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Spring is Here … Time for a Spring Clean of Your Body and Mind …

By Gail Matthew Added Mon, Oct 6th 2008, 21:21

Get Ready to DETOX

Symptoms and Signs of Toxicity

Any disease can be made worse by toxicity. However, some of the most common signs include:

Recurrent headaches
Muscle aching and weakness
Nerve pain or numbness
Recurrent infections
Infertility
Poor short-term memory and concentration
Adverse reactions/sensitivity to environmental chemicals, odours and/or nutritional supplements
Chronic fatigue and lethargy
Depression, anxiety and/or mood swings
Digestive discomfort
Loss of appetite
Nausea
Abdominal bloating
Intolerance to fatty foods
Hormonal imbalances
Weight problems
Elevated blood cholesterol
Fluid retention.

What is Toxicity?

Toxicity is literally how poisonous a substance is. Some things are very poisonous, and even a small amount can be harmful (eg arsenic). Many substances are slightly poisonous, so that small amounts are able to be removed without harm. If you have a large exposure to these milder poisons (eg pesticides), then over time they can overwhelm your ability to ‘detoxify’ or remove them from your body. Also, an exposure to several mild poisons at once is much more dangerous than one at a time.

One of the body’s defense mechanisms when faced with toxicity is to store the harmful chemicals in your fat tissue. This means that these poisons can be stored for many years in our tissues, becoming an ongoing source of ill health.

Sources of Toxin Exposure

Toxins come in two broad categories: environmental (external) and endogenous (made in your body). Environmental toxins include metals, chemicals, hormones, bacterial and microbial toxins that are present in the air, water and food that we consume. Endogenous toxins include hormones and other chemicals that are produced in the body, and chemicals produced by bugs in your digestive system which enter your bloodstream.

Safety During Detoxification

Your safety and comfort during detoxification is important. For this reason, I highly recommend that this process be managed by a qualified health practitioner. Your local naturopath will be fully equipped to perform tests to establish your level of toxicity. They will then evaluate the best type of detoxification regime to suit your requirements.

Pregnancy
Detoxification should not be attempted during pregnancy; it is, however, ideal as a preconception programme. If you fall pregnant, you should stop the programme and contact your naturopath.

Medication
Detoxification has the potential to change the way some medicines work. If you are taking prescription medication then discuss this with your health practitioner.

Get the Help You Need

If you would like to know more about whether detoxification is right for you, you can email me at gail@gailmatthew.co.nz or phone 09 473 8283.

www.gailmatthew.co.nz