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Health Smart, Roon Frost April 2009

At every age we're bombarded by harmful chemicals and environmental pollutants. You don’t need to live near a refinery or chemical plant. Toxic heavy metals from burning coal have shown up in the Arctic, and scientists suggest that low-level atmospheric pollution can damage human health. Even people who watch their diets, abstain from alcohol and drugs, exercise regularly, and avoid obvious contaminants can carry a cumulative body burden of over 100 pollutants.

Consider a cleanse
“Changes in our everyday habits can be critical," explains Elson Haas, MD, founder and director of the Preventive Medical Center of Marin. Brush the skin to stimulate lymph circulation and get plenty of fresh air, sunshine, exercise, and water (drinking, bathing, steams, and saunas). For those who choose it, healthy fasting includes digestive cleanses and fresh juices. “The two key times for natural cleansing are the times of transition into spring and autumn," adds Dr. Haas.

Practical tips
Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS, has created a comprehensive program of internal cleansing, outlined in her book The Fast Track One-Day Detox Diet, that begins with organic foods, features a day of juice fasting, and transitions back to organic food. She says, “What’s the point of getting all those toxins out of your system only to load yourself up again every time you sit down to dinner?

To prepare the body for internal cleansing, Dr. Gittleman suggests consuming the following foods and drinks daily for a week:

• Cabbage-family veggies such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower

• Leafy greens including chard, collards, and parsley

• Sulfur-rich foods such as onion, garlic, and eggs

• Citrus fruits

• Lean protein

• 1 to 2 tablespoons of healthy oil such as flaxseed or olive

• Liver-supportive artichokes, asparagus, beets, or celery

• Fiber-rich foods such as apples, berries, carrots, pears, or powdered psyllium husks

• Unsweetened cranberry juice and filtered water.

Juice fasting, preferably with as much organic produce and pure water as possible, provides fiber and nutrients while making it easy to transition from and back to solid foods. After fasting, Dr. Haas suggests raw or cooked low-starch vegetables, including a little sauerkraut to help stimulate digestive function. Also consume friendly bacteria in fermented foods like yogurt with active and live cultures or take a quality probiotic product, adds Dr. Gittleman.

Experts recommend fasting only under the care of an experienced physician. It’s not recommended for pregnant or lactating women and anyone planning surgery. “Some people go to extremes with fasting," Dr. Haas warns, “and begin to lose essential nutrients. Excessive detoxification can be a concern; finding balance is the key for each of us?"