We humans sit at the top of the food chain. So we ingest, along with the vitamins and nutrients, everything that everyone else has eaten along the way. If farmers use pesticides and herbicides to help grow the grain that livestock consumes, then, well, some of that ends up in our systems as well. And exposure to these sorts of toxins builds up over time, a process that is called bioaccumulation.
As we have seen in the earlier chapters, genetically modified organisms are only one of many concerning substances that are imposed on our bodies. Within food alone, as we have seen, we often unwittingly ingest synthetic hormones, herbicides, pesticides, and unnecessary antibiotics. While we can work to eliminate these items from our diets (see chapter 7: “Avoiding GMOs,” page 97), that doesn’t help the fact that we’ve been taking those chemicals into our bodies for years. The Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Health Sciences notes that, according to the CDC, more than 80 percent of all illnesses have environmental and lifestyle causes. And, according to the CDC’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, at least two-thirds of all cancers in the United States are caused by environmental factors.
Many people choose to cleanse their bodies of these toxins, a process often called “detoxification.” Detoxification technically means simply getting rid of toxins or poisons. The process is nothing new; Native Americans used sweat lodges and Indians used Panchakarma. At one point, the term referred primarily to overcoming addiction or achieving weight loss. But over the years, the term has come to include cleansing the body of the chemicals that are in our food and environment. One of the most popular approaches in alternative medicine, detoxification is based on the principle that illness is, at least in part, caused by the build-up of toxins in your system.
Detoxification is one of the best ways to recover your health, according to the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine and Health Sciences. (Naturopathic medicine works with nature to restore people’s health, according to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians.) Typically, according to the College, the first step is to get rid of exposure to all toxic or allergenic substances. This includes heavy metals, chemicals, radiation (from x-rays, power lines, cell phones, computer screens, and microwaves), smog, polluted water, foods, drugs, caffeine, alcohol, perfume, excess noise, and stress. Not the easiest thing to do in the twenty-first century.
There’s no standard practice in the field of detoxification, according to a study by Jason Allen, ND, and colleagues, published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2011.71 Rather, there are many types of alternative therapies available, too many to list here. But we will try to lay out the basic therapies and provide enough information for you to decide whether you’d like to look into them further. Remember— you may have to experiment and figure out what approach or approaches work best for you.
First of all, there is no such thing as a detox diet, says Gary Null, PhD, who is considered one of the top natural healing gurus in the United States. He explains that when we think about cleansing our bodies, we should remember that every single morsel we eat and every single drop of liquid we drink has an effect on our bodies. Not immediately, of course, but cumulatively. No one gets lung cancer from one cigarette, no one gets cirrhosis of the liver from a single sip of vodka, Null points out. Just because there’s no immediate, observable response to a toxin doesn’t mean the body hasn’t been affected.
The notion of moderation in all things doesn’t work for the human body. “How do you figure out what a moderate amount of cadmium is?” asks Null, who is also a journalist, author, and talk show host. There is no standard, only average; averages are not a true reflection of society. When we talk about the average amount of meat an American eats, the “average” includes vegetarians; when we talk about the average amount of sugar intake, we are including diabetics, who pretty much avoid consuming sugar altogether.
The liver works continually to detoxify the body, but it can only do so much. Eventually, the body reaches a tipping point, and a symptom appears: an inflamed joint, a clogged artery. When the body manifests symptoms, it is not the beginning of a health concern—it is a sign that things have gone too far. And the typical American diet, full of GMOs, really tests those limits.
One approach to cleansing out the GMOs and other harmful substances is detoxification. It can take one to three years to get all the residual effects out of the body. Anyone planning to detoxify his or her body will need a health-care practitioner to oversee and monitor the process, though the practitioner may refer patients to other experts for particular processes, such as acupuncture. There are a variety of approaches to detoxification, which we discuss in this chapter; they are all complementary, none are contradictory, asserts Null. The entire time, your health-care provider should monitor you for cancer markers, immune modality markers, and other issues.
