Can detoxing be dangerous?

Dangerous Detox Trends

New Years resolutions of health and wellness are still flying around us like a swarm of bees. Everyone has started the year with great hopes of shedding a few pounds, gaining some new muscle, becoming more Zen, or achieving their overall optimal health. Honestly, in my business, this is the best part of the year. I get to see everyone strive for greatness, exude hopefulness and confidence. 

Unfortunately, with this eagerness comes a bit of misguided information. Many people are wanting to detox to start the year off with a “clean slate”, in hopes of losing a tremendous amount of weight very quickly to gain momentum. When I see people’s posts and hear their stories of jumping straight into detoxing without any preparation, I feel like it’s my responsibility to step in and share some knowledge. 

Many people are not aware of how to safely detoxify. Even many health professionals are not fully aware of how to conduct a detox in a safe yet effective manner. 

In naturopathic medicine, we focus a lot on environmental medicine and the importance of cleansing every year. I completely support the notion of annually or biannually cleansing to keep the toxic load low in the body for optimal health. However, there is an appropriate time and process to perform such a detox. 

How to Safely Detoxify

First of all, eating healthy and avoiding toxins in our everyday lives is something to strive for. Just beginning to eat well isn’t considered a detox (in the technical term). Yes, that will help eliminate the toxic food burden on the body, which is a great start!  But it will not stimulate the liver to utilize phase I and II detox pathways or actively remove toxins from the cells. 

Second, Performing a cleanse every year so you can go back to eating fast-food and sugary drinks on daily basis should not be the goal. The goal should be to make lasting lifestyle changes, so detoxing is easier on your body. 

Think about it this way… the toxic drudge in your body is like a clogged drain. If you throw everything down the sink your drain is bound to get clogged. In order to clear it, you must call in someone that will use tools, suctions, and sometimes heavy machinery to get all of the grimy, greasy, sticky, clumpy, nasty drudge out of the pipes. But, if you did not throw all the food scraps, grease, and whathaveyou down the drain on a daily basis, and instead used it only for the water, soap and occasional crumb; then once a year you could throw some drain-o (or baking soda and vinegar) down the drain to clear it out and avoid ever having to go through the extensive cleansing process. This is where the difference of cleansing and resetting must be explained. 

A full body and/or gut cleanse is much different than a diet and lifestyle reset. A reset would look something like this: 5 day juice fast or vegan diet with clean water and reduced toxin exposures. In contrast, a full body cleanse or detox would include measures to actively pull toxins from your cells and tissues and into your blood stream to then be excreted through your emunctories (detox organs). 

Yes, fresh organic vegetable juices can help the body detox in a way, but not to the extent of what I am speaking of. When drinking only fresh juices for a short time, the body is simply utilizing the antioxidants to combat our daily toxic exposures and replete our nutrient deficiencies. Unfortunately, it’s not until day 4 and 5 when the body might begin to utilize those nutrients from the juice to address the cell toxicity. So resets are great! And they should probably be conducted several times a year, but they are not doing the deep cleaning that most of us need on an annual or biannual basis.

A full body cleanse would include opening up all emunctories and utilizing them daily in various ways. It would be complete avoidance of all known toxic exposures (that is within your control).  In addition, you would take specific supplementation of vitamins, minerals and herbs to aid in the detoxification of the liver, intestines, lymphatics and kidneys. It may also use homeopathics and drainage remedies, as well as physical medicine modalities to stimulate not only the physical, but the emotional detoxification that we all need. On top of all of that, adhering to a strict whole foods diet and clean water is imperative! Adding fresh organic juices to that regimen makes the process much more effective!

Thirdly, in order to be safe, intense detoxification should be conducted in the following manner: 

1. Preparation week(s) where you identify and eliminate toxic exposures and adapt a clean diet 

2. Open and utilize emunctories (detox organs)

3. Use supplementation to support emunctories

4. Use herbs/supplementation to detoxify and cleanse (toxins and pathogens) while taking additional antioxidants and binders to avoid increased levels and redistribution of toxins and pathogens. 

5. Reintroduction of foods in an orderly fashion 

6. Permanent lifestyle changes :) 

Finally, the time of year to perform a full body detoxification cleanse should be chosen wisely. For thousands of years, the spring and the fall have been identified as the most appropriate times to conduct a cleanse. Evidence of this is in the ancient medicine traditions of Ayurveda.  This is due primarily to the status of our endocrine system during these seasons. We want our bodies to be supported during the detox as much as possible, so the process is not too draining.

