The 4 week detox programme
During the process of digestion, acids that help to break down and
digest food are produced in various parts of the
gut.
The body gets rid of some of these acids quickly via the lungs, but
others, such as uric, phosphoric and sulphuric acid – generated
during the breakdown of animal protein – are eliminated via the
kidneys and take longer to pass out of the body. If excess acid is
not eliminated fast enough it can upset the pH of the
gut.
This causes digestive processes to be impaired and fats, sugars and
proteins to be only partially broken down. As a result, food starts
to putrefy in the gut which, in turn, causes the proliferation of
unheathy micro-organisms.
The healthy bacterial environment of the gut becomes unbalanced and
the toxins that result from putrefaction place a burden on the the
liver, which rapidly becomes congested.
According to the late Dr Kousmine, a nutrition and cancer
specialist, acids that are not eliminated from the body during the
day are stored in extra-cellular fluid (known as mesenteric fluid)
in the peritoneum. At night when the body is resting the acids are
filtered and disposed of. Over a period of time, however, acids
build up in the body’s tissues causing an accumulation of toxins
and a condition known as chronic acidosis.
This can give rise to a variety of symptoms including fatigue,
disturbed sleep, regurgitation, heartburn, lack of appetite or
bulimia, diarrhoea or constipation, migraine, bad breath, cold
perspiration, lowered resistance to infections, muscular pain,
rheumatism, bronchitis and excessive mucus production resulting in
chronic catarrh.
In the past 50 years, there has been a considerable increase in
health problems such as heart disease, cancer and auto-immune or
degenerative disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. Rather than
having mechanical, bacterial or viral causes, these illnesses are
directly or indirectly linked to modern food processing and
preserving methods and the excessive consumption of refined sugar,
cereals, oils, meat, dairy and animal fat. The use of hormones,
chemical fertilizers, antibiotics, insecticides, anti-fungal agents
have also contributed to the build up of toxins in the
body
A detoxification diet can facilitate the rapid and efficient
elimination of toxins and improve both current and long-term
health. The detoxification plan described here is a programme of
diet and exercise that is complemented by herbal medicine and
nutritional supplements. Although it is suitable for the majority
of adults, it should not be followed by pregnant or breastfeeding
women, children or elderly people. If you are on long-term
medication, such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), or drugs for
hypertension or thyroid problems, you should continue to take it
throughout the programme (consult your doctor if you are in any
doubt about whether it is safe for you to follow a detox plan).
Although the detox plan requires a few changes to your normal
routine and some careful planning, it should be fairly easy for
most people to implement.
Most people start to feel the benefits of detox about 10 days into
the programme. It is also useful to be aware of some possible side
effects. These vary depending on the stage of the programme but
they tend to include mild headache, mood changes and energy
fluctuations. If side effects do not abate after the first week, or
you experience persistent or troublesome symptoms, consult your
doctor.