Vitamin C is one of the most widely sold vitamins; in 2007, there was more vitamin C sold in the United States than any other vitamin, amounting to roughly $884 million dollars. While it is helpful to take a tablet or two, an intravenous (IV) vitamin C drip has particular medical benefits and is a very common treatment among complementary and alternative (CAM) health practitioners.
A survey by Sebastian J. Padayatty, MD, and colleagues of the National Institutes of Health in 2010 found that the vast majority of CAM practitioners frequently administered IV vitamin C, mostly to treat infection (44 percent), cancer (19 percent), or other conditions, including fatigue (37 percent). Patients received, on average, 28 grams every four days, with twenty-two total treatments per patient. Total dosing vials of IV vitamin C sold in the United States were approximately 750,000 in 2006 and 855,000 in 2008. When patients were screened properly, there were “surprisingly few” side effects.72
Not only is this a popular treatment, but studies show that it is effective. In 2005, a National Institutes of Health (NIH) researcher, Qui Chen, found that vitamin C, in pharmacologic concentrations, killed cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone.73 Similarly, a 2009 study in China found that rats given intravenous, high-dose vitamin C showed improvement in tumor volume and tumor growth.74
The treatment has been found to be especially helpful for cancer patients, when administered side by side with conventional Western treatments. In 2007, a Korean study of terminal cancer patients showed that an IV vitamin C drip improved their quality of life. Patients received 10 grams of IV vitamin C twice a day for three days, followed by a 4 gram vitamin C pill for a week. Patients reported that they felt much better, physically, emotionally, and cognitively. They also reported feeling significantly less tired and experiencing less nausea, vomiting, and appetite loss. Again, the treatment was found to be safe and effective. Similar results were found in a 2011 study of breast cancer patients in Germany.75
When heavy metals need to be removed, this is an effective technique. Patients have an intravenous drip of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) over a period of five to thirty sessions. This medication seeks out and binds to minerals in your bloodstream, creating a compound that leaves your body in your urine, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Chelation has been scientifically proven to rid the body of excess or toxic metals, notes the National Institutes of Health, and it has been approved by the FDA to treat lead poisoning and toxicity from other heavy metals. The NIH has conducted preliminary tests of chelation therapy as a treatment for coronary disease, and it has been found to be of some benefit. Preliminary results of the study were presented in November 2012, though final conclusions are still pending.76
It is an increasingly popular course of treatment, too, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health. Between 2002 and 2007, use of chelation therapy grew by nearly 68 percent, reaching a high of 111,000 people.
Every American should eat between five and thirteen servings of fruits and vegetables a day, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. Most people don’t even come close; if you don’t count potatoes—and most nutritionists consider them a starch rather than a vegetable—most Americans consume just three servings of fruits and vegetables a day, notes Harvard.
Juicing offers an alternative, hopefully, a tasty and efficient one. Advocates suggest you can drink more vegetables than you eat—and juicing allows the body to absorb the vitamins and antioxidants more easily, according to PBS. And some point out that juicing allows you to vary your veggies more than you might otherwise.
Some people get their juice at a juice bar or health food store, but if you do that, make sure to read the labels so you don’t pour something down your throat that you wouldn’t want in your body. You can also get your own juicer and do it yourself; that way, you know exactly what’s in each sip. Of course, it’s best to go with organic fruits and vegetables (see chapter 4: “The Dirty Dozen”). And don’t prep for the week by making a bucketful of juice on Sunday night—these juices won’t keep more than a day or two.
Start with celery, fennel (anise), and cucumbers, suggests author Joseph Mercola, DO, as these are the easiest to digest and tolerate, even though they aren’t the most nutrient-dense. When you’re ready, Mercola recommends stepping up to red and green leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, endive, escarole, and spinach. Pros may want to add cabbage, Chinese cabbage, and bok choy. Some people add herbs such as parsley and cilantro. And for the pièce de résistance, add a leaf or two of one of these relatively bitter greens for extra nutrient kick: kale, collard greens, dandelion greens, and mustard greens. To add a little zest to your drink, Mercola suggests adding lemons, limes, cranberries, or fresh ginger.