Ultimately you should leave a detox feeling refreshed and balanced. The safest way to do that is to find a knowledgeable naturopathic doctor to guide you through the process. 

An Effective and Safe Detox Takes Time

The detox may take 6 weeks up to 3 months, maybe even more. It depends on the person’s level of toxicity and how fast they can move into each phase. Someone who is extremely toxic and also overweight, should never aim to lose too much weight too fast. This would release too many toxins at once and the liver may not be able to handle it. In addition, no phase should be skipped and no cleanse should be stopped before finalizing. The reasons are this… 

When certain bacteria, viruses, funguses, etc are killed they release more toxins into the body, causing multiple unpleasant symptoms otherwise known as a herxheimer reaction. This negative experience can be avoided if your cleanse is conducted in the right order and speed in which you can tolerate.

In addition, if you are actively pulling toxins off of the cells and destroying pathogen biofilms (a protective covering for various bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites) then those toxins and pathogens will be actively floating around in your blood or passing through your intestines. If you stop too soon, it is possible for them to redeposit somewhere else in your body. When this occurs, it is not uncommon to feel worse than before you began. Therefor, detoxing should be individualized based on each person’s toxic load and current pathogen status. 

Some important things to keep in mind: 3 months leading up to pregnancy, pregnancy itself and during breastfeeding are not the times to detox. Instead, using avoidance, incorporating fresh organic juices and supplements such as prenatal or multivitamins are the safest way to stay clean and healthy during those times. 

Happy cleansing y’all!

Please consult your doctor for any new programs or treatments you try. I am a doctor, but I am not your doctor. So this article should not be taken as medical advice.

Cleansing your toxic load. Addressing life's most common toxic encounters.

As discussed in my previous article, What is your Toxic Load?, I spoke about the dangers of letting toxins accumulate in our bodies. Aside from detoxification methods, the best was to do that is by avoidance. Here,I will list for you common threats we are exposed to on a daily basis. Once they are identified, you can remove them and replace them with non-toxic items to ensure you maintain a low toxic load. This is extremely important when Preparing for Pregnancy. So let’s dive right into the top toxin exposures in our lives.

1. Beauty and Personal Care products 

Your skin is your largest organ, and anything you put on it is absorbed into your bloodstream. At this point in time in America, there are only forty or so banned chemicals found in beauty products, while the European Union has banned over 1,300. In essence, the U.S. has no regulation, so our beauty products are filled with harmful chemicals and metals. In fact, until recently our federal government hadn’t passed a law to regulate ingredients in beauty products since 1937!

Yes, you read that correctly. Formaldehyde is allowed to be used in your foundation, aluminum in your eye shadow, fiberglass in your anti-aging cream, and so on. In 2013, University of California, Berkeley researchers found chromium, cadmium, aluminum, manganese, and lead in the twenty-four lip gloss brands and eight lipsticks they tested.[1]

Fortunately, finding clean beauty products isn’t difficult like it used to be. There currently are multiple companies using non-toxic ingredients that also work. Use the EWG consumer Apps to scan in products for toxic scores. The brand I recommend the most is Beautycounter, as they are a major part in the movement for legislative change.

2. Plastics

Plastics can be viewed as soft or hard and subdivided into two broad chemical categories, Pthalates and Phenols. The softer the plastic is, the more toxic it is. 

Pthalates are chemicals used in soft plastics, but can also be found in fragrances, cosmetics, and paint and flooring. Phenols, on the other hand, are chemicals found in bottles, food storage items, water coolers, contact lenses, as well as canned foods lining, dental sealants, antimicrobials, preservatives, and more. Phenols include bisphenal A, or BPA, triclosan, and parabens.[11,12] The two have been associated with impaired neurodevelopment, decreased IQ, endocrine hormone disruption, spontaneous abortion, childhood asthma, and cancer (2, 3, 4, 5)

It is important to note that many products were labeled BPA-free after research studies were published about its detrimental health effects such as cancer. But I want to make sure everyone is aware that this does not make them safe! Bisphenol exists as forms A through Z, and we do not have research on anything other than A at the moment.

