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Chapter 4

Detoxification: The Essence of Life

We are all toxic

In Chapter one I talked about the importance of detoxification with regard to regaining my health. As a consequence of my healing journey and new-found health, I have developed a number of detoxification protocols which I am now implementing with hundreds of my patients every year at the DaVinci Natural Health Centre in Cyprus.

I am absolutely certain that the topic of detoxification will one day become a true science, with all the biochemical pathways mapped out of how the body cleanses itself when the detox protocols mentioned here are used. Do not underestimate the power of these simple protocols – as a clinician I have seen miraculous changes in many chronically ill patients after detoxifying. In fact, there is an academically oriented clinical course entitled “Toxicology and Detoxification” that has been written for the Bachelor and Doctor of Science in Holistic Medicine.[1]

So how do you know that you are toxic? Do you suffer from tiredness, lethargy, a ‘heavy’ feeling, digestive problems, bowel distension, headaches, muscle aches, poor concentration and memory, insomnia and many other symptoms too numerous to list? Well all these symptoms can be related to toxins in your body that have accumulated over time. But what are toxins exactly?

A toxin is defined as any compound that has a detrimental effect on cell function or structure. Strictly speaking, scientists differentiate between a “toxin” and a “toxicant” – a toxin is anything that the body produces that is harmful, whereas a toxicant is any chemical that enters the body from the outside.

The topic of toxicology is a very large and complicated one – this is only a very brief introduction for purposes of familiarity – there will be more said on the specific toxins and their effect on health in Chapter 7 entitled: Killing Ourselves With Toxic Chemicals.

For the sake of avoiding confusion, this differentiation will not be used here, and toxicants as well as toxins will be grouped into “toxins” which is a more familiar expression to all. Whether a toxin actually causes harm in a particular situation is based on a multiplicity of factors such as: potency (acute toxicity being the strongest), rate of exposure, dose and individual sensitivity. Toxins can cause a variety of harmful effects ranging from cancer (carcinogen) to upset stomachs, to learning and developmental disorders. The table below shows some common signs and symptoms of toxicity:

Headaches	Backache	Runny nose	Fatigue
Joint pains	Itchy nose	Nervousness	Skin rashes
Cough	Frequent colds	Sleepiness	Hives
Wheezing	Irritated eyes	Insomnia	Nausea
Sore throat	Immune weakness	Dizziness	Indigestion
Tight or stiff neck	Environmental sensitivity	Mood changes	Anorexia
Angina Pectoris	Sinus congestion	Anxiety	Bad breath
Circulatory deficits	Fever	Depression	Constipation
High blood fats	Unexplained irritability	Chronic fatigue	Muscle twitching

Signs and Symptoms of Toxicity

Life is toxic! There are toxins in the food you eat, the water you drink and the air you breathe. Even your own body produces toxins as a result of its many metabolic processes that keep you alive.

Signs that detoxification is needed if you have:

1. Unexplained headaches or back pain
2. Joint pain or arthritis
3. Memory failure
4. Depression or lack of energy
5. Brittle nails and hair
6. Abnormal body odour, coated tongue or bad breath
7. Unexplained weight gain
8. Psoriasis
9. Frequent allergies
10. A history of heavy alcohol use
11. A history of natural and synthetic steroid hormone use
12. An exposure to cleaning solvents, pesticides, diuretics and certain drugs.

Benefits of detoxification

There are a number of benefits of detoxification such as:

1. The digestive tract is cleansed of accumulated waste and fermenting bacteria.
2. Liver, kidney and blood purification can take place, which is not possible during regular eating patterns.
3. Mental clarity is enhanced as chemical and food additive overload is reduced.
4. Reduced dependency on habit forming substances such as sugar, caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and drugs.
5. The stomach size is returned to normal as bad eating habits can be stopped.
6. The hormonal system is enhanced which is especially true for growth hormones.
7. The immune system is stimulated.

It never ceases to amaze me that most of these symptoms, if not all, can disappear in less than 15 days! After detoxifying on an alkaline diet for 15 days, patients report high energy levels, clear and glowing skin with a brilliance that is obvious (I have said on many occasions that I should take before-detox and after-detox photos of patients as the change is striking), weight loss of several pounds, which is an excellent motivating factor to continue with a detox programme, clear-headedness, higher thresholds for stress and tension, reduced cellulite, good body tone and a great feeling of being relaxed.

‘How can you achieve this?’ you may ask. Well, the secret is in using a variety of detoxification protocols, which I will share with you below. Detoxification has become a household word and a colloquialism that could mean anything from drinking a glass of carrot juice to entering a detoxification centre if you are an alcoholic or drug addict. The term has now become a misnomer for many things that it is not. In the context that we are using the term, detoxification is the process of removing the toxins that have been accumulating in the body tissues and organs throughout a person’s life. These toxins will have been acting as metabolism blockers by literally poisoning the cells and not allowing them to function correctly.

Sources of toxins

So where do toxins come from? There are many sources, some of which I will mention here.

