Nutrients Detoxify And Rebuild An Overwhelmed Immune System
by Gloria Bucco
Most people can't avoid everyday pollutants, but they can take steps to protect their
Simply put, we're poisoning ourselves. Annual production of synthetic
chemicals increased from approximately
1 billion pounds in 1940 to more than 387 billion pounds in 1990.1 In addition:
* Up to 25 percent of the U.S. population suffers to some extent from
* Although overall cancer death rates are declining steadily, the death
rates for victims of particularly deadly cancers are rising.3
* The 600 percent increase in the amount of chlorine in the atmosphere
during the last 40 years is not just affecting the countries producing
chlorofluorocarbons--it's present in every country and in Antarctica, the North Pole and
the Pacific Ocean.4
* In the United States alone, industrial sources and gasoline exhaust
release more than 600,000 tons of lead into the atmosphere that are eventually inhaled or
ingested after being deposited on food crops, fresh water and soil.5
Toxic chemicals and hazardous waste contaminate our air and water. Our
homes and workplaces are saturated with synthetic materials that release chemical vapors
into the air we breathe. Toxic metals such as lead, aluminum, cadmium and mercury pervade
our environment. Pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, fumigants and
fertilizers seep into the soil and are absorbed into our food. Additives, preservatives,
and artificial colorings and flavorings are found in almost all supermarket food products.6
The result is a 20th century phenomenon--either a heightened
sensitivity to synthetic substances or an environmental illness. Symptoms often mimic
those of other illnesses--fatigue, low vitality, depression, poor concentration or
headaches. Environmental illness can manifest as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia
(muscle and joint pain), Parkinson's disease and childhood asthma.7
We're waging chemical warfare on ourselves, and we're paying the
price--in illness and sometimes death.
We may not be able to escape every pollutant in our world, but we can
protect ourselves and rid our bodies of these poisons naturally and safely.
Toxicity vs. Allergy
Environmental toxicity and environmental allergies are two different
things. Allergies result from the immune system's overreaction to a substance in the
environment. Environmental toxicity occurs when tissues and cells are poisoned to a point
where they can no longer function properly. Allergic reactions usually diminish when
contact with the offending allergen stops. Toxicity-based problems, however, can persist
long after exposure, depending on the type and extent of damage the toxins have caused.8
Because its causes are many and varied, and its symptoms often
mystifying, environmental illness is frequently dismissed by some physicians. Jeff
Anderson, M.D., a medical consultant in Marin County, Calif., isn't one of them.
"Multiple chemical sensitivity is a very valid phenomenon,"
he says. "There are tremendous amounts of science that outline its mechanisms. A
minimum of between 4 percent and 12 percent of the U.S. population has either a chemical
intolerance or a chemical sensitivity."
Enough people are suffering from such conditions and other
environment-related maladies to keep Anderson busy full time; his practice consists solely
of people with environmental illnesses. "It's a huge problem," he explains.
"The cost of illness from indoor air quality alone is estimated at $20 billion a year
in lost income and disability payments at all levels of industry."
Anderson approaches each patient's condition as a mystery that needs to
be solved. He begins by taking an extensive health and environmental history then follows
with a thorough physical exam and lab tests to screen for chemical toxins. The test
results are matched with tests of a patient's home and work environments to determine the
toxin's source. If necessary, further diagnostic work is completed on the patient's immune
and neurological systems.
"We get a pretty good picture after all this," Anderson says.
A Nutritional Approach
Once environmental illness is diagnosed, the logical first step is
removing the offending toxins from a patient's environment. Only then can getting well
begin. Detoxification is the key to this process.
"Toxicity has become a great concern in the 20th century, and I
predict that the process of detoxification will be an important tool for 21st century
medicine," says Elson Haas, M.D., author of The Detox Diet (Celestial Arts,
The human body handles toxins either by neutralizing, transforming or
eliminating them, according to Haas. Enhancing detoxification involves dietary and
lifestyle changes that reduce the intake of toxins while improving elimination.
Detoxification therapy, especially fasting, is the oldest known medical treatment. Haas
defines fasting as avoiding solid foods and ingesting only liquids.
Steams and saunas are Anderson's preferred methods of detoxification.
"Sweating is the most effective way to detoxify," he says. "Most toxic
chemicals are stored in fat cells. A sauna set at 120 to 140 degrees for extended periods
raises the body temperature. the heat drives toxic materials out of fat molecules so they
can be excreted through the sweat glands."
