxic overload prior to taking corrective action.
Things will usually not get better on their own. Toxemia is your body’s way of
saying “pay attention to me now before things get worse” and potentially
irreversible.
Toxemia is the warning signal. A healing crisis is the sign that things are getting
better.
Examining the contents of the toilet bowl after a bowel movement speaks
volumes about your current level of health.
Below are some common sights. If this is what you’re seeing more often then
not, you may be in need of some form of Detoxification program:
Hard, dry pebble like poo - straining to produce this paltry offering indicates a
lack of fiber and/or water in your diet.
Loose Poo - short term diarrhea is no cause for alarm. Long term or chronic
diarrhea indicates eating/lifestyle habits that need further examination.
Daily variations in the color in color are due to your intake of various foods and
medications.
Changes in the color of your poo that persist for longer periods of time (10 days
or more) can also be a sign of underlying Toxemia.
Black - High presence of iron (from foods or iron pills), consistent intake of anti-
acids (like Imodium or Pepto-Bismol) or blood (from higher up in the digestive
tract);
Red - Could include consumption of red foods, like beets, or it may indicate
blood (from lower down in the digestive tract);
Examining your poo for a week or so will definitely give you clues as to the state
of your digestive health, which is an indicator of the state of your overall health.
9. Seasons Change
You eat and behave differently during the summer than
you do in winter.
*Increased/decrease in appetite
Between fall and winter and then again between winter to spring -- times of
dramatic environmental shifts -- will enable you to make that seasonal transition
easily and with less side effects like depression, increased anxiety and skin
eruptions.
10. Wrap-Up
We covered the factors that indicate when you might be in need of a Detox,
what Toxemia is and the similarities between it and a Healing Crisis.
Finally, you learned how the time of year can have a direct impact on your
physical and emotional health. A change of season can be best time of year for
you to begin your very first Detox or perform a regularly scheduled Maintenance
Detox..
This section is split into three levels: Baby Steps, Detoxing For Real and Certified
Health Nut.
BENEFITS:
Lower Grocery Bill$
More Fiber
Better Nutrition
Less Fat
Less Indigestion
Regular Bowel Movements
Fresher Breath
Potential Downside:
Brief “adjustment” period from increased fiber = more gas/bloating.
These herbs and many more have been formulated in to excellent, cost effective,
short-term internal cleanse kits currently available at your local health food store.
Herbal Cleanse Kits (often called “Detox-in-a-box” kits) are gaining in popularity
because of their low cost and ease of use.
Ranging from 7 up to 90 days in duration, these kits take all the guesswork out of
which herbs to use, how often to take them, what to eat and drink and what to
They are hands down the best to way introduce Maintenance Detoxification into
your busy lifestyle.
Herbal cleanse kits do much more than cleanse your colon. Advanced kits address
all six major organs of Detoxification including your liver, kidneys, lungs, lymph
skin and blood.
BENEFITS:
Inexpensive
Fast results (Little as 7 days)
Whole body Detox (colon, liver, lungs, kidneys, skin and lymph)
Easy fit into busy lifestyle
You get to eat food
You get to eat 3 meals a day
You get to eat chicken, fish & tofu
You can eat food
Dosage is pre-measured for your convenience
Choose duration (7, 14, 30 or 90 day kits)
Choose intake method (Drops, powder, pills or capsules)
Potential Downside:
Allergic reaction to certain herbs (see below).
Both CASGARA SAGRADA and SENNA should NOT be used for longer than 7
days in a row. Using them for longer may cause strong cramping and griping in the
abdomen.
They should also not be used if you have diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's
disease, severe hemorrhoids, blood vessel disease, congestive heart failure, heart
disease, severe anemia, abdominal hernia, gastrointestinal cancer, recent
colon surgery, or liver and kidney disease.
Herbs, roots, leaves, flower tops and bark are powerful substances and must be
treated as such. Most, if not all of the most popular over-the-counter detox
products and programs contain a proprietary blend of these herbs often in unknown
amounts.
