We all know that toxins have a harmful effect on the body.  It is also well accepted that toxins are unavoidable in our world of processed foods, high stress, and environmental pollutions.  Detoxification can be better than a diet when it comes to weight management, which is why many people go through a detox program early in the year.

This is my list of top reasons to do a whole body detox at least annually.

• Reduce toxic burden or toxic overload
• Weight-loss support
• Give your digestive system a rest
• Reduce symptoms of chronic conditions
• Make lasting lifestyle changes

Considering that fat is created to protect the body from toxins and impurities, which creates unwanted white adipose tissue and increased weight, we see many people using detoxification to jump-start their New Year’s resolution.  With dieting, calorie reduction and exercise, we generally see fat loss, which increases toxic density.  This further results in rebounding as toxic overload, as it triggers the body’s need to create fat.  Weight is regained.

With true detoxification, we tend to see toxins of all types being removed from the body, which creates increased lean muscle, and a release of excess fat.

Toxic burden can come from skin care products, the air we breathe, poor quality water we drink, processed foods, soil contaminants, and everyday cleaning products.  By definition, toxic burden happens when incoming toxins exceed the liver’s ability to remove them.

The path to detoxification is different for everyone.  Many people do not pay attention to their health until it begins to fail.  While the body can withstand stressors, it needs support to recover and function at an optimal level.

The liver is our main organ used to clear out toxins, assimilating and packaging nutrients for use while detoxing hundreds of chemicals in two distinct phases.  This process is called biotransformation.  Optimal biotransformation depends on the capability of the liver.  If the liver is not functioning properly, every other system in the body, including heart, brain, kidneys, and skin, for example, is compromised.

Since the liver is open for business 24 hours a day, toxins will tend to go through two distinct phases for elimination.  These 2 phases include Phase I, which is when a series of enzymes chemically change harmful fat-soluble toxins into substances called intermediary metabolites.  Since the intermediary metabolites are usually more toxic than the original fat-soluble toxins, they must go through Phase II quickly to become less toxic.  Phase II is when specific molecules are then attached to the intermediary metabolites.  This process makes the intermediary metabolites non-toxic and water-soluble so they can be eliminated through urine and stool.

Toxins come from various sources, but typically most toxins are either environmental toxins, lifestyle toxins, or internal toxins.  Environmental toxins are such things as pollution, auto exhaust, solvents from paints or cleaning products, heavy metals like mercury, cadmium, or lead, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, radiation, and inhalants.  Lifestyle toxins include fast foods, fried foods, cosmetics, nicotine, excess alcohol, prescription drugs, artificial food additives, refined flours, and sugars.  Internal toxins include bacteria, yeast, carbon dioxide, ammonia, undigested foods, stress, unresolved trauma, and unhappy relationships.

High quality supervised detoxification programs are designed to help you restore the body’s innate detox and elimination functions.  The modern diet lacks nutrients necessary for true detoxification.  The body often does not get enough vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to facilitate the level of detoxification needed to stay healthy and feel your best.

The pharmaceutical grade detoxification and cleansing program we recommend begins with a 7-day detox to provide the body with the essentials to support detoxification: macronutrients, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and clean protein.  This program can be used as a precursor to further gastrointestinal support or to unmask other health issues that you may be experiencing due to toxin build-up.  The program is designed to be a proactive approach to maintaining your health.

Before you start, make sure you are aware of the following guidelines: you are 18 years of age or older, you are not pregnant or nursing, you do not have an eating disorder, receiving treatment for type II diabetes or kidney disease, have active pain in left upper abdomen, or have active gallbladder disease.

By implementing a high-quality detoxification and cleansing program, you put yourself in the driver’s seat to better health.  Individuals who have undergone a supervised program appreciate the proven health benefits of better digestion, improved metabolism and ability to manage weight, clearer mental thinking, better energy, improved blood sugar and blood pressure control, and improved lab blood results to name a few.

When starting with the 7-day detox, it is common practice to use a scoring system for before and after comparisons. This allows the person who has successfully completed the program, to not only feel better physically and mentally but also to visually appreciate the improvements made in many different organ systems of the body.

For any questions about detoxification and cleansing best practices, or general health questions, do not hesitate to reach out to us at (239)-481-7322 or visit www.cypresspharmacy.com for more information.