Detoxifying

[soopy]

We've recently acquired a nice, clean, hypo-allergenic infra red sauna. Which has led me to read Dr. Sherry Rogers "Detoxify or Die," all about the load of environmental toxins we inevitably stockpile, why it's necessary to get rid of them and how. They can cause no end of nasty illness (not to mention weight gain and retention) and can be unloaded in various ways. She recommends detox cocktails, sauna and regular coffee enemas among other things. Dr. Eades has blogged about the potential of olestra as a detox cleanse (if he's tried it, he hasn't reported).
So, has anybody had experience with any of these or other detoxifying regimens? I'd like to hear why and how and what results or consequences ensued. BTW, after several weeks of regular sauna use, DH has unloaded several very stubborn pounds. Could be the calories expended in the sweating, or maybe toxin elimination?

[Gaelen]

Soopy, unless your own system(s) like liver, kidneys, endocrine (all hormones) are so dramatically impaired that you cannot be fit and healthy, I think I'd rely on the body's own systems to detox you...

I think Dr. Mike's comment about olestra as a detox cleanse was mean in humor because of its known side effects. I can tell you, in my house, coffee is for drinking, not for enemas. YMMV

[soopy]

Gaelen,
Dr. Mike wrote a fairly lengthy post on the topic, not an offhand comment. It's pretty interesting stuff.

http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/?p=576#comments

So far, I'm as healthy as the proverbial horse, and I'd like to stay that way. I make choices that actively support and enhance my circulatory system, my musculo-skeletal system, my digestive system .........it would seem like a good idea to do what I reasonably can for my undoubtedly overworked detox system.

[Gaelen]

Gaelen,
Dr. Mike wrote a fairly lengthy post on the topic, not an offhand comment. It's pretty interesting stuff.

Yes, it is. You should also remember this particular paragraph:
"Once again, let me hasten to repeat, I have never tried this method of detox myself and have never used it on patients. The science underlying it appears sound, and I don’t think it should cause problems if pursued over a couple of days now and again, but I’m not recommending or advocating it. I’m merely putting it up because I think it will be of as much interest to the people reading this blog as it is to me. If and when I do try it myself (or more likely, try to talk MD into doing it), I will blog on my (her) experiences post haste."

I don't think Mike would consider it heresy if I pointed out that some days, maybe he has a little too much free time, and some days his blog topics are...topics. Not necessarily opinions he holds dear, or even is serious about. He is exploring out loud, as many bloggers do. The ideas are little stones he tosses into an internet pool to see how far they will go, how many rings will surround them when they fall, will they sink or float. They are *intended* to provoke comment. Often, they go no further than the comment they generate. Often, MD is the voice of reason when stuff like personal experimentation with a new technique or idea comes up. Thank the goddess. I'd bet at paycheck she talks him out of any orlistat experiments.

Did you happen to notice in the same blog entry that he also found that calcium and green tea, at far less difficult consequences, seemed to offer similar benefits?

You wrote: "So far, I'm as healthy as the proverbial horse, and I'd like to stay that way. I make choices that actively support and enhance my circulatory system, my musculo-skeletal system, my digestive system .........it would seem like a good idea to do what I reasonably can for my undoubtedly overworked detox system."

Well, a huge part of your detox system IS your digestive system. I am curious why, if you're making all these other healthy choices which you say you're making, you would leap to the conclusion that your detox system is 'obviously overworked.' True, we can't escape POPs, and we all have some amount of them circulating in our systems. But if the proposed cure for the perceived problem is worse than the problem, what is the point of the cure? Eat organic and local, wash fruits and veggies, drink green tea and get enough calcium...all far less invasive and (according to this evidence at least) not significantly less effective than an orlistat purge.

It's great to want to do the best we can for our health, and we should all be working at that.

But the bottom line is that none of us are going to get out of this life alive...and tail-chasing to eliminate every possible chance of toxin and contamination doesn't solve anything, either. Having experienced some of the worst that better living through chemistry can dish out, I've little or no personal desire to repeat THAT experience. But hey, if you're up for it...like Mike says, just try it on a weekend and don't stray too far from indoor plumbing.

:rolleyes:

[soopy]

Hey, I never said that I was anxious to try any of the more drastic procedures! Just that I found the theory interesting. I'm much more a 'green tea and calcium' kind of gal. Maybe some Kyolic garlic or glutathione ....... and I will definitely adjust supplements to account for sauna sweat. I do enjoy my sauna, whatever it might be doing for me. I'll continue to eat as 'clean' as I can, drink filtered water from my non-plastic bottle, and definitely not lose any sleep over the issue. I don't think it's 'leaping to conclusions' to think that our bodies didn't evolve to deal with todays toxin loads, and I did specify 'reasonable' when considering making any changes.