If only it was the good old days again and we lived in a pollution-free environment, where we drank only the pure water and ate natural living, untreated non-GMO foods? Where your homes were free of toxic chemicals and the air you breathe, the water which you drink & bathe in, and even the clothes you wear were clean and natural too.

Of course its not then, it’s now and times have changed dramatically. This romantic picture we can imagine was probably never the case anyway, and it most certainly is way off the mark for today unfortunately.

This is why a critical thing we can do for our health right now is to regularly cleanse our bodies of toxins & acidic wastes through various methods of detoxification. So what is detoxification?

Simply put, it is the elimination of poisons or toxins from your body. Due to the huge amounts of contaminants in today’s environment, we are constantly exposed to many forms of chemicals & toxins with estimates of exposure to at least 300 plus every day.

Toxins are one of the 4 root causes of dis-ease I have identified from over 12+ years of research, the other three being improper nutrition, EMF and stress. These 4 sources all lead to over-acidification of your body which from my understanding is the root cause of ALL dis-ease.

If we are totally honest with ourselves, we would more readily recognise the signs of excess acidity but whether you know it or not, your body is in serious need of a regular cleanout to reduce damage to your immune system, your metabolism and prevent dis-ease. A good cleanse may well even help you to ‘cure’ an existing dis-ease or condition.

Detoxification or Cleansing is vital to optimise your body’s energy levels and to prevent and even reverse chronic dis-ease(s). It is also a traditional method to keep your digestive elimination regular, your circulation under control, and also helps to keep stress to a minimum. Cleansing maintains good health and promotes your body’s natural healing from illnesses.

Right about now I’m guessing you might be thinking…How do I know if I need to detox or not? Well unfortunately, we live in a toxic world as already mentioned so it’s very likely that everyone needs to cleanse regularly anyway whether you realise it or not.

Here is a little quick quiz you can use to see if you're in need of a cleanse right now…

• Do you feel bloated, constipated and congested?
• Have you gained unwanted weight even though you are not eating more food and are exercising regularly?
• Do you feel tired and low in energy? (signs of an acidic diet & lifestyle)
• Has your digestion worsened? (a sign your body isn't using its nutrients well)
• Is your hair and skin looking less healthier than normal?
• Do you frequently get mouth sores, yeast infections, urinary tract infections, unusual allergies?
• Do you have any chronic dis-ease(s)?
• Do you feel foggy and out of sorts?
• Do you regularly eat processed or fast foods?
• Do you drink alcohol regularly?
• Do you smoke regularly or use other drugs (incl prescription or chemist medicines)?
• Do you feel like you need to clear the cobwebs from your brain?
• Do you drink less than 3 liters of water per day?
• Is the pH of your urine & saliva acidic when you first wake up in the morning?

If you have ticked yes to three or more of the above then a cleansing detox is likely just what your body needs right now to regain balance, increase your vitality and allow healing to begin wherever needed.

So now that you know, there are many methods of detoxification influenced by many cultures around the world and some are described here. Some methods are physical approaches that speed toxin removal from tissues so your body can excrete them from the various elimination methods, eg kidneys, bowels, skin, airways.

Other methods are plant or food based, which treat the body to loads of alkaline & immune-boosting components that chelate with & inactivate toxins to facilitate their removal.

For the purposes of this article, I will introduce a few for the time being and add more later so stay tuned for that.

The Use of Heat Treatments

Methods which elevate body temperature (hypothermia) to remove toxins, have been used throughout history, such as by Greek physicians in ancient times, in the ornate bath houses of the Romans, in sweat lodges of the Native Americans, and in steam baths in Scandinavian countries. And these methods are still popular even today.

Steam baths, hot tubs, and saunas in particular are great ways to get your heart beating and your blood circulating. This improves toxin release from your tissues to the bloodstream, then to your liver, which chemically alters many harmful substances into harmless ones before excretion.

According to Benjamin and Tappan in the Handbook of Healing Massage Techniques, “Steam rooms help clear the sinuses and relieve respiratory congestion. Steam also raises the body temperature and causes sweating.” A cold shower following a steam bath washes off toxins released in your sweat and brings body temperature down to normal.

Infra-red saunas are a newer technology but these can work wonderfully well to help release deeply held toxins from your system. Infrared saunas, are helpful for weight loss and relaxation but purport to have a myriad of other health benefits. Infrared is a type of light & is used to heat objects in the sauna instead of the air. Your respiratory system is not exposed to high heat as in conventional sauna plus it saves lots of time as well.

