A-Z natural detox Articles

It's hard to believe that the dandelion, a "weed" that aggravates so many lawn artists, also possesses many health benefits and has been an important medicinal herb throughout history. The scientific name of the dandelion is Taraxacum officinale. The name "dandelion" comes from the French "dents de lion", which translates to "lion's teeth", a reference to the shape of the edges of the leaves. The leaves of the dandelion plant are hooked and pointed, a characteristic that allows this plant to be distinguished from wild lettuce, another common lawn weed. 

Both wild lettuce and dandelion leaves can be used to make a tasty garden salad, jam-packed with nutrients. The leaves and the roots of the dandelion plant have different medicinal properties; the leaves are a diuretic that can help clean the urinary tract, while the roots are a digestive bitter.

Exploring Dandelion's Health Benefits

Digestive Bitter

Dandelion roots and leaves have a bitter taste that stimulates the release of saliva and stomach acid, thus increasing appetite. It also triggers a cascade of increased secretion of digestive juices throughout the gastrointestinal tract including bile, and pancreatic secretions, both of which promote better digestion.

Liver and Gallbladder Health

The dandelion plant is useful in the treatment of digestive disorders. The root of the plant stimulates the release of bile from the liver and gallbladder, which helps the body to digest fats. It also helps to flush the gallbladder and support the release of toxins by the liver. Because of this, dandelion is an excellent liver cleanser. At the same time, there is some evidence that dandelion may help to regulate cholesterol levels, which is also likely due to this bile flush response.

Urinary Tract Cleanser

The leaves act as a potassium-sparing diuretic, which functions equally to common prescription diuretics in studies. Thus dandelion leaf can be used to treat water retention such as retention that is due to PMS. This action also allows dandelion leaf to flush fluid through the kidneys making it a good herb for cleansing the urinary tract.

Antimicrobial

Dandelion has some antimicrobial properties that make it useful for infections like abscesses and boils. Because of this, and its liver cleansing abilities, dandelion can help to detoxify the body and reduce skin conditions like acne.

Reaping The Health Benefits of Dandelion: Supplement Varieties

Dandelion leaf and root can be used as an encapsulated herb, dried herb, tincture or liquid extract. The roots contain the medicinal constituents that support the liver and digestion, while the leaf contains the substances that support the kidney and urinary tract. 

Dandelion root is found as a component of many intestinal and liver cleansing formulas. To help with digestion, bitter herbs must be tasted, like when you take them in a tincture or tea. Encapsulated herbs are swallowed, thus bypassing the taste buds, and will not stimulate digestion, which is why the dandelion leaf is often found as a component of kidney cleansing formulas.

The dose of dandelion root or leaf is 500 – 1500mg per day of powdered extract. Liquid can be dosed at 15 – 30ml of root extract, or 10-30ml daily of leaf extract. But it's always best to follow the dosing recommendations on the manufacturer's label or from your healthcare practitioner. 

A person is said to become addicted to a substance when its withdrawal prevents the body from functioning normally. Substance abusers become physically and psychologically dependent on a drug.  Successful treatment of drug addiction depends upon treating the physical, mental and emotional aspects of addiction. One must not forget that drug abuse also affects other family members.

Some studies have found that they are at an increased risk of addiction. They may also be in need of physical and emotional support.

What is Drug Addiction?

It is not only the drug addiction itself that causes suffering for the addict, but also their lifestyle that affects overall health. Drug addicts are often at a higher risk for other diseases and are more at risk than someone who isn’t a drug user. Many drugs drain the body of essential nutrients, and in addition to this, drug users might miss meals entirely due to the drug’s effects. This group of people are also at a higher risk for infectious diseases. Being addicted to drugs can drastically shorten one's lifespan and greatly lower one's quality of life. Recovery from drug addiction is complex.

How Do Drugs Effect The Brain?

Drugs affect the neurochemical balance of the brain. One such neurochemical is dopamine.  It is responsible for giving us satisfaction and pleasurable feelings.  Alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, cocaine and most other drugs increase dopamine levels in the brain.  The more they are used, the less often the body must use its own mechanisms to release dopamine. Over time, the body becomes depleted of neurochemicals and is less able to react to pleasurable stimuli.

Symptoms & Signs of Drug Abuse

Symptoms of drug abuse start slowly and tend to manifest with problems at work or home.  They may include depression, mood swings, a change in daily patterns and altered behaviour and personality.  Addicts tend to have poor nutritional status because drug use decreases the sensation of hunger.  Drug addicts may suffer from impaired resistance to colds and flu.

Treatment Options For Drug Addiction

Conventional treatment of substance abuse includes support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous for psychological dependence.

Treatment with medications is dependent on the type of drug that is used. For example, there are drugs to prevent the narcotic “high, " such as naloxone, and drugs that give the same effect as narcotics but to a lesser extent, buprenorphine and methadone.

