Natural Practitioner October/November 2012 : Page 26atural detoxification is not a new concept: the use of herbs, miner-als and other organic ingredients as a means of cleansing the body has been practiced for centuries and by cultures worldwide. But detoxification is a natural process that goes on continuously in the body, said Dr. Leo Galland, creator of pilladvised.com and director of the Foundation of Integrated Medicine in New York. “Just because you’re not doing a detoxification program, doesn’t mean your body isn’t detoxifying,” he noted. “Your body is exposed to a multitude of toxic substances, and even in a pristine environment the tox-N ins are generated internally, you’re also exposed to external environmental toxins. Internal toxins include normal metabolism and intestinal bacteria, which provide a very significant toxic load that has to be eliminated.” Many common presenting symptoms— such as fatigue, headaches, malaise, irri-tability, mood swings, bloating, insomnia, and muscle/joint aches and pains—have been associated with elevated toxic burden. Conditions characterized by altered ener-getic function or gastrointestinal distress may also be associated with dietary and other environmental stressors, said Joseph Lamb, MD, director of intramural clinical research for California-based Metagenics, Inc. “We’re exposed to an increasing number of chemical compounds and pollutants in air, food, and water,” he said. “Water-solu-ble xenobiotics (harmful foreign com-pounds) are eliminated through the stool, sweat and urine. But fat-soluble xenobi-otics must be transformed into water-solu-ble compounds for excretion (metabolic detoxification). Simple metabolic detoxifi-cation programs can be a routine protocol to promote overall health by supporting the body’s natural ability to clear environ-mental and internal toxicants that can build up in the body over time.” 26 NATURAL PRACTITIONER WWW.NATURALPRACTITIONERMAG.COM OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012 Publication List Using a screen reader? Click Here |
