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. 

Why Your Liver Needs TLC

Why Your Liver Needs TLC

From Alternatives Newsletter July 2006

You know the routine.  Get up every morning, jump in the shower and slather yourself with soap.  Then wash and condition the hair, cleanse and moisture your face and deodorize the body.  If you’re a gal, your regimen probably includes make-up, fragrance and any other products you’ve discovered to cleanse and beautify.

“Before we even leave the house, many of us have ingested a variety of chemicals through our mouths and skin,” said Dr. Patricia Ryan, founder and owner of Alternatives:  A Center for Conscious Health.  “And our exposure to toxins just continues as we go through our day, from the foods we eat and the medications we take to the air we breathe and the many substances we come in contact with.  It’s the job of the liver to separate the good from the bad and get rid of those chemicals and toxins.  So the longer you’re alive, the harder your liver has to work to rid your body of these damaging substances,” Dr. Ryan said.

This strain on the liver can wreak all sorts of havoc with the body, leading not only to liver disease but other medical conditions and diseases.  That’s why it’s important to give your liver plenty of TLC (Tender Loving Care), and that begins with six to eight glasses of water a day and a healthy diet full of lots of fresh fruits and veggies, Dr. Ryan advises.  “Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage are particularly good for the liver,” according to Dr. Ryan.

In addition, antioxidant vitamins such as C, E, and beta-carotene, minerals such as zinc and selenium, B-vitamins that aid alcohol metabolism along with herbs including milk thistle can help to cleanse the liver, Dr. Ryan said.

Symptoms of liver disfunction include fatigue, headaches, constipation and belching.  If the liver cannot detoxify well, the body is at increased risk of cancer, according to Dr. Ryan.  “Alternatives monitors the liver by a test known as the detox profile, which tells more about liver function than the routine lab tests ordered at most doctor’s office,” Dr. Ryan said.   

Omaha Man Strives to Remedy Liver Threat 

When Terry Chandler was 21 years old, blood work showed that his liver enzymes were slightly elevated.  And for years since, the same abnormal readings had occurred whenever Terry had a blood test.  These abnormal blood signs had not indicated disease nor had they been of particular alarm to Terry’s doctors.  But they left him with an unsettled feeling.

That’s because Terry’s father died of liver disease in 1989, having contracted Hepatitis B from a blood transfusion.  “My doctors told me there was nothing I could do about my blood results because they weren’t that high,” he said.

Terry, who serves as office manager for Alternatives: A Center for Conscious Health, wanted to try to remedy the situation.  So he consulted with Dr. Patricia Ryan, founder and owner of Alternatives.  “She recommended two products: silybum marianum also known as milk thistle, and CoQ10,” Terry said.  Silybum marianum often is recommended by herbalists to prevent or treat liver disorders and CoQ10 is an enzyme similar in structure to vitamin K that can boost energy and improve both heart and liver health.

After several months of using the two products, Chandler received good news from his annual blood work report.  His liver enzymes are normal for the first time since he was a teenager.  “I’m very happy that I’ve been able to turn this situation around and achieve normal liver enzymes,” he said.  “Liver health is too important not to strive to make improvements.”

For more information, contact Alternatives at 827-9450.