Choosing the Best Detox Program

“Detoxification” has become a nice buzz word lately. It sounds good, rolls off the tongue easily and, depending on where you live and your lifestyle, it’s likely to make you seem “in the know” about natural healing and health. But do you know what detoxification really is and why it is so important?

The human body is an amazing thing. In its healthiest state it has the ability to keep itself clean and relatively poison-free. In this sense, detoxification is the body’s natural process of eliminating or neutralizing toxins. This happens via the liver, kidneys, and lungs as well as through urine, feces, and sweat. Yet, your body can become so overloaded that its natural detoxification system can’t keep up; when this happens the toxins build up and can affect virtually all of the systems of the body, head to toe.

Chemical Cocktail

• Over 69 million Americans live in areas that exceed smog standards.
• Most drinking water contains over 700 chemicals, including excessive amounts of the heavy metal lead.
• Some 3,000 chemicals are added to the food supply.
• As many as 10,000 chemicals in the form of solvents, emulsifiers, and preservatives are used in food processing and storage.
• U.S. chemical companies hold licenses to make 75,000 chemicals for commercial use; the federal government registers an average of 2,000 newly synthesized chemicals each year.
• The government has tallied 5,000 chemical ingredients in cosmetics, more than 3,200 chemicals added to food, 1,010 chemicals used in 11,700 consumer products, and 500 chemicals used as active ingredients in pesticides.
• In 1998 U.S. industries reported manufacturing 6.5 trillion pounds of 9,000 different chemicals, and 2000 major U.S. industries reported dumping 7.1 billion pounds of 650 industrial chemicals into our air and water.
• Chemical companies are not required to tell the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) how their compounds are used or to monitor where their products end up in the environment. Neither does U.S. law require chemical companies to conduct basic health and safety testing of their products either before or after they are commercialized.
• Eighty percent of all applications to produce a new chemical are approved by the U.S. EPA with no health and safety data; eighty percent of these are approved in three weeks.

Unfortunately, people today carry within their bodies a veritable chemical cocktail of modern-day industrial chemicals, pesticides, food additives, heavy metals, and anesthetics, not to mention the residues of pharmaceuticals, legal drugs (like alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine), and illegal drugs (like heroin, cocaine, marijuana, etcetera). The sad but undeniable truth is that we have created a living environment that is toxic to our bodies. Look at these facts, taken from respected sources: ^1,2

If these numbers startle you, that’s a good thing. No one knows how long some of these chemicals remain inside us once they are ingested or otherwise introduced to the body. And even the toxins that our bodies do know how to break down require extra metabolic energy expenditure to complete the detoxification process. That means less energy for other important things, like keeping the immune system up to speed.

A recent groundbreaking study was conducted by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York in collaboration with the Environmental Working Group and Commonweal. Researchers at two major laboratories found an average of 91 industrial compounds, pollutants, and other chemicals in the blood and urine of only nine volunteers, with a total of 167 chemicals found in the group. Like most of us, the nine people tested do not work with chemicals on the job and do not live near an industrial facility. Of the 167 chemicals found in those nine tested individuals, 76 are known to cause cancer in humans or animals, 94 are toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 79 cause birth defects or abnormal development. What’s more, the danger of exposure to these chemicals in combination has never been studied.

In general, it’s a frightening – and frighteningly true – scenario, one we simply cannot afford to let be swept under the carpet or forgotten. Dr. Marshall Mandell, one of the world’s leading allergists and father of bio-ecologic medicine stated, “The current level of chemicals in the food and water supply, and the indoor and outdoor environment, has lowered our threshold of resistance to disease and has altered our body’s metabolism, causing enzyme dysfunction, nutritional deficiencies, and hormonal imbalances.” ³

Is it any surprise, then, that although America is considered one of the wealthiest countries in the world, it doesn’t even rank in the United Nations top 20 list of the healthiest? 4

Detoxification Therapy

Each year, people are exposed to thousands of toxic chemicals and pollutants in the Earth’s atmosphere, water, food, and soil. These toxins manifest in the body through decreased immune function, psychological or mood disturbances, neurotoxicity, hormonal dysfunction, and even cancer. Detoxification therapy helps to rid the body of chemicals and pollutants and can facilitate a return to health.

Citing Parasites

Did you know that at some time in their lives, three out of every five Americans will have had a parasite living inside of them? Easier to contract than some less deadly diseases, parasites are among the most highly numbered living organisms in the world – and they live right inside of you. But what does that mean?

