Detoxing and cleansing have become popular in recent years.
According to Elson Haas in "Staying Healthy with Nutrition,"
detoxification removes toxins from the body and can improve basic bodily
functions, such as digestion and elimination. With so many products,
supplements and services out there, it can be difficult to know which ones are
safe and effective and which ones aren't. Signs of toxic buildup can include
fatigue, difficulty concentrating, headaches, hormonal imbalances, bloating,
constipation, diarrhea, lack of energy, frequent colds and skin problems.
Detoxing to many means drinking a concoction of ingredients or buying a
"boxed" cleanse from a health-food store. The fact of the matter is,
detoxing can be done easily at home.
Detox
Foods
Detoxing can seem overwhelming. Haas explains that when
toxins build up in your body, congestion occurs. Slowly shifting your diet from
more-congesting foods, such as meat and processed foods, to less-congesting
foods, like fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains, is a way to start detoxifying
your body. He also states that individuals who feel sluggish and congested
could benefit from a vegetarian diet for three weeks. This diet would include
plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes.
Spice
It Up!
Spices and herbs, such as turmeric, ginger, coriander and
rosemary, are an easy addition to any meal. Many herbs and spices have amazing
detoxification properties and provide gentle assistance in removing toxins from
our bodies. Turmeric, for example, is known for its work in detoxing the liver.
Contrast
Showers
In contrast showers, you turn the water back and forth
between hot and cold for timed intervals. At the end of your shower, turn the
water up to a hot temperature for two minutes. Then turn the water down to a
cold temperature for one minute. Repeat three to four times. The varying temperatures
promote detoxification by increasing circulation and lymph movement. Contrast
showers are not recommended for pregnant women and people with heart problems,
asthma, diabetes, Raynaud's Syndrome and vascular problems.
Up
Your Water Intake
Drinking water is one of the most underrated detox methods.
Naturopathic doctor Christopher Vasey states that we eliminate approximately
2.5 liters of water each day. When dehydration occurs, the kidneys cannot
effectively filter the blood and must pass on some of their work to the liver.
This can cause the liver to become overworked and stressed. Aim to drink a
minimum of 2 liters of water each day. If you work out, try to get 3 liters per
day.
Go
Organic
Due to the use of pesticides and herbicides in today's farming
methods, many fruits and vegetables in the grocery stores today are laden with
toxins. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the top 12 produce
items to always buy organic are celery, peaches, strawberries, apples,
blueberries, nectarines, bell peppers, spinach, cherries, kale/collard greens,
potatoes and imported grapes.
References
"Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine"; Michael Murray N.D.; 1999
There are marked
differences in the knowledge on the medical uses of cannabis and cannabinoids
in different diseases. For nausea and vomiting associated with cancer
chemotherapy, anorexia and cachexia in HIV/AIDS, chronic, especially neuropathic
pain, spasticity in multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury there is strong
evidence for medical benefits. For many other indications, such as epilepsy,
pruritus and depression there is much less available data. However, the
scientific evidence for a specific indication does not necessarily reflect the
actual therapeutic potential for a given disease.
Clinical studies with single cannabinoids or
whole plant preparations (smoked cannabis, cannabis extract) have often been
inspired by positive anecdotal experiences of patients employing crude cannabis
products. The anti-emetic, the appetite enhancing, relaxing effects, analgesia,
and therapeutic use in Tourette's syndrome were all discovered in this manner.
Incidental observations have also revealed
therapeutically useful effects. This occurred in a study with patients with
Alzheimer's disease wherein the primary issue was an examination of the
appetite-stimulating effects of THC. Not only appetite and body weight
increased, but disturbed behaviour among the patients also decreased. The
discovery of decreased intraocular pressure with THC administration in the
beginning of the 1970s was also serendipitous. Additional interesting
indications that have not been scientifically investigated, but remain common
problems in modern medicine may benefit from treatment with cannabis or
cannabinoids. For this reason, surveys have been conducted questioning
individuals that use cannabis therapeutically. They were conducted either as
oral non-standardized interviews in the course of investigations of state or
scientific institutions (House of Lords Select Committee on Science and
Technology in the UK, Institute of Medicine in the USA) on the therapeutic
potential of cannabis or as anonymous surveys using standardized
questionnaires.
Treatment of side effects
associated with antineoplastic therapy is the indication for cannabinoids which
has been most documented, with about 40 studies (THC, nabilone, other THC
analogues, cannabis). Most trials were conducted in the 1980s. THC has to be
dosed relatively highly, so that resultant side effects may occur comparatively
frequently. THC was inferior to high-dose metoclopramide in one study. There
are no comparisons of THC to the modern serotonin antagonists. Some recent
investigations have shown that THC in low doses improves the efficacy of other
antiemetic drugs if given together. In folk medicine cannabinoids are popular
and are often used in other causes of nausea including AIDS and hepatitis.
An appetite enhancing
effect of THC is observed with daily divided doses totalling 5 mg. When
required, the daily dose may be increased to 20 mg. In a long-term study of 94
AIDS patients, the appetite-stimulating effect of THC continued for months,
confirming the appetite enhancement noted in a shorter 6 week study. THC
doubled appetite on a visual analogue scale in comparison to placebo. Patients
tended to retain a stable body weight over the course of seven months. A
positive influence on body weight was also reported in 15 patients with
Alzheimer's disease who were previously refusing food.