The three main sources are:

a) Exogenous toxins:

Exogenous toxins (Greek: ‘from outside’) are those that enter our bodies from the outside, i.e. food additives, pesticides, herbicides, fungi from food, industrial pollutants, viruses, bacteria, parasites and electromagnetic pollution such as X-rays, electromagnetic radiation and geopathic stress. These external toxins may also come from other sources such as water, beverages, alcohol, medicines, accidents and injuries. Various industries have polluted our environment with an array of toxic heavy metals such as aluminium, antimony, arsenic, beryllium, bismuth, cadmium, lead, mercury, nickel, thallium and uranium.

b) Endogenous toxins:

Endogenous means (Greek: ‘from within’) – these are toxins that are found or generated within the human body – this can occur when the body’s normal metabolic mechanisms function inefficiently. For example, it typically takes several steps to convert the amino acid methionine into cysteine. If one step is sluggish, an intermediate called homocysteine accumulates in tissues. Accumulation of homocysteine can damage the vascular system and contribute to heart disease.[2] Other toxins can be associated with tuberculosis, syphilis or other diseases due to microbes; excess hormone secretions; constipation: producing toxins in the gut; pathogenic bacteria: causing food to putrefy and produce toxins in the gut;[3] and emotional stress can be a large contributor of toxins in the body.

The human intestine also contains at least 50 genera of bacteria comprised of nearly 400 species. There are roughly 10¹² of gut bacteria for every gram of gut content. The rich diversity of intestinal microbes originates when a newborn is inoculated with the mother’s vaginal and faecal flora during birth.

These bacteria in the gut constitute a continuous source of gut-derived metabolites that will reach the systemic circulation. The term dysbiosis refers to a state of imbalance in the beneficial organisms in the colon.[4] Among the organisms that may be associated with dysbiosis are:[5] Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter freundii, Bacteriodes fragilis, Proteus vulgaris, Enterogtoxigenic Escherichia coli, Clostridium dificile, Camplylobacter jejunii, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Geotrichum spp.

The metabolites that may be associated with microbial overgrowth of the bowel may include:[6] Arabinose, Benzoate, Hippurate, p-Hydroxybenzoate, p-Hydroxyphenylacetate, p-Hydroxyphenyllactate, beta-Ketoglutarate, Hydrocaffeate, Tartarate and Citramalate.

c) Autogenous toxins:

Autogenous toxins (Greek: ‘Born within’) are generated within the body from miasmic influences, which are inherited tendencies that can pass through up to seven generations. Examples of these are psora, sycosis, tuberculosis, syphilinum and others. There is no detection of these pathogens on scientific testing, but their deep presence can affect the body’s organs primarily by inhibiting a good immune response and lowering its resistance.

Let’s look at some specific sources of toxins that we encounter daily:

Cigarettes, alcohol, caffeine and drugs are all substances that the body cannot use for building and repair, so will add to the mounting waste. A lot of these toxic wastes are stored in the tissues and organs of the body.

Heavy metals such as mercury from fish and amalgam fillings; aluminium found in cheeses, baking powders, cake mixes, self-raising flour, cosmetics, toothpastes, antiperspirants and some drugs such as antacids. Arsenic is given to chickens as a growth promoter; cadmium is found in tea and coffee, as well as cigarette smokers. Lead is found in paints, fuels, rubber, plastics, inks, dyes, toys, building materials and hair restorers.

Roxarsone – 4-hydroxy-3-nitrobenzenearsonic acid – is by far the most common arsenic-based additive used in chicken feed.[7] It is mixed in the diet of about 70% of the 9 billion broiler chickens produced annually in the U.S. In its original organic form, roxarsone is relatively benign. It is less toxic than the inorganic forms of arsenic-arsenite [As(III)] and arsenate [As(V)]. However, some of the 2.2 million lb of roxarsone mixed in the nation’s chicken feed each year converts into inorganic arsenic within the bird, and the rest is transformed into inorganic forms after the bird excretes it. Arsenic has been linked to bladder, lung, skin, kidney and colon cancer, while low-level exposures can lead to partial paralysis and diabetes.

Pesticides from the vegetables that we eat, heavy metals such as mercury from amalgam fillings and fish products, cadmium from smoking, lead and arsenic from pollution and much more.

Plastics containing Bisphenol A, the building block of polycarbonate plastics, which are everywhere – in pesticides as fungicides; antioxidants, flame retardants, rubber chemicals, a coating in metals, cans and food containers; refrigerator shelving, returnable containers for juice, milk and water; nail polish, compact discs, adhesives, microwave ovenware and eating utensils.

A diet that is high in animal fats will add to the waste. There are many different drugs and chemicals that are given to animals these days, ranging from antibiotics, hormones, feed concentrates, etc. All these chemicals will accumulate in the fat cells of the animals that we then eat – so we slowly build up an accumulation of these chemicals over time.