The August 2000 issue of Discover magazine made this incredible statement:

Every living thing has at least one parasite that lives inside or on it, and many, including humans, have far more. Scientists…are only just beginning to discover exactly how powerful these hidden inhabitants can be, but their research is pointing to a remarkable possibility: Parasites may rule the world. The notion that tiny creatures we’ve largely taken for granted are such a dominant force is immensely disturbing. We are collections of cells that work together, kept harmonized by chemical signals. If an organism can control those signals — an organism like a parasite — then it can control us. And therein lies the peculiar and precise horror of parasites.”⁵

The problem is simple: The average American diet produces a sick colon, complete with deadly fecal build up that becomes the perfect breeding ground for parasites. Humans can actually play host to over 100 different kinds of parasites, ranging from those that are microscopic to tapeworms that can grow to be several feet in length. And they don’t just sit in your intestines. They can migrate to other parts of the body, including the liver, lungs, muscles, joints, skin, blood, and even to the brain. ⁶

While they are not terribly difficult to clean from the body, parasites are often unsuspected and therefore completely unnoticed by their hosts. This allows the parasites to thrive, taking the most valuable nutrients away from the host, who then has to deal not only with poor nutrition and all of its attendant complications, but parasitic waste products as well.

Some Common Signs of Parasites in Humans

• Constantly bloated abdomen
• Dark circles around or under eyes
• Diarrhea or chronic constipation
• Teeth grinding
• Cravings for sweets
• Depression
• Anemia
• Bad body odor
• Sinus congestion
• Constant abdominal discomfort
• Inability to lose weight
• Bad breath
• Persistent acne
• Insomnia
• Moodiness
• Chronic fatigue
• PMS
• Food allergies
• Digestive problems
• Anal itching
• Water retention

The Body Burden

Scientists refer to the level of a person’s chemical and toxin exposure as an individual’s body burden – the consequence of lifelong exposure to industrial chemicals that are used in thousands of consumer products and which linger as contaminants in air, water, food, and in the soil. There are literally hundreds of chemicals in drinking water, household air, dust, treated tap water, and food. And they come from household products like detergent, insulation, fabric treatments, cosmetics, paints, upholstery, computers, and TVs. What’s more, they accumulate in fat, blood and organs, or are passed through the body in breast milk, urine, feces, sweat, semen, hair, and nails. 7

Carrying a high body burden translates into all sorts of maladies: Headaches, insomnia, constipation, fatigue, weakness, blurred vision, greater susceptibility to infection, allergic reactions, joint pain, recurrent respiratory problems, back pain, mood changes, stomach pain, digestive problems…the list goes on and on. It’s shocking to realize that many of the problems just mentioned have become so commonplace in our culture that we don’t stop to wonder why we experience them with such regularity. There are entire over-the-counter product lines that depend on us to be and feel ill. Indeed, some companies need us to carry a high body burden!

Everyday Toxins

The Bad News

The simple truth is that toxic chemicals enter our bodies every day in the form of unhealthy and refined foods, additives, pesticides, and environmental pollutants. These harmful molecules can be found in great abundance in our air, drinking water and food supply. Chemicals poison our lakes, oceans, soil, and, as a consequence, our bodies. In today’s world the body’s natural detoxification system becomes quickly overburdened and is unable to function like it is meant to and like it has in past generations. Since we are unable to Bacteria – Detox process or eliminate these “modern” toxins, they become stored in our glands, tissues, and cells, slowly breaking down all body systems on a cellular level. This process takes place gradually and undetectably, until the onset of obesity and disease finally signals their presence. 8

As if that were not enough, we also need to worry about parasites and the very real threat they pose to our health and wellbeing. “Silent killers” of sorts, many of us are never even aware that we are offering our bodies as homes to these harmful creatures. Even worse, we may be eating the kind of diet that directly encourages their growth and proliferation. And parasites don’t just “go away” – they can stay inside us our entire lives if we don’t clean them out of our bodies. That alone should be reason enough for everyone to complete a detoxification program.

As you can see, without help our bodies are destined to weaken, break down, and fall apart. When this happens, it lowers our quality of life and also affects the lives of our families and loved ones. You can see it all around you today: people succumbing to infections, experiencing illnesses of all kinds, and popping pills that (at best) only cover up the symptoms, and (at worst) weaken or poison the body even further. No doubt about it, it’s a grim picture.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

The Good News

Fortunately, the human body is quite resilient. One of America’s leaders in complementary medicine today, Dr. Andrew Weil, a firm believer that our bodies want to be healthy, tells us, “Health is the condition of perfect balance, when all systems run smoothly and energy circulates freely. This is the natural condition, the one in which least effort is expended; therefore, when the body is out of balance, it wants to get back to it.” When we take the steps necessary to alleviate our body burden, we assist it with its natural process of detoxification. We literally give our body the extra nutrients, natural substances, and energy it needs in order to set the balance straight and get the process of detoxification back in high gear.

