The Importance of Seasonal Cleansing

Welcome to chapter six of our Journey to Better Nutrition.

In this discussion we deepen our knowledge and experience about how nutrition works inside the human body. This will lead us naturally and organically into a conversation about how the Simplexity nutrition products work inside the human body. The main purpose behind this and all our nutrition conversations is to assist you in experiencing optimum product benefits and results. And all of this is designed to be an integral part of your enthusiastic commitment to creating a healthier diet and lifestyle.

"For the average North American, toxic exposure is subtle and yet ever-present. To avoid ongoing exposure, you will need to think about the sources of your water, the safety of your food, chemicals in everyday products, and so on. The primary concept of environmental medicine is to diminish the toxic load--the burden on your body--and to stop further exposure. Some people tend to be more sensitive to toxins than others. Both low level and intense exposure can cause a wide variety of symptoms in the GI tract and throughout the body."

Jeffry Anderson, M.D., from the book Optimal Digestion, page 214.

Perhaps there is no other topic in the area of whole food nutrition and natural health that inspires more angst, more controversy, and ultimately more confusion and frustration than the subject of internal cleansing. And yet, there isn't another topic more important.

Why is this important subject so negatively charged, controversial, and confusing? Part of the answer is our individual and collective ignorance about the miraculous nature of our own anatomy and physiology. Another reason is the variety and complexity of our imaginary associations with one of the terms that usually accompanies all discussions of internal cleansing: detoxification.

Remember the following statement?

The human body is a marvelously designed living organism with the ability to grow, regulate, repair, and defend itself when given natural, premium, full-spectrum nutrition.

You may have seen this statement several times already. This is the Simplexity nutrition philosophy statement, and it speaks volumes about the most important lessons to be learned about anatomy and physiology in general and detoxification and cleansing in particular.

In chapter one, there is a section called Each Cell is a Factory. The message in that particular chapter is that every cell in our body shares the same metabolic needs and performs the same metabolic functions every minute of every day. These needs and functions include:

1. Every cell needs a balanced synergy and broad spectrum of micronutrients delivered on a daily basis.
2. Every cell needs these nutrient raw materials to create and build the various products of metabolism: hormones, enzymes, and every other biochemical agent and re-agent necessary to complete its various, specific, and sometimes unique biological tasks (depending upon the organ or system the cell belongs to).
3. Every cell produces toxic by-products and waste products as a result of normal metabolic activity.
4. Every cell retains the knowledge and ability to identify, neutralize, and eliminate all the toxic by-products and waste products created via normal metabolic activity.
5. Every cell retains this knowledge and ability as long as two critical factors are also in place: the introduction of a balanced synergy and broad spectrum of micronutrients daily, and the prevention of various toxic and non-nutritional exposures and insults.

What does this mean?

It means that our bodies are designed to cleanse, nourish, and regenerate themselves on a continual basis, but in order to do so they require our mindful attention and practical assistance. It means that cleansing and detoxification are completely natural, normal, and vitally essential components of our basic cellular metabolism. It means that because we live in a modern post-industrial society, we can no longer remain ignorant about or indifferent to the condition of the environment and how environmental factors affect our health and the normal functioning of our body.

Why the need for Seasonal Cleansing?

The reason we hear so much about the terms cleansing and detoxification is that the degree of toxic exposure in our modern lives has become so great.

In chapter two we mentioned in a general way the two dominant stress factors that are negatively impacting our ability to create and sustain healthier diets and lifestyles:

1. A radically altered food supply
2. A toxic environment

The challenge in adequately addressing the subject of a toxic environment is to explain the risks without making the problems or solutions seem too overwhelming. Learning what you need to learn and doing what you need to do while steadily improving the condition of your diet and lifestyle is the most reliable approach. One step at a time, one day at a time is always very sound advice.

By now you have realized the incredible ally we possess in the form of Super Blue Green Algae, and all the Simplexity nutrition products. These products provide the most basic and essential micronutrient raw materials that give our bodies the very best chance at nourishing, cleansing, and rebuilding themselves on a daily basis. Better nutrition is clearly one side of the health coin. Protecting ourselves from the various forms of pollution in our environment is the other side of this coin.

The Two Sides of the Health Coin: Nutrition and Protection

We have invested most of our time so far in focusing on the various issues of proactive nutrition and the benefits of whole foods and whole food supplements. Proactive nutrition describes what nutrition is, and how nutrients work inside the cells, organs, and systems of our body. Proactive nutrition describes how normal functioning of our bodies can be restored, maintained, and optimized. Another term for proactive nutrition is functional nutrition. As we have been discovering, proactive or functional nutrition is definitely one of the great health solutions of our time.