There’s plenty of research indicating the importance of fruits and vegetables. Some studies have found that it is useful in delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease76 or general cognitive decline;78 one study emphasizes the importance of cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cabbage, legumes, and green leafy vegetables. Several other studies have found that regular fruit and vegetable intake can add to heart health.79 Another study showed that fruits and vegetables can decrease chances of contracting cataracts.79
A study performed in 2007 found that not only are fruits and vegetables helpful, but it pinpointed an amount.80 By conducting a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies, the researchers at the Blood Pressure Unit at the University of London found that boosting fruit and vegetable consumption from less than three servings daily to more than five is related to a 17 percent reduction in risk of coronary heart disease. So— juice it up.
Often, when someone worries about getting enough of particular vitamins, such as vitamin C during the flu season, that person takes a vitamin pill or supplement. But supplements can also include minerals, fiber, fatty acids, or amino acids—just about anything that might be missing from or insufficient in someone’s diet.
This is a very common approach, according to the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). A national survey conducted in 2007 found that 17.7 percent of American adults had used dietary supplements (other than vitamins and minerals) in the past twelve months. The most popular among adults were: fish oil/omega 3/DHA (37.4 percent); glucosamine (19.9 percent); echinacea (19.8 percent); flaxseed oil or pills (15.9 percent); and ginseng (14.1 percent).
Here is a list of some potentially useful supplements, along with a little information about their uses, courtesy of the University of Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine. Many of them are antioxidants, which protect the body from free radicals. Free radicals damage cells through a process called oxidation, which, over time, can lead to a number of chronic illnesses. Research suggests that getting more antioxidants through diet can protect against free radicals and lower the risk of heart disease and cancer, but it isn’t clear whether the same is true of antioxidant supplements. Remember: there is always the possibility of side effects or interactions with any other medications you may be taking, so only use supplements under the guidance of your health-care provider.
Quercetin, a flavonoid, is an antioxidant that may help protect against heart disease and cancer. Researchers suspect that it may also help reduce allergy symptoms, including runny nose, watery eyes, and hives. It is generally considered safe, but you should take periodic breaks when on it.
CO-Q-10 (Coenzyme Q10) is an antioxidant that is found naturally in the body and helps convert food into energy. Researchers believe it can help with heart-related conditions, improve blood pressure, and lower cholesterol. There is also some evidence that it may improve immune function in people with HIV or AIDS, increase male fertility, help prevent migraines, improve exercise ability in people with angina, and help Parkinson’s patients. It is generally considered safe. Carnitine (or L-carnitine), another antioxidant, helps convert fat into energy. Some evidence suggests that it can work alongside conventional treatment to stabilize angina and increase sperm count and motility. It is sometimes prescribed for kidney disease. Side effects are generally mild.
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) has been used as an herbal remedy for thousands of years. It is often recommended as treatment for alcoholic hepatitis, alcoholic cirrhosis, and viral hepatitis. Scientific studies have shown that some of the substances in milk thistle, especially a flavonoid and antioxidant called silymarin, can help protect the liver from toxins such as drugs. Silymarin is thought to have anticancer qualities. It is generally regarded as safe.
Dandelion leaf is a diuretic that is thought to increase the excretion of drugs from the body. But be careful, as it may interact with prescription medications.
Sulfur is a naturally occurring mineral usually found near hot springs and volcanic craters. As a supplement, it comes in two forms: dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). Both can help alleviate pain. MSM is thought to help in joint health and arthritis, though there is little scientific evidence to support this. Researchers believe MSM is safe.
Magnesium aids every organ in the body, especially teeth and bones. It activates enzymes, helps with energy production, and regulates levels of calcium, copper, zinc, potassium, vitamin D, and other nutrients in the body. There is conflicting evidence about whether it aids in asthma, hearing loss, migraine headaches, PMS, and blood pressure. Common side effects include upset stomach and diarrhea. Beta-carotene, an antioxidant, is thought to protect against cancer, but it actually increases the risk for people who smoke or drink heavily. It may also slow the progression of macular degeneration and protect against sun sensitivity (though not sunburn). Side effects can include skin discoloration, loose stools, bruising, and joint pain.