Now – more than ever before – it is imperative that we assist our body’s detoxification processes. Detoxification is a natural, health-preserving therapy, which helps remove harmful toxins from the cells and tissues, restoring their immune-protecting functions. Dr. Elson Haas, Director of the Preventive Medical Center of Marin, in San Rafael, CA, and author of The Detox Diet says, “The process of detoxification… is the missing link to rejuvenating the body and preventing such chronic diseases as cancer, cardiovascular problems, arthritis, diabetes, and obesity. The modern diet, with excess animal proteins, fats, caffeine, alcohol, and chemicals, inhibits the optimum function of our cells and tissues. The cleansing of toxins and waste products will restore function and vitality.” ¹⁰

What To Look For in a Detoxification Program

All detoxification programs are not equal. Some, due to the relatively recent discovery of the need for detoxification, are nothing more than low-quality attempts to cash in on a potential market. So, you need to know what makes a good detoxification program. Here are the components that I suggest:

• An “All Systems” Detoxification Program. While it is great to target one particular system of the body from time to time and as necessary, such a regimen is no substitute for a complete, full-body cleanse. Completing a detoxification program that cleans all systems of the body is an essential step to achieving maximum health and wellness.
• A Convenient and User-Friendly Program. Let’s face it, the more difficult the detoxification procedure, the less likely most people are to start it, let alone see it through. Luckily, detoxifying is not as difficult as you may think. You shouldn’t have to make trips to and from a detoxification facility or specialist, and in general, the program needn’t be uncomfortable or something so complicated that you don’t want to try it again. I recommend finding a detoxification program that comes pre-assembled and ready-to-use so that you do not have to spend hours and hours searching for all the right components. But be aware and do your research: never sacrifice quality for convenience. The right detoxification program will offer both.
• Natural, “Human-Friendly” Ingredients. You should use a detoxification program only if it contains 100% natural, non-genetically modified ingredients. After all, you can’t expect to help detoxify your body by pouring more potentially-harmful synthetic chemicals into it! Look for a program that uses primarily herbs, vitamins, and minerals, and steer clear of anything with ingredients that you can’t pronounce.
• Anti-Parasite Support. Recent medical studies suggest that 85 – 95% of the North American adult population is infected with at least one from of parasite. Easily spread from person to person and through contaminated water, food and soil, parasites cause our bodies to lose their biological balance by secreting toxins and damaging vital organs. ¹¹ A good detoxification program will have an anti-parasite component to help expel parasites as well as to clear their eggs and hatching larvae from the body.
• Intestinal/Colon Cleansing Support. Making sure that the bowels are consistently active is vital to healthy detoxification. Toxins and “dead” foods lead to poor digestion, constipation, toxic colon build-up, weight gain, and low energy. These common symptoms are more than just an inconvenience – they can lead to long-term health problems and serious disease. Irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, gas, diverticulitis and colon cancer are simply not things we like to discuss. And yet, as the old expression goes, “death begins in the colon.” Don’t believe it? Ask any coroner. Autopsies often reveal colons that are plugged up to 80% with waste material. ¹²
• Probiotic Support. You may not be aware of this, but inside each of us live vast numbers – as in, several thousand billion – of bacteria without which we could not remain in good health. We call these “friendly” bacteria to distinguish them from the “harmful” bacteria that also inhabit our bodies. When the “harmful” bacteria proliferate and outnumber the “friendly” bacteria, we experience all manner of ailments, including excessive gas, bloating, diarrhea, intestinal toxicity, constipation and poor absorption of nutrients. If this imbalance is left untreated the symptoms can become chronic and can compromise the immune system, leading to other serious illnesses. A good detoxification program will provide you with a potent probiotic to help tip the scale back in favor of the “friendly” bacteria. Look for a probiotic that contains at least eight different strains of “friendly” bacteria and which is “enteric coated.” This ensures the bacteria are released in the intestines where they are needed and not in the stomach, where they can be destroyed by digestive juices.
• Multivitamin/Mineral Support. Few Americans actually obtain the minimum recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals from their diet, and yet our bodies cannot function optimally without them. When you add to that the fact that an unhealthy and toxin-burdened body cannot make complete use of vitamins and minerals as they are made available, you have a recipe for very poor health. As your body becomes progressively cleaner and toxin-free, its ability to uptake and utilize much-needed vitamins and minerals increases dramatically. This, in turn, super-charges your body, optimizing it to perform all of its functions flawlessly.
• Oral Chelation. Probably one of the most beneficial and yet unknown treatments available today, oral chelation is highly effective at assisting the body in the removal of dangerous heavy metals and toxins. A well-documented, firmly established medical practice, it draws toxins and metabolic wastes from the bloodstream, thereby promoting improved circulation, reduction of internal inflammation caused by free radicals, and anti-aging effects that remarkably increase a person’s energy. Most oral chelation supplements will contain a handful of vitamins that are natural antioxidants, but the best oral chelation products will also contain an ingredient called EDTA (ethylenediaminetertraacetic acid). EDTA is a naturally safe chemical that passes through the body, taking toxins and heavy metals out with it. It is so safe, in fact, that according to current drug safety standards, it is nearly three-and-a-half times less toxic to the human system than aspirin.

