Category Archives: Detoxification

Colosan, Detoxification, Green Magma

Take on the toxins and win: how to detox – and why you should

The idea of a ‘detox’ is something many of us are familiar with, thanks to it having become trendy with celebrities and so a term that’s bandied about in the media all the time. But how many of us really know what it involves and, more importantly, why it can do us so much good?

In simple terms, a detox – short for ‘detoxification’ – is a process where someone makes lifestyle choices and changes to remove toxins from their body. It often involves abstaining from things that tend to harm the body’s functions in order to optimise how they work.

Toxins

So what exactly are toxins? By and large, they’re all the chemicals and metals, artificial food ingredients, pesticides and pollutants that find their way into the body and cause it harm1. Indeed, it’s likely the health issues many people suffer from can be traced back to the toxins that have built up in their bodies over time2, 3, 4.

How so? Well, whether you like it or not, it’s pretty much impossible to protect yourself from every single toxin out there; that’s because they’re in all the water, food and air we consume. But, as much as it can, your body does counteract their harmful effects through its own natural detoxification processes. And through regular cleansing – or detoxification – you can aid these processes in their work.

How your body detoxes

Of all the body’s systems (for instance, the respiratory and digestive systems), it’s the excretory system that’s involved in detoxification the most – through, yes, defecation and urination. And the main organs involved in this system are the large intestine, the kidneys, the liver, the lungs and the skin5.

The skin? Yes, it eliminates toxins through sweat glands6. Meanwhile, the liver filters general waste, hormones, drugs and other foreign bodies7, the lungs are pivotal in removing carbon dioxide (through us breathing out)8, the kidneys filter the blood, aiding waste removal via urination9 and, finally, the large intestine (after absorbing water and nutrients from food) then converts the remaining waste into stool, which is expelled through the anus10. When it comes down to it, your body’s working to detoxify itself every second of every day – indeed, even your brain actively flushes out toxins during your hours spent in the land of nod11.

How you can detox

Surely then, understanding the importance of detoxification – and how the body does it – underlines the onus on us to help out our bodies in this process. So how exactly can we?

  • Exercise and relax – exercising makes you sweat, thus releasing toxins through the skin, while relaxation (and even meditation) combine with exercise to reduce stress, which just like harmful chemicals can be toxic to us
  • Purify the air – attempting to control the air in your home and work areas is far from a bad idea because good ventilation helps eradicate smoke, fumes, mould, pet dander and micro-organisms from getting into our lungs and harming us; if air-purification equipment’s a bit pricey for you (or not possible at work) then you could turn to house plants, which are great at filtering the air and removing toxins12
  • Drink water – good old H2O is a hugely powerful weapon in your detoxification arsenal, as much because your body’s most fundamental processes can’t take place without it13; moreover, water’s critical to the creation of saliva and sweat and ensuring waste removal takes place14
  • Healthy diet – be aware that genetically modified (GMO) foods, pesticides and processed foods may contain harmful toxins, so opt instead for the likes of fresh juices, garlic, raw nuts, seeds, broccoli, lemon, mung beans, sprouts and other organic fruit and veg, all of which are great for detoxing.

Supplementation

Finally, another option to help you detox is supplementation. Remember that, when turning to detox supplements, you’re looking to focus on products that’ll help remove harmful organisms, chemicals and toxic metals and, ideally, aid the cleansing of your colon, liver and kidneys. To that end, the following supplements are all recommended and available through The Finchley Clinic:

9-day-detox-pack9 Day Detox (capsules) – provides a blend of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and liver digestive nutrients all in a handy blister strip

colosan-capsulesColosan (120 or 40 capsules/ powder) – a magnesium oxygen product that gently releases oxygen into the digestive tract to cleanse the bowel and ease constipation; may also help with candida and parasites

green-magmaGreen Magma (Barley Grass) (300g, 150g, 80g or 30g powder/ 250 tablets) – regular supplementation may improve digestion, increase energy and aid detoxification

ORËÁORËÁ (formerly ZNatural) (60ml and 30ml) – a natural toxin remover for the whole body, including the blood, organs, glands and cellular tissue.