Bob Rountree, M.D., a holistic practitioner in Boulder, Colo., works
with many patients experiencing environmental illness symptoms and also focuses on
"A complex array of chemical reactions that occurs in the
intestines also affects the rest of the body," he says. "It's a two-way street
between the intestines and the bloodstream. If the intestinal walls aren't healthy,
toxicity goes way up."
Rountree begins treatment with a liquid cleanse that lasts one to three
days. He then recommends a special diet that excludes common allergens such as dairy
products, gluten, fried foods, sugar, caffeine and alcohol. "I keep the diet really
simple, with some grains, plenty of vegetables and baked fish," he says. Patients
stay on this diet for two to three weeks.
Rountree also suggests patients eat flaxseed meal. "Lignans are
really terrific for detoxification," he explains. "And there are more lignans in
flaxseed meal than in flaxseed oil." Lignans are potent plant compounds that have
been shown to have powerful therapeutic capabilities in addition to decreasing allergic
Time To Rebuild
Once the detoxification process is complete, it's time to begin
rebuilding the immune system and minimizing chemical irritation. Following are
recommendations from Haas:
* A quality multiple vitamin with extra antioxidant nutrients to
decrease the potential of free-radical toxicity.
* Extra vitamin A for immune support and tissue protection.
* Beta-carotene to re-duce the carcinogenicity of chemicals.
* Vitamin C to protect cells and tissues against the effects of
water-soluble chemicals such as carbon monoxide, metals such as cadmium, and metabolic
by-products such as carcinogenic nitrosamines made from nitrites.
* Vitamin E and selenium (200 to 300 mcg) work together to
protect cells from pollutants including ozone, nitrogen dioxide, nitrites and metals such
as lead, mercury, silver and cadmium.
* Minerals, especially zinc, to help protect cells from toxins.
Many detoxifying enzymes require zinc to work. When combined with copper and manganese,
zinc also functions in the superoxide dismutase system, detoxifying the oxygen-free
radicals thought to be generated from ozone and smog. Calcium and magnesium also help
neutralize some colon toxins and decrease heavy-metal absorption from the gastrointestinal
* A B vitamin complex formula with sufficient thiamine,
pantothenic acid and niacinamide along with lipoic acid to help protect the liver and
mitigate the effects of radiation.
* The sulfur-containing amino acid L-cysteine to help neutralize
heavy-metal toxins and toxic by-products of smoking, smog, alcohol and fats. L-cysteine
helps produce glutathione, a tripeptide essential to several important enzymes,
particularly glutathione peroxidase.
* Methionine, another sulfur-containing amino acid that,
according to Haas, has mild detoxification and protective functions.
* Insoluble fiber such as wheat bran and soluble fiber such as
psyllium to reduce metal absorption.
* Sodium alginate from seaweed to decrease heavy and radioactive
* Chlorophyll-containing algae such as chlorella and spirulina,
for a mild chelating effect.
* Apple pectin to bind and clear intestinal metals and chemical
* Alfalfa, rich in chlorophylls, along with vitamin K, to reduce
tissue damage from radiation exposure.
Rountree also advocates a wide variety of immune-strengthening
supplements. First on his list is an antioxidant formula consisting of a carotene complex;
vitamin C (2 to 10 g/day); vitamin E; zinc; selenium; NAC (N-acetylcysteine) if
glutathione levels are low; and bioflavonoids such as rutin, herperidin, quercitrin and
If warranted, Rountree also uses other nutrients including lipoic acid;
Co-Q10, a documented immune enhancer; adaptogens such as reishi, shiitake and maitake
mushrooms; green foods such as blue-green algae; and a variety of herbs including Siberian
ginseng, to protect the liver; astragalus, a powerful immunotonic; ginkgo, for asthma and
other respiratory complaints; and suma, a South American herbal adaptogen.
To defend against free-radical damage to cell walls, Anderson starts
his patients on a regime that includes the antioxidant vitamins C, E and beta-carotene,
followed by the minerals manganese and copper. He also recommends natural substances with
chelating effects such as aduki beans, lentils and cilantro.
Chemicals are part of modern life, so how do we deal them and still
"Learning to live with chemicals and using them appropriately so
they don't destroy us involves maintaining a healthy immune system, a positive attitude
and a high purpose," Haas says. "Protecting ourselves by reducing chemical use
and exposure will greatly reduce our chances of disease, cancer and early death.