While it sounds like a large bill to fill, a good detoxification program will meet and/or exceed all these suggestions. Because detoxification is such an item of interest lately – and with good reason – your options are fairly open. By staying within the guidelines prescribed above, you can take a lot of the hassle out of figuring out if a program will meet your detoxification needs.

Floaters

I have a question about “floaters” in the eyes. I have asked several nutritionalists about what they are and how do you get rid of them. Do you have any data on “floaters”?

Thanks,

Joy

DR. SHILLINGTON ANSWERS:
Floaters are caused by minute pieces of protein matter (cellular debris) in the viscous fluid within the eyeball. Some people consider this to mean a weakening of the retina attachment and where there are many of them, have gone the lengthy surgery route to handle a detached retina. I have only run into a couple of people with this problem and in each case, the floaters very quickly and permanently disappeared by doing a thorough Intestinal Cleanse and Liver/Gallbladder Flush/Cleanse in addition to using a special tincture applied directly to the eyes.

My special Eyebright Formula is as follows:

1 part Eyebright Herb
1 part Red Raspberry Leaf
1 part Goldenseal Root
1 part Rue Flower
1 part Mullein Flower
1 part Fennel Seed
1/8th part Cayenne Pepper (hottest you can find = Habanero)

In a base of 50% alcohol or 100 Proof Vodka and 50% distilled water. Fill your tincture jar from 2/3rd to 3/4th full of the herbs. Blend the herbs in a blender with your alcohol mixture and let stand in a dark room for a minimum of 14 days. A part is by volume not by weight. It is best to make this tincture on the New Moon and to press it on the Full Moon. Use only 1 to 10 drops in an eye cup and fill the remaining space with distilled water. Start with 1 drop and work up to 10 as this is a warm mixture. Place over eye and open and close your eye for a minute or two while moving eye up, down and to both sides.

Hope this helps

Best regards,

Doc

Ear Infections

Can you recommend a herbal remedy for ear infections?

Joni

DR. SHILLINGTON ANSWERS: One of the best remedies for ear infections I’ve ever used is to crush a clove of garlic into about 3 tablespoons of olive oil, let sit for 24 hours, strain out the garlic pieces, and put a few drops in the ear every hour on the hour while awake. It worked wonders on the children and adults I’ve recommended it to.
Best Regards,

Doc

Distilled Water

I’ve heard that distilled water is too acidic. Is this true?

Susan

DR. SHILLINGTON ANSWERS: The only time distilled water gets too acidic is when it is left out without a cover since it picks up CO2 very easily. As soon as you make your distilled water, put it into an old gallon apple juice glass bottle, put the top on it, and you’ll have no pH problems with it.

Yours in Knowledge, Health, and Freedom,

Doc

Herbs

I know a herbalist from Romania who recommends that his clients places the herbs (made into powder) under the tongue and keep them there for 20 minutes, After that the herbs are swallowed. My question is, would all the power of the herbs be absorbed in the body in this way? Also which parts of the herbs are insolvable in water?

Kind Regards,

Cristian

DR. SHILLINGTON ANSWERS: Herbs are more absorbable as tinctures than the way you suggest. Tinctures (Extracts) are probably the most effective way to get the biochemstry of the herbs into the body, short of intravenous injection 😉

With love,

Doc Shillington

Second Hand Smoking

I work in a smoke filled environment. I’m a bartender. What supplements can I take to reduce the side affects associated with second hand smoke?