The other side of the health coin has to do with protection; it involves a comprehensive discussion about the many sources of toxic exposure we confront each day. Let's examine this subject more closely.

Avoiding Toxic Exposure: Protecting our cells; protecting our selves!

During this next discussion, please keep in mind the following principle...nothing is neutral. In a previous discussion about homeostasis and biomodulation, we emphasized the concept of everything being nourishing and complementary to our cells or being insulting and destablilizing to our cells.

What isn't nourishing to our body is toxic to our body. It's just that simple. If it isn't building, strengthening, nourishing, and complementary, then it is toxic to our body at some level The main considerations are the degree of toxic exposure in question and whether the exposure has been short term and acute or long term and chronic.

Common sense teaches us that any toxic exposure of any duration or degree is harmful and unhealthy so that starting to take consistent daily protective action against all forms of toxic exposure is one of the most important things we can do to maintain our health and well-being.

Below is an initial list of primary sources of toxic exposure. Each highlighted item will bring you to a discussion of that particular source and some references for possible solutions. The basic outline of what follows has been summarized from the essay "Avoid Toxic Exposure" by Jeffry Anderson, M.D. This essay appears in the book Optimal Digestion, chapter 23.

• Chemicals in our water
• Chemicals in our food supply
• Toxins in our homes and gardens
• Occupational and industrial exposures
• Toxic exposure from medications and prescription drugs

In conclusion...

Simplexity's Super Blue Green Algae and all the Simplexity nutrition products are complementary nutritional biomodulators of the entire human organism. These products nourish, strengthen, and support us every day.

Thank you for participating with us in this portion of our Journey to Better Nutrition. Misunderstandings about detoxification and cleansing have been the cause of much unnecessary frustration and disappointment, and we are delighted that you've taken the time to learn more.

We hope you see the value in our point of view that says: A well nourished body doesn't make mistakes! You will learn more about the relevance and importance of this simple nutritional philosophy throughout the journey.

Thank you for taking the time to understand the whole picture of nutrition and health. This picture includes an understanding of detoxification and cleansing. Without this understanding too many people have unrealistic expectations when they improve their diet and lifestyle as well as when they try new supplements. Looking for instant results, people fail to appreciate the many biological adjustments that are taking place in every cell of their body. One of these adjustments is the cellular cleansing and detoxification of various toxic substances! When these substances are purged from our cells and from our body, we may feel terrific, or we may feel sick, or we may feel something in-between. What message is our body calling out to us to understand?

The message is a simple one: A well nourished body doesn't make mistakes! When you practice the fundamentals of functional nutrition you need to trust that your body is doing everything it can to work as efficiently as it can. It's impossible for nutritionally sound, balanced, and biomodulating food substances to cause the body to get sick. Only toxic substances and insulting habits cause the body to get sick. This distinction may seem subtle, but it's critical.

The human body is a marvelously designed living organism with the ability to grow, regulate, repair, and defend itself when given natural, premium, full-spectrum nutrition.

We need to listen to our body...and honor what we hear.

Our bodies are always talking to us and questioning everything we do...and they always give direct and immediate feedback, especially about our food and beverage selections.

No matter how good your diet and supplement program is, if you do not take action to minimize or eliminate your toxic exposures, you will see only limited progress and improvement or none at all. This is not an indication of the ineffectiveness of your complementary choices, but a clear indication of the degree of your internal toxicity. This dietary and lifestyle imbalance is becoming more and more common, and must be corrected in order for any lasting progress to be made. In other words, until your internal toxicity is effectively resolved, you may not be able to experience the benefits and results you are seeking from any complementary habit or habits you invest in.

Often in the timeless quest to find solutions to various health problems, practitioners have been focused on the actions of diagnosis and treatment more than they have been focused on the action of patient-client education. Perhaps the single biggest change in the doctor-patient, practitioner-client, distributor-customer relationship during the past twenty-five years or so is the increasing number of average citizens taking greater personal responsibility for their own health.

This is a very fortunate development and is the only path that has the very best chance at effectively reforming and transforming the health care systems of every nation on earth. We trust that the educational services we are providing through this Journey to Better Nutrition are serving your desire to digest, absorb, and assimilate interesting and insightful food for thought.

Action Steps for Chapter 6!

1. Fill out your Weekly Benefits Chart.
2. Identify an insulting habit in your diet or lifestyle and minimize its impact. You could eliminate the insult altogether or simply modify it. Just try it one day at a time, for one week, and see if you notice improvements in your health and energy. Review the Habits of Naturally Healthy People for ideas and suggestions.
3. Make sure you do something that really makes you laugh every day!