Detox Supplements

Detox supplements have been used for thousands of years by cultures around the world to assist the body in its efforts to remove toxins from internal tissues.

Prehistoric medicine men and women were known to use detox nutritional supplements in an effort to remove toxins from the bodies of people of their race.

Chinese medicine has used detox supplements for thousands of years in the treatment of their people. Likewise Ayurveda has its own detox nutritional supplements to protect and rejuvenate.

In studying the American Indian culture, one finds numerous references to the use of herbs as agents to purify the body and the soul.

In one instance involving Canadian Indians, a nurse by the name of Renee Caisse was given an herbal remedy that has been shown to cure cancer. The remedy, now named Essiac Tea, can be found in health food stores and on the internet.

Why, then, is it so difficult for our medical doctors to accept the power of herbs and detox supplements as effective remedies for our people?

Ah, but this is another question...

Organs of Elimination

The major organs of elimination in the human body are the colon, the liver, the kidneys, the skin, the lymph, the lungs and the blood.

Seven avenues of detox allow our bodies to remove the toxins accumulated in our day to day lives. To assist the organs in the performance of their detox functions, certain detox supplements have proven to be beneficial.

Many herbs and detox supplements have beneficial properties that help in the detox of more than one organ, so multiple benefits are derived.

The Colon

The first detox any person should perform is a colon cleanse. Supplements to aid in cleansing the colon include fiber for use as a bulking agent, such as psyllium husks or ground flax seeds.

Herbs such as cascara sagrada or senna assist the colon in its function of peristalsis, which is the movement that pushes the waste from the body.

One should also use some type of bentonite clay or chlorella, which are useful in picking up toxins and carrying them from the body on their way through the colon.

It’s always wise to include a parasite cleansing supplement such as black walnut hull, wormwood and cloves. And to rebuild the weakened bacteria in the colon, be certain to take a variety of probiotic cultures.

To top it off, include a high quality vitamin and mineral supplement to strengthen the entire body during the cleanse. Additionally, you may add herbs such as dandelion, buckthorn, licorice, rhubarb root and yellow dock.

The Liver

Once the colon has been cleansed properly, one should move on to the liver. If the colon has not been cleansed, any action taken to detox the liver will cause toxins to back up in the colon and be reabsorbed. Not good!

Toxins that are not eliminated can be take back into the body and will be treated as if a new source of toxification has been introduced. The liver can be assisted in detoxification processes by the addition of detox nutritional supplements, including milk thistle (also known as Silibum Marianum), artichoke (Cynara Scolymus), and dandelion root (Taraxacum Officinale.)

The Kidneys

Your kidneys should have regular attention to safeguard against kidney stones, kidney sludge and kidney and bladder infection. It’s a good idea to cleanse your kidneys on a regular basis to avoid problems later. Don’t wait until you begin to have problems or it may be too late to avoid major damage to these vital organs.

So after doing the colon cleanse, you can do a liver cleanse, or focus on the liver and kidneys simultaneously. Often, herbs and supplements that benefit the liver also help the kidneys.

Kidneys need an adequate flow of fluid to produce enough urine to cleanse, so a first focus for kidney detox would be diuretics.

Herbs such as dandelion leaf, juniper berries, uva ursi, parsley and buchu all help supply the needed diurietic qualities to assist the kidneys. Others include cornsilk, horsetail, yarrow and cleavers. Uva ursi (also called bearberry) is also good as an antispasmotic, as is chamomile. Use them to help with the passing of stones. Yarrow, gravel root and hydrangea root also help with this process.

The Blood

Often called the river of life, the blood is vital to the function of all other organs. To purify the blood, use burdock roots, turmeric, neem, holy basil, alfalfa, red clover leaf, hawthorn berries, dandelion, Oregon grape root, garlic, yellow dock and Echinacea.

The Skin

The skin is the body’s largest organ, and is responsible for a considerable amount of detoxification activity. Use ginger root, peppermint, boneset, elder flowers, peppermint, burdock, Oregon grape, yellow dock, cayenne pepper and goldenseal.

The Lymph System

Use the following herbs to benefit the lymph system: Burdock root, boldo leaves, barberry root bark, cascara sagrada, chickweed, dandelion root, Echinacea, licorice root, parsley and sasparilla.

The Lungs

For the lungs, include ginger, cayenne pepper, black pepper, horseradish, onion and garlic in your daily intake.

System Detox

Other supplements assist in the detox of the entire body.

MSM is a wonderful overall cleansing agent for the body. It helps the colon to function properly, and assists the very cells of your body to expel toxins and rid them from your system. It is also an antiparasite agent, making it impossible for parasites to grab onto the walls of the colon. You'll learn about What is MSM here. To further understand where MSM comes from, view MSM Information.

While herbs and other detox supplements can assist the body with its cleansing duties, do not assume these supplements are sufficient in themselves. You must also get plenty of exercise and sunlight, drink adequate amounts of pure water, and maintain a healthy diet.