Glucosamine is produced naturally in the body and is vital to building cartilage. While some studies suggest it can help osteoarthritis (OA), it’s not certain that it can help repair or grow new cartilage or protect existing cartilage. Researchers think it can, however, reduce OA pain and improve functioning, and reduce joint swelling and stiffness. Considered safe, glucosamine may cause insulin to work less effectively and may raise blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Complementary and alternative (CAM) approaches to detoxification and other medical concerns are becoming increasingly popular—and increasingly mainstream, according to a 2011 study by the Health Forum, a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association (AHA), and Samueli Institute, a nonprofit organization devoted to studying alternative health modalities. Sometimes CAM is called integrative medicine.
Researchers, led by Sita Ananth, director of knowledge services for Samueli Institute, found that almost half of the hospitals that responded to the survey (about 42 percent) said they offered one or more CAM therapies in 2011, up from 37 percent in 2007. And patient requests are the big reason; the survey found that 85 percent of responding hospitals chose to offer CAM services due to patient demand, and 70 percent said that clinical effectiveness was their top reason. Interestingly, the majority of hospitals that offered CAM were urban hospitals (72 percent).
Nearly two-thirds of hospitals offering alternative services provided massages on an outpatient basis, and half offered pet therapy in the hospital. About 40 percent of these hospitals offered acupuncture or music and art therapies, said the report, based on an American Hospital Association survey conducted in March 2010. One in five alternative-friendly hospitals provides Reiki therapy. Though almost three-quarters of the executives of the hospitals providing unconventional therapies (70 percent) said they were doing so because they were clinically effective, less than half (42 percent) said they use patients’ health outcomes to gauge the success of the alternative medicine programs.
Considered one of the best ways to decrease stress in the body, deep-breathing exercises are often called a “mind-body therapy.” This is one of the most popular alternative medical procedures, used by 12.7 percent of Americans, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It is also one of the most flexible and portable methods of selftreatment; you can do deep breathing just about any time, anywhere, in most any position, and it usually takes no more than ten minutes.
The process is simple. It often helps to start sitting down, legs uncrossed, and eyes closed. Then, inhale slowly and deeply through your nose; most people count to ten to ensure that they’re doing it slowly enough. Then you exhale completely, counting to ten again. You can repeat this process five to ten times, several times a day, according to NCCAM. Some experts say that this technique becomes more effective over the years. It is considered extremely safe.
A simple, fast way to reduce stress, meditation helps you focus your attention and suspend all outside thoughts. The goal is to increase calmness, physical relaxation, and a sense of balance. And it is one of the most common alternative medical treatments in the country; the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 12.7 percent of the American population used this technique in 2007.
Despite its association with the New Age lifestyle, meditation is nothing new. It has been around for thousands of years. At one point, it was considered a way to connect with sacred and mystical forces. These days, we see it as a way to connect more fully with ourselves. According to the Mayo Clinic, meditation can help you gain a new perspective on a stressful situation, build stress-management skills, increase self-aware ness, focus on the present (rather than all those bothersome could-have, should-have thoughts), and reduce negative emotions.
There are several ways to meditate, the clinic explains. You can focus on a mental image that you find relaxing, such as a bucolic outdoor scene; you can repeat a mantra, which is a calming word, thought, or phrase; you can focus on a sense of love and gratitude; or you can concentrate on the immediate experience, such as the feeling of breath in your body or the sensation of your feet on the floor. However you meditate, though, the point is to block out all stressful and unwanted thoughts.
Remember, though, that it is common for your mind to wander every so often, even for the most experienced meditators. If you worry about your lack of focus, you have simply traded one source of anxiety for another. Many people combine deep breathing with meditation. Unless you’re in danger of missing your train or subway stop, this is another fairly safe method of alternative therapy.