"This is important for everyone, but especially for infants and
small children, the elderly, and invalids--all of whom are more susceptible to chemical
toxicity. Making changes and a commitment to living as chemically free as possible is a
strong investment in our personal and collective life-insurance plan." NSN
by Gloria Bucco
Gloria Bucco is an independent journalist and communications
consultant in Longmont, Colo. Her last article in Nutrition Science News focused on
|1.Stewart, J.C. Drinking Water Hazards: 10. Hiram, Ohio:
2. Murray, M.T,. & Pizzorno J. The
Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine: 32. Rocklin, Calif.: Prima Publishing, 1991.
3. Brody, J.E. The New York Times: C-1, November 1996.
4. Gore, A. Earth in the Balance: 29, New York: Houghton Mifflin
5. Murray, M.T., Ibid.
6. Balch, J.F., & Balch P.A. Prescription for Nutritional
Healing: 252-54. Garden City Park, N.Y.: Avery Publishing Group, 1997.
7. Bland, J.S. "How to guard against toxins," Delicious!
Magazine, April 1996.
8. Balch, J.F., Ibid.
9. Kennedy B. "Disease prevention: Flaxseed endorsed by the
FDA," Total Health, 54, October 1993.
Foods That Heal
||Natural Chemo therapy
Laetrile, vitamin B 17 amygladin
Apricot seeds, apple seeds,...
Curing With Cayenne
Use Lemon and Olive Oil drink daily, if you are
underweight, or you are suffering from gallstones attacks!
Pau d'Arco tea (Taheebo, ipe roxo ,
Olive leaf extract
minerals Contain: selenium, zinc, chromium, vanadium, germanium, manganese,
magnesium, and 70 other elements.
Castor oil Packs (Ricinus oil) packs
Epsom Salts Bath
Green tea contain many antioxidant chemicals known as polyphenols.
One of them called EGCG has 20 times the radical quenching effect of Vitamin E, and 500
times the effect of vitamin C.
Garlic and onions contains chemicals: (allyl sulfides) which help limit the
production of cancer causing chemicals.
Tomato contain antioxidants "lycopene"
Soy (best products are miso, tamari and shoyu):
Soy products contain chemicals called "isoflavones" which act as weak estrogens
and leave less room for strong ones. Estrogen promotes fast growth of breast cells in
- Antioxidants are able to stop free radical chain reactions.
polyphenols in green tea
lycopene in tomatoes
- Antioxidants are quenching free radicals !
- Cox-2 Inhibitors such as "reservatol" in red grapes and
"curcumin" in Turmeric suppress tumor's production of growth factors. It may
inhibit blood vessel growth in tumors. Tumor without blood vessel can not grow.
Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage ... have "sulforaphane" , which boost production
of Phase II Enzymes.
Phase II Enzymes remove carcinogens from cells.
There are hundreds of natural chemicals that help our body
Many of them have anti tumor properties. Cancer was extremely rear disease in the
history. Traditional people have been eating natural foods.
|Foods that Kill
||Replace with Foods that
||Stevia, Rice malt, Brley malt
|MSG - Mono Sodium Glutamate
|Hormones - MILK
||Natural and whole foods, home made
||Improve your immunity.
In case of an acute infection use : Ozone, Bob
Beck's Silver Pulser, Herbal medications (Olive leaf extract, Grapefruit kernel extract,
|Sugar , honey , chocolate
and other concentrated sweeteners
|Stevia, Rice malt, Brley malt, Carob, Fruit, Carrot
Include in your diet algae, sea foods and unrefined sea salt that contain trace
minerals Chromium and Vanadium, you will not have craving for Sugar and sweets
! Craving for Sugar and sweets is a symptom of Chromium and Vanadium deficiency!)
||Water Read book:"Your Body Many
Cries for Water "
Margarin - fats
|Fats That Heal (Olive
||Fats That Heal (Olive
|refined salt, Table salt
||Unrefined sea salt
||Natural celan Water
|hard and dry bovine milk cheese
|Junk foods (hamburgers, pizza, hotdog, nachos,
||Home made foods, Baked Foods
fried, smoked, grilled foods
|Soft drinks - Coca Cola, Pepsi, Soda pop
||Water Read book: "Your Body Many
Cries for Water "
|fruits and nuts that are not growing in the same climatic area as
the one you are living in now
||fruits and nuts that are growing in the same climatic area
Foods that kill are stronger then foods that heal.