cleansing and detoxification 81
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Cleansing and Detoxifi cation
You would not own a car and assume that simply by giving it oil, water,
and gas it would keep functioning effi ciently. You would realize that, at
some time, it would need a complete oil change and a service.
Interestingly, however, many people do not take similar steps to ensure
that their bodies get the correct fuel and care. Yet they expect them to run
effi ciently. Detoxifying is like home servicing an engine, a self-help
program to keep your body functioning well. A new breed of people are
emerging who are prepared to give it a try and fi nding the results
worthwhile.
Decreased immunity because of an increase in toxicity is evidently the
key health issue of our time and will continue to be for the foreseeable
future. But detoxifying and cleansing programs can help redress this
problem. Cleansing the body of toxins by excreting, transforming, or
neutralizing them frees the body. Every organ and system can sigh with
relief as burdens are lifted, excess toxic baggage is towed away, and the
effort of digestion is reduced to a minimum while nourishment is still
provided.
What exactly are these toxins? They can be excessive mucus, abundant
free radicals, fungal and other microbial infestations, parasites, and
worms — in fact, anything that blocks tissues and suffocates cells, causing
stagnation and the diseases that often arise out of an immunally or
digestively compromised body. Free-radical damage is a common factor
in chronic disease. Free radicals are irritants that cause tissue to infl ame,
blocking normal, free-fl owing function at every level. Whatever the
toxicity, and whatever its cause, the effects can manifest themselves in
many ways. Cancer, diabetes, diverticulitis, obesity, fatigue, immune-
system weakness, sexual disorders, swollen joints, headaches, candidiasis,
and depression are just a few examples.
Good health relies entirely on a correctly functioning gastrointestinal
tract that assimilates nutrients from food and swiftly removes toxic
substances. Because this system creates harmony and balance, it stands to
reason that appropriate foods or the lack of them can be the major
mechanisms through which the body is healed or remains sick. Exercise,
massage, hydro therapy, and herbs have a supportive role in healing and
should be used alongside healing food programs and other supportive