A popular song from the 1930’s told us
“Life is just a bowl of cherries.” In 2004, an updated
version of that song might go “Life is just a bowl of
toxins.” How is that toxicity affecting your health and
your life?
Toxic exposure is not limited to people
who work in nuclear power plants or live near toxic waste
dumps. Every person is constantly exposed to toxins. The
average person has between 90 and 300 different toxins in
their tissue. Toxin exposure starts at birth. How many mothers
worry about the germs on a pacifier, but think nothing of
wrapping their infant in a blanket treated with harsh
chemicals like brominated flame retardants and perflouorinated
chemicals like Scotchguard? What effects do chemicals such as
these have on infants? What effects do chemicals such as these
have on any of us? We may never know. A more precise picture
of human contamination with industrial chemicals is not
possible, because there are very limited requirements for
conducting basic health and safety testing.
- A study done by the Mount Sinai
School of Medicine identified 167 toxic chemicals in the
human body. How do you define toxic? Of those 167 toxic
chemicals:
- 76 have been identified as cancer
causing agents
- 79 have been identified as causing
birth defects and delayed development
- 86 have been identified as causing
hormone problems
- 94 have been identified as causing
diseases of the brain and central nervous system
- 77 have been identified as causing
diseases of the reproductive system
- 82 have been identified as causing
diseases of the blood and the cardiovascular system
- 77 have been identified as causing
diseases of the immune system
According to the study, an AVERAGE
person has 91 of these toxins in their tissues. Depending on
where you live, or work, or go to school, you could have a lot
more. And that’s just the external toxins that we are exposed
to every day, similar to air pollution and water pollution.
But there are internal toxins as well. There are toxins in our
bodies that are a natural product of life. Free radicals are
toxins that our bodies produce as a normal part of metabolism.
An excess of these free radicals damage the body and cause
nutritional deficiencies. We create toxins when we upset the
acid/base balance in our body. Most diseases are acid
diseases, meaning the body fluids have turned acidic. The most
common causes of acidity is a diet high in meats, white flour,
sugar, and hydrogenated oils along with tap water.
The fewer toxins you have in your body,
the healthier you will be. There are two issues to address.
You need to reduce the number of toxins you are exposed to,
and remove the toxins already inside of you. Mobilization and
excretion are required for detoxification, and the human body
has many organs that work to rid you of toxins. The lungs
offer three major methods of detoxification: impaction,
sedimentation and diffusion. Any toxin that is not expelled by
these methods will enter and stay in body tissue. The liver is
the primary organ in your detox defense. The liver is involved
in sugar, protein and fat metabolism, as well as storage of
vitamins, removal of toxins and hormones. The skin contains
Cytochrome P-450 enzymes to improve the excretion of toxins
via sweat. The intestinal tract excretes toxins via stool. A
normal bowel function should be 1-3 soft stools a day.
Constipation is a major problem because it allows toxins to be
further re-absorbed. Your kidneys remove water-soluble
substances via the urine and it can be very sensitive to
chemical damage. The lymph system acts as a “second
circulatory system”. It is a drainage system for the
connective tissue that carries waste products and toxins to
the appropriate area for excretion.
There are other things you can do to
minimize the amount of toxins your body needs to deal
with:
Better Air - The average person
breathes 150 pounds of particles and toxins per year. HEPA
filters are OK, but a negative ION filter and/or an
electrostatic filter in the house provides the best quality
air. Negative ION generators bind with particles in the air
and remove them. Avoid smoking.
Better Water – Tap water is full
of minerals and chemicals. Even the cleanest tap water flows
through pipes that may be rusty and slimy. The best water is
low in minerals – glacier water and reverse osmosis are
preferred. Avoid distilled and tap water.
Better Food- Organic foods have
less toxic loads than commercially grown foods. Frozen foods
are better than foods stored in aluminum cans. Juicing organic
fruits and vegetables is nutritious and healthy. Avoid
artificial sweeteners. Artificial sweeteners are full of
chemicals that the body cannot process, and many artificial
sweeteners stimulate appetite. Stevia and Erythritol are good
alternatives. Avoid excessive amounts of alcohol. Avoid taking
drugs.
A Cleaner Clean – Taking a hot
shower in regular chlorinated tap water exposes you to
vaporized chlorine, which is highly toxic. An inexpensive
shower filter will make your morning shower healthier. Skin
brushing replenishes and invigorates the skin. Antibacterial
soap does not make you cleaner or healthier. Glycerin soaps
are a great toxin- free alternative. Avoid deodorants
containing aluminum and toothpastes containing fluoride. Use
makeup that is non-toxic. Avoid parabens and ethylene glycol,
and avoid toxic hair color, perms, etc.
A Better Environment-Home can be
a major source of toxic exposure. There are simple things you
can do to eliminate some of the toxins. Reduce exposure to
toxic chemicals by eliminating synthetic air fresheners,
cleaning agents that contain ammonia, or chlorine, dryer
softener sheets, pest control sprays, and chemical based lawn
services from your home. Geopathic stress can be toxic to the
body. To reduce toxic exposure, use a headset rather than
pressing your cell phone to your head. Choose a watch that
winds rather than a watch with a battery. Be aware of things
that may interfere with your electromagnetic field
(microwaves, wireless phones, power lines, electric blankets,
some computers, etc). Don’t forget about your
emotional/energetic environment. Your relationships with
friends, the boss, your job, fellow employees, and social
groups can be toxic. This will eventually affect the physical
body.
Better Habits- Exercise is
always good no matter what kind. The best exercise is strength
and aerobic. Rest before meals and exercise after meals.
Breakfast and lunch should be the larger meals of the day with
dinner being the smallest
Therapies - Different toxins
respond to different therapies. The body is faced with two
choices when exposed to a toxin: eliminate it, or keep it. If
it cannot be excreted, the toxin is bound to various tissues,
and does not show up very well on many tests. ART (autonomic
response testing) is one of the only tests that can detect
these toxins while they are still locked in the tissues.
Testing is the best way to determine your program. Most
patients respond well to a sequential approach. Elimination
channels must be open. Some of the therapies offered at The
Cole Center are:
- Chelation binds with metal to remove
it from tissue
- Tissue Mineral Analysis gives
metabolic and nutritional information
- Ozone Steam Detox is effective in
removing chemicals
- Neural therapy is a method to track
down noxious agents that are affecting health.
- Herbs have multiple effects and
include detox, nutritional, tonic, regenerative, etc.
- Fasting can be very stressful and
can make things worse, and it must be done carefully and
with the right agents.
- Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy has
significant detox effects, but cost is an issue for
some
- Energetic/Emotional work
- Color therapy
- Emotional Acupressure
- CHRIS Technique
- Essential Oils are similar to herbs
but are more concentrated and potent. These have effects on
several areas such as detoxification, immune support, anti-
infectious processes, and hormonal balance.
- Massage helps with lymph drainage,
improves circulation and muscle tone, and decreases
inflammation.
Detox should be viewed as a way of
life. Due to our environment, we are constantly exposed to
toxins, and it is best to view this as an ongoing process.
Eliminate as many exposures as possible, and maintain as many
healthy practices as possible. Start with a few, and add more
as you become comfortable. Most importantly, focus on the
children so that they are able to see this process as part of
living. It's always easier to keep a habit than start a new
one!
Have a question? Contact us for information regarding all
the therapies The Cole Center for Healing offers.
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