“We are a lot like Mother Earth,” Hope Faith, naturopathic physician, licensed midwife and colon therapist told me when I asked about her philosophy of detoxification. ”We are loading down the earth with toxins and we are starting to have problems.”

Comparing the overload, overuse and mistreatment of the earth to what we have done to our own bodies, Dr. Faith refers to the book, The Secrets of the Soil, which talks about the havoc that is wrecked on the earth from over processing the soil until it has become diseased.

“Our bodies,” she explains, “are becoming overwhelmed by our environment. There’s so much out there in the way of toxicity and pollution that we’re starting to see more degenerative and immune deficiency diseases. Chronic fatigue is rampant and of course there’s AIDS.”

Dr. Faith believes that now, more than ever, detoxification should be a vital part of every person’s health maintenance program. People would not be so vulnerable to disease if their systems weren’t so overloaded. Periodic detoxification helps take some of that load off, similar to taking regular vacations from work.

Toxins Weaken the Body

“The body,” Dr. Faith states, “has a normal detoxification process. It would cyclically detoxify on its own if we were living an easier life.  But people are working 12 hours a day, grabbing food whenever they can and they don’t have time to slow down. So the body’s detoxification ability is suppressed.” This translates into more colds, flus, sinus infections and upper respiratory problems - just to name a few illnesses that start with toxic overload. 

Because the system has nowhere to dump its toxins, it starts to overgrow bacteria, becomes more susceptible to circulating viruses and activates viruses that are already in the body.

The process of detoxification is very individualized. “If you take a person who’s really ill,” Dr. Faith reasons, “you can overwhelm their system by detoxifying too fast or too strong. You really need to know what condition a person’s health is in and what’s impacting their lives already.” She finds that the best route is to follow the lead of her patients. Many of them have educated themselves about their bodies and like to have control over their health. 

The Pitfalls of Detoxification

When asked about the pitfalls of detoxification, Dr. Faith responded with a very common stumbling block encountered in today’s world.  “In our society, we have this ‘push-it’ attitude that implies that more is better. What happens in detoxification is that people expect way too much from their bodies. They’re working a lot of hours, not eating great and all of a sudden they decide they want to do a cleansing program. I think they can weaken the system if they push too hard and they might quit because they become discouraged.”

Other common errors people make, says Faith, is to break their detoxification with the worst kinds of foods or go into it thinking that fasting is a magic pill.  ”Most people are living a pretty fast-paced lifestyle and fasting takes a lot of preparation. I think if it’s not done in a gentle way, it doesn’t help the body.”  Dr. Faith encourages an approach that includes resting, decreasing stress and fasting of another sort: from work!

Detox Diets: A Better Way to Go

“I think detoxification diets are more effective in this day and age,” Dr. Faith admits, “than fasting.”  This would entail a diet that is very low in fat and would exclude animal products, dairy and fast food. “Food it would include is vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, juices (especially live juices), herbal teas and cereal.”

She suggests a minimum of two weeks on this kind of diet, with modification if the person is having trouble adhering to the protocol. Staying on this diet for an entire month would be even more ideal, especially if someone is using things to cleanse the bowel and work on the liver to get an overall detoxification of the system.

There are benefits of extending a detoxification diet. “I’ve had people do that detox and find that it is really easy to move into a different kind of eating style because they stopped habits like coffee and sugar. They find that they can do without or they actually feel better without those things.”

Dr. Faith does caution those thinking about detoxifying to make sure that it is an appropriate time in their life for this process.  ”There’s been many times,” she says, “when I started at detox and realized, hey, this is not a good time.  I’m under too much stress, it’s too cold for me or I’m not ready mentally or spiritually right now. And so I wait until my body says it’s time.”

Colon Hydrotherapy

Are there options if you’re not ready to embark on a detoxification program, but would still like to cleanse the body?  Dr. Faith feels that colon hydrotherapy can fill this need.  As an example, she talks about an elderly patient with terribly arthritic knees to illustrate the benefits of colon hydrotherapy.

