DETOXIFICATION

There are many powerful therapies that can enhance your body’s ability to detoxify. Some of my favourites include acupuncture, aromatherapy, Bowen Technique, cranio-sacral, energy medicine, far-infrared sauna therapy, homeopathy, lymphatic drainage, massage, naturopathy, osteopathy, quantum biofeedback, Reiki, shiatsu, and Thai massage.

While these therapies are not essential elements for detoxification, they are highly recommended treatments that can greatly assist with detoxification. I have provided some basic information about each form of therapy to help you decide which one or ones you would like to add to your program. Of course, personal preference, budget, time availability, and access to the therapies will affect your decision about which therapies to pursue.

The role the therapy plays in helping with detoxification varies greatly from one to another. I have included information about the ways each therapy assists with detox below.

ACUPUNCTURE

Acupuncture is a powerful healing modality that assists your body with detoxification. It is a highly respected form of medicine that is far older than “modern medicine”; acupuncture is at least five thousand years old. By some anthropological findings, it may even be ten thousand years old.

It works on several different premises, but the main one is the energy of the body, which acupuncturists refer to as “chi” or “qi” (both are pronounced “chee”). This energy, or life force, is found in the body, air, water, and food, and while it may be invisible, it is scientifically proven to be integral to life.

In Chinese philosophy, there are two main streams of life force energy, called yin and yang. Balancing these energies in the body is essential to optimum health. Excessive toxins in an organ, joint, fatty deposits, or other cells or tissues can disrupt the natural flow of energy throughout the body, resulting in pain, inflammation, or myriad other symptoms.

There are many different types of acupuncturists. They may use varying methods of diagnosis to determine the right acupuncture points for inserting needles. The most common ones include tongue diagnosis, pulse diagnosis, questioning you about your symptoms and what makes them better or worse, and face reading, which entails collecting visual clues from your face or eyes.

The acupuncturist will select which points he or she will use to bring balance back to the system and then insert fine needles into those areas. Most people barely feel the insertion of these needles, which are much finer than a pin. Acupuncture is renowned for pain relief. In China, most hospitals do not use anaesthesia drugs; instead, they rely on acupuncture anaesthesia for major and minor surgeries and pain relief.

Acupuncture is especially helpful for dealing with toxic buildup in the joints, organs, and tissues that may be disrupting the proper flow of energy in the body. If you have pain, acupuncture can usually help. Most acupuncturists will recommend two or three sessions per week for the first three weeks. Afterward, he or she will determine the frequency of visits based on necessity and severity of your health concerns.

AROMATHERAPY

Aromatherapy is as old as nature itself. The scents of flowers, trees, and other plants have always had an impact on other life forms.

Archaeological evidence has demonstrated that the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, and Rome were familiar with the use of aromatherapy oils. And while modern exploration of this wonderful form of therapy became more widespread in the last century, the healing properties of these truly natural oils have been confirmed in the laboratories of leading universities and research institutes worldwide. These potent essential oils have produced remarkable results on pain, infl ammation, infection, depression, dementia, and many other symptoms.

The great thing about aromatherapy is . . . everything. Fragrant scented oils are gently applied through massage or inhaled after being diffused into the air. It seems too good to be effective medicine but an experienced aromatherapist can achieve excellent results through the application of the correct essential oil. The science behind aromatherapy involves signals transmitted from cells in the nose to the brain. The message sent to the brain varies with the scent or scents detected by the nose. The brain then transmits signals to the rest of the body, which again acts accordingly.

Aromatherapy oil may consist of a single plant oil or a combination of many different oils from many species. The oils frequently have more than one therapeutic use based on their properties.

The three main classifications are “uplifting,” “balancing,” and “calming.”

Choosing the appropriate oil also involves choosing high-quality oils. The therapeutic benefits of aromatherapy are greatly diminished if the processing compromises the product (i.e., the integrity of the plant or plants). You are not likely to find quality aromatherapy products in most of the “bath and body” chain stores or department stores, including many popular ones. And remember: the last thing you want in your detoxification program is more chemicals, so avoid oils that are labelled “fragrance” or include ingredients other than oils from the plant or plants they are supposed to comprise. Choose only high-quality oils to avoid toxic, rancid oils that are common in bath and beauty stores.