Reducing exposure to plastics is an easy task. The first goal should be to remove any plastic from your life that is in contact with your food or drink items. My basic rule is avoid plastics labeled with three, six, or seven ALWAYS. Plastics labeled one, two, four, and five can be used SPARINGLY. But, never ever heat or freeze your food in any type of plastic container. You can replace plastic food containers with glass, stainless steel, or silicone, but do not heat in silicone. And do not use plastic labeled “BPA free”.

In addition, allowing things like shower curtains to air out a day or two before installing, avoiding plastic mattress covers and switching to wool, using glasses instead of contacts are additional things you can do to prevent overexposure. 

3. Water 

Tap water contains pharmaceuticals and hormones, bacteria, viruses, and mold. In order to make drinking water clean enough for people to drink, municipalities add chlorine. On top of that, many cities are fluoridating their water, too. 

The government and your dentist may tell you fluoridated water is better for your dental health, but I beg to differ. More and more children are exhibiting the symptoms of fluoride poisoning due to the excess exposure from oral care products in addition to the water supply.

Unfortunately, well water (if not dug deep enough) isn’t any better and likely contaminated with the same chemicals city water has, minus the pharmaceuticals. In fact, heavy metals and bacteria have been found at higher levels in well water, especially if the water is not from a deep source. Well water should be regularly tested. and run through a filtration system. 

City & well water should be run through a filtration system that has the ability to filter out viruses, bacteria, molds, pharmaceuticals, chlorine and fluoride. This is also the case for your bathing water. My filter of choice is the Berky filters: drinking and shower. 

4. Pesticides

We all already know that pesticides in our food supply have been highly scrutinized for killing bee colonies, ruining ecosystems, causing cancer, and disrupting our endocrine organs. But pesticides aren’t just found in our food supply; they are in green space, such as parks, golf courses, cemeteries, and neighborhood lawns. Pesticide exposure to a pregnant woman have been linked to a 60% increased chance in autism (ASD), gestational diabetes, and a decline in IQ and working memory at seven years old. In one meta-analysis, the correlation was recognized between childhood leukemia and prenatal maternal occupational pesticide exposure.[5] This is why when searching for a place to rent or own, it is important to find something away from those heavily sprayed areas.  

5. Air pollution

The main chemical threats in outdoor air pollution are known as benzenes and volatile gases which come from car exhaust, oil refineries, and repair shops. More important than outdoor pollution is your indoor air quality. Most of the homes in the U.S. harbor a myriad of airborne chemicals. In fact, according to one recent study, indoor air levels of pesticide residues were actually ten to one hundred times higher than outdoor levels. [5, 6] 

The high level of indoor air pollution comes from off-gassing (the chemicals used in manufacture are released) of furniture and building products, personal care products, cleaning products, candles, mold growth, outdoor air pollution being trapped indoors, and accumulation of dust. Here are a few of the most prevalent and dangerous chemicals to be aware of:

Flame retardants or Polyurethane foam is found in mattresses, couches, carpet, and car seats, to name a few. This chemical has been linked to impaired mental function for children ages one, three, and six years of age, as well as decreased IQ in children age five. Flame retardants are more harmful than other chemicals because they are fat soluble and harder for your body to get rid of them. 

Household cleaners are another culprit of indoor air pollution. I subscribe to the belief that ‘being clean is actually the absence of smell’. If you can smell the chemicals in a cleaner, your exposure is already too high and likely over the recommended safety level. A general rule of thumb is, any product listing the word fragrance in its ingredients list is toxic and should be avoided. Many of the chemicals allowed in our cleaning products in the U.S. are banned in the European Union. Why is this? The European Union has stronger rules in place to protect consumers from chemicals that are linked to infertility, cancer, and birth defects. 

In 2012, the Environmental Working Group released a document listing the most toxic household cleaners on the market. Toxicity was based on substantial research proving it to be carcinogenic (causing cancer), hormone disrupting, abrasive to the skin, or causing respiratory distress. They Called it the Hall of Shame and it has 28 well-known brands to avoid when cleaning. A few of the most popular are: 409 spray cleaner, Comet, Drano products, DampRid Mildew remover, Easy-Off oven cleaner, Febreze products, Glade air fresheners, Lysol toilet bowl cleaner, Scrubbing Bubbles, and Simple Green All- purpose Cleaner. 