If you any concerns about the effects of certain herbs and their how they might
interact with your particular condition, I’ve compiled a listing of over 220 herbs,
roots, leaves, flower tops and barks used in popular over-the-counter Detoxification
products/programs.
Acupuncture works with the body's fundamental energies known as “QI” (“chee”).
Toxic buildup in digestive and elimination systems impact the smooth flow of Qi,
creating imbalance and ultimately manifesting as physical signs and symptoms
such as headache, fatigue, bloating, constipation and gas.
BENEFITS:
safe
gentle
relaxing stress reliever
muscle relaxation
good for breaking addictions (i.e., smoking)
promotes fertility
energizing
no medication or herbs to take
improves body, mind and spirit
most flexible spending accounts reimburse
Potential Downside:
Finding qualified practitioners
most practitioners don't accept medical insurance
having an aversion to needles
D. Enemas
Enemas have been used to alleviate constipation and bowel
irregularities for centuries.
The enema bottle should only contain a maximum 2 cups of liquid at room
temperature and be held for 15 minutes at the most.
Enemas target the very last part of the colon commonly referred to as the sigmoid
colon.
Because your poop contains toxic waste at this point, a special circulatory system
between the sigmoid colon and the liver exists.
That sick feeling you get just before you have to poop indicates your liver is
processing toxins sitting in your sigmoid colon.
When you add small amounts of coffee to an enema, the caffeine stimulates the
release of stored toxins from your liver which enters the small intestine moving
through the large intestine, sigmoid colon and out of your body.
If you've never given yourself an enema it's very important to follow instructions to
the letter.
BENEFITS:
Short term relief for:
insomnia
anxiety
bloating
constipation
gas
irritability
fatigue
depression
tension
poor circulation
Inexpensive
efficient
fast-acting
non-habit forming
Potential Downside:
potentially messy
self-administered
The equipment uses multistage water purification systems which eliminate possible
contamination from a previous treatment.
Waste is discretely transported into the drain line without offensive odors or
embarrassment.
Your colon will certainly be cleaner, you may also experience easier eliminations
and your overall health status should be improved.
Each colon hydrotherapy session lasts approximately 45 minutes and one should
allow at least one hour per office visit.
BENEFITS:
lowers blood pressure
Potential Downside:
Costly
Very Involved Process
Uncomfortable (gas pockets)
Embarrassing
F. Fasting
There are many types of fasts. Some are relaxed allowing for fruits, fruit juice and
vegetable broths. Others are more restrictive allowing only water intake over a 3-
7 day period.
Water-only fasts are NOT recommended. Your body receives zero nutritional
intake, while newly released toxins are flooding into your system at the same time.
This combination can be overwhelming, causing more harm than good to even the
most tolerant person.
There are safer, more effective fasts. The Master Cleanse (also known as the
Lemonade Diet) was created by Stanley Burroughs in 1941. The Master Cleanse
uses lemon juice, grade B maple syrup, and cayenne pepper in a mixture
anywhere from 10-40 days.
Burroughs claims the Master Cleanse eliminates toxins in your body, increases
energy and can combat chronic conditions like high blood pressure, and other life
threatening diseases.
While on the cleanse, you drink the lemonade, peppermint tea, salt water flush
and/or laxative tea.
The idea behind the Master Cleanse is to give our digestive organs a break from
solid foods and restore them to their original balance.
Although, it's been popularized by certain celebrities as a weight loss miracle (you
BENEFITS:
Burns excess body fat
Detoxifies organs
Destroys abnormal body growths and tumors
Increased sense of well-being
Releases toxins from cells
Inexpensive
Promotes healthy cell growth and metabolism
Gives your digestive system a break
Adds years to your life
Potential Downside:
Adjustment period (hunger pangs, lightheadedness, irritability)
Socially isolating (not eating food)
Boredom
It performs over 500 plus functions which are focused on collecting, breaking
down then preparing every toxin that enters the body for elimination.
Liver flushing can be used by relatively healthy people too, particularly people with
chronic conditions like Candida Albicans, seasonal allergies, asthma, gall bladder
disease and others.