BOWEN TECHNIQUE

This gentle, hands-on therapy uses the application of a specific series of physical movements to muscles, tendons, and connective tissue.

During detoxification, it can be used to treat aches and pains, as well as more serious injuries or chronic pain that may be partially linked to toxicity.

Developed in Australia in the 1950s by Tom Bowen, this therapy has gained worldwide acceptance as a treatment to help heal and regenerate tissues damaged from injury. Bowen Technique is extremely effective in alleviating pain and increasing awareness of negative emotions that may be undermining healing efforts. A Bowen session typically lasts forty-five minutes and is performed with the client wearing loose, light clothing.

CRANIO-SACRAL THERAPY

Who would have thought that placing light pressure on the tiny joints of the skull (known as sutures) could contribute to profound healing experiences? William Garner Sutherland, an osteopath in the early twentieth century, discovered that, contrary to what he was taught, the bones of the skull were movable.

Although the movement was minute, it was enough to provide relief for patients suffering from diverse ailments. Sutherland further determined that rhythms exist in the cranium and echo fluctuations in the flow of cerebrospinal fluid. When the flow of this fluid is outside its optimal range often to fourteen beats or pulses per minute, injury and illness can result.

The gentle manipulations to the head and the sacrum (the lower part of the spine) that comprise cranio-sacral therapy can help re-establish the pulse and assist with the healing process.

Cranio-sacral therapy is an excellent, non-invasive adjunct to your detoxification process. A treatment may take sixty to ninety minutes. The manipulations are frequently so delicate that you may wonder whether anything is happening—until after the session.

Most cranio-sacral therapists are not medical doctors. Many of these health practitioners have received specialized training at the Upledger Institute, an internationally recognized school founded by American doctor John Upledger.

ENERGY MEDICINE

Energy medicine is a bit of a catch-all category for diverse therapies and practices that use both internal (our own) and external (universal) energy to assist in our healing. Arguably, all healing modalities are energy medicine but the title has become linked to techniques such as acupuncture or acupressure, which focus on alleviating energy blockages in the body, as well as therapies like Reiki and chakra balancing, which introduce additional universal energy into the body.

Energy medicine is also the name of a specific therapy or approach to healing, involving a variety of techniques to balance the body’s energy systems.

These techniques include touch, specific movements and exercises (not push-ups and sit-ups or what we traditionally refer to as “exercise”), and working in a person’s aura. The aura refers to the energetic field that surrounds each of us and actually forms part of our being. Auras have been captured using Kirlian photography techniques.

It still amazes me to see the change in the size and strength of a person’s aura after they have undergone a positive experience. This could be thinking of a loving relationship, receiving a therapy or treatment from a skilled natural health practitioner, or simply, eating healthy foods or developing a greater connection with his or her life purpose.

Energy medicine is one of the oldest, most powerful forms of medicine known to human kind. In our modern society, however, it can be extremely difficult to find a credible, skilled practitioner. If you do, you will likely encounter an individual who believes that healing must take place on an energetic level before it can be successful at the physical level. Transforming your body at this energetic level will contribute to a successful detoxification experience.

FAR-INFRARED SAUNA THERAPY

From the native civilizations across North America to the Scandinavian cultures of northern Europe, people worldwide have recognized the health benefits of increasing one’s body temperature. Unfortunately, sweat lodges are not as common as they once were but modern technology has helped bring the benefits of heat to us in the form of products using far-infrared radiation (FIR). Today, you will find heat lamps, quilts, and even hair dryers that deliver therapeutic heat to our bodies. However, my favourite form of far-infrared radiation technology for the purpose of detoxification is the sauna.

Radiation, you say? Yes, I know radiation has negative connotations in modern society and we avoid all things radioactive (if we know what they are). What most of us do not realize is that radiation comes in many forms. There is the lethal atomic radiation from a nuclear bomb blast. Ultraviolet radiation, such as the harmful rays from the sun, can burn and damage the skin when it penetrates the ozone layers. But the sun also delivers healing, warm rays or radiant heat. This is infrared radiation, a form of energy that heats objects directly. In other words, it does not heat the air in between.

A short science lesson helps to explain the heat/radiation/energy relationship. Infrared radiation is measured as light along the electromagnetic spectrum. It falls below (“infra”) the red light segment along this spectrum—hence the name infrared. While it is not visible to the human eye, this light penetrates our skin surface and is absorbed by our cells. Visible light simply bounces off our skin.