In addition, Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOCs, found in paint, wood glue, particle board, and flooring. Formaldehyde being one of the most common VOCs; Homes built before 1978 have the added possibility of containing lead-based paint. VOCs and lead based paint both are known for their neurotoxicity.Exposure to these airborne sources during pregnancy has been associated with many adverse outcomes, such as pediatric allergy, decreased IQ, infectious disease, respiratory illness, autism, childhood cancers, hyperactivity, and congenital birth defects. [5] 

The good news is that most cleaning and building supplies are easy to remove from your life and replace with non-toxic versions. Simple measures can be taken to purify the air we breathe to reduce exposure. First, start by avoiding any products labeled: “poison”, “danger”, or “fatal” if swallowed. Do not use any cleaning products on the Hall of Shame list and check every brand against EWG’s database. The brands I use for cleaning are Attitude and Biokleen. Next, ensure your building supplies are low VOC. I refer to Green building supply for helpful information and non-toxic products. 

Next, ensure you have a good HEPA air filter in your home, including in the bedroom. The best air purifier removes more than just dust, it also filters out the majority of chemical pollutants, including mycotoxins. I use the Austin Air Purifier. If an air purifier is not in your budget, the next best thing is to buy several indoor plants. There are many plants that are known to cleanse the air of major toxicants, including Gerbera daisies, Chrysanthemums, English Ivy, Peace Lily, spider plants, snake plants, and bamboo palm.[7]

Aside from synthetic chemicals indoors, there is also the danger of toxic mold. When water damage occurs, mold growth begins at a rapid pace. With the mold spores are mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are neurotoxic chemicals that can attack your peripheral nerves and cranial nerves as well as brain tissue. They can also cause respiratory distress and skin irritation. Mycotoxins are so powerful, that it requires a very strong immune system, liver and detoxing system for your body to escape negative effects. If  your detoxing systems are impaired, the effects of mold can be a long-term battle. Mold toxicity has been misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, migraines, mast cell activation, POTS, and more. It is often responsible for reactivated infectious disease such as Lyme or EBV.  

It is important to note that if you have mold growth in your home, an air filter and/or plants will not be enough. Although HEPA and charcoal filters remove mycotoxins and mold spores, that is generally outdoor mold traveling into your home. The only way to avoid toxicity from indoor mold growth in a water damaged home is to leave the environment completely. If you currently own the infected home and there is no possibility of moving, the next best solution is to have it professionally renovated while you vacate the premises. I would recommend a company that seals off the toxic rooms, wipes down surfaces in the rest of the house, uses non-toxic chemicals for treating the area, and offers post-treatment testing. 

Easy steps to prevent mold growth in your home are: keep the air dry using a dehumidifier; fix seals on windows and doors; frequently check places with higher condensation, such as high vaulted ceilings and air vents; and attend to water leaks promptly. You can also periodically check for leaks under sinks, behind your washing machine, dishwasher, and refrigerator.

6. Electromagnetic frequencies

Electromagnetic frequencies, or EMFs and EMRs, are just now becoming well-known among the general public. However, it has been a known threat for a long time in the field of environmental medicine. Radiation frequencies from house wireless systems, power lines, cell phones, microwaves, and other electronic devices are now being researched for their impact and exposure during pregnancy, and linked to low sperm count.[5] 

This type of toxin is of the worst kind for a few reasons. First, you can’t see it, hear it, taste it, or smell it. Second, it is all around you all the time and, in today’s world, there is almost no way to avoid it, especially if you live in any populated area. Fortunately, there are ways to protect yourself from this invisible radiation. It is very important to avoid this toxin during your detox, and equally as important to use protective gear when pregnant. 

The most important EMF avoidance techniques to use are to avoid cordless phones, disconnect WiFi when sleeping (purchase router timer), do not keep your phone in your pocket, turn cell phone on airplane mode or off when not in use, unplug everything in your room when sleeping, avoid microwaves, and when you cannot avoid all EMF consider wearing protective clothing, such as undershirts or boxers for men. 

This is just the tip of the iceburg. In addition to the above, things like heavy metals, organic solvents, stress, and more bombard our systems. 

Resources:

1. Liu, S., S.K. Hammond, and A. Rojas-Cheatham, Concentrations and potential health risks of metals in lip products. Environ Health Perspect, 2013. 121(6): p. 705-10.

