Ted, a 34-year-old sporting goods salesman, was thrilled to move into a brand-new apartment building in Santa Monica, near the beach. After an exhausting but exhilarating moving day, Ted sat on his brand-new sofa, sipping a cold beer and admiring his new apartment's pristine white walls, spotless wall-to-wall carpeting, crisp new drapes, and hermetically sealed floor-to-ceiling windows. "This is the life!" he thought.
But after a few weeks in his new apartment, Ted could hardly drag himself out of bed in the morning. His sinuses were clogged, he felt nauseated when he tried to eat, and he had a constant headache.
When he told his boss that he would not be able to make a two week sales conference in Detroit because he had the flu, his boss said, "Sorry Ted, Detroit is counting on you and so am I. You'd better buck up, take plenty of aspirin, and go!"
To his surprise, Ted felt better and better each day in Detroit. By the end of the two-week conference, he felt wonderful. But a few days after he returned home, the mysterious "flu" hit him again. In desperation, Ted escaped to Palm Springs for a long, relaxing weekend.
Ted and I are old friends, so I was happy to hear from him when he got back from Palm Springs. "Lindsey, could I be reacting to some weird pollen or something here in Santa Monica?" Ted asked. "My 'flu' vanished in Detroit and again in Palm Springs, but all the symptoms came back when I returned to Santa Monica. Can I come in and see you about this?"
I agreed and as I started to put down the receiver Ted burst out, "Oh, Lindsey, I forgot to tell you - I have a new phone number. I've moved into a new apartment."
"When did you move?" I asked.
As I expected, Ted's symptoms began to appear immediately after moving into his new apartment - which was filled with toxic paints, synthetic carpet and padding glues, varnished baseboards, and formaldehyde in the drapes and upholstery. To top it off, he had to breathe the same recycled air. Ted was suffering from Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, an environmental illness that is becoming more common as apartments and office buildings are "sealed" to save on energy costs.
I advised Ted to replace the windows in his apartment with windows that open, to replace the carpeting with wooden floors or a natural fiber carpet, to replace the window coverings with metal blinds or natural fabrics, and to exchange his formaldehyde-laden furniture, bedding, and clothing for completely natural items made of wool, cotton, or linen. I also suggested that he place plants throughout the apartment. Plants are natural detoxifiers and contribute fresh oxygen to the air. Ted began using 100% natural body care products and non-toxic household cleaners. And he began a complete internal cleansing and rebuilding program to remove any lingering toxins from his body.
Ted's flu symptoms vanished for good after he made the changes I had advised to his apartment.
The 20th-Century Disease
Each year people are exposed to thousands of toxic chemicals and pollutants in the Earth's atmosphere, water, food, soil, and building interiors. It's becoming increasingly difficult to avoid the ingestion of these toxins. In fact, in an article that appeared in The Wall Street Journal, (Oct. 26, 1995), the Environmental Protection Agency reported that:
Levels of pollutants inside buildings can be as much as 100 times greater than outdoor pollution levels.
Scientist have identified more than 1,500 bacterial and chemical indoor-air pollutants from such sources as carpets and office machines.
- Levels of pollutants inside buildings can be as much as 100 times greater than outdoor pollution levels.
- Scientist have identified more than 1,500 bacterial and chemical indoor-air pollutants from such sources as carpets and office machines.
In a study of 270 large buildings, it was determined that 64% had inadequate ventilation, and 35% of those were entirely closed, recycled-air systems with no fresh air.
Ted's Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, or "the 20th century disease," is simply the result of a buildup of these environmental toxins within the body on the cellular level. All of us are continually bombarded with toxins. It's difficult to escape pollutants in our homes or offices. And unless we eat 100% organically grown and produced foods all the time and never venture outdoors, we're certain to be exposed to some of the 400 pesticides that are cur-rently licensed for use on our foods, and the 2.5 billion pounds that are dumped on crop lands, forests, lawns and fields.
To top it off, most of us eat foods that we know we shouldn't - foods that are low in nutrients and very hard for the body to digest. Guess what happens to undigested food? It turns rancid and becomes toxic.