BENEFITS:
*Drastically reduces seasonal allergies & asthma
Eliminates joint pain & joint inflammation
Replaces damaged liver cells with healthy ones
Complete Detox for entire liver & gallbladder
Eliminates thousands of toxins & pollutants
Reverses drug and alcohol damage to liver
Flushes out unhealthy cholesterol deposits
Boosts overall immune system
Allows liver & gallbladder to regenerate and heal
Potential Downside:
Time consuming (6-day, multi-step process)
Nausea
Insomnia
14. Wrap-Up
There are many available options when it comes helping your body say goodbye to
the built up layers of residue left behind by the crap you've eaten, drank and
smoked however-so-many-years ago.
Ask yourself which feels like the most effective option for you to try at the time.
Pay attention. Listen and wait for an honest answer, that way your experience is
more likely to be successful.
- You’ll notice a higher number of positive health benefits immediately after the
Detox.
Is it to sleep better?
End constipation?
If you can, write down everything that you put into your mouth a week before
the Detox. Getting control of your diet is the first step toward making any
desired change a reality.
Try to gradually reduce your alcohol intake at least 7-10 days prior so that it’s
down to little or none just before starting a cleanse.
IF YOU MUST have a “Daily Caffeine Fix” to function, Green tea is an excellent,
Start Exercising
If you already have a regular gym routine, cut it in half
prior and to the star of the Detox. Your body will be
working harder than normal and you don’t want to
overburden it with muscle building during this time.
If you don’t work out or have a regular exercise regimen, try walking for ten to
fifteen minutes a day. Gradually increase the distance and speed. Light yoga
increases your circulation and metabolism, which in turn accelerates the rate of
Detoxification.
DAIRY - Soy milk, soy cheese, Nut/Grain milks (Almond, Oat, Rice, Hazelnut).
GRAINS - Oats, quinoa (“keen-wah”), short grain brown rice, brown rice, pasta,
red or sweet potatoes.
Kitchen Checklist
Airtight storage containers and zip lock baggies;
Juicer - high upfront cost, but an extremely convenient way to make fresh fruit
and vegetable juice anytime you want.
You’ll end up saving in the long run, since most health food stores charge a
premium for fresh vegetable juice.
Bathroom Checklist
Since you’ll be spending a lot more time in here, the goal is be comfortable and
relaxed while also maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of your cleanse.
Bathroom brush - long handle, natural bristle, gently use directly on skin daily
to remove dead cells and stimulate circulation.
Good novel or audio book - something soothing, relaxing or funny over, say,
politics or economics. Stress and worry are the last two things you want to
introduce while your clearing out of built-up toxic waste.
Aromatherapy - Candles, incense. Things will come out of you that are about
the same age as you. The smell, however, is another story altogether.
Squatting Materials - Using today’s modern toilet positions our knees much
lower leaving two major areas on the right and left sides of our large intestine
unsupported when we bear down to poop.
The majority of undigested food in our bodies ends up in these two areas. The
longer that waste matter stagnates, the greater risk there is for all kinds of
disease and illness to grow and propagate.
Squatting (with the top of your knees raised to the height of your nipples) is
actually the proper, natural way for humans to move their bowels.
Proper squatting position can be easily achieved without by placing 2-3 of those
thick yellow pages directly under our feet when sitting on the toilet to poop.
The elevation is enough to achieve a proper squat.
If you’ve done away with the yellow pages for ever like I have, you can invest in
You feel better, look better and smell better. And it shows! The world around
make a point to stop and tell you so.
Now What?
In order to maximize the benefits of this new foundation of good health, there
are three very easy things you can do that will replenish vital nutrients and
enhances the benefits gained from the Detox.
Take Supplements
Probiotics - Internal cleansing depletes both good and bad bacteria in your
digestive tract. Good bacteria or flora is essential for proper assimilation of
vitamins and nutrients from the food you eat.
Enteric coated simply means the capsules are able to survive the natural acid
environment of your stomach reaching your small intestine intact where they
can deliver the most benefit.
EFA’s - Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids affect growth, vitality and mental state.