DR. KELLY ANSWERS: N-Acetyl Cysteine, or NAC is my first choice. NAC is an amino oxidant antioxidant and a free radicalscavenging agent that can help your liver detoxify. I’d also recommend a quality Vitamin C. Clearing the air is the best choice, obviously. If possible see if your boss could install a quality air filtration system.
Yours Truly,

Dr. Kelly

If you have trouble getting out of bed in the morning, feel sleepy in the afternoon, or find yourself having trouble focusing all day, these 10 strategies should help you have more energy.

1. Stop Drinking Coffee

Look into the effects coffee has on your kidneys and adrenal glands. Coffee stimulates the production of adrenaline and puts excessive wear and tear on the adrenal glands. The higher your caffeine intake, the more your body stops producing energy on its own and the more it relies on caffeine’s effects on your body chemistry.

2. Eat a Healthy Breakfast

Don’t skip breakfast, but don’t eat an unhealthy breakfast either. They say it’s the most important meal of the day. It sets the tone. Pancakes and fake maple syrup will put you on a sugar high. You’ll either crash and burn or ride that rollercoaster all day.

3. Eat better and More Often

Eat every 4 to 5 hours: Eating throughout the day provides your brain and body with a constant source of fuel. This 4-5 hour eating strategy can dramatically prevent dips in your blood sugar levels. Concentrated sources of sugar like soda, candy, fruit juice, jam, and syrup will create radical spikes in your blood sugar that leave you feeling tired as soon as the level drops. And even though refined grains you eat in white bread, crackers, bagels, and pasta do not naturally contain sugar compounds, they are metabolized into sugar very quickly and can create the same effect.

4. Drink More Water

Most people are dehydrated. Dehydration causes a host of problems including irritability, low energy levels, poor concentration, and lethargy.

5. Deep Breathing

If you find yourself yawning, try some deep breathing exercises to revitalize yourself.

6. Have a Positive Attitude

Negativity drains your energy. Remember, lack of exercise and vitamin deficiencies make it harder to have a positive attitude.

7. Exercise

The twenty minutes you spend exercising could pay you back an hour or more due to better focus and deeper, higher quality sleep. Stop saying you don’t have time to exercise. If you are too busy, you don’t have time not to.

8. See a Doctor

A naturopathic doctor can tell you if your thyroid glands are not working properly and if you need a thyroid supplement, if you’re B vitamin deficient, or if you need adrenal support. Problems in these areas will lead to chronic tiredness and poor sleep.

9. Get Enough Sleep

While the amount needed varies, experts say adults should get
seven to nine hours per night. Regardless of the numbers, if you’re dragging yourself out of bed in the morning, fighting off the need to nap in the afternoon, or falling asleep watching TV, you’re probably not getting enough.

10. Get Quality Sleep

6 hours of deep sleep is better then 9 hours of tossing and turning.

Raccoon Eyes

Do you know of any herbs, vitamins, minerals, etc. to get rid of dark under-eye circles?

I started having them when I was a pre-teen and they got darker over the years. I’m in my early 20’s now. The circles are so dark, they look like bruises. I did have many blood tests done and everything turned out fine. I eat healthy and get plenty of sleep. I tried virtually every department store cream and they didn’t work. Now, I want to try the natural approach to get rid of these silly things! Your help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Leann

DR. SHILLINGTON ANSWERS: You need to do some serious liver and gallbladder cleansing. Dark circles are indicative of a poorly functioning liver. Ignore the common belief that dark circles are hereditary. This is simply not true. Handle your liver and the dark circles will disappear.

In health, freedom, and love

Doc

Juicer

I am looking to purchase a juicer. Any suggestions? I am looking for one that will not “heat” the juice. Ease of use and cleaning are also important. I do not mind paying a little more for a good machine.

Kim

DR. SHILLINGTON ANSWERS: The ultimate, best juicer is the Norwalk. Not only does it get all the nourishment out when it comes to juicing, it makes an awesome press for making tinctures. Of course it costs 2,500 bucks so it’s one of those “you get what you pay for” top-notch goodies. Try and pick one of these up on e-Bay or at a yard sale, and you can get a smoking deal sometimes.