Tracing its roots to China, acupuncture has been around for about twenty-five hundred years. It is sometimes used to treat specific aches and pains and sometimes to gain a general feeling of wellness. These days, more and more people are turning to acupuncture to cleanse their body—of genetically modified organisms and other stresses of the twenty-first century. Acupuncturists stimulate specific points on the body by inserting very slender metal needles through the skin, a process that most people say does not hurt. In the United States, acupuncturists must attend a four-year graduate program to be licensed to practice.
The therapy is based on the theories of Chinese traditional medicine, which holds that the body contains two opposing forces—yin and yang. Chinese medicine explains that illness and disease occur when there is an imbalance between the two that blocks the flow of chi (pronounced “chee”), or life force energy. Acupuncture is said to remove these blockages and restore health. There are several styles of acupuncture, and all are believed to be safe, if practiced correctly using sterile needles. Use is on the rise; in the United, States, 4.2 percent of Americans used acupuncture in 2002 (8.19 million people), rising to 6.3 percent in 2007 (14.01 million people), according to a study by Yan Zhang, PhD and colleagues at Texas Tech University. It’s not used just in the United States, though; the British National Health Service estimated that four million acupuncture sessions were provided in 2009.
Some studies attest to its effectiveness. According to the World Health Organization, acupuncture is most useful in stopping or lessening pain, protecting the body against infection, and regulating certain physiological functions. Americans tend to come to acupuncture, according to the Texas Tech study, seeking assistance in general wellness (42.3 percent), enhanced energy (24.0 percent), and improved immune function (21.7 percent).
A 2012 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine looked at almost eighteen thousand patients in the United States, UK, Germany, Spain, and Sweden and found that acupuncture is an effective treatment for chronic pain. Specifically, patients suffering from chronic headaches; back, neck, or shoulder pain or osteoarthritis found acupuncture to be significantly more effective than typical pain treatment.82
While researchers don’t really know why acupuncture works, according to Richard L. Nahin of NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, studies show that it does. It is considered extremely safe, assuming a qualified practitioner and sterilized needles. But you might not feel the effects immediately; experts advise having several sessions before deciding whether the treatment works for you.
One of the oldest forms of medicine, yoga traces its roots back more than five thousand years to India. The practice of yoga encompasses meditation, breathing, and physical postures. In the United States and throughout the Western world, the practice of yoga has come to mean a series of poses or exercises. But originally, the poses and breathing were seen as a way to help practitioners meditate, forcing them to think about something other than daily life and its stresses. Yoga is very popular within the United States, one of the top ten CAM practices, according to NCCAM. In 2007, the NCCAM found that more than 13 million adults and more than 1.5 million children had practiced yoga in the previous year.
Research shows that yoga can lower stress and promote health. One study, by Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, PhD, and colleagues at the Ohio State University of Medicine, found that yoga can minimize the body’s response to stress; the researchers suggest that long-term practice could have substantial health benefits. Yoga is generally considered low-impact and safe for healthy people when practiced appropriately under the guidance of a well-trained instructor. Some studies have suggested that yoga can reduce heart rate and blood pressure, as well as help relieve anxiety and depression, according to NCCAM.
As with other forms of alternative medical therapy, there are many types of yoga practices. The Yoga Journal outlines a number of these, including:
• Ashtanga: A fast-paced series of sequential postures, this system is based on six series of poses that increase in difficulty. Students usually work at their own pace.
• Jivamukti: This practice is highly meditative but physically challenging. Classes emphasize forward bends, backbends, and inversions.
• Iyengar yoga: This type of yoga requires intense focus on each position. Practitioners typically hold these poses longer than in other yogic practices, so they can pay close attention to their precise muscular and skeletal alignment.
• Bikram yoga: This style of yoga takes place in rooms that are close to 100 degrees in temperature. The intention is to sweat the toxins out of the body. If you choose this style, be sure to bring plenty of water.
• Kundalini yoga: A practice that incorporates postures, dynamic breathing techniques, and chanting and meditating on mantras.
Some yoga instructors offer sessions geared to people with particular medical concerns, such as balance issues.
Remember that everyone’s body is different, and you should modify the yoga postures to suit your individual abilities. Once you find a style of yoga that you enjoy, be sure to select an instructor who can help you figure out and make these modifications.
