A Natural Detox for your Body

If you have been a patient of mine, you already know that detoxification is a large part of my practice. Every patient of mine is put through some sort of a detox protocol, whether that may be through IV therapy, hormone balancing, or simply diet modification.

So what exactly is a Detox?

Detoxification involves getting rid of things from the body as well as stopping toxins and irritants in the body, those things that our body does not handle well or that cause damage, inflammation, irritation or over-stimulation in the case of caffeine or over-sedation in the case of alcohol. Now, when people think of detox, they think of drug addicts who need to go into a detox center. However, there are many others who could benefit from a detox. It is really the more common, everyday people who have eating habits which include sugar, nicotine, alcohol, caffeine, and chemicals. Probably well over 90 percent of people have a habit of at least one of these substances. I think over time our habits are what create our problems, especially what we eat.

In regards to chemicals, I am referring to food chemicals in processed foods, food additives, food coloring, and food flavoring. Those chemicals in over-the-counter medications and even prescription medicines. I intent is not to tell people to never go near these things as there a time and place for everything. Although getting off the food chemicals certainly does not hurt. I find if we go through the detoxification process, we do not stop only medicines or drugs. If we do not feel well, we more clearly ask ourselves, “Why am I not feeling well? What is the problem? What are the causes of this problem?” Standard Naturopathic questions I use with all of my patients. I do this through an integrated approach, and I don’t just ask my patients, “What can you take to make this to go away?” We focus more on why a problem is present and what is needed for healing. Typically, one of my overall philosophies in medicine and healthcare is that our body — and how we feel, how we look and whether we are healthy or not — is the result of our life and how we choose to live it. This is also tied into our genetics, our upbringing and the way we go about living — our diet, our exercise levels, and our stresses. Even illnesses that we have had over time and how we went about treating them can be a factor.

I often don’t just treat symptoms with medications but do work on why the symptoms presented themselves in the first place. Most of us do not live perfectly. Most of us do not live in a way that creates disease. I encourage people to support health. I offer preventative health care and I do less “disease care.” In other words, I focus people on the positive — the things that they can do — and also on the negative — the things that they should avoid. Detoxification involves both things. There are a lot of positive actions we can take, and there are also things to avoid, so there are two aspects of detoxification and preventative medicine.

How to Incorporate Detox into Your Life

Behavior Psychologist tells us it takes 21 days, or three weeks, to change habits significantly, so I work with people over several weeks. The time will vary from person to person based upon their needs. Before we start the program, I go into all various treatment plans and options with people, and some people do more strict programs than others. During the second week, I have them do something more challenging, perhaps a diet that gets them off certain foods, and then we go into the detox diet, which includes more fruits in the morning and steamed vegetables at lunch and dinner.

No. I believe that people need to be able to continue living their own lives – going to work, exercising and being around their families — so they can continue living healthy lives after I am gone.

When we start doing a detox, we really develop a new relationship to food. Part of the whole idea of detox is getting off the most toxic foods mentioned previously. People start having these foods every day, and they become dependent on them. They need them for energy or for relaxation. I want people to be able to create a new, healthy relationship with these things, and to do that, you need to be able to break yourself of them and see what you are doing

What patients tend to notice is that they have never really tasted foods until they are off of these substances, especially processed sugars. When you eat an apple or a salad again, the flavors of those foods are quite amazing. Most people stop feeling like they need these other fatty, salty and sweet foods. Every step away from the garden is a loss of vitality and nutrition. Eat and get back in touch with nature, it’s a lot easier than most people think. There are a lot of things you can do differently, and I am trying to change the way people think and live.

I am also a big advocate for eating with the Seasons. There are cycles of life that we go through within one year and we should adapt and change as we move through the seasons. We should eat differently in spring and summer than we might in the winter. We should eat what nature provides — a diet that protects us from the environment. When it is really cold out, we should eat foods that require more heat and fuel, and in the summer we should eat more cooling foods like fresh fruits and vegetables. I think it is a healthy and wise philosophy for us to adapt, rather than get fixed on one perfect diet. There is no perfect diet. Each of us is a little bit different, and you can find a good diet that represents what you need around the whole year. I think, ideally, you should not eat the exact same way in hot weather as in cold weather.

Consider starting the Natural Detox Program or a Liver Flush IV

Who can Receive a Detox IV?

There are various Detox Programs I offer that allow me to help my patients dig deep to remove heavy metals and facilitate healthy elimination of impurities while enhancing overall health. However for those looking to improve their productivity, maximize their healing potential, and detox their body from the inside-out; I have created a special Detox IV to incorporate with or without the Detox Programs.

While IVs have become quite popular nowadays, they have been a staple in Naturopathy for many years. I would caution most people going into any IV Clinic not supervised by a Naturopathic Doctor, as well as knowing whether or not the IV Clinic custom-makes each and every IV tailored towards your specific health requirements. Every single body type has different genetics, medical needs, and health requirements. So why would you want to receive a generic IV given to just anyone that walks through their door?

In my Practice, IVs are used to help patients replenish essential vitamins and antioxidants to nourish the body while targeting the major detoxification pathways such as the liver. The Detox IV allows the body to bounce back from a rough night, eliminate the body of any new or old toxins and improve immunity overall.

Getting Started

Following basic detox principles can make a big difference in your health. If you are interested in learning more about how my detox program can assist you, contact my office to schedule an appointment to begin.