I own a 60-year-old Norwalk that weighs 400 lbs. and stands four feet off the ground with a six-ton press on it. You can run three humongous carrots through the grinder at a time and it doesn’t even slow down. I bought it from a little ole lady for $25 without even knowing what it was (discovered it was a Norwalk after I cleaned it up), and discovered it was worth about $25,000 after the President of Norwalk offered me two brand new ones in exchange for this one. Seems as if this was Norman Walker’s original line and even the company didn’t have one in their museum. The thing is you can find these at yard sales, estate sales, garage sales, etc. and most go for a song when you do find them. They are few and far between, though. But they’re out there.

But rather than waiting for that to fall out of the sky, I would recommend a Champion. You can pick these up brand new for anywhere from $250 to $350 depending on where you buy them. They will warm up a bit with continuous use, but the temperature will not go above 105 degrees, which is the temperature at which enzymes start dying in abundance. The Champion is all motor and will last forever. You’ll be handing it down to your grandchildren. You can also find these at yard sales for a song. I saw one last week that went for $5 and it was in perfect condition. The Green Power is also supposed to be good, but I’ve never used one so cannot speak from personal experience here. Hope this helps.

Doc

Homeopathic

Are herbal remedies the same as homeopathic remedies?

DR. SHILLINGTON ANSWERS: No. Homeopathic medicine is a field of alternative medicine all its own and is the leading alternative therapy in France. It uses tiny doses of herbs, minerals, and poison in a theory called the law of the similar. Its premise is that if large doses of a certain substance can cause a problem, a minute dose can help the same problem.

In health and love,

Doc

Email your questions to questions [at] organicmail.net. Questions may be edited for clarity or length

The typical American diet is rich in calories, artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, sugar, artificial sweeteners, MSG, and trans fats. Let’s not forget pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics. The media bombards us with information about a healthy diet, much of it contradictory, much of it complicated, and most of it wrong. So how should we eat?

Eliminating toxins, additives, and sugar is a no-brainer. But once that step is taken and organic foods are chosen, what is the next step? Whether you’re a meat-eater, a vegan, or a vegetarian, the key is balance. The right balance.

Alkalinity

For optimum health our bodies require a slightly alkaline PH, right about 7.365. A diet high in meats and grains, the typical Western diet, is acid producing. Chronic acidification wreaks havoc with all cellular activities and functions. Many naturopaths believe it to be the root cause of chronic or “incurable” diseases. So how do we maintain our PH balance short of memorizing the list of acidifying and alkaline foods? The simple way is to use the 80/20 principle; 80% of your diet should consist of fresh, raw, organic fruits and vegetables. That may sound extreme, and for some people and their lifestyles it may be difficult, but the closer one comes to this ratio the healthier one will be. And for many people there is not another lifestyle change they could make that would have as big an impact on your health.

In addition, most of us need to be conscious about increasing our consumption of the following:

Fiber

Fiber has many benefits. It feeds healthybacteria, which aids in digestion. It also helps slow the rate sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream, keeping blood sugar levels stable. Fiber also helps with regularity; it speeds up digestion as it scours your colon like a scrub brush.

Enzymes

Enzymes are responsible for nearly every facet of life and health. Without enzymes, food is not digested and nutrients are not absorbed. Enzyme rich, fresh, raw foods are easy for the body to digest. Processed and cooked foods have little or no enzymes. If enzymes are not present in the food we eat, the body creates them. But some doctors believe our bodies can create only a finite amount of enzymes in our lifetimes. So once again, a diet high in fresh, raw, organic fruits and vegetables, adhering to the 80/20 principle, will increase your consumption of natural enzymes.

Antioxidents

Free radicals, atoms or groups of atoms with an odd (unpaired) number of electrons, have been linked to aging and disease. They damage healthy cell membranes and DNA. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals. Again, a diet high in fresh, raw, organic fruits and vegetables is a diet rich in antioxidants.

Beneficial Bacteria

A normal, healthy gut is home to 400-500 beneficial bacteria, all working in harmony. Remember enzymes? Beneficial bacteria produce critical enzymes and control yeast. They help us digest our food and absorb nutrients. Just one dose of an antibiotic can decimate entire species of beneficial bacteria and wreak havoc with this delicate ecological balance.