Saunas based on infrared technology are more effective as heat reaches deeper into your body unlike conventional saunas. Deep heat penetration allows for more effective release of toxins like alcohol, nicotine and heavy metals. It can help in curing chronic fatigue; promotes muscle growth; raises growth hormones level; and reduces cellulite.

Calories utilised in half an hour in an infrared sauna session are more than that used while jogging for the same time. Electric light infrared saunas may be very helpful for cancer patients as they raise oxygenation (cancer is anaerobic) and assist in removing radio-active residues. Infrared saunas can be good for chronic infections as well.

Infrared saunas require 90% less energy and heats much faster than traditional saunas so that’s good for the environment too. IR saunas can also be used for patients suffering from varicose veins, metal implants, hypertension and diabetes where conventional saunas do not help.

Before all the ‘modern’ therapies were developed for ‘treating’ cancers (please excuse my cynicism) one treatment modalities used was Hot Detox Baths. This technique can eliminate a lot of toxins out via the skin in a short period of time. Simply run a hot bath where the water is around 40-42C (its hot) and sit in the bath with your knees bent and out of the water.

The water should only be deep enough to reach the level of your navel once seated. Only your buttock/waist area and feet are in the water. Ideally, open the window to allow colder air to flow around your upper body creating a larger temperature differential. This aids the detoxification process further.

That’s it. Really simple. Relax and enjoy. I usually read a good book or listen to some soothing music.

You can even do some visualisation of toxins/acids coming out from your skin. You will be amazed at how much sweat is generated in a 20 minute detox bath. You can use alkalising salts (eg Himalayan or Mg salts). (NOTE: if your are very toxic, make sure you drink plenty of water prior and get someone to check you every few minutes as some people can faint the 1^st time).

Have a quick cool shower afterwards to wash excreted toxins off your skin. And please don’t use soaps or other body cleaning products etc that contain chemicals/toxins.

Be sure to drink adequate amounts of pure water before, during, and after any form of heat treatments. I always add in some Himalayan Salt to drinking water when having any form of heat treatment. Powerful detoxification processes can take place when your body’s temperature is raised by a few degrees Celsius. Also note that your pulse rate should not exceed 130 or 140.

As with any information provided, this information is for educational purposes only & it is not intended to take the place of advice from your HealthCare professional. Check with yours to see if these techniques are suitable for you.

Skin brushing

I love skin brushing & recommend it to many people. It is amazing how invigorated you feel after doing so in the morning. A fantastic way to ‘energise’ yourself for the start of each new day. Dry skin brushing is a European technique that has been used for centuries. Not only does it remove toxins accumulated in dead skin cells, it gives your circulation a real boost.

Dr. Bernard Jensen (author of Guide To Better Bowel Care) recommends, “Your daily regime should begin with skin brushing for a period of three to five minutes. I believe skin brushing is one of the finest of all ‘baths.’ No soap can wash the skin as clean as the new skin that you have under the old. You make a new top layer of skin every twenty-four hours.

Skin brushing removes the old layer and lets this clean new layer come to the surface.” He also recommends, “the whole body should be brushed one-half hour after rising and prior to the morning bath or shower. You may wish to skin brush again before retiring for the night.”

(PS Do this outside if possible as a lot of dead skin cells come off. Its amazing)

Use an all-natural vegetable fibre brush with a long handle to reach out-of-the-way places. Brush in a gentle circular fashion from the outermost points of your body starting with your feet up to the top of your legs then your hands on up to your armpits. Remember to brush the bottom of your feet too as nerve endings here effect the entire body.

Brush across your upper back and down the front and back of your torso in a circular fashion radiating inwards to finish at the heart space. Use lighter strokes over your breasts and do not brush the nipple region. You can even lightly brush your ears & face. Wash your brush every few weeks in water and let it dry. Feel the sensation of newly invigorated skin! It is truly wonderful!

So there you have Part 1 of a series of articles highlighting the benefits of various methods for naturally cleansing, detoxifying and removing acidic waste from your body.

Two quotes always resonate with me when it comes to our health.

Firstly, Hippocrates said ‘Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.’ And Thomas Edison is quoted as saying, “The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause of disease.”

I have a vision of a world without dis-ease, a big dream I know. And maybe you can help me to achieve this. And it starts one person at a time. So may you take these words to heart, experience the benefits of owning your own health. Reward you body regularly with a liquid, cleansing feast and let the detoxifying techniques shared in this article improve your own life. Help yourself and those you love to foster prevention, and inspire a future that is stress-less, at-ease, and all truly living happier longer lives! 

And remember to

Be Healthy…You Deserve it!