Are You Sick or Are You Simply Clearing?
One of the basic premises of natural medicine is that the body is equipped with every system and function needed to remove unwanted toxins, debris from cells, excessive acids and dead cellular remnants. Each system plays a part in this process of trash pickup at the curb. Some systems are especially important in this process:
the kidneys remove acidic compounds and maintain a constant pH balance for the health of tissues.
the liver filters the blood and uses multiple types of chemical neutralizers to render toxic compounds inert so that as they leave the body they don’t injure tissues along the way.
the lymphatic system contains specialized cells and structures to identify dangerous pathogens so that immune system can respond, all while lymphatic fluid cleanses tissues and cells.
the spleen removes old or damaged blood cells.
phagocytes and lysosomes are specialized cells that capture and recycle cellular materials and components from damaged or dead cells.
the lungs trap foreign particles and dangerous substances with mucous and small hair-like structures to protect the body.
the mouth has chemicals that neutralize pathogens and signal the body when there is a dangerous pathogen present.
the sinuses and nose filter the air you breath to prevent pathogens and toxic substances from entering the inner body environment.
the digestive tract uses enzymes, stomach acids and muscular contraction to kill bacteria, break down all substances and quickly remove substances from the body.
Now you may remember a cult classic movie with Raquel Welch called Fantastic Voyage. It was an amazing early special effect movie that really created visual images of the inner workings of the body, especially the ways in which the body protects itself from injury and foreign invaders.
But this amazing process of protection and clearing is dependent on you. It relies on your diet to provide all the essential nutrients needed for this process to work. It requires deep sleep during which your body slows your active metabolism to redirect energy into this cleansing/repair system. But especially important is the fact that this system has a limit of what it can process. When your body’s detoxification system is overwhelmed, material that would normally be swept out with the daily paper, instead is simply stored, waiting for some free time and materials to take care of it.
So if we have a lifestyle or a working life that exposes us to an excessive amount of chemicals or toxins, such as nail care, hair care, auto repair, landscape clearance, paper production, janitorial work, just to name a few, then our system is often unable to manage the daily input that we are experiencing. Add to this the stigma for many workers of wearing protective gear or face masks.
Sickness or Detoxification? What is the difference?
The answer to this is actually very little. If your body is not able to manage your level of exposure, it will turn its resources towards this multi-layered trash removal system. Because your body can only hold onto a limited amount of trash before it begins to affect your ability to function. Have you noticed that you have sinus problems all the time? This isn’t illness, this is a clearing problem. Is your digestive tract constantly giving you symptoms? There’s most likely nothing wrong with it, it’s simply trying to clear something. What is the definition of fibromyalgia? Too much trash!
The truth is that many chronic conditions are simply the inability for the body to maintain its normal, expected function because it’s spending too much time trying to deal with the accumulation of toxins and pathogens. This will especially be true in those with insomnia. The fatigue you feel isn’t just from lack of sleep, it’s the body’s inability to finish its needed clearing.
Acid reflux, chronic mucous congestion, fatigue, headaches, high blood pressure, constipation/diarrhea, vision changes, allergies, muscle pain … all of these can be signs of an illness, but they are also the body’s ways of trying to manage detoxification. So when should you seek treatment for illness? When any symptom lasts longer than a few days. When a couple of days of rest and good food don’t change anything. When you have mucous that is colored, not clear. When you run a fever.
Easy, Natural Ways to Move the Cleansing Process Along
Increase your water intake dramatically.
Feed your body only healthy vegetables (especially cruciferous vegetables), protein and fruit. Even consider juicing!
Sleep, a LOT! Take a day off and just allow your body to rest.
Consider an epsom salt bath which truly reduces congestion in the tissues.
Come into the clinic for a Decongestive Lymphatic Therapy session which will cleanse and decongest the lymphatic system and the body tissues.
Passive sweat! We recommend FAR Infrared but truly any sweating you do is beneficial. The sweat that you have passively (due to heat, not exertion), is the most beneficial for detoxification.
Deep breathing - let your lungs do their job and really spend some time fully inflating your lungs.
Netti pot with Nasya Oil for the nose and sinuses will give those structures a good flushing that will help loosen and discharge trapped material.
There are numerous remedies to support the cleansing process, but remember the organs that are involved. Don’t do a digestive detox if your symptoms aren’t digestive. Consider all the systems involved in cleansing and try to support the ones that produce the symptoms.
The most important thing is not to underestimate the cleansing process nor your body’s need for it. Simply assuming that every symptom you have is an illness or requires an intervention is vastly underestimating the body’s capacity, let alone never actually dealing with the problem. Remember that the body is set up to handle things without your help, even most illness, so the idea of taking an over the counter medication or even cleansing remedies or detoxification therapies is often not only unnecessary, it can completely miss the mark and be damaging at the same time. It can strip the body of resources and needed nutrients. So less is often more when it comes to the process of clearing.
Trusting your body’s processes is essential, especially when you know you haven’t been supporting your body’s daily needs. So try just giving the body some of what it’s missing and see how far it can take you.