“I talked to this woman about diet and herbs. She wouldn’t take anything, she wouldn’t make any changes in her diet. But she had colonics every week and they were the only things that helped her to be able to walk up and down her stairs. When she didn’t have her colonics, she’d be really stiff and in a lot of pain.” Cleansing the system with colon hydrotherapy, Dr. Faith explains, is another way to create a positive impact on your road to optimal health.

A Spiritual Experience

As for her own experience with detoxification and colon hydrotherapy, Dr. Faith relates an element of spiritual uplifting. “I did an extensive detox and moved an incredible amount of stuff out of my colon. I felt lighter in my body. I felt alive and energized. I felt this incredible peace inside.”

After all, when your body is weighed down, and in survival mode trying to deal with all the toxins, it’s hard to be spiritually uplifted.

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If you’ve ever heard the term “detox diet,” you may have wondered if this was something you should incorporate into you weight loss, weight management, or health maintenance routine. Before you can make that decision, however, you must first understand the basics of detox dieting. Because what you don’t know, could hurt you.  

The Detox Diet Explanation

The main purpose of a detox diet is to help your body eliminate stored toxins. What, exactly, are toxins? These are substances like preservatives, pesticides, heavy metals, and your own waste products that the body has been unable to eliminate.

There are many ways to approach detoxification dieting and each approach requires the dieter to undergo lifestyle or dietary changes for a period of time. Detox diet tactics include:

• Water or juice fasting
• Food combining for optimal digestion
• Calorie restriction/elimination of specific foods
• Herbal supplements to assist the body in detoxifying

If you’re thinking about trying a detox diet, there are a number of things you should consider first.

Timing: The process of detoxifying the body usually makes you feel worse before you feel better. That’s why it’s important to time your detox wisely. Don’t embark on a major body cleansing program if you’re working 10 hours a day, six days a week or are going through a major life change like a death in the family, a divorce, or a home move. Instead, try to time your detox around a long weekend or quiet time of the month.

Research: Do your research about specific diet options to ensure that you are prepared to make the commitment and sacrifices outlined in the program you choose. If you decide to try a live juice fast, for example, can you truly afford to buy the organic raw produce required to make your own live juices several times a day? Or would it be easier to detoxify using herbal nutritional supplements while eliminating specific food groups?

Side Effects: Detox diets are designed to cleanse your body while giving your digestive and elimination systems a “break” from their daily routine. Because of this, a detox diet will probably leave you feeling extremely hungry and low on energy, especially during the first day or two. Headaches, irritability, and insomnia are common side effects as your body begins to eliminate the toxic waste it has accumulated. The good news is, these rather negative effects are only temporary, and when they are gone, they’ll be replaced with feelings of lightness, well being and increased energy.

Start Slow: If you’re new to cleansing diets and detoxification, consider choosing an option that lasts only a day or two your first time around to see how your body handles the process. If things go well, your next detox diet could be a longer program that is designed to produce more dramatic results.

Consult Your Physician. Detox diets are a shock to you’re a system and should always be preceded by a visit to your doctor to ensure that you’re healthy enough for the diet you choose. You doctor may be able to suggest a detox diet that is safe for your system and will support your current state of health.  

Defining Your Detox Diet Goals

One more aspect of detoxification that should be considered before beginning is: What are your goals around a detox diet? Do you want to lose weight?  Have more energy? De-bloat after a vacation? Or maybe this is your first step toward a more natural lifestyle. These are all common - and valid - reasons to consider a detoxification diet. Answering honestly will help you discover which diet will help you realize your goals. 

It’s important to be realistic in your expectations around a detox diet - a five-day juice fast, for instance, won’t make up for 15 years of yo-yo dieting or erradic exercise habits. Education, preparation, and commitment are your best tools for success. Research your choices, understand the side effects, create your goals and make sure that, whatever detox diet you choose, you’re supporting better health rather than putting yourself at risk.