Probiotics can help restore the natural balance. Many suggest taking them (or eating them) on a daily basis, and certainly this suggestion has merit to anyone coming to an organic lifestyle from a lifetime of poor nutrition and antibiotic use. But again, adhering to a good, balanced diet and the 80/20 principle of eating 80% fresh, raw, organic fruits and vegetables will feed beneficial bacteria and aid in maintaining proper balance.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Essential fatty acids, omega-6s and omega-3s, cannot be manufactured by our bodies. They must come from our diet. Our bodies need both omega-6s and omega 3s for a variety of metabolic processes including healing. The ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s should be nearly equal, but the typical American diet is high in omega 6s and low in omega 3s, with a ratio closer to 17:1. And we suffer for it—with inflammation, aching, poor healing and chronic illnesses such as lupus, fibromyalgia, and heart disease. To decrease omega 6s, avoid processed foods and conventional poultry, beef, and dairy and choose organic meats—grass fed beef, free range poultry, etc. To increase omega-3s, eat fatty fish, nuts, seeds, and unrefined whole grains (it is best to soak or sprout nuts and seeds to release enzyme inhibitors and change acidic nuts to alkaline). Flaxseed, cod liver oil, or other omega-3 rich oils can be added to our diet, but we must be sure they are fresh and not overly refined.

We will go into more depth about all aspects of a healthy diet and the dangers of additives, GMOs, and conventional farming in upcoming issues. In the meantime, eat healthy. Eat smart. Go organic.

There are two supplements we recommend you take every day, regardless of who you are and what diet you choose. Obviously, a good multivitamin/mineral is a must, but you also need a fatty acid supplement.

Multivitamins and minerals

Ideally you want to get your vitamins and minerals from the foods you eat. But it’s next to impossible for some and completely impossible for others in this day and age. A good multivitamin/mineral supplement is an absolute must for anyone who wants to reach optimum health regardless of their diet.

Thorne Basic Nutrients

Dr. Timothy Kelly recommends Thorne Research vitamins and mineral combinations. They offer a multi vitamin-mineral combination, Basic Nutrients ($30) I and II. Formula I is without copper and iron (recommended); formula II includes them. Another good choice is Basic Immune Nutrients, which combines Basic Nutrients with nutrients that have been found to enhance the functioning of the immune system. A third excellent choice from Thorne is Extra Nutrients. This comprehensive multi vitamin-mineral formula provides the added benefit of reduced glutathione, coenzyme Q10, and hesperidin methyl chalcone. For patients exposed to increased oxidant or free-radical stress, this formula maximizes antioxidant support.

Total Nutrition powder

Dr. Ian Shillington N.D. sells his own formula, Total Nutrition Powder ($48), a balanced blend of whole foods specially formulated to supply natural food source vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential trace elements.

These are nature’s nutrients, not manmade synthetic vitamins. All ingredients are from rich, whole food sources, which are organically grown or wild crafted. You can buy Total Nutrition Powder at our online store, read through his main site, www.academyofnaturalhealing.com, where Dr. Shillington shares his recipe for those who want to make their own Total Nutrition Powder.

Buried Treasure VM-100

Another good choice, available at most health food stores and Whole Foods, is Buried Treasure’s VM-100 ($30). VM-100 is a liquid vitamin/mineral with a full range of B vitamins and it’s also an excellent source of vitamin C.

Beyond Health Multi Vitamin Formula

The top of the line, arguably best, and certainly most expensive is the Multi Vitamin Formula available at BeyondHealth.com ($90). Raymond Francis designed and developed his own line of supplements and you can trust that in this case, you get what you pay for. His website is very informative and well worth your time.

Fatty Acid
Supplements

Fatty acids in the proper balance are needed for many metabolic functions and our bodies cannot produce them. We recommend a fatty acid supplement with a blend of omega-3s, omega 6s, and omega 9s:Udo’s DHA Oil Blend. Dr. Shillington, Raymond Francis, and many other alternative health care practitioners recommend Udo’s Choice Oil with DHA, available at most health food stores. In the past we recommended UDO’s oil and a high quality fish oil Like Carlson or Nordic Naturals in order to get DHA, but now you can get all of the fatty acids you need from one source. Vegans need not worry, Udo’s Oil DHA formula is still 100% vegan.

Other Supplements YouMay Need

PMS

Udo’s Oil and Buried Trasure VM-100 are an absolute must for any women with PMS. The B vitamins in the VM-100 are essential for controlling emotions and you need a variety of Omega 3’s, 6’s, and 9’s to process those B vitamins. Men or women, if you suffer from mood swings of any kind, you could benefit from these two supplements.