In many clinical trials of
THC, nabilone and cannabis, a beneficial effect on spasticity caused by
multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury has been observed. Among other
positively influenced symptoms were pain, paraesthesia, tremor and ataxia. In
some studies improved bladder control was observed. There is also some
anecdotal evidence of a benefit of cannabis in spasticity due to lesions of the
brain.
There are some positive
anecdotal reports of therapeutic response to cannabis in Tourette's syndrome,
dystonia and tardive dyskinesia. The use in Tourette's syndrome is currently
being investigated in clinical studies. Many patients achieve a modest
improvement, however some show a considerable response or even complete symptom
control. In some MS patients, benefits on ataxia and reduction of tremor have
been observed following the administration of THC. Despite occasional positive
reports, no objective success has been found in parkinsonism or Huntington
disease. However, cannabis products may prove useful in levodopa-induced
dyskinesia in Parkinson disease without worsening the primary symptoms.
Large clinical studies
have proven analgesic properties of cannabis products. Among possible
indications are neuropathic pain due to multiple sclerosis, damage of the
brachial plexus and HIV infection, pain in rheumatoid arthritis, cancer pain,
headache, menstrual pain, chronic bowel inflammation and neuralgias.
Combination with opioids is possible.
In 1971, during a
systematic investigation of its effects in healthy cannabis users, it was
observed that cannabis reduces intraocular pressure. In the following 12 years
a number of studies in healthy individuals and glaucoma patients with cannabis
and several natural and synthetic cannabinoids were conducted. cannabis
decreases intraocular pressure by an average 25-30%, occasionally up to 50%.
Some non-psychotropic cannabinoids, and to a lesser extent, some
non-cannabinoid constituents of the hemp plant also decrease intraocular
pressure.
The use in epilepsy is
among its historically oldest indications of cannabis. Animal experiments
provide evidence of the antiepileptic effects of some cannabinoids. The
anticonvulsant activity of phenytoin and diazepam have been potentiated by THC.
According to a few case reports from the 20th century, some epileptic patients
continue to utililize cannabis to control an otherwise unmanageable seizure
disorder. Cannabis use may occasionally precipitate convulsions.
Experiments examining the
anti-asthmatic effect of THC or cannabis date mainly from the 1970s, and are
all acute studies. The effects of a cannabis cigarette (2% THC) or oral THC (15
mg), respectively, approximately correspond to those obtained with therapeutic
doses of common bronchodilator drugs (salbutamol, isoprenaline). Since
inhalation of cannabis products may irritate the mucous membranes, oral administration
or another alternative delivery system would be preferable. Very few patients
developed bronchoconstriction after inhalation of THC.
According to historical
and modern case reports cannabis is a good remedy to combat withdrawal in
dependency on benzodiazepines, opiates and alcohol. For this reason, some have
referred to it as a gateway drug back. In this context, both the reduction of
physical withdrawal symptoms and stress connected with discontinuance of drug abuse
may play a role in its observed benefits.
An improvement of mood in
reactive depression has been observed in several clinical studies with THC.
There are additional case reports claiming benefit of cannabinoids in other
psychiatric symptoms and diseases, such as sleep disorders, anxiety disorders,
bipolar disorders, and dysthymia. Various authors have expressed different
viewpoints concerning psychiatric syndromes and cannabis. While some emphasize
the problems caused by cannabis, others promote the therapeutic possibilities.
Quite possibly cannabis products may be either beneficial or harmful, depending
on the particular case. The attending physician and the patient should be open
to a critical examination of the topic, and a frankness to both possibilities.
In a number of painful
syndromes secondary to inflammatory processes (e.g. ulcerative colitis,
arthritis), cannabis products may act not only as analgesics but also
demonstrate anti-inflammatory potential. For example, some patients employing
cannabis report a decrease in their need for steroidal and nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs. Moreover there are some reports of positive effects of
cannabis self-medication in allergic conditions. It is as yet unclear whether
cannabis products may have a relevant effects on causative processes of
autoimmune diseases.
There are a number of positive patient reports on
medical conditions that cannot be easily assigned to the above categories, such
as pruritus, hiccup, ADS (attention deficit syndrome), high blood pressure,
tinnitus, chronic fatigue syndrome, restless leg syndrome, and others. Several
hundreds possible indications for cannabis and THC have been described by
different authors. For example, 2,5 to 5 mg THC were effective in three
patients with pruritus due to liver diseases. Another example is the successful
treatment of a chronic hiccup that developed after a surgery. No medication was
effective, but smoking of a cannabis cigarette completely abolished the
symptoms.
Cannabis products often show very good effects
in diseases with multiple symptoms that encompassed within the spectrum of THC
effects, for example, in painful conditions that have an inflammatory origin
(e.g., arthritis), or are accompanied by increased muscle tone (e.g., menstrual
cramps, spinal cord injury), or in diseases with nausea and anorexia
accompanied by pain, anxiety and depression, respectively (e.g. AIDS, cancer,
hepatitis C).