 

References:

  1. ‘What You Know Can Help You – An Introduction to Toxic Substances’. New York Department of Health. New York State, Oct 2013.
  2. ‘Causes of Food Poisoning’. Foodsafety.gov. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, n.d.
  3. ‘National Biomonitoring Program: Toxins’. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28 Dec 2012.
  4. ‘Toxic Substances Portal: Asbestos’. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3 Mar 2011.
  5. ‘Reference Terms: Excretory System’. ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, n.d. Web. 16 Mar 2016.
  6. Sears M. E., Kerr K. J. and Bray, R. I. ‘Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury in Sweat: A Systematic Review’. Journal of Environmental and Public Health 2012 (2012): 184745. PMC.
  7. ‘Normal Liver Physiology’. Brown University Division of Biology and Medicine. Brown University, n.d.
  8. ‘What Are the Lungs?’ National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. National Institutes of Health, 17 July 2012.
  9. ‘Large Intestine (colon)’. MedlinePlus. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 7 Dec. 2015.
  10. ‘Aging Changes in the Kidneys and Bladder: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia’.MedlinePlus. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 27 Oct 2014.
  11. ‘Brain May Flush out Toxins during Sleep | National Institutes of Health (NIH)’.National Institutes of Health. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 17 Oct 2013.
  12. Luz C. ‘Planting Healthier Indoor Air’. Environmental Health Perspectives 119. 10 (2011): a426–a427. PMC.
  13. ‘Water – a Vital Nutrient’. Better Health Channel. Department of Health & Human Services, State Government of Victoria, May 2014.
  14. ‘Water in Diet: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia’. MedlinePlus. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 14 July 2015.
Detoxification

Why nutrition’s key to keeping your thyroid fit and healthy

Did you know that you – in fact, every one of us – wear a bow-tie on the inside of our necks? It’s not a real bow-tie, of course, it’s a critically important, hormone-producing gland that sits in front of the throat and is butterfly-shaped. It’s called the thyroid.

Like other glands that generate hormones, the thyroid is part of the body’s endocrine system – and, in particular, its work is overseen by the pituitary gland to be found at the base of the brain. It’s the endocrine system that’s responsible for the overall creation and secretion of hormones into the bloodstream, so they’re transported to the body’s organs. As such, it could be said then to act as a kind of messaging system (with hormones as its chemical messengers), helping to direct and regulate growth, development and reproduction processes.

For its part, the thyroid produces and secretes the hormones triiodothyronine (or T3) and thyroxine (or T4), which together are essential for the body to effectively regulate growth, development and metabolism1. T3 is, in fact, a rarer, refined version of T4; the latter accounting for 80% of the thyroid’s hormone production2.

More specifically, T3 and T4 are relied on to signal when cells should convert the oxygen and calories in them into energy. Although the thyroid releases both hormones constantly, it will allow for extra spurts of them when cells especially need them – for instance, if you’re pregnant, the thyroid will regularly boost T3 and T4 production and distribution to meet your and your baby’s energy demands.

Thyroid disorders

Evidently then, the thyroid plays a crucially important role in maintaining our everyday health and shaping that of our future. In which case, thyroid disorders can be very bad news. The trouble is, though, diagnosing one isn’t easy – quite different disorders can possess very similar symptoms. Nonetheless, if you feel you may be suffering from a thyroid disorder, you should see a healthcare professional immediately. Such disorders include:

  • Hypothyroidism – basically an underactive thyroid, thus resulting in low levels of T3 and T4 and causing symptoms such as muscle and joint pain, weight gain, unnatural cold sensibility, fatigue, weakness, slowed heart rate, constipation, heavy/ irregular menstruation and potential hair loss and depression3; young children and fetuses can be especially susceptible to this disorder
  • Hyperthyroidism – it may sound very similar to hypothyroidism, but it couldn’t be more different, as it’s the opposite, an overactive thyroid that creates too much T3 and T4; thus its symptoms can include diarrhoea, tremors, high blood pressure, heart palpitations, irregular menstruation, insomnia and potential hair loss3
  • Graves’ Disease – most common in women over 20-years-old4, it’s an autoimmune condition that sees the immune system mistakenly attack the thyroid, inflame it and cause it to overproduce hormones, thus potentially bringing on hyperthyroidism
  • Thyroiditis – inflammation of the thyroid that may have come about through viral infection, drug reaction, trauma or an immune disorder5
  • Goitre – usually caused by iodine deficiency, this is a swollen enlargement of the thyroid that’s often visible from the outside of the neck6
  • Thyroid nodule – a small growth or lump in the thyroid; few are cancerous7.