Sluggish bowels can lead to a great deal of toxicity throughout the body. Try to imagine a 10 metre tube running from mouth to anus packed with meat, sausage, fish, fruit salad, beef burgers, sugars, milk and other goodies – all fermenting and putrefying for days on end. This fermentation produces highly toxic substances such as putrescine, neuracine, cadaverine – these are so poisonous that a small amount injected into a laboratory animal will kill it in minutes. All these toxic substances, apart from causing disease processes in the body, will also act as metabolism blockers, and will therefore have consequences on weight-loss too. This process of ‘self-poisoning’ by these putrefying foods in the gut is called ‘autointoxication.’

Food additives and preservatives, of which there are thousands being used. Not only do these block metabolism, but many are also carcinogens.

Refined foods such as white sugar, white flour, white rice, etc. All these foods are deficient in nutrients, but calorie loaded. Apart from this, they also help to create a lot of sludge and debris in the body. If you remember from your childhood days, you probably used white flour and water to make a glue to make your kite, or to glue your coloured paper in your exercise book at school. White flour and its products when eaten, becomes glue in the intestine and sticks to the internal wall. When mixed with sticky sugar and fat, it becomes a rubber-like substance that blocks absorption of foods through the intestine, as well as being a constant source of toxins. If you don’t believe me, read Dr. Jensen’s book entitled ‘Tissue cleansing through bowel management’[8] – there are also plenty of photos of what actually comes out of the intestine if you do a proper detox – disgusting!

Thousands of new, toxic chemical compounds are produced each year by the chemical industry, most of which are approved by various so-called ‘Environmental Protection Agencies’ (EPA’s) without any serious toxicological studies. The cumulative number of toxic chemicals polluting our planet today exceeds 100,000.

Many claim that some of these chemicals, such as the flame retardants used in children’s clothing, have potentially life-saving applications. But how many of these chemicals do we ingest or are absorbed by our bodies and those of our children? – And at what cost to our health? What is the capacity of the human body to eliminate them? Has anyone conducted a general contracting cost-benefit analysis as to whether the benefits offered, for example, by fire hazard protection, truly outweigh the toxicity generated within us, our children and the environment? The answer is: no. There are no comprehensive, scientific answers, other than to confirm the obvious: toxicity levels in humans and animals across the globe are rising fast. Whether we realize it or not – we are all toxic.

In an article published in the October 2006 National Geographic entitled, ‘The pollution within,’ journalist David Ewing Duncan had himself tested for 320 synthetic chemicals and certain heavy metals at a cost of $16,000, paid for by the magazine. According to the article, Duncan was considered a healthy individual. Nevertheless, he had higher than average amounts of chemical toxins, such as flame-retardants (known as PDBE’s), phthalates, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides and dioxins, as well as heavy metals such as mercury.

Duncan’s article alludes to some of the possible ways toxic chemicals may have accumulated in his body: some might have originated in childhood, while others may have been picked up in airplanes due to his extensive work-related travel – however, in this, he and his doctors were merely speculating. Duncan also describes his pre and post-mercury toxicity results after a fresh fish dinner and breakfast. Duncan had fresh halibut for dinner and fresh swordfish for breakfast, (cooked in his toxic non-stick pan), both of which were caught in the ocean just outside the Golden Gate Bridge in the San Francisco Bay area.

He tested himself for serum mercury before and after the meals, and found that his blood mercury levels had shot up from five micrograms per litre to over 12. The doctors conducting the tests advised him not to repeat that experiment ever again, yet I’m sure this dangerous diet is adhered to by thousands, unaware of the impact of toxicity on their health – after all, fish is promoted as a health food. Nevertheless, drawing conclusions on the experience of only one healthy adult is not robust, toxicological science. So let us review the research.

It is difficult to fathom how we can live in houses that make us sick, but the term “sick building syndrome” (SBS),[9]  first employed in the 1970s, describes a situation in which reported symptoms among a population of building occupants can be temporally associated with their presence in that building. Typically, though not always, the structure is an office building.

Typical complaints may include eye and/or nasopharyngeal irritation, rhinitis or nasal congestion, inability to concentrate, and general malaise-complaints suggestive of a host of common ailments, some ubiquitous and easily communicable. The key factors are commonality of symptoms and absence of symptoms among building occupants when the individuals are not in the building.

There has been extensive speculation about the cause or causes of SBS. Poor design, maintenance, and/or operation of the structure’s ventilation system may be at fault. The ventilation system itself can be a source of irritants. Interior redesign, such as the rearrangement of offices or installation of partitions, may also interfere with efficient functioning of such systems. Low levels of specific pollutants found in new furniture, carpeting and other furniture and fittings may also be one of the causes.

A 1984 World Health Organization report suggested that as many as 30 percent of new and remodeled buildings worldwide may generate excessive complaints related to indoor air quality.[10]

In a nationwide, random sampling of U.S. office workers, 24 percent perceived air quality problems in their work environments, and 20 percent believed their work performance was hampered thereby.[11]

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