In dealing daily with people’s bodies and answering questions about health in general, I get to delve deeply into different subjects in order to offer the most complete responses possible to various health concerns. The answers to many different questions point to the subject of this column. The facts are harsh, but we are exposed to hundreds of chemicals every day that build up in our systems and have negative effects on our health and our ability to fight off diseases. Some people are concerned about feeling generally tired and sluggish with no apparent explanation while others are concerned with the consequences of drinking water that has loads of chemicals in it. I have been asked about the effects of heavy metals like mercury that we have been exposed to from old dental fillings and eating fish that are full of it. One hundred years ago the chance that a person would acquire cancer in a lifetime was 1 in 6000. Today if you are a man that chance is 1 in 3 and if you are a woman it is 1 in 2. I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that the incidence of cancer has grown at an alarming rate. Even 10 years ago I knew only one person who had cancer. Now I know at least fifty. Why is that?
Our environment is filled with toxins. According to Columbia University’s School of Public Health, 95% of all cancers are caused by toxins in the environment and those ingested from our food supply. The number of sources for information about toxic overload is staggering. A USA Today article indicates that the average city’s water supply has over 500 chemicals in it. Biopsies of human fatty tissue done by the Environmental Protection Agency found styrene residue (a chemical used to make rubber, plastic, insulation, fiberglass, car parts, food containers, and carpet backing) in 100% of the subjects studied. In fact, studies show that humans have between 400 and 800 chemical residues stored in the fat cells in our bodies. In order to keep insects from killing crops in America, heavy pesticides are used. Pesticide residues are detectable in 50% to 95% of our food supplies. Gases leach into soft drinks and even water that is bottled in certain plastic bottles, plastic wraps contain harmful chemicals, and plastic food storage containers allow exposure to chemicals. The air that we breathe is also toxic. Factories puff out huge clouds of dangerous chemicals and their byproducts every day. There are 12 known chemicals that escape from indoor carpeting into the air.
In her best-selling book Detoxify or Die, Sherry Rogers, M.D., a noted environmental doctor, says, “Unable to be excreted by the body, chemicals find their way to the liver then migrate to fat cells in organs throughout the body where they are stored. When our bodies exceed the limit for toxins we can excrete, those too are stored. Chemicals and heavy metals make up our ‘total toxic burden’. This bioaccumulation compromises our physiological and psychological health and leads to chronic disease.”
The demands for more conveniences and an easier, more comfortable life place a huge burden on our environment. It is virtually impossible for us to live in a world where we are not exposed to multitudes of potentially hazardous toxins every minute of every day. Our bodies have natural elimination mechanisms but the toxic load in the environment outstrips our ordinary elimination routes. The presence of so much toxicity places the burden on us to determine other ways to help eliminate the buildup of toxic substances in our fatty tissues. Regular, effective whole-body detoxification is necessary to prevent illness, enhance immune health, and relieve stress. Since our fatty tissues harbor the toxins, it is essential that those tissues be cleansed regularly in order to allow effective physical detoxification. The best way that I know of to do this is to sweat. Those people who engage in regular vigorous exercise like running, biking, hiking, or even swimming have an advantage over the rest of the population. Not only do they enjoy cardiovascular fitness but they also generally sweat a lot. I don’t refer to glistening here. You must SWEAT.
I do elliptical training and walk on my treadmill at home, but a half hour workout does not leave me fully sweating. This type of workout is not sufficient for effective detoxification. The most effective whole body detoxification is attained either by working out vigorously enough that you sweat profusely or by sitting in a sauna for long enough to achieve a good sweat. Of course, outdoors in Georgia in the summertime doing just about anything will allow your body to reach a healthy sweat. Drinking a sufficient amount of good clean water is a great way to help rinse toxins out of tissues but the pores must be opened to allow residues to leave the body through the skin. Saunas are readily available for home use through a number of companies. In some European countries sauna baths are as common and necessary as regular water baths. The home saunas vary in size from single person capacity up to 10 or 12 person capacity. They are relatively easy to install and inexpensive to operate. I have more detailed information on a couple of saunas that are perfect for home use if you are interested. Just e-mail or contact me at my office and I will gladly assist in your quest.
Digestive system cleansing is easily performed and there are as many “cleanses” out there as there are blades of grass. Words of caution are to beware of what you are putting into your system and make sure you are not allergic to anything you ingest. It is always a good idea to check with your health professional before you start any routine for detoxification. If you are pregnant, a hemophiliac, or have advanced symptomatic heart disease a sauna is not for you. Ask your doctor for ideas on ways to get your system working toward cleansing itself more effectively.
Our world today is certainly more toxic than it has ever been. All indications are that it won’t change for the better in our lifetimes. It is up to us to take responsibility for our own future health and to preserve what we have. Look into detoxifying your body and setting the stage for a much healthier life ahead. Treat your body well.