The right and wrong ways to detox your body
Are occasional heartburn, constipation or other GI discomforts making you miserable? Restoring predictability to your digestive system may be the key to relief and build your immune system as well Dr. Gaetano A. Morello, Bsc., N.D.
Billions of dollars are spent annually on digestive aids. From products to soothe occasional heartburn and indigestion to those that address constipation and bloating, helping Americans cope with GI problems is big business. What you may not realize is that when your digestive system isn't working right, your immune system is also out of balance.
Left unchecked, this can aggravate or lead to serious conditions including Crohn's Disease, ulcerative colitis, eczema and psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis as well as other inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Unfortunately, most people don't think of restoring their immune system until they are already in a heap of trouble.
More than 60 percent of our immune system cells are located in our GI tract. When our digestive systems are bombarded with environmental toxins, prescription medications, bacteria, viruses and other invaders, our immune systems can become overwhelmed and we get sick. That's why it is essential to periodically restore your digestive system. It's safe and it's easy.
For nearly a decade, I suffered from chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia and eventually two autoimmune diseases. These are supposedly incurable syndromes. I was barely able to function. When I learned how to restore my digestive system, the diseases disappeared and I got my life back. Now I am able to put my life to work, helping others.
Here are some basic things you can and should do to restore your digestive system and protect your immune system:
1. Reduce the toxic load on your digestive system while nurturing it back to health.
Choose environmentally-friendly cleaning products, organic foods, etc. to reduce the amount of toxins entering your body.
2. Balance the life forms in your intestines.
We live in a world of 'cooties'. When we have plenty of good bacteria in our digestive system, such as acidophilus, we change the environment so that the bad guys can't set up housekeeping. The good bacteria, known as active cultures, perform lots of benefits including supporting proper immune function and helping us absorb vitamins and nutrients.
The best way to replenish the good bacteria is by using probiotics. The beauty of using a quality product such as Acidophilus Pearls active cultures is that the good bacteria are protected from stomach acids and they make it all the way to your intestines before they are released. Also, Pearls are small and don't require refrigeration so you can take them anywhere. Anyone who has ever suffered from traveler's diarrhea can appreciate that!
Any time you take antibiotics, you risk killing the good bacteria along with the bad. So always follow up with six months of probiotic supplementation.
Also, if you are taking medication for acid reflux disease, be aware that even the over the counter medications change the pH of your digestive tract. That may affect your good bacteria's ability to thrive. It is another good reason to take probiotics along with your medication. You should also try to change your diet and lifestyle to see if you can reduce your acid reflux naturally. (NEVER go off your medication without a doctor's supervision because ignoring the problem may lead to esophageal cancer.)
3. Cleanse your body from the inside out.
When you're trying to nurture your system back to health, removing toxins is the best first step. The simplest and easiest solution is to use a high quality, whole body cleanse product, such as Whole Body Cleanse, that uses ingredients including oat bran and psyllium to cleanse your system gently and naturally.
Another reason to cleanse is if you eat a lot of chemically-laden, processed foods. Those chemicals move from your intestines through your bloodstream and into your liver. Over time, you may start storing toxins throughout your body. Constipation is a classic sign of toxicity, as is sluggishness and feeling headachy. Those feelings go away when you reduce the toxic load in your system by cleansing.
Our air, water and food aren't as pure as they once were. No matter how good you are at living a healthy lifestyle, you could always do a little more for yourself. Probiotics and whole body cleansing could help. Even if you don't notice a huge difference, right away, rest assured they are doing something positive for your immune system.
Dr. Gaetano Morello is a board certified naturopathic physician practicing in West Vancouver, Canada. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of British Columbia and received his Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine from the Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences in Seattle, Washington in 1991.
For the last 15 years Dr. Morello has been training and educating physicians, pharmacists and health experts on the scientific use of natural medicines in the fields of cardiology, immunology, gastroenterology, anti-aging and detoxification.
He is a contributing author to "A Textbook of Natural Medicine", the most definitive text on Alternative Medicine in the world, author of "The Fiber Miracle, and regular contributor to a number of magazines, journals and publications. Dr. Morello has hosted and appeared on numerous television and radio shows educating ten of thousands of people about the power of natural medicine.