Natural therapies can help to decrease withdrawal symptoms, recover proper nutritional status and repair damage to organs.

Dietary changes for several weeks of detoxification are aimed at stabilizing blood sugar and rebuilding the body’s nutritional stores. Avoid simple sugars, processed foods, fried foods, dairy products, soft drinks, and candy.  Eat small meals that are high in fibre, including whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Nutritional yeast is a good addition to the diet by providing a source of B vitamins that support the nervous system.

The liver is one of your body's most vital organs. It's responsible for filtering toxins, metabolizing nutrients, and supporting overall metabolic balance. Every day, it works tirelessly to process environmental toxins, hormones, and waste products to keep the body functioning optimally. Due to this constant demand, supporting liver function has become a key focus in modern wellness. In this article on liver health and detoxification, we'll explore how the liver supports natural detox processes, and maintaining its health is essential, and how lifestyle and nutrition can help optimize performance. 

What is The Liver's Function?

The liver is the largest gland in the body and one of the most important organs. It has many functions. It produces bile, the digestive juice that breaks down fats and helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins. Bile also stimulates intestinal contractions, promotes regularity, and converts beta-carotene into Vitamin A. 

The liver acts as the filter for all of the blood in the body. Blood from the intestines, carrying nutrients, goes to the liver, where some vitamins and minerals are stored. The liver also metabolizes fat into cholesterol, phospholipids (for cell membranes), and lipoproteins (for carrying other molecules). The liver plays a role in blood sugar regulation by making the glucose tolerance factor. Sugar can be stored in the liver for later use, and extra food is converted to fat by the liver and then transported to the fatty tissue.

The liver also filters ammonia, a natural by-product of protein breakdown, environmental toxins, medications, and alcohol. It changes these harmful products into less harmful metabolites that can then be put back into circulation and excreted by the kidneys and intestines.

The last function of the liver is in hormone metabolism. It converts thyroid hormone into its most active form and breaks down hormones like sex hormones, adrenaline, and insulin when they are not needed.

What Can Harm The Liver?

The liver can become damaged from infection, excessive alcohol consumption, medications, recreational drugs, environmental toxins, and stress. Fortunately, it is also the only internal organ that has the capacity to regenerate itself.

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. The hepatitis virus, medications or toxins cause it. There are 5 types of hepatitis viruses, A-E. Hepatitis A is an infection that comes from contaminated food and water. It is usually only seen in North Americans who return from visiting tropical destinations. It usually resolves itself in one to two months and does not become chronic. Hepatitis B-E is spread through contaminated blood, blood products or sexual contact. The first signs of these infections often occur several months after the infection. These viral types usually result in chronic liver inflammation that leads to liver damage and can be life-threatening. Overuse of alcohol, acetaminophen or ibuprofen can also cause hepatitis. Chlorinated hydrocarbons and arsenic are environmental toxins that are known to damage the liver.

Cirrhosis of the liver occurs when inflammation causes hardening and scarring of the liver tissue. Eventually, this scarring compromises blood flow to the liver. The most common cause is excessive alcohol consumption. Other causes are hepatitis C and toxicity.

How can you naturally support the many functions of this important organ?

• Liver supportive diet
• Healthy lifestyle and exercise
• Regular liver cleansing
• Liver supportive nutrients and herbs

Nutrients That Support The Liver & Detoxification

Liver supportive foods include: artichokes, black radish, beets, carrots, spinach, sauerkraut, tomatoes, and watercress. Make sure that you are getting enough water-soluble fibre in your diet, as found in apples, oats, and supplemental inulin.

Liver Detox Tips

Sometimes the liver pathways are not working up to speed or become blocked. The backup of waste material makes it harder for the rest of the body to function normally and ultimately leads to disease. Since the environment in which we live makes it impossible for us to maintain a pristine lifestyle, regular liver cleansing is essential. Liver detoxification involves dietary, supplemental and physical interventions. For more information, see the article on detoxification.

There are many vitamins, minerals, and nutraceuticals that can be used to support the liver. Always consult a health professional before using liver supporting nutrients because speeding up the liver's processing can affect medication levels in your body.

They help to eliminate bile and toxins from the intestines.  Avoid sugar, alcohol, red meat, trans-fatty acids and processed foods.  They are difficult for the liver to process.  Avoid high doses of niacin and vitamin A because they can raise liver enzymes.

Avoid excessive use of alcohol, medications and recreational drugs. Exercise promotes liver health by increasing circulation.  It also stimulates the bowels to release processed toxins. Slow bowel transit time allows toxins to re-circulate in the body and forces the liver to repeat its detoxifying activity.