Diet and nutrition

Like everything in your body, for your thyroid to operate as it should it needs feeding – it needs nutrition. Quite simply, if it’s malnourished, it will malfunction. Again, as with most other parts of the body, your thyroid requires specific nutrients to remain healthy, but you should be able to glean most of them through a good, sensible, balanced diet – note: vegetarians and vegans may wish to make careful provision here, as most thyroid-friendly nutrients are derived through animal (and animal-related) consumption. The nutrients in question are:

  • Iodine – the most essential thyroid nutrient, as T4 and T3 are literally made from it, indeed our development, growth and metabolism can be devastated by iodine deficiency8; perhaps the best sources for it are seafood and seaweed
  • Selenium – another very important micronutrient, it features highly in many seafoods, meats, dairy products and brazil nuts, as well as beans, spinach and brown rice9
  • Curcumin – the yellow chemical that gives ginger-related plant turmeric its colour, curcumin, so studies suggest, may help prevent cancer cells growing in the thyroid10, 11, while turmeric itself may aid in reducing the chance of goitres forming12
  • Iron and zinc – two highly important nutrients for the body in general, these two – for the thyroid specifically – help the gland process iodine (iron) and help receptors identify hormonal signals (zinc).

Supplements

Unfortunately, for one reason or another, not all of us are capable of adjusting our diets to get the above nutrients – for instance, some people have unavoidable issues with marine-sourced food owing to allergies. In which case, you can always turn to supplementation to boost your diet with thyroid-aiding nutrients. All the following thyroid health supplements can be purchased through us at The Finchley Clinic:

detoxadine

Detoxadine (1 fl oz bottle) – a diet-transformative version of iodine in the form of a daily supplement that’s gentle on the stomach; helps balance iodine levels and supports thyroid health

 

kelp-formula

Kelp Formula (60 capsules) – designed specifically to aid thyroid maintenance, this supplement’s key ingredient kelp (a type of seaweed) is a fine source of iodine; also contains six other herbs

TH Intensive (powder/ 28, 14 and single sachets) – a high-potency combination of iodine and selenium to support normal thyroid function, as well as high-potency amino acids, nutrients and antioxidants; great taste

thyroid-support-formula

Thyroid Support Formula (60 capsules) – comprises tyrosine and other key vitamins and minerals to help enable thyroid hormone production and conversion of T3 and T4; combines very well with Kelp Formula.

References:

  1. ‘How Does the Thyroid Work?’. PubMed Health. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 7 Jan 2015.
  2. Sapin, R. and Schlienger, J. L. ‘Thyroxine (T4) and Tri-Iodothyronine (T3) Determinations: Techniques and Value in the Assessment of Thyroid Function’. Annales de Biologie Clinique, vol. 61, no. 4, 14 Aug. 2003, pp. 411–20.
  3. ‘Hypothyroidism’. MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 23 Apr 2015.
  4. ‘Grave’s Disease’. MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 3 Feb 2016.
  5. ‘Thyroiditis’. University of Maryland Medical Center, 22 Mar 2014.
  6. ‘Goiter – simple’. MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 23 Apr 2015.
  7. ‘Thyroid nodule’. MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 19 Apr 2016.
  8. Kapil, U. ‘Health Consequences of Iodine Deficiency’. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal 7.3 (2007): 267–272. Print.
  9. ‘Office of Dietary Supplements – Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Selenium’. National Institute of Health, USA.gov, 11 Feb 2016.
  10. Zhang, C. Y. et al. ‘Curcumin Inhibits Invasion and Metastasis in K1 Papillary Thyroid Cancer Cells’. Food Chemistry, vol. 139, 9 Apr 2013, pp. 1021–8.
  11. Hutchins-Wolfbrandt, A. and Mistry, A. M. ‘Dietary Turmeric Potentially Reduces the Risk of Cancer’. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention: APJCP, vol. 12, no. 12, 1 Jan 2011, pp. 3169–73.
  12. Jawa, A. et al. ‘Turmeric Use Is Associated with Reduced Goitrogenesis: Thyroid Disorder Prevalence in Pakistan (THYPAK) Study’. Indian Journal of Endocrinology.
Detoxification, Heavy Metals

Detoxification: don’t end up head-banging over heavy metals

They’re everywhere – in the food we eat; the fluids we drink; the environments we work and live in; the equipment we work with; and, yes, the air that we breathe. They’re toxic metals and we can’t avoid them. They work their way into our bodies whether we like it or not. But are they something we should be concerned about – are they really that hazardous? And, if so, how can we rid ourselves of them?