Auto-Intoxication
Ted's illness was a result of environmental pollutants that quickly and effectively disturbed his internal environment. But a huge percentage of my clients suffer from internally polluted systems resulting from an unhealthy diet.
June, 43, came to see me because she was unhappy that her weight had escalated with the birth of each of her three children. She was 5' 3" and weighed 165 pounds, and although her main complaint was her weight, I soon discovered many other complaints. June was always tired, especially after meals. She experienced headaches, mood swings, was always catching colds, and although she didn't realize it was a problem, she was only having two or three bowel movements per week. She craved sweets, loved chocolate, and went on sugar binges periodically, especially before the onset of menstruation. June was also a yo-yo dieter. She never exercised and basically ate whatever she wanted unless she was on one of her diets.
Urine and saliva testing revealed that June's body was extremely toxic. She wasn't digesting or metabolizing her foods properly and she wasn't eliminating properly. Her constipation was a very serious problem.
Food and waste by-products were building up in her colon, putrefying, fermenting and being reabsorbed back into her body, poisoning all of her delicate cells and tissues. June's weight problem was only a symptom of the underlying issue - internal toxemia.
Detoxification is the Key to Health
Ted and June experienced different symptoms from different causes, but the general prognosis was the same - they were both suffering from internal pollution. The human body is one of the best detoxification machines in creation, but even the best machine can lose efficiency if it is overloaded.
I cannot over-emphasize the importance of proper digestion and elimination. In order to properly assimilate our food and utilize all the nutrients, we need an efficient digestive system. But in order for the digestive system to work optimally, the eliminative system must work optimally, as well.
When we don't eliminate properly, wastes may not be expelled for days, weeks, months, or years. When we don't eliminate our waste - whether it's from toxins in the air, or from fatty, sugary foods; the toxins back up in the colon, which can cause autointoxication, self poisoning. And you can't be completely healthy if you're carrying a load of toxic substances in your body.
I recommended that Ted and June take supplements specific to their body chemistry, and that they start similar detoxification programs. These programs consisted of my own herbal and fiber formulations, as well as a strict internal cleansing (low protein, high fiber, absolutely NO sugar) diet. In addition, June started an exercise program.
Within one week, June was having two to three bowel movements per day. The concept was so foreign to her, she couldn't believe it. She also couldn't believe how much better she was feeling.
June religiously stuck to her diet, exercise and supplement regimen. I consulted with her six weeks later and couldn't believe the change in her appearance. June's eyes were whiter and brighter, she had lost 23 pounds, and she was vivacious and happy. As the layers of internal toxicity began to unravel, a beautiful woman began to emerge. When I saw her 12 weeks later, she had lost another 18 pounds and no longer complained of fatigue, mood swings, headaches, constipation or weight problems. By this time, June was a strong advocate of the power of internal detoxification.
Toxic build-up in the body, particularly the bowels, is the root cause of many of today's chronic health problems. A complete internal cleansing program that addresses the blood, tissues and cells, with emphasis on the five channels of elimination (bowel, lungs, skin, kidneys, lymph) almost always produces definite and positive results. The bonus is that once the gastro-intestinal tract is cleansed, the digestive system is better able to absorb and assimilate all nutrients. As a nutritionist, this means that all my clients will experience quicker and more powerful results from nutritional programs.
How Do I Know if I Need to Cleanse?
My answer is simple. After consulting with more than 8,000 clients, I can honestly say that I've never worked with an individual who didn't benefit from detoxifying the internal body. It can be compared to asking your auto mechanic if the oil in your car ever needs to be serviced and changed.
In addition to environmental pollutants, here are some common causes of auto-intoxication I have found through my practice at the Home Nutrition Clinic in Santa Monica: poor elimination, poor diet, over-consumption, stress, antibiotics, lack of exercise, eating late at night, lack of water (when the body doesn't get enough water, toxins tend to stagnate, hindering all digestive and eliminative processes. Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water a day is highly recommended).
