Published September 1, 2010 in the North Island Weekender 

Recently a colleague of mine attended a medical conference in Vancouver where the best minds of biological medicine were gathered to discuss their most recent clinical findings. The main clinical pearl that I learned was that many “infections” afflicting humans were parasitical in nature. The basis of biological medicine in Germany is the “pleo-morphic theory” which states that organisms change their form to best suit their life cycle and change from virus, to bacteria to parasite and back again. In a recent Reader’s Digest article was summarized several cancer types that are being linked to “infections”. For instance H.pylori is linked to the cause of stomach cancer, and HPV virus is linked to cervical cancer, and hepatitis B is linked to liver cancer. So how can we mitigate the growth of these organisms in their various life cycle forms to prevent the diseases of the body?

One of the main precepts of naturopathic medicine is to improve the “milieu” or the soil of the body. The story I like to tell is that if you have an infestation of insects in your house it is not enough to call in an exterminator if you a still store garbage incorrectly in the home. The insects will never be eradicated. Getting rid of the garbage, the source of food for the insects, is getting to the underlying cause of the problem. The same is true of your body. If we do not keep the milieu of the body cleansed then infections can take an easier hold on the body. This is why a basic tenant of naturopathic medicine is regular “cleansing” programs to improve the immune systems of the body.

This concept of “cleansing” has not been proven in so called “evidence based medicine” but it is has been a mainstay therapy in naturopathic medicine over the last 100 years. In my clinical experience over the last 25 years, I see much improvement in the immune systems of patients who regularly do cleansing programs.

The basic steps include:
 
1. to rest the body from its regular diet and eat foods that are easier to digest, have high water content and have no sugar, meat, wheat or dairy and minimal fat.

2. assist the elimination organs using herbs and homeopathy in drainage of the intracellular spaces.

3. to up regulate the elimination pathways of the liver, kidney, bowel and lymphatic systems.

4. to consider some form of external therapy to facilitate lymphatic drainage using Ion Wave detox foot baths, hydrotherapy (hot and cold showers or sauna’s) infrared sauna’s and or colonic therapy.

Homeopathic medicine is used in many different combinations to act as “drainage” remedies for the elimination organs of the body including the liver, kidney, bowel and lymphatic systems. When patients take these remedies for the prescribed six weeks at least once per year, they report improvement in mental clarity, bowel and bladder function, sleep, headaches, energy and fewer colds and flus year round.

Other more involved cleansing programs administered by naturopathic physicians include dietary changes and a comprehensive herbal program tailored for the elimination organs. These programs are recommended for two to four weeks and require more meal planning to avoid the meat, wheat, dairy, caffeine, sugar and alcohol. Be prepared for food withdrawal symptoms when you do this program and then comes the reward of feeling great!

If we took care of our bodies as well as we took care of our cars and houses we would no doubt enjoy better health in our aging years. Perhaps if we would tour the halls of extended care facilities we might be inspired to attempt to travel down a healthier path. The time and effort you spend now on your health is energy you put into your “healthy body bank” to reap later.

Fall is a great time for renewal. Start today by learning from your naturopathic physician what your annual cleansing program can look like. Schedule them as you do for tune ups for your car and maintenance for your home. You will be glad you did!