2. Rochester, J.R., Bisphenol A and human health: a review of the literature. Reprod Toxicol, 2013. 42: p. 132-55.

3. OEHHA, The Proposition 65 List. 2019.

4. Arbuckle, T.E., et al., Maternal and infant exposure to environmental phenols as measured in multiple biological matrices. Sci Total Environ, 2015. 508: p. 575-84.

5. Genuis SJ, G.R., Preconception Care: A New Standard of Care within Maternal Health Services.  Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, 2016.

6. Hibbs, J., NAEM bootcamp toxicant kinetics & clinical teoxicology. 2018.

7. McDonald, R.C., Foliage Plants for Removing Indoor Air Pollutants from Energy-Efficient Homes. Economic botany, 1984. 38(2): p. 224-228.

8. Divan, H.A., et al., Prenatal and postnatal exposure to cell phone use and behavioral problems in children. Epidemiology, 2008. 19(4): p. 523-9.

9. Divan, H.A., et al., Cell phone use and behavioural problems in young children. J Epidemiol Community Health, 2012. 66(6): p. 524-9.

10. Aldad, T.S., et al., Fetal radiofrequency radiation exposure from 800-1900 mhz-rated cellular telephones affects neurodevelopment and behavior in mice. Sci Rep, 2012. 2: p. 312.

11. Larsson, K., et al., Exposure determinants of phthalates, parabens, bisphenol A and triclosan in Swedish mothers and their children. Environ Int, 2014. 73: p. 323-33.

12. Meeker, J.D., S. Sathyanarayana, and S.H. Swan, Phthalates and other additives in plastics: human exposure and associated health outcomes. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 2009. 364(1526): p. 2097-113.

What is your toxic load?

“Toxic load” and “total body burden,” are terms used frequently by environmental medicine practitioners. It refers to toxic exposures we encounter on a daily basis adding up over time until it overwhelms the body and causes symptoms. Let me take a moment to explain how these accumulate in the body using the Barrel Analogy. 

For example, imagine you are born with a barrel inside of you. At birth it is virtually empty or maybe only slightly filled, depending on your circumstances. By day, it starts to fill with toxins from our external environment. This could be from your food, water, and air sources, or from the pesticides you encounter. It could also be the chemicals used in industrial settings, schools, or the workplace, the toxic relationships you have, the excess stressors in your life, and so on. Your body attempts to clear the barrel using the help of your detoxing organs, but eventually it gets overwhelmed.

Once the liver is overwhelmed and the gastrointestinal tract is unable to eliminate toxins, the body attempts to remove the toxins through other means or store them for containment. For instance, you may experience a rash or achy joints. Your skin is a final detoxing organ utilized extensively when the liver is not able to fulfill its duties. In addition, your bones are a perfect place to store things (like heavy metals), to ensure they are not floating freely in your bloodstream and a threat to your vital organs. Over time the barrel fills completely and the detoxing organs can no longer help. This is when you begin to experience exaggerated symptoms and chronic illnesses. When your barrel simply cannot hold anymore and it spills over into various tissues around the body, your immune system  begins to tag many unnecessary things as foreign in order to protect you. This may lead to multiple chemical and food sensitivities. 

For me, learning about the toxic burden we face daily scared me. Everywhere I looked, I could see toxins spewing out. I allowed the fear to consume me. Until I learned that the fear and anxiety are also toxic. So, my fear was counterproductive and was actually contributing to the toxicity. Knowing about our vulnerability to toxins shouldn’t cause us fear; it should bring us confidence. If we can control what is in our home–the place we spend most of our time–and on our bodies, then we can decrease our toxic burden significantly. 

Filling the barrel occurs at different rates for each person based on your genetics and predisposition for disease. The thing that remains constant for each individual is that the barrel needs to be emptied periodically. Cleansing/reseting and detoxing are an effective way to empty your barrel. I recommend cleansing/resetting 2-3 times per year and one good 4-6 week detox a year. By doing this, you can help your body respond more efficiently to the unavoidable threats you encounter on a daily basis. Once you have emptied your barrel, it is important to eliminate as many day-to-day toxins that will quickly fill your barrel back up. 

Consider the following resource for further learning about environmental toxins.

By Joseph Pizzorno

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Learn more about the most common toxic threats in my blog, Cleansing Your Toxic Load.