They help convert food into usable energy and then transport that energy
throughout the cell in our bodies. Omega 9 fatty acid, or Oleic acid, it is
Fiber - Adults need an average of 20-25 grams of fiber daily. Fiber is essential
for normal bowel movements and digestive health. Daily Fiber helps by
supporting friendly bacteria and by adding bulk to digestive waste thereby
increasing the transit time of waste through the colon.
Fiber can be easily taken in capsules containing one or more of the following:
Acacia
Oat bran
Psyllium husks
Apple pectin
18. Wrap Up
Preparation is key for a successful Detox. Knowing what to do before and after
a cleanse gives you power over how great you feel and how long you continue to
feel great.
I personally was able to give drinking milk and using it on my cereal (I made the
switch to Rice and Almond milk) after my very first Detox in 2002.
Many people are able to maintain a healthier lifestyle after completing their first
Detox.
They have a much easier time giving up cigarettes or fatty foods and getting
these new lifestyle changes to stick.
19. Links/Resources
Products and Information
My Master Cleanse
Humor filled, eye-opening vlog (video blog) of my second master cleanse in
the winter of 2009. Witness the frustrations, joys and temptations recorded
over 10 of the most challenging days of my life. There were things coming out
of me that could’ve easily starred in a sci-fi horror flick.
Parasites - Fact: The Center’s for Disease Control (CDC) reports that over 80%
of the world’s population is infested with one or more common parasites...
If you’re at all concerned that you or someone you know might have parasites,
and are searching for a proven solution, this might be worth checking out. For
more info, go here: Parasites.
RESOURCES
http://www.detoxauthority.com/ is dedicated to educating and entertaining
alternative health seekers on all things concerning
internal cleansing and Detoxification, the blog features
the latest news and products, contests & free giveaways,
podcasts, video interviews with holistic and alternative
health practitioners.
Colon Cleansing - Any Detoxification that is targeted specifically for the digestive
tract including your esophagus, stomach, small intestine and large intestine
(colon).
Free Range* - is a method of raising animals where the animals are allowed to
roam freely instead of being contained in any manner. Free range apples to
meat, eggs or dairy farming. There are few regulations imposed on what can be
called “free range,” and some farmers use the term to mislead and imply that
the animal product has been produced more humanely than it actually has been.
The claim is that mucoid plaque is created when the body produces excess
mucus to protect itself from by products of a poor diet, stress, smoking and
habitual alcohol intake.
Although the body produces mucoid plaque to protect itself, the plaque
eventually threatens the body’s health by reducing the absorption of nutrients,
impairing digestion, causing sugar intolerance, providing a haven for parasites,
Organic - Foods that are grown without the use of conventional pesticides,
artificial fertilizers, human waste, or sewage sludge, and are processed without
radiation or food additives.
Organic fish, chicken and livestock are reared without the routine use of
antibiotics and growth hormones.
More importantly, a study in 2007 concluded that organic fruit and vegetables
contain up to 40% more antioxidants than conventional equivalents, and that
the figure was about 60% for organic milk.
Toxin - Toxins are poisons that are inhaled, eaten (solid and liquid) that could
do damage the human body. Toxins can also be a poisonous substance
produced by living cells or organisms.
Toxins are controversial because many conventional western MD’s do not believe
in the existence of toxins in the body. Since they don’t exist, these MD’s believe
there’s no need to remove them from the body in order to improve a person’s
health.
I beg to differ...
21. Wrap Up
Alternative and holistic healing techniques are here to stay. Yoga, massage,
nutritional supplements, chiropractic, naturopaths, colonics, etc. are fast
becoming part of the fabric of Western, particularly American, culture.
I believe it’s a direct result of our collective frustration with the level of care and
attention we’re getting from conventional western doctors for certain health
conditions.
If you’re not feeling -so-great most of the time, but aren’t exactly sick.
If you have chronic digestion issues that need addressing: or you want to make
changes in you diet and lifestyle but lack the willpower to take that first step
then a perhaps a Detox is just what you need to address your problems and
create a solid foundation of health.
Jaison Greene
Email: jaison@detoxauthority.com
Websites: Detox Authority & Tips For Healing