Dimensions of Detoxing

Detox practices have attracted criticism and yet our bodies are facing unprecedented toxic loads

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From colon cleanses to juice fasts, detoxing has become a health fad with a noble goal: flushing bad elements out of the body.

But if you do a casual internet search on detoxing, you’ll see lots of dismissals from medical “experts” who say there is zero benefit to these practices. They argue that the body detoxes just fine on its own, without any special cleansing routines, and that, unlike the double-blind, placebo-controlled studies that back pharmaceutical drugs, there’s scant evidence that doing a detox really has much effect on health.

But while products that claim to detox your body may have dubious effects, limiting your toxic exposures and supporting your body’s ability to detoxify itself is anything but imaginary. According to nutritionist and author Ann Louise Gittleman, Ph.D., detoxing is not only beneficial, but imperative.

“We’re living in a toxic soup, so you have to be strong,” Gittleman says.

Gittleman is a New York Times bestselling author of over 35 books, which focus on natural methods for improving health and the various influences that erode our well-being. Gittleman’s newest book, “Radical Longevity,” explores the evidence of the toxic overload our body is forced to contend with. In short, our world is saturated with industrial chemicals, heavy metals, and numerous other toxins our ancestors never encountered.

Herbicides, pesticides, food additives, synthetic fragrances, car exhaust, and other poisons pervade our environment and seep into our cells. Hormone-disrupting chemicals found in food packaging, fabrics, thermal receipt paper, and more are contributing to the decline in fertility rates. Researchers have found that babies are now born with over 200 chemicals in their bloodstream. Traces of rocket fuel have been spotted in breast milk, and endocrine-disrupting phthalates are found in personal care products.

Accumulation of these harmful chemicals takes a toll, but we may be unable to see the signs. Gittleman outlines a list of seemingly disparate symptoms associated with toxic overload, including irritability, headaches, allergies, depression, bad breath, poor digestion, and skin problems.

Prolonged toxic exposure can cause serious disease. Toxic buildup has been linked to immune suppression and chronic illnesses such as arthritis, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. Many researchers believe that toxic exposures are linked to the surge of neurodevelopmental disorders in children.

A healthy human body is equipped to expel much of this toxic residue from the system before it does too much harm. But some people have a handicap in this regard.

“The liver is your living filter,” Gittleman says. “The problem is that you have 80 million Americans that now have fatty liver. It’s become clogged with all kinds of elements that are going to impede the process of detoxification.”

What we eat plays a major role in our ability to detox. Certain nutrient deficiencies, for example, make it hard for the body to do a decent job; these include a lack of glutathione, vitamins C and E, and all the B vitamins.

But even those who strive to eat healthily may be compromising their detox capacity. A low-carb diet, for example, doesn’t provide us with the medium we need to jettison the gunk. “It’s because you’re lacking fiber. Fiber is the broom that sweeps the system clean and escorts toxins out of the body,” says Gittleman.

Another obstacle to detoxification is problems with methylation; this important biochemical process is driven by the enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase or MTHFR. However, many people unknowingly suffer a genetic defect linked to the MTHFR enzyme, and possess other detoxification deficiencies.

“People like myself who cannot methylate properly are also copper-toxic, which impacts us enormously, and we lose the ability to detoxify properly,” Gittleman says. “It messes up the detoxification systems, including bile. And we also have issues with a lack of zinc.”

In a recent Facebook post, Dr. Mark Hyman highlights the importance of methylation and urges us to avoid toxins that interfere with it, such as those that result from smoking, poor diet, and pharmaceutical drugs.

“The good news is there are lots of simple, natural interventions you can take to support your methylation process. One of the best ways is by taking an already methylated B complex supplement,” Hyman writes.

Unseen Toxins

The best way to reduce toxicity is to avoid toxins, but it’s not always clear what they are. Over the last 200 years, for example, we’ve identified numerous toxic substances that were once considered benign.

Today, heavy metals and numerous industrial chemicals are widely classified as toxins, but we may still be assaulted by other poisonous influences not yet widely recognized. Consider EMF radiation—the invisible microwave frequencies that flow from our phones, cell towers, and other wireless devices. Industry and regulators insist they’re safe, but thousands of studies say otherwise. In light of this evidence, a federal court recently instructed regulators to reconsider its wireless safety standards. 

“We have 100 million times more EMFs in our environment than in our parents’ generations. These have biological effects, primarily on the cell membrane,” Gittleman says. “We’re now finding that nerve issues, neuropathy, inability to sleep, migraine headaches, and other modern disorders can be traced to excess EMF exposure.”

Other toxic influences, such as parasites, have been with us since ancient times. However, we may still miss signs of an infestation.

Gittleman notes the recent story of a 38-year-old Massachusetts man who suffered mysterious grand mal seizures that would last up to two minutes. Physicians eventually discovered the underlying cause: The man’s brain was infested with tapeworms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the infection was caused by larval cysts of the tapeworm—the most common cause of acquired epilepsy worldwide.

It’s an extreme case, but other signs of parasitic infections may also go unnoticed. In the past, anti-parasite routines were common practice. But Gittleman says that the parasite problem—and the serious symptoms it may cause—has fallen off our radar.

“I was told many years ago by one of my mentors that parasites were the most immunosuppressive agent known to man,” Gittleman says. “Years ago, all the pediatricians used to check for pinworms when kids were hyperactive. Do you know any doctors now that check for pinworms? Because I don’t.”

Areas of Toxic Concern

Every cell in the body can be overwhelmed by toxins, and the body has the potential to rid itself of these poisons. However, detoxification programs typically focus on two organs: the liver and colon.

But Gittleman points to an often overlooked area of toxicity: the mouth. She writes that over 600 species of bacteria reside inside the mouth, comprising the oral microbiome, one of the most ecologically diverse populations of microbes in your body. But if its bacterial balance is disrupted, serious disease can result.

“I don’t think the colon is the root to health; I think it’s the mouth. Because you can harbor all kinds of anaerobic bacteria that can then seep into the system and become systemic,” Gittleman says. “Now, we’re learning that certain types of gum infections can really affect Alzheimer’s.”

Methods

Modern medicine may disregard detoxification regimens, but these practices were common in ancient times. Fasting, herbal baths, and other internal cleansing routines were once widely used to purify the body from the accumulation of poisonous influences.

Today, there are many ways to help your body detoxify. Programs are available to cleanse a particular organ or target a particular toxin. But Gittleman suggests keeping it simple: Try a couple of cups of dandelion root tea a day.

“It’s the easiest thing to do, and it’s very healing for the liver,” she says. “And I take charcoal before bed to absorb toxins. It’s easy and cheap. I also think people should be using baking soda and peroxide on their gums.”

Another low-maintenance strategy she recommends is a detox bath: “A lot of people become overly acidic, especially if they’re coming down with the flu or a cold. So, if you’re feeling sick, just get into a hot bath with two cups of sea salt and two cups of baking soda for 20 minutes, and then go to bed. It will do wonders for the system. It will neutralize the acids and make people feel much better.”

Of course, the best way to keep your body from becoming besieged by toxins is to avoid these poisonous influences in the first place. However, that’s not always easy or realistic. In this toxic world, it’s almost impossible to steer clear of everything, so it’s important to make sure your body is prepared as best you can.

“It’s all about toxicity in the environment. You have to be able to protect yourself and make your body an invincible fortress,” Gittleman says.