Body Detox: A Spring Cleansing Just for You

Body Detox:  A Spring Cleansing Just for You

From Alternatives Newsletter Spring 2008

With spring in the air, perhaps you have that urge to clean the house, slap on a new coat of paint in the living room or ready the yard for summer.  Your body needs a spring rejuvenation,  too.

Detoxification can help.  Toxic chemicals find their way into our system in a variety of ways from the air we breathe to the food we eat to the water we drink to the medications we ingest.  This massive influx of poison makes it difficult for the body to rid itself of these potentially disease-causing substances.  “We’re all getting sicker as a result,” said Dr. Patricia Ryan, founder of Alternatives: A Center for Conscious Health. 

“These toxins can impact our total well-being from our weight to our mental state,” she noted.  “Toxic overload can cause headaches, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, depression, gastrointestinal problems and even allergic reactions.  The liver is working overtime to cleanse the body of these toxins and often cannot keep up with the load.  Toxins can also disrupt the immune system and pose a potential risk for cancer,” Dr. Ryan added.

Some medical professionals have theorized that toxic overload can contribute to more serious conditions such as autoimmune disease including inflammatory and rheumatoid arthritis^1,2 and neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease.³

Dr. Ryan said that spring is a good time to detoxify the body.  “During winter, the body is trying to conserve energy and food.  But during spring the body, like our homes, needs to be cleansed.”  Dr. Ryan said she has seen dramatic results from a detoxification program.  “I’ve seen people drop weight very quickly through the detoxification process,” she said.  “That’s because, in addition to the other problems toxins cause, they also appear to interfere with metabolism.”

The Alternatives’ detoxification program is a several-step process that focuses on cleansing the liver and gallbladder, and includes herbal supplements, and diet and lifestyle changes.  Several nutritional supplements are available to help in the detoxification process.  “One very effective supplement is ALAmax CR^TM  , a stress antagonist,” Dr. Ryan said. “This product has shown results in helping with weight loss.

1. Smith MD, et al. Abnormal bowel permeability in ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis. J Rheumatol 1985:12:299-305

2. Steventon GB et al. Xenobiotic metabolism in Alzheimer’s disease. Neurology 1990;40:1095-98.

3. Steventon GB, et al. Xenobiotic metabolism in Parkinson’s disease. Neurology 1989;39:883-87

Detoxification:  Not Just Guesswork

Determining whether the body is toxic is a scientific process, but a simple one for patients that can help them understand how well their liver is currently handling the body's toxic load, according to Dr. Ryan.  “The usual liver test you have done at a doctor's office only shows whether your liver enzymes are elevated or not.  This type of test reflects whether liver cells are dying or not, which is a late-stage sign of liver problems,” she noted.

“At Alternatives we offer a very specific test that shows how well your liver is functioning.  We can assess your liver's ability to detoxify by administering a measured dose of aspirin, caffeine and acetaminophen.  We then determine the level of metabolites or breakdown products of these substances by checking blood, urine and saliva levels.  We can see how well the different enzyme systems are functioning in your liver and how well your liver can remove these substances.”

Call Alternatives at 827-9450 if you have questions.