"The more fat you have, the more toxins you retain," explains Brenda Watson, CNC. "The more toxins you retain, the harder it becomes to lose weight."
The solution? Minimize your exposure to environmental pollutants and periodically remove toxins with careful detoxification.
Traditional medicine has long respected fasting as a means of cleansing and rejuvenating the body, mind, and spirit.
"I believe that fasting and detoxification are the missing links in the American (and Western) diet," says Elson M. Haas, MD, founder/director of the Preventive Medical Center of Marin. "Much disease, especially degenerative disease, comes from congestion and stagnation in the body (in the organs, tissues, circulation, lymph, and cells), and this congestion/stagnation state can be cleared from the body through cleansing and detoxification."
Detoxification begins when the cells excrete wastes into lymph fluid, explains Dr. Shallenberger, making physical activity that moves the arms and legs important.
Remember to Rest
Even resting is useful. "The under-20 age group needs about 10 hours of horizontal time per 24-hour cycle," he says. People over 20 need at least eight hours because lying down allows lymph fluid to drain.
After lymph fluid reaches the bloodstream, toxins circulate to the kidneys and liver. The kidneys need plenty of pure water to do their job, while dietary fiber binds with toxins to escort them out of the body.
Support Your Liver
The liver is vital to detox, literally sitting "on the front line where all toxins are directed," Dr. Shallenberger adds. "From bacteria to viruses and pesticides, every toxin in the body must be cleared by the liver."
To be healthy, he advises, do everything you can to support and protect your liver. As obesity increases, so does damage to the liver. Approximately 10 to 20 percent of Americans have what's known as "fatty liver." Add inflammation and the result is nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which can lead to cirrhosis.