In the article Conquering Candida, Sherridan Stock, who I consider to be one of the UK’s, if not Europe’s finest experts on the subject of candida overgrowth, refers to heavy metal toxicity as a major (but not the only) cause of the problem. I can also state that it’s one of the main reasons why those with chronic fatigue, severe candida problems or other related problems such as Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) don’t get better. But it’s worse than that – heavy metals are bad for everyone, and pretty much everyone benefits from doing something to chelate them out of their body.

First things first, though, when we talk about toxic – or ‘heavy’ (i.e. dense) – metals, what are we referring to? Well, there are several of them, but by way of example and for the sake of brevity, the three we’ll focus on here are cadmium, lead and mercury. Like all heavy metals, they’re naturally occurring and become concentrated as a result of human-caused activities, ensuring they enter plant, animal and human tissues via inhalation, diet and skin and/ or eye contact. Owing to their high levels of toxicity they poison the human body by damaging it at the cellular level through oxidative stress and secondly by being highly neuro-toxic.

Heavy metal toxicity is commonplace, bordering on ubiquitous, and people should be anxious about it, it affects every aspect of optimal well being, and this is not an overreaction. Our view is that almost everyone has been exposed to toxic metals to some degree or another. Getting them out of the body is not a quick process, but it can be done.

Cadmium

The biggest risk of exposure to cadmium is via food (derived from largely industrial areas) and cigarette tobacco; indeed, the latter may be the most dangerous way to consume the element, as the lungs tend to absorb cadmium more efficiently than the stomach – although cadmium levels are generally lower in tobacco than in foods1. Cadmium contamination is also possible via fertilisers, hazardous waste sites and nickel-cadmium batteries. Like mercury, it’s also used in dentistry and sometimes also present in jewellery worn adjacent to the skin. In no way whatsoever does the human body require cadmium, but it’s also slow to exit the body, ensuring it can take root and seriously affect the reproductive and cardiovascular systems, as well as the brain, eyes, kidneys and bones.

Lead

This is of particular interest to me (Mark Lester, Company Director) as I have recently been diagnosed with this, and I will discuss below what I am doing about it.

No doubt about it, lead can be extremely toxic. Perhaps the headline danger of its consumption is the effect it can have on the brain, and the brain-gut axis (which will be the subject of a future blog / newsletter). Indeed, it’s said that lead poisoning can affect this organ in a similar way to narcotic drug abuse2, suppressing the immune system and so leading to many different issues and ailments such as anaemia, palsy and kidney disease, as well as increasing blood pressure3.

Unfortunately, all sorts of everyday items can contain harmful amounts of lead (such as cigarettes, old piping, car batteries, paints, pesticides, PVC plastics and – at times – cheap toys), highlighting the need for us all to be vigilant. For instance, exposure to lead dust/ flakes from piping in aged buildings and some industrially-applied paints have caused many public health incidents down through the years, leading to the necessary implementation of different regulations.

Mercury

This is a subject that has been the subject of entire books – some written by holistic dentists. Put simply, we should always avoid direct contact with mercury. Famously an important component in thermometers, it can also be found in many other things common to everyday experience, including dental fillings and seafood. It’s especially dangerous – and to be avoided then – when consumed through tainted food, but notoriously can be absorbed by those working in industrial jobs in the likes of coal power plants. Mercury is used as a preservative in vaccinations, and one (of several) reasons I am opposed to vaccinations is because this is such a toxic component.

As our bodies have no use for it, exposure to any amount of mercury is toxic. Once in the body, though, mercury is very hard (but not impossible) to get rid of. It will reside in the blood, bones, fatty tissues, brain, spleen and kidneys. Once again it also affects the gut-brain axis referred to above. It can contaminate breast milk and, in worst case scenarios, afflict the nervous system to such an extent as to cause serious muscular spasms. Short-term exposure can cause the likes of diarrhoea, fever and vomiting; long-term exposure, the likes of neurotic and kidney disorders and inflammation of the gums and mouth.

Diagnosis

There are various tests available for heavy metals – breath tests, urine tests and hair analysis tests. But be warned, all of these tests have one serious flaw. They test whats coming out of the body, but do not necessarily show you how much is still trapped inside. This is why although I am not opposed to these tests I am not going to provide links for testing them. I spent good money on these tests, and they still failed to pick up my own lead toxicity, which was diagnosed I believe correctly through less orthodox testing.

How to remove the heavy metals

 

ORËÁ. Originally marketed as ZNatural, this is the product we’ve sold the longest and have had the most feedback on. This was  original liquid zeolite product developed by Dr Harvey Kaufman. It is capable of reaching all the cells and tissues in the body and penetrating the blood-brain barrier, in working to remove heavy metals and other toxins. As well as the web page, I have also previously blogged about this product here and there is an excellent video on the research done on it’s forerunner as ZNatural here.