Near-infrared light is absorbed at the skin level and will cause the surface skin temperature to increase moderately. Far-infrared light can penetrate our bodies up to an estimated four centimetres and works energetically at the cellular level. Research has demonstrated that this penetrating radiant heat can increase metabolism and blood circulation in addition to raising our core body temperature. And what do all of these things have in common? You guessed it: they promote detoxification and help to heal the body.

Please do not confuse FIR saunas with the traditional idea of a sauna. You won’t be pouring water over hot rocks to create steam and moist heat. These steam saunas can be beneficial but the high temperatures and humidity can create a cardiovascular risk. FIR saunas mimic nature by delivering radiant heat through ceramic infrared heaters. No hot stones, no water, no humidity, but plenty of sweat. The energy delivered from a FIR sauna creates a “sweat volume” that is two to three times greater than a conventional steam sauna. This is also accomplished at a lower (and therefore less risky) temperature. FIR saunas typically operate in the 43°C to 55°C range, while steam saunas can reach 82°C to 113°C. Consequently, heart rate and blood pressure concerns are greatly reduced while you sweat out those toxins. The most important thing to remember is to replace that fluid and mineral loss with pure water to prevent dehydration. In addition to your usual eight to ten cups of water daily, add at least two more cups for each sauna session.

If you can find a health practitioner who offers FIR sauna as a therapy, I urge you to consider adding it to the detoxification program. If you can afford to purchase one (about $5,000 and up), it is a great lifestyle addition. These units often look like small cabins constructed of various wood species such as cedar or oak. FIR saunas vary in dimensions but can typically accommodate one to six people.

OSTEOPATHY

Osteopathy has existed in its modern form since the late nineteenth century, when American doctor and engineer Andrew Taylor Still grew disenchanted with the orthodox approach to medicine. He believed that structural misalignments of the body could lead to illness and injury. By treating the joints, muscles, ligaments, and bones, and improving the client’s range of motion, he felt the body could be brought back into a state of balance—in other words, a state of health.

Osteopaths use soft tissue manipulation, massage, and gentle movements of specific joints to help realign the body. This therapy has proven effective for arthritis, asthma, back pain or injuries, bronchitis, bursitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, constipation, earaches, headaches, flu, endometriosis, hearing problems, heartburn, hemorrhoids, menstrual problems, muscle cramps, pain (acute or chronic), prostate problems, sinusitis, sports or traumatic injuries, and varicose veins. Benefits are frequently experienced after a single session but long-term conditions may require multiple visits to the osteopath.

While it may appear from this description that osteopathy is best suited for injuries or postural problems, keep in mind that many of these imbalances are exacerbated by toxicity or are the result of toxic conditions.

QUANTUM BIOFEEDBACK

Quantum biofeedback is high-technology therapy that taps into the primal principles of energy. Based on thirty years of research in the field of bioenergetic medicine, quantum biofeedback detects energetic imbalances in the body by reading the electrical responses of over eight thousand different factors in the body, including pathogens, allergies, hormones, joints, nutrient deficiencies, emotions, and many others. Not only does the device read these energetic frequencies, it assesses them and delivers energetic therapies to the body to help normalize the imbalances.

This is not as far-fetched as it sounds. Science has already proven that everything is energy. It has also determined that each individual thing, whether it is a cell from your lung tissue or a virus, has a unique frequency. Quantum biofeedback devices read these frequencies and search for stress patterns in the body. They then deliver therapies energetically to remind the body of the “correct” or healthy frequency and help the body restore its state of balance. This frequently leads to increased energy, enhanced mental clarity, and improved healing of diverse disorders.

A quantum biofeedback session will vary in length depending on the health concerns of the client and the practitioner’s approach. Anywhere from thirty minutes to two hours is common. The biofeedback therapist will place bands around the client’s ankles, wrists, and forehead to read the electrical impulses from the body. The whole process is painless but the results can be profound. Quantum biofeedback is an excellent tool for a therapist to uncover specific toxic stresses that may be affecting a person.

REIKI

Reiki is an ancient hands-on healing art that was re-discovered by Mikao Usui in the nineteenth century. A Japanese minister working at a Christian seminary, Usui studied Buddhism, Chinese, and Sanskrit to understand ancient texts on healing.