Cleanse the Body with Herbs, Fiber and Nutritious Food
Ted and June could be on the best diet and supplement program in the world, but if they didn't undo the past, and remove the toxic build-up from years of toxic accumulation, constipation and poor eating habits; it'd be like putting clean water in a dirty bottle - the water will never be clean!
Throughout the centuries, people of all cultures have utilized cleansing as a means of maintaining health. I've incorporated this traditional knowledge plus my experience from working with thousands of clients, to create formulas for our active lifestyles that include herbs and fibers. Herbs, in the right combination, will help cleanse, heal, soothe and energize the body while loosening the accumulated toxins in the body. The toxins then move into the bloodstream, which carries them to the large intestines and other channels of elimination. The fibers then tone, sweep and clean the entire digestive and eliminative systems.
Once the internal body is cleansed, it's important to eat a nutritious, high-fiber, low-fat, low-protein diet, including lots of organically grown grains, beans, vegetables and fruits. And drink lots of water!
Sometimes it's not what you "do" that creates health, but what you "undo." Internal detoxification will help you "undo" the dietary and environmental abuse your body experiences on a daily basis in this modern world. And we certainly can use all the help we can get!
Symptoms of a Toxic Body
- Headaches
- Candida albicans
- Allergies
- Digestive disorders
- Skin problems
- Arthritis
- Fatigue
- Constipation
- Depression
- Chronic and degenerative diseases
- Weakness
- Nausea
- PMS
- Flu-like symptoms
- Gas
- Bloating
Top 10 Toxins in the Home
1. Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde occurs in permanent press fabrics including "non iron" sheets, pillowcases, clothing, upholstery, drapes, and in carpets.
Solution: Use 100% natural fabrics.
2. Synthetic Upholstery & Fabrics
Synthetic upholstery and fabrics often contain toxic chemicals like 4-phenylcyclohexene, mothproofing pesticides or flame proofing chemicals.
3. Toxic Paint & Paint Strippers
Paints may contain heavy metals, volatile organic compounds and other toxic chemicals including xylene. Paint strippers contain toxic chemicals, including methylene chloride. Paint manufactured before 1978 may contain deadly lead.
4. Tetrachloroethylene
Toxic chemicals used in dry cleaning solvents. Solution: Avoid dry cleaning and switch to launderable clothing.
5. Tobacco Smoke
Tobacco smoke contains formalde-hyde, hydrogen cyanide, arsenic, benzene, and other toxic chemicals.
6. Cleansing Products
Toxic cleansing products contain harsh ingredients like ethanol, ammonia, and artificial colors and fragrances that are inadvertently inhaled or absorbed through your skin. Solution: Use nontoxic cleaning ingredients from your kitchen: vinegar, oil-based soap and borax, baking soda, etc. or eco-wise cleaning products.
7. Toxic Pesticides and Herbicides
America spends more than $2.5 billion annually on chemical pesticides and herbicides for their lawns. Many of these products contain highly toxic chemicals that can cause severe illness or death. Children whose mothers were exposed to common "pest strips" during pregnancy are more likely to suffer childhood cancers, researchers say. Instead, plant marigolds to discourage pests, release a cup of lady bugs (available from most nurseries), and introduce toads into your garden.
8. Plastics
Plastics contain chemicals that mimic estrogenic compounds. Respected scientists around the world believe these estrogenic compounds may be responsible for the alarming rise in male infertility, prostate cancers, and breast cancers.
9. Radon
Radon is a silent killer. This odor-less, colorless, tasteless, gas is a radioactive by-product of naturally-occurring uranium in the earth. Radon can cause lung cancer: Scientist estimate that 1 in 15 US homes has elevated radon levels. Solution: Have your home checked for radon levels.
10. Molds
Mold spores are living organisms that thrive in moist, damp places in your home. Mold can cause sinus problems, digestive problems, and more. Mold may grow in basements, heating ducts, air conditioners, on walls and windows, and on carpets. Solution: Fresh air, sunlight, and a dehumidifier can help, as well as cleaning your air conditioners and heating vents.