Reiki is the Japanese term for universal life energy. In this energy-healing therapy, practitioners place their hands lightly on or hold them just above the patient. The goal, according to NCCAM, is to recharge, realign, and rebalance the human energy fields and facilitate the patient’s own healing power. It is based on an Eastern belief in an energy that supports the body’s own ability to heal itself.
Studies have found Reiki to be beneficial. A 2010 study by John Gruzelier, PhD, and his students at the University of London found that patients receiving Reiki therapy showed a decrease in the symptoms of illness, even though they started out with higher “scores” on self-reported symptoms and stress. These researchers wanted to rule out any psychological effect of receiving Reiki by giving some patients no-touch Reiki and some no Reiki at all.83
An earlier study, published in 2005 in the Orthopedic Nursing Journal by Ellen M. DiNucci, MA, at Stanford University, looks at various studies, finding that it helps with wound healing, and has positive effects on pain and anxiety.84 Similarly, researchers have found that patients report an increased calmness due to Reiki.85
And in another study, A. G. Shore, in 2004, followed patients being treated for mild depression and stress and found that Reiki can have longterm effects on depression and stress. Specifically, Shore found that a full year after treatment, patients who received Reiki therapy were still doing better than their untreated counterparts in terms of depression, stress, and hopelessness.86
It is a popular therapy that, according to the Center for Reiki Research, has been practiced for nearly a century. More than 1.2 million American adults, approximately half of the US adult population, used an energy-healing therapy such as Reiki in 2006, according to NCCAM. Researchers report that Reiki is safe and has no serious side effects.
Saunas, which are a room or house designed to provide wet or dry heat, have been shown to aid in detoxification because they allow us to sweat out the toxins through our skin. Sessions intended to reduce blood pressure and enhance blood flow and cardiac functioning typically last about fifteen minutes, though sessions for detoxification may be longer—and should be medically monitored, according to a study published by Walter Crinnion, N.D., in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine Journal in 2007.87 Many people take a cold shower after using a sauna. Saunas are considered particularly helpful for those with environmentally induced illnesses.
And it’s pretty safe; although sitting in a sauna can cause changes in cardiovascular and hormone functioning, most healthy adults and children do just fine in a sauna, according to a study published in the American Journal of Medicine by researchers Minna L. Hannuksela, MD, Samer Ellahham, MD, at the University of Oulu in Finland.88
Massage therapy is one of the most popular types of alternative medical treatment in the country. NCCAM estimates that about eighteen million US adults and seven hundred thousand children received at least one massage in 2006. Most people find massage therapy to be relaxing—and they also feel that it promotes their overall well-being.
The procedure is simple. Patients usually lie on a table in loose-fitting clothing or are covered only with a sheet. Sometimes, the massage therapist uses oil or lotion to reduce friction on the skin. Using their hands, massage therapists manipulate muscle and connective tissue. Sessions tend to be relaxing and can last anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour.
Most massage therapists are licensed professionals, according to the CDC. Most states have licensing requirements for massage therapists. The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) notes that there are more than three hundred fifty accredited massage therapy schools and programs throughout the United States.
“Medical massage” is actually a broad term that encompasses a variety of styles, according to the State University of New York. These include Swedish medical massage (which uses five styles of long, flowing strokes); deep tissue massage (which focuses on the muscles below the top, surface muscles); acupressure (where the practitioner applies physical pressure to acupuncture points); and Shiatsu (which uses the same energy meridians as acupressure and incorporates stretching).
At least one study shows that massage works to improve body functioning. Research published by Mark H. Rapaport, MD, and colleagues at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in the Journal of Alternative Complementary Medicine in 2010 finds that a single session of Swedish massage therapy produces measurable, biologic effects on neuroendocrine and immune function.
As you can see, there are many ways to approach cleansing the body from environmental and food toxins. There are methods you can try by yourself, approaches that require an accredited practitioner, and ways that demand ongoing medical monitoring. Try whatever sounds interesting, and pick the modality or modalities that feel right for you and your family.