You cannot detox your body…its a myth! This is one of the most entertaining lines I have repeatedly come across, unfortunately endorsed by several professionals. They then go on to discuss how the body is designed to detox itself…and as they place the cherry on top…they sign off stating that the body can only be treated if there is a disease state.

Let us begin to break it down…and see if there is any merit to these claims.

As far as natural detox goes…you must be pretty familiar with the process of peeing and pooping and sweating…you are still able to achieve all this despite the abuse you put your body through. This is possible because of a commendable innate intelligence that governs your body and acts through your Colon, Liver, Kidneys and Skin. Yet, time and again, I do have patients walking into my detox center troubled by acute constipation, fatty liver, kidney stones, IBS, psoriasis, eczema, migraines, bloating, acidity and the list goes on. Would you say, their bodies are cursed with less innate intelligence than the average others who arent plagued with these challenges?

Patients bring their blood reports and scan reports, with some of them indicating fatty liver and have been advised, “you have fatty liver…but that is fine…everybody does…its normal.” It almost cost me my poker face to not smirk…Imagine! Just because the vast majority have a fatty liver…it is now acceptable as “normal” and not a condition to be intervened? NHS, WHO and a whole list of prestigious health organisations recognise 4 stages of non alcoholic fatty liver: 1. Simple fatty liver or steatosis 2.Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) 3.Fibrosis 4.Cirrhosis…Common sense question: which stage would you think would be an ideal point to intervene and fix the issue? (isn’t the answer obvious?) Then comes the most important question…if your body (liver included)…has the ability to detox itself…then why did the fatty liver occur in the first place? Am I stating that the body can detox itself…or am I implying that the body is incapable of detoxifying itself?

Both! How? Here’s how…the body’s innate intelligence is designed to detoxify toxins that occur naturally as an outcome of our body’s evolutionary understanding of food cycle – ingestion, assimilation, absorption and excretion of food that by evolution, the body has come to understand as ‘normal’…unfortunately our food systems have changed faster than our human body’s ability to recalibrate itself to understand the ‘new normal’ of food…for eg. refined oil…and worse…reused reheated refined oil. The entire biochemistry of the liver-gallbladder-bile is currently struggling to break down and excrete refined fatty toxins and cannot process it as efficiently as it is designed to handle unrefined fatty toxins. When it comes to alcohol…while your liver-gallbladder system has the ability to efficiently breakdown alcohol and prepare it for excretion…the byproducts that result as a part of the breaking down process…cause all the harm…scarring and hurting this beautiful organ that is even willing to assist you when you indulge.

While it is true that your body has the ability to naturally detox itself…just like everything in this mortal world has limitations…even commendable levels of innate intelligence has its short falls. That is where naturopaths and functional medicine practitioners pave the extra mile with oral supplements packed with herbs that eliminate alcohol faster from the system, herbs that heal scarring wounds of the liver cells or liver flush enemas that are designed to trigger and dilate bile ducts to enhance the evacuation of dark bile and trigger the production of fresh bile which in turn gets the greasy toxins off the hands of your liver…

Colonic irrigation elegantly rids your body of bad bacteria, dried, decomposed layers of fecal matter that your body was struggling to purge out through natural ‘pooping’ as opposed to more aggressive irritants like over the counter purging suppositories. In fact there is scientific evidence that prolonged usage of such suppositories causes loss of peristaltic movement in your colon (meaning your colon’s ability to push the poop down and out). The root cause for most gut related issues is the imbalance of healthy gut bacteria and a leaky gut…and no…just a cup of curds will not solve this issue. Oral probiotics packed with a diversity of healthy bacteria post a few sessions of colonics will show results.

Do any of the above procedures carry any scientific merit? Oh yes…numerous single blinded and double blinded scientific research papers and citations published in scientific journals are available in the vast libraries of NCBI and PubMed. Just google them!

I have had patients who have battled constipation or IBS or psoriasis for years…and despite all the advances in modern medicine…they haven’t managed to experience lasting relief. Each time they have tried to suppress the symptoms, it has recurred with more aggression…Periodic detox has offered them…not just relief…but cure…and a chance to enjoy life as any ‘normal’ person would…

Periodic detox isn’t like constantly being on medication…periodic detox is like sending your car for an annual maintenance. You do not send your car to the garage only when you crash…you do so…to ensure your car’s alignment with its brakes and tyres and wipers are intact despite the terrible roads you drive on…

Myth: If you change your lifestyle and get on a good diet, detox will happen naturally.

Science: If you stop abusing your body, it will prevent further damage. For achieving wellness, begin with detox and then change your lifestyle.

It is just as ridiculous as saying after you contract malaria or dengue, if you protect yourself from the mosquitoes, you will begin healing. Just as you need medical intervention to reverse any disease condition you need to first Detox and then begin your diet and change of lifestyle plans to see encouraging outcomes.

Myth: Genetics, Lifestyle and Environmental factors cause diseases.

Science: While genetics and lifestyle can contribute to about 20% of the damage…a vast majority of disease states stem from your toxic thought process. Every thought you are thinking is creating a biochemical reaction in your body. Stress is a thought…and so is anger, irritation, hatred, disappointment, guilt, anxiety and fear…these cause havoc in your body.

Myth: Human body is designed to detox itself and natural detox protocols do not work.

Science: Human body struggles to break down toxic overload from modern indulgence and requires assistance from natural detox protocols from time to time to function efficiently.

Myth: Fatty liver is common…hence it is normal…ignore it.

Science: Fatty liver isn’t normal…ignoring it will not reverse it…natural, scientifically proven and safe protocols can reverse Fatty Liver efficiently and prevent Liver Cirrhosis.

Myth: Medical Intervention is required only when symptoms are alarming. Until then wait and watch.

Science: Each symptom is your body’s language of communication…telling you something isnt alright…When symptoms are mild…your body is having a discussion with you…when symptoms are alarming…you body is screaming…stomping on the floor…throwing a tantrum to get your attention. Just like a calmer child is easier to handle…milder symptoms, by common sense, is a more appropriate time to intervene, investigate and reverse.

Myth: Detox is a temporary solution, eventually the toxins will rebuild.

Science: Wellness is a dynamic state quite like fitness. It requires you to be at it.

Myth: Detox is a great weight loss solution.

Science: Detox tunes up your body to help with weight loss through exercise and diet – post detox. There are many who have been working out for years and have been denying themselves food indulgences…and are still struggling to loose weight…detox is the missing link there. Weight loss is a pleasant side effect of detox…not the focal point!

Myth: If you pee and poop normally and have no symptoms of disease you do not require a detox

Science: Symptoms are your body’s way of telling you the damage is already done. I repeat…Wellness is a dynamic state…you got to keep at it.

Detoxing your body and mind does wonders. It is a natural reset button! It is basic science!

The author of this article Dr. Ashmita Boopathy Moturi, is a Doctor of Naturopathy, a PhD. in Psychology and has completed her Masters in Medical Engineering. She is the founder of NineO2 Detox Center and the Director of Wishing Well Center for Integrative Medicine.