The Bucket Theory
Our bodies are like a bucket. They receive everything we put in, including stress, environmental toxins, pesticides, exogenous hormones, GMO foods and allergens. They have a drainage source on the bottom which are our emunctories or elimination organs (bowels, kidneys, skin and lungs). Over time the drainage source is overcome by the rate of toxins being put in. When this happens the toxins spill over and we experience symptoms. Most common symptoms of an over loaded system happen in our: skin (eczema, psoriasis, acne), immune system (frequent colds, sinusitis, excessive mucous production, allergic reactions), musculoskeletal system (joint pain, chronic pain, malalignment), and hormonal system (impaired sleep, menstrual dysregulation and stress).
COMMON ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS
- Pollution from cars, factories & farming
- Pesticides in the air and in the soil
- EMF + Electrical signals from wifi, cell phones, all electrical equiptment
- Household cleaners + paint
- Beauty and body products
- Pharmaceuticals
COMMON FOOD TOXINS
- Hormones from eating other animals
- Genetically modified food
- Allergenic foods
- Carcinogenic compounds from cooking oils, fats and meat
THE DETOXIFICATION PROCESS
The major organ of detoxification in the body is the liver. It processes everything that ends up in our blood, or is made by our body. All the blood in our body (~5 liters) cycles through the liver every 3 minutes. The liver breaks everything down so it can be used by the body or excreted. All of the hormones in our system are broken down in the liver for excretion. When our liver isn't functioning properly because it doesn't have all the substrates it needs for the biochemical reactions or when it is overburdened, toxins build up in the bodies. They get stored in places like muscle and fat tissue. Some toxins, like hormones, continue to be active, creating diseases like estrogenic cancers. It is important to make sure that our liver has all the ingredients it needs, biochemically, and energetically. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the emotion associated with the liver is anger. Repressed anger or highly angry individuals have a disease state called Liver Fire. Excessive or repressed anger damages the liver.
3 Steps of Detoxification
Removal
In this stage we cease to fill the body with toxins.
All forms of toxins are considered: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.
Water Fasting is a great way to begin a detoxification process because it stops the addition of toxins in every form. It also addressing the addiction portion of our daily habits. By water fasting we are able to gain perspective on our habits: How we use food and why, why we use certain products. Getting space from our habits allows us to consider them and determine if they are serving us or not.
Other ways to abstain from toxin loading are anti-allergenic diets, avoiding gluten dairy and alcohol. Throwing out toxic products in our home in exchange for less harmful natural ones that don't contain ammonia, sodium-lauryl sulfate, parabens, pthalates, formaldehydes and triclosan.
All forms of toxins are considered: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.
Water Fasting is a great way to begin a detoxification process because it stops the addition of toxins in every form. It also addressing the addiction portion of our daily habits. By water fasting we are able to gain perspective on our habits: How we use food and why, why we use certain products. Getting space from our habits allows us to consider them and determine if they are serving us or not.
Other ways to abstain from toxin loading are anti-allergenic diets, avoiding gluten dairy and alcohol. Throwing out toxic products in our home in exchange for less harmful natural ones that don't contain ammonia, sodium-lauryl sulfate, parabens, pthalates, formaldehydes and triclosan.
Unburden
A time to remove the harmful substances affecting our body, in particular the liver.
In this stage we can use herbs, supplements and IV nutrients to support the liver to detoxify the body and itself. We give the liver all the substrates it needs for detoxifying like sulphur, cysteine, glutamine, glycine, taurine, ornithine, arginine, N-acetyl cysteine, B Vitamins, Vitamin A, C, E, coenzyme Q10, manganese, zinc, copper, selenium, and pycnogenol. Herbs like milk thistle are hepatoprotective, while chelidonium and dandelion are bitter herbs promoting bile production. We increase our water content to help flush the toxins out through the kidneys or drink medicinal teas with herbs that help the detoxification process. Intravenous therapy helps to get the body the doses it needs of vitamins to help detoxification especially glutathione, the body's most important and abundant antioxidant.
Emotional processing is an important part of this step. Letting out pent up emotions. Processing trauma, past and present. Learning to separate our ego mind from our true selves with meditation. There are many great healing modalities for emotional processing including acupuncture, meditation, somatic experiencing, counselling and energetic healing of all kinds.
Spiritual healing happens when we take time to reconnect to our higher selves. Taking a moment out of daily life to be present with ourselves and our body. Mindfulness and meditation are great tools.
In this stage we can use herbs, supplements and IV nutrients to support the liver to detoxify the body and itself. We give the liver all the substrates it needs for detoxifying like sulphur, cysteine, glutamine, glycine, taurine, ornithine, arginine, N-acetyl cysteine, B Vitamins, Vitamin A, C, E, coenzyme Q10, manganese, zinc, copper, selenium, and pycnogenol. Herbs like milk thistle are hepatoprotective, while chelidonium and dandelion are bitter herbs promoting bile production. We increase our water content to help flush the toxins out through the kidneys or drink medicinal teas with herbs that help the detoxification process. Intravenous therapy helps to get the body the doses it needs of vitamins to help detoxification especially glutathione, the body's most important and abundant antioxidant.
Emotional processing is an important part of this step. Letting out pent up emotions. Processing trauma, past and present. Learning to separate our ego mind from our true selves with meditation. There are many great healing modalities for emotional processing including acupuncture, meditation, somatic experiencing, counselling and energetic healing of all kinds.
Spiritual healing happens when we take time to reconnect to our higher selves. Taking a moment out of daily life to be present with ourselves and our body. Mindfulness and meditation are great tools.
Replenish
Replenishing the system with foods that promote health, proper metabolism, and vitality!!
Eating a diet that promotes health includes raw oils like flax seed, avocado and coconut. Lots of fiber from raw vegetables 3 times a day. Bright vegetables have high antioxidant count and mineral content like peppers, cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, and green leafy. Cruciferous vegetables contain sulphur which the liver loves: broccoli, kale, cauliflower, rutabaga, turnips, bok choy, collards and water cress. Fruits are high in antioxidants and vitamins like blueberries, strawberries, apples, blackberry, cherry. Garlic is a great natural antimicrobial that helps to fight off pathogen invasion. And finally, water. Our bodies are 70% water. We need it to help the kidney remove toxins, hydrate our muscles and fascia, keep our blood pressure up and much more. Check out our recipe section for more information on healthy meals.
Eating a diet that promotes health includes raw oils like flax seed, avocado and coconut. Lots of fiber from raw vegetables 3 times a day. Bright vegetables have high antioxidant count and mineral content like peppers, cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, and green leafy. Cruciferous vegetables contain sulphur which the liver loves: broccoli, kale, cauliflower, rutabaga, turnips, bok choy, collards and water cress. Fruits are high in antioxidants and vitamins like blueberries, strawberries, apples, blackberry, cherry. Garlic is a great natural antimicrobial that helps to fight off pathogen invasion. And finally, water. Our bodies are 70% water. We need it to help the kidney remove toxins, hydrate our muscles and fascia, keep our blood pressure up and much more. Check out our recipe section for more information on healthy meals.