***The “Solution” to Toxins is Cellular Cleansing

In my last article I wrote about all the toxins that we are exposed to on a daily basis in our air, in and on our food, the water we drink, the things we touch….

It's one thing to point out a problem, but I think it's more important to be able to provide a solution. So let me explain how one of the solutions to our exposure to toxins is cellular cleansing.

"What is Cellular Cleansing?"

Well, it's basically a 2 day fast with some nutritional support for some of your key body systems.

First let me explain how a fast works…. Well of course, you don't eat! But what happens with your physiology during that time frame?

During the first 6-8 hours your body has stores of glycogen that it primarily uses. But once that is gone it still needs energy, so it goes into fat burning mode. With the catabolism (breaking down) of fat, comes the release of toxins.

Now where did these toxins come from? (see my previous article)

We have to keep in mind that the current version of humans were "invented" over 100,000 years ago. This was a time before pthlalates, BPA, pesticides, herbicides and the like. So unfortunately whoever designed our liver didn't give it the tools it needed to deal with these nasty chemicals. One study showed a total of 167* toxic chemicals floating around in the human body. These included carcinogens, brain and nervous system toxins, and others that cause birth defects or other abnormal fetal development.

So what does the body do to "protect" us from these toxins? The only thing it can do, it locks them up in fat where they can't really do any harm! Or so the body hopes… But the immune system really isn't a big fan of this toxic fat and it is continually lit up and in hyperactive mode. One of the things the immune system does to combat this toxic state is release a hormone called cortisol. The problem with cortisol is that one of its roles is to protect us from starvation and it does this by storing more fat. And since the liver can't deal with the toxins, then back into the fat they go!

But it gets worse! This new toxin-laden fat secretes its own hormone called "obesogen" (Blun and Glumberg came up with this name, not me!), that cause your body to store even more fat!

So do you see how nasty toxins are?

But let's get back to the 2 day cleanse… first 6-8 hours your body burns glycogen stores, then it goes into fat burning mode, by 24 hours your body is releasing 1300% more Human Growth Hormone (HGH) in women and 2000% more HGH in men. And let me tell you HGH is AWESOME! (unless you're baseballs "ARod" of course and are getting illegal injections of the stuff - but this just tells you how amazing this hormone is. It costs thousands of dollars at these "Anti-aging" clinics, or you can just manipulate your diet to get it for FREE!)

HGH catabolizes fat and anabolizes (builds) lean muscle. Toxins cause the body to release cortisol, block HGH, build fat and burn muscle, but fasting causes us to block cortisol, release HGH, burn fat and build muscle. Keep in mind, that when we were "created" 1000 years ago, the creator didn't foresee grocery stores and fast food joints on every corner. Back then we had to hunt and/or gather our food, and sometimes it wasn't so readily available.

So we are designed to have all the energy we need to hunt and gather for 2 days without eating anything. This is accomplished through the release of HGH. But after 2 days, it's time to get a little worried that food might not be close and we need to be more conservative. So on the third day of fasting the body decreases HGH and turns on the cortisol so we start storing fat in preparation for the possibility of starvation.

As you can see, fasting is actually pretty cool. For around 36 hours your body is burning fat and because of the HGH building lean muscle. All without eating!
But what is the one problem with fasting?

It's not dealing with the toxins that are stored in the fat. The toxins are released from the fat which is good, but what's the point if they just end up back in the fat?
This is the difference betwee Fasting and Cleansing. Cleansing actually is fasting, but adds the nutritional support that gives your liver the ability to deal with and eliminate the toxins through your kidneys and colon.

Nutrients and botanicals that are known to support the liver and cleanse the body of toxins include: selenium, ionic alfalfa, aloe vera leaf, ashwaganda root, burdock root, yellow Dock root, licorice root, as well as B vitamins and a host of anti-oxidants.

During a fast, HGH ensures that through the fat burning process your body has all the energy it needs, but that doesn't mean that your brain and your belly won't be telling you that you're hungry.

When you start to cleanse the neurotransmitters in the brain begin to drop. These are neurotransmitters that make you feel happy, but also take away the cravings for sugar and junk food. So although Cleansing will work with only the nutrients and botanicals that support the liver, I find I am better mentally prepared for 2 days of fasting if I also support my brain to some degree with the right nutrition as well.

Compounds that have been found to enhance your feeling of well-being and reduce your hunger cravings include: DL-phenylalanine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, magnesium glycinate, taurine, lecithin, green tea extract, a few other things, but most importantly CHOCOLATE!

Now I'm not saying to go out and buy yourself a King Sized Mars Bar! It's not the sugar or the calories in chocolate bar. In fact, the sugar will actually make you crave more food. It's more the cocoa you're looking for and you don't need very much. Plus, you want to try and incorporate that first list with the amino acids and everything.

Again, you don't NEED, these brain soothers for the Cleanse to work. But for the Cleanse to work you need to stick with it and it's easier to stick with a Cleanse if your brain isn't telling you that you're starving the entire time!

*The Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Working Group (EWG; ewg.org), in collaboration with the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, conducted a study to assess the levels of 219 industrial chemicals in nine adult volunteers who had no known previous toxic exposure. A total of 167 chemicals (the average was 91) was found in the blood and urine of the study's participants, including 76 carcinogens, 94 chemicals known to be toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 79 that can cause birth defects or abnormal fetal development. Another EWG study found an average of 200 industrial compounds, pollutants, and other chemicals in the umbilical cord blood of 10 newbo babies. Chemicals found in the second study included theorganochlorine pesticides DDT and dieldrin, perfluorochemicals, brominated fire retardants, PCBs, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated and polybrominated dioxins and furans, polychlorinated naphthalenes, and mercury.