Disclaimer: this article is for information purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose or treat any condition. Please contact your doctor before taking any supplement.
First of all: is there such a thing?
“Detox” is a buzz word these days and for good reason. We are getting more and more aware of the amount of rubbish our bodies are exposed to day in-day out: pesticides in our food, anti-biotics and other medications, air pollution, EMF…the list is getting longer and longer!
These days there are many more or less natural products that claim to be able to cleanse and detox our bodies from any toxins. They may be great, but they may also come with what are called “detox reactions” that range from a mild skin rash to vomiting and diarrhea. Some people are prepared to go through that and are happy when they see those symptoms, as it’s proof that the “detox is working”. Personally, I would give it a miss.
BACK TO HOMEOPATHY…
One of the reasons why I love homeopathy is that, as well as being effective, is also the most gentle system of medicine. The main principle is that our bodies have innate intelligence and know what to do in order to heal. All we need is a gentle stimulation and our body will do the rest!
That means that we don’t need to go through the wringer to force all the toxins out of our body. Let me give you some examples:
ANTIBIOTICS DETOX
Sometimes antibiotics are a necessity, however, even medical doctors now agree that we have been using a bit too much over the years, which is part of the reason why they don’t work so well anymore! The medical response to that, unfortunately, is to give more or stronger antibiotics or steroids.
What are antibiotics?
Well, without going into too much details, I would say that the clue is in the name: anti-biotics literally means “against living things”. Our bodies are full of good and bad bacteria and viruses, but antibiotics don’t know the difference and will kill the good with the bad. Because they are typically ingested, they hit our gut first, wiping out a good portion of our “good gut bacteria”. As 80% of our immune system resides in the gut, this can be a problem.
In my practice I see many children with delicate constitution and it’s amazing how a pattern emerges: first they catch a cold, that becomes respiratory infection or ear infection, so they get prescribed antibiotics; the illness goes away but the child seems to get weaker as a result (less appetite for example) and catches colds and flu more easily than average, so that the ear infection or chest infection reoccurs. Every time the child is ill, more antibiotics are given and it becomes a vicious circle, until the concerned mother decides to try something different.
Silica to the rescue
Homeopathic Silica is what I tend to use in such cases (provided the remedy fits the totality of the symptoms). Silica is one of the most common minerals on the crust of the earth. It is also one of the essential minerals in the human body (hair, nails, bones).
In homeopathic form (ultra-diluted) Silica stimulates the body to expel whatever doesn’t belong, while strengthening the immune system at the same time. I have found it particularly helpful for children and elderly people.
Homeopathic probiotics anyone?
Probiotics are everywhere these days and that’s a good thing. There are plenty of adverts out there that tell us how we need “good bacteria” in our gut and that’s all true, but which bacteria and how many? A good rule of thumb is to choose a probiotic that has at least 10 different strains of gut bacteria and at least a couple of millions per portion. Anything less than that, simply “doesn’t stick” and you are wasting your money.
Bowel nosodes
Bowel nosodes are the homeopathic version of probiotics. There are about ten different ones and were first discovered and isolated by Dr. John Paterson in the 1930’s from Glasgow University. He published an article about it on the British Homeopathic Society in 1936.
The bowel nosode Gaertner can be very effective in re-balancing the gut flora after over-use of medication. This, in turn, will strengthen the immune system and, because of the important gut-brain connection, can also help balance mood and cognition.
IMMUNISATION
This is not the place to discuss the validity of immunisation. I have an international practice and in many countries there are mandatory protocols for children and adults or certain immunisations are required to travel to certain countries, which means that people don’t have a choice.
It is an established fact that no medication on earth is 100% effective or safe, not even homeopathy (although homeopathy comes closest), which means that some people sometimes will get an adverse reaction from it in various degrees.
Prevention with Ledum
Three pellets of homeopathic Ledum 200c before immunisation can help avoid aggravations.
Post intervention
Depending on the individual’s symptoms, post intervention remedies like Carcinosin or Thuja can help with these aggravation even years after the event. Please note that this is a longer process and additional protocols may be required. It is also possible to use remedies made from the actual immunisation, in homeopathic form. This is called “isopathy” and it can also be very helpful.
EMF RADIATION
The advent of 5G has made many people nervous about the possible effects of electromagnetic radiation and you can see my article about it elsewhere on this blog with relative homeopathic remedies.
PREVENTION AND REAL NUTRITION
The main thing is to keep our immune system strong enough to withstand any environmental insult and for this, prevention is still better than treatment.
Homeopathy is great of course (I’m not biased, lol!) but, as we need to eat every day, it is also important to watch what we are putting into our bodies! Apart from eating organic if possible, there are some essential vitamins, minerals and superfoods that can help us detox more efficiently:
-vitamin C: our body doesn’t produce this vitamin, therefore it is imperative that we get it from food and/or supplementation. One gram a day is usually enough for adults and children, but during a detox protocol, you can go higher. The worst that can happen with taking too much vitamin C is loose stools, so it is very safe. Make sure it is fat-soluble vitamin C and not water-soluble.
-vitamin B’s: a good vitamin B complex supplement can help. Vitamin B12 in particular helps with the methilation process, which is responsible for naturally detoxing from any rubbish. Please note that some individuals do not tolerate all types of B vitamins and it is important to work with a qualified nutritionist. You can find natural B vitamins in all green leaf vegetables like broccoli, spinach and kale, meat and pulses.
-vitamins A and D: help to support your body during a time of detox, as well as, help to support your body on a day-to-day basis. Vitamin A and D help to nourish and improve the skin. This will help support your body during wound healing, and give you additional protection from the harmful UV rays of the sun. Foods that are high in both vitamin A and D include sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, carrots, eggs, and fish with a high healthy fat content
-Liver support: Your liver is going to be doing a lot of the heavy toxin processing. Fat-soluble toxins will need to be processed by the body before they can be excreted. For this reason, you’ll want to give your liver extra support with vitamin and mineral supplementation and by eating the proper foods. Common vitamins and minerals that assist in liver detoxification include vitamins A, C, E, K, B1, and B6. Beta-carotene and biotin can also be helpful. Milk Thistle extraxt and some Chinese mushrooms like Agaricus Blazei are also helpful, if well tolerated.
Superfood: Spirulina is one of those natural supplements that contain the highest concentration of all the essential minerals and vitamins listed above and I highly recommended. Coriander, fresh or in supplement form, is also very good to help detox heavy metals and other toxins. Garlic is simply Nature’s strongest antibiotic, enough said!