Candida (Fungus and/or Yeast)

Anyone coming off of antibiotics, struggling with chronic yeast infections or Candidaovergrowth (usually a result of antibiotic use or excessive alcohol consumption), or eating a typical American diet high in refined sugar, flour, and other refined foods, needs to supply the colon with beneficial bacteria. Forget yogurt, kefir, and most of those probiotics you find at your local health food stores. Virtually all of them are an absolute waste of money.

Little if any of the healthy bacteria makes it through your acidic stomach and into your gut where you need them. Probiotic strains need to be alive when they reach the intestine to be beneficial. A high quality probiotic such as Bio-K Plus is available in diary or soy-based formulas as well as capsules, though we recommend the non-capsule formulas for better absorption.

In addition we recommend Thorne Research SF-722, a castor bean oil abstract that does as good if not better than anything we’ve ever used to kill yeast.

Chronic Acidity

For chronic acidity or acute acidity due to a night out on the town drinking or eating an abundance of acidic foods, you will benefit from Body Balance + Formula by Dr. Shillington. This formula contains black walnut hull tincture, organic blackstrap molasses, and organic apple cider vinegar.

“The average person should take two tablespoons a day. If you’re suffering from arthritis, osteoporosis, or migraines, start off with three (one before each meal) for one month, then cut back to two tablespoons (one in the morning, and one at night, or two in the morning), which is the maintenance dosage. This formula works and has saved many an expensive trip to the Medico. With the quality of the food on our planet being so terrible, Body Balance + should be a daily supplement for everyone, including children,” says Dr. Shillington.

The first step to good digestion is to chew your food very well. If your mouth doesn’t do its job, your stomach and your small intestine cannot fully absorb nutrients. Poor chewing is a common reason why so many people suffer from nutritional deficiencies. They just don’t get what they need out of their food. Don’t drink fluids when you eat. Liquids dilute stomach acids needed to dissolve protein. Don’t eat too much.

Cup your hands together. This is the optimum amount you should eat at one time. The 80/20 principle applies to digestion. Never fill your stomach more than 80% full of food. Don’t eat spoiled food such as aged meat. Limit processed food, or better yet, eliminate it from your diet. Don’t overcook your meat. Meat cooked well done is harder to digest. Don’t lie down after eating. Don’t take antacids. They neutralize stomach acid and stop digestion. Food sits in the stomach and colon and rots.

Many naturopathic practitioners recommend a teaspoon to a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to aid in digestion, but some people’s stomachs are a bit too sensitive and they may not be able to handle it. I recommend hydrochloride lactose-free pepsin, a digestive enzyme especially useful for digesting proteins. And of course, I recommend Thorne as the best manufacturer for this supplement. It will help acidify your stomach during digestion and add much needed enzymes to your food.

Combine your food properly. Don’t eat protein with starches. Eat meat with vegetables; eat grains or potatoes with vegetables. Eat fruit alone.

Eat an alkaline diet. Acidic diets indirectly inhibit proper digestion. By acidic, I don’t mean citrus fruits. Carbs like pasta and rice, meats, and processed foods, are all acidic to the body. An acidic diet places a heavy burden on the body and creates an environment loved by cancer, bacteria, and viruses.

No matter how healthy your diet, if you do not digest your food well, you will not get the nutrition your body needs.
Digest Your Protein

Poor digestion causes innumerable health aliments. Common problems associated with poor digestion include arthritis, acid indigestion, and high cholesterol.

One of the most common causes of osteoarthritis is a lack of protein in the joints (lubrication in the joints is made up of proteins). Your joints have 30 times more protein than muscle and tissue. If you don’t properly digest the protein you consume, your body will steal the proteins from your joints, its richest source, to meet the needs of the rest of your body.

After years and years of eating too fast and not chewing your food, of drinking fluids during or after your meals, you are more likely to develop arthritis. You’re starving yourself slowly, depriving your body of the proteins and the nutrients it needs.

There are many factors to good health. But remember, proper digestion is an essential factor, the foundation of your health.
The Way We Used To Eat

Sixty trillion cells make up your body and each cell requires nutrition. Food cravings were meant to be our body’s way of telling us what it needs. For instance, thirst is a sign that our body needs water—not milk, juice, soda, coffee, or tea. Craving something sweet is a cry for fruit, not candy bars, jellybeans, or ice cream.

We’ve corrupted the link between taste and our natural ability to know what our body needs by living on processed foods, a diet loaded with sugar, salt, trans fats, and MSG. We used to eat our food fresh and raw, picked from the ground or plucked from the tree. Even meat was eaten raw until we discovered fire. We ate fewer grains and we ate them seasonally. Proper digestion wasn’t complicated.