Following a twenty-one-day fast on a mountain, he was struck by a powerful light and saw visions of symbols. These symbols revealed the working of a universal life-force energy as it was described in ancient Sanskrit writings and gave Usui insight into using this energy for the purpose of hands-on healing.

Usui shared this knowledge with sixteen people. Today this gentle, healing modality has spread across the world and is practised by many thousands of people. Reiki (which means universal life force energy) practitioners believe that when energy flow is restored in the body, health is also restored. I believe that scientific testing consistently demonstrates the eff ectiveness of this form of therapy for a couple of different reasons: our hands emit both electromagnetic energy and infrared light that falls into the healing range of the electromagnetic spectrum (remember the FIR saunas?).

Reiki practitioners will never tell you they are healing you or giving you their energy. They are merely serving as a conduit for universal energy. It is a very caring and generous form of therapy and works on physical, emotional, and spiritual levels. That never hurts when we are looking to restore our health and is especially good for emotional cleansing.

SHIATSU

For those of you who are intrigued with the healing principles of acupuncture but don’t like needles, shiatsu, a form of acupressure, may be a good alternative. The word means “finger pressure” in Japanese, which is appropriate for this form of massage. The therapist will use massage techniques to work on the energy meridians within the body.

Shiatsu is an effective technique for releasing toxins from body joints and improving the body’s energy flow. These are just one of the many excellent reasons to consider shiatsu during your detoxification program.

THAI MASSAGE

This is another healing modality based on the principles of acupuncture. Also known as Thai yoga massage, this technique is quite a workout for both client and practitioner. It comprises a series of guided stretches and yoga positions to loosen tight muscles, increase flexibility, and disperse energy blockages in the body.

Thai massage is an excellent therapy; however it is quite vigorous. I caution anyone who is considering this form of massage to discuss their current state of health, including injuries or illness, in detail with the practitioner prior to embarking on a session. Thai massage does work on the energy meridians of the body (like acupuncture and yoga) and therefore can offer great benefits during a detoxification program.

LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE

You have now learned how critical proper lymph flow is to good health. You have also learned that unlike the blood in our cardiovascular systems, the lymph system does not have a muscle to pump lymph throughout the body. Our own movements keep lymph flowing.

Fortunately, there is a form of massage that stimulates the network of lymph nodes in our bodies and assists us with toxic elimination. Lymphatic drainage is beneficial for anyone with stagnant lymph and, in our modern world, that is just about everyone. Press firmly under your arms or along your inner thighs. If it is sore to touch, your lymph may be struggling with a toxic buildup.

Lymphatic drainage massages use deep, rhythmic, and methodical movements to stretch the tissues in the direction that lymph flows. By stimulating the lymph system, we also stimulate our immune systems to help with healing. This is an excellent addition to a detoxification program, particularly for people who are not capable of exercising or have limited mobility.

HOMEOPATHY

What medical substance becomes more powerful when it ceases to exist in its physical form? According to German physician Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, the same substance that potentially causes an illness in the first place. It sounds strange but this is the basic premise of homeopathy: dilute a substance until none of the original material remains and you are left with its “energetic signature.”

Hahnemann was not alone in this belief. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, stated many centuries ago that “like cures like,” and through years of experimentation, Hahnemann discovered that the most effective way to combat particular illnesses was to deliver highly diluted substances to the body that,
in their undiluted form, would create the same symptoms of the illness. The word “homeo-pathy” is derived from two Greek words: “homos,” meaning like, and “pathos,” meaning suffering. If this theory sounds too wacky for you, consider this: that modern, medical marvel known as the vaccine is based on the same principle. Unlike homeopathy, a vaccination will deliver toxic chemical additives such as heavy metals along with the substance intended to help the body.

Homeopathy is most effective when administered by a skilled practitioner. It is a truly holistic healing modality when a homeopath selects remedies for their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual attributes. To accomplish such a task, a homeopath may ask you many questions to obtain a clear picture of your symptoms and what conditions make them worse or better. Homeopathic remedies are available in diff erent potencies and dosages, which can be confusing. While there is no single homeopathic remedy to tackle detoxification on an energetic (and ultimately) physical level, a visit to a homeopath may be an interesting addition to your program. You may encounter a powerful healing alternative fofor specific ailments or issues with which you have been struggling.