Traditional Asian medicine identifies emotions as a contributing agent in many disease processes.  The liver is affected by anger.  Anger reduction techniques, like biofeedback, or activities, such as yoga, can improve liver functioning.

Candida albicans is a fungus that naturally lives in the gastrointestinal and genital tracts. A candida infection develops when yeast overgrows or spreads to other body areas. People with candida overgrowth often report fatigue and difficulty concentrating. The yeast produces toxins that the intestinal lining can absorb into the body. You can ask your practitioner to do a test for this toxin to make a diagnosis. Let's explore yeast detox tips to help you stay healthy.

What Causes Candida?

Unfortunately, because this infection can cause such a litany of other concerns, it is sometimes over-diagnosed, and treatment is touted as a cure-all. Be sure to discuss the possibility of candidiasis with your healthcare provider to ensure it is the root cause of your concerns. Of course, you can always try treating it first to see if it makes a difference for your symptoms, if you prefer the do-it-yourself path. There are many risk factors for developing Candida overgrowth in the intestines. Some of the risks are common health concerns that create an environment in the body that allows yeast to grow out of control, while others are environmental factors. Here is a list of some (but not all) factors that can leave you predisposed to developing candidiasis:

• Low Thyroid: The lower body temperature caused by hypothyroid creates a suitable environment for the yeast to proliferate.
• Diabetes or Hypoglycemia: Blood sugar fluctuations and cravings for sweet foods make sugar more available and can make it easier for the yeast to grow.
• Antibiotic Use: The use of antibiotics can kill off the natural, "good" bacteria that help to keep yeast in check.
• Stress: Extended stress can exhaust your adrenal glands, thus lowering your body temperature. Stress also reduces your immune system, thus preventing your body's natural response to infection.
• Menopause or PMS: These conditions cause hormonal fluctuations that can kill off the natural bacteria in the body and boost the growth of yeast.
• Intestinal Toxicity: Yeast can proliferate in a toxic colon with the accumulated waste matter.
• Low Immunity: The immune system will normally keep the yeast in check, but if it gets compromised, the yeast can be allowed to grow out of control.
• Leaky Gut: Small perforations in the intestinal lining can harbour yeast cells and provide them with a more direct source of nutrients.

What Are Symptoms of Candida?

Apart from the above test, a definitive diagnosis of candidiasis is difficult because the symptoms can be non-specific and can vary depending on the part of the body that is involved. For example, Candida can cause: 

• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Rashes
• Athlete's foot
• Itching
• Tingling or burning sensations
• Memory loss
• Joint and muscle pain
• Constipation or diarrhea
• PMS
• Prostatitis
• Diabetes or hypothyroidism

The symptoms may be worse in damp or mouldy places. They may also worsen after consuming high-sugar or yeast-based foods. Visually, a topical (skin or mucous membrane) candida infection appears as white patches that may grow together. The skin surrounding the spots is very irritated and red. There may be a white, curd-like discharge with a yeasty smell. Many of the symptoms of gastrointestinal candidiasis mimic those of Leaky Gut Syndrome, and these two conditions can often co-exist.

What Are Some Yeast Detox Tips?

Conventional Candida Treatments

Conventional treatment of candida involves antifungal agents applied topically or taken orally. These medications take care of the current infection but do not address the root cause of why the infection occurred in the first place. Candida often returns, and eventually the strains become drug-resistant.

Treating Candida Through Diet

Dietary therapy depends upon the severity of the condition. It is aimed at starving out the yeast by removing its food source, sugar.

The most severe dietary restrictions involve a total elimination of all sugar, yeast and fungal products from the diet. This includes: fruit, aged cheese, alcohol, baked goods (including bread), chocolate, fermented foods, gluten-containing grains, ham, honey and all sweeteners, nut butters, potatoes, mushrooms, soy sauce, sprouts and vinegar.

Less severe cases restrict all of the above-mentioned products for a short period of time, and then allow some products back into the diet. Vegetables, fish and gluten-free grains are the bulk of the diet. Fresh, live yogurt or other products containing live bacterial cultures can be added at a later time. 

What Happens When I Do A Yeast Detox?

Candida Die-Off Reactions

When you initially go to kill off the yeast in your body, beware that you will likely feel pretty terrible for a few days. Candida cells naturally produce toxins as part of their life cycle. When many yeast cells die at once, they can release large amounts of toxins. The intestines may absorb some of these toxins. This can result in flu-like symptoms, similar to those experienced during a detox or a cleanse. The symptoms will go away once the yeast is under control. 

Drinking filtered water may help support hydration during treatment. Eating more fibre may help support digestion and regular elimination. These supplements may also help prevent or manage candida infections. Treatment focuses on reducing yeast overgrowth and supporting the body's natural defences. Adult doses are given. Ensure all products are yeast-free. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, seek advice from a health professional before beginning treatment.