By Christine Cheng, R.Ph. and Fred Cheng, R.Ph.
With spring in the air, many of us feel inspired to clean house or to “turn a new leaf”. We prefer the latter metaphor when talking about detoxication as it implies a change in lifestyle versus a single event that then allows us to return to our prior state or habits. Many people think of doing a detox as an independent event that purges the body of as many toxins as possible so that we can continue with our current intoxicating habits. However, it is healthier for us in the long-run to use a detoxification program as a springboard to launch us into healthier habits and a healthier lifestyle.
Undoubtedly, many of our readers already try to make healthy choices, but despite our best efforts, we are still exposed to thousands of chemicals every day. Air pollution, contaminated water, plastics, smoking, alcohol, poor food choices, stress, necessary medications, personal care products, pesticides on food…potential sources of toxins are a constant around us. The greater the toxin burden, the greater the risk they will overwhelm our bodies’ natural ability to clear them. This is when diseases such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, atherosclerosis, diabetes and even cancer can manifest.
Symptoms of having a toxic overload include generalized muscle aches and pains, difficulty concentrating, food, environmental or chemical sensitivities, irritability and headache, lethargy fatigue and weakness, and abdominal pain. These are typically found in the absence of a disease state that is identifiable by a healthcare practitioner.
Most detox programs or kits act to stimulate the function of the liver, kidney, gut and skin to maximize the natural processes of detoxification. The CLEAR CHANGE™ PROGRAM by Metagenics ® takes this one step further. The Program consists of a nutritional drink mix called ULTRACLEAR RENEW™ and an herbal and nutraceutical tablet called ADVACLEAR™. Not only do they provide herbal support for the usual channels of detoxification, they also provide targeted nutrients to help rejuvenate the molecules naturally present and necessary for detoxification. These products provide vitamins and minerals that help supplement the varied diet prescribed in the 10-day Program. This is important because fruits and vegetables grown on today’s soil have been shown to contain less nutrients than they did even 50 years ago.
If you are considering doing a detox, there are a few other supplements to consider. PROBIOTICS have many varying health benefits; thus it come as no surprise that they play a role in detoxification. Not only do they help balance the microbiota in the gut and promote general gut health, they play an important metabolic role in ensuring that certain hormones are excreted properly in the stool. FIBRE plays an important role in any detoxification program to ensure that metabolic waste excreted into the bowels is effectively removed from the body. Aim for at least 30grams of fibre a day during a detox program. Where there is increased fibre intake, increased WATER intake is a must. A general rule of thumb is to take in half your body weight in ounces worth of water daily (e.g., for a 150lb person, they should take in 75ounces or 2.25litres of water).
Detoxification is a naturally occurring process in our bodies. Although doing a detox program can bring on significant healthy changes, it is important to remember that eating a varied diet with lots of colourful fruits and vegetables will help support this ongoing process on a daily basis.
Christine and Fred Cheng are a passionate, charismatic sister-brother pharmacist team at their unique, family-owned and operated Pharmasave stores in Cloverdale and Steveston, B.C. They specialize in natural remedies and compounding for both human and veterinarian use. Everything mentioned in their article is available InStore.
[Christine and Fred Cheng are a passionate, charismatic sister-brother pharmacist team at their unique, family-owned and operated Pharmasaves in Cloverdale and Steveston Village, B.C. They specialize in natural remedies and compounding for both human and veterinarian use, as well as lifestyle modification, including Ideal Protein. They would love to hear from you! Check them out at www.iPharmasave.com. Everything mentioned in their article is available InStore.]
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