 

zeotrexZEOTREX – Developed by Another liquid zeolite product developed by Dr Edward Group. It differs from ORËÁ in that it  also contains herbs and iodine to assist with heavy metal detox. There’s information about it on our web site, as well as a nice little YouTube video produced by the suppliers found here

 

 

SEALANTRO – Sealantro is a proprietary blend of Chlorella, Seaweed (Chondracanthus chamissoi) extracts, and Cilantro leaf extract forrmulated to support healthy detoxification. It is considered a vital part of Dr Lee Cowden’s world famous programme for the treatment of Lyme Disease.

Interestingly, for my own lead toxicity issue, the products that tested best with my kiniesiologist for my lead toxicity were Zeotrex, Sealantro, and Chlorella. As toxioc metals tend to bind tightly to the tissues of the body, I plan to take all three for at least 6 months, and I am also giving myself regular enemas to further my own detox – I have been experimenting with coffee enemas alternating with Spirulina and Chlorella. ORËÁ did not test well for me – although this does not diminish my faith in it based on both the feedback I have had from customers as well as the research, so I will get it tested again in a few months in case the situation has changed.

 

References:

1 Jarup, L. (1998). Health effects of cadmium exposure – a review of the literature and a risk estimate. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health. 24: 11–51.

2 Manto M. (2012). Toxic agents causing cerebellar ataxias. Handb Clin Neurol.; 103: 201-13. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-51892-7.00012-7. Review.

3 Zeqiri N, Zeqiri S, Skenderaj S. (2012). Blood pressure evaluation at the workers exposed to lead. Med Arh.; 66(2): 92-3.

Detoxification

Acne breakouts prevention during detoxing

Acne breakouts or other skin eruptions after Christmas?

With the Christmas tree taken down, the last mince pie eaten, and New Years Eve just a slightly ‘blurry’ memory, January is often the time of year when people turn their attention to their health and wellbeing, and contemplate a post-xmas detox. Let’s face it, the typical ‘festive fayre’ can often be rather hard on our digestive systems, not to mention our liver and blood sugar levels, as we nibble our way through one moreish treat after another, and quaff perhaps just one teensy glass or two too many of celebratory ‘bubbly’.

With all of that in mind a January detox sounds like a brilliant idea, and who knows by the end of it our livers may even just be ‘speaking’ to us again, but something that concerns a lot of people when they embark on a cleanse is the likelihood of suffering some form of skin ‘breakout’ or another as a result of the detoxification process. So, firstly what causes these skin breakouts, how likely is it to occur and is there anything that can be done to minimise the risk?

What causes acne during a detox?

Our skin is one of our major organs of elimination, and because of this it is often one of the first things to suffer during any cleansing programme. Any toxins that are released and processed via the liver during the cleanse need to have a route out of the body, and the skin is one of these ‘exit routes’. Skin health can in some cases get noticeably worse, before it then hopefully improves during a cleanse.

Just how likely am I to experience such a skin ‘breakout’ during my detox?

Not everyone suffers with acne during a cleanse, but along with increased gas and bloating it is one of the most common adverse side-effects. One reason that some people are affected whilst others are not can be down to the individuals bowel transit time. If the bowels are sluggish, and faecal matter remains in the colon for longer than it should, then the toxins that the body is trying to rid itself of, can be reabsorbed through the intestinal wall. Once they are back in the blood stream and general circulation, they can cause inflammation and negatively affect skin health. Whilst this symptom does not usually last long, it can be an off-putting prospect for anyone considering a detox.

How to minimise the risk?

The first thing to consider here is the health of the main organs of elimination. In order for a detox to be successful the body’s eliminatory channels need to be functioning well. After all there is no point in mobilising toxins from the colon, liver or body fat stores if the bodies capacity to safely eliminate them is not up to scratch.

If a person is constipated, or not having at least 1-2 bowel movements every day, then it may be wise to delay the start of a cleanse or detox until they have tackled the constipation. One of the most natural ways to reduce constipation is to take a probiotic supplement that is specifically formulated to target this symptom.

Different probiotic strains have different actions in the body. Some strains may be effective for alleviating IBS for example, whereas other strains are better at alleviating constipation. One of the most clinically trialled strains of probiotic with regards to constipation is Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12®, which can be found in OptiBac Probiotics ‘Bifidobacteria & fibre’.

A 2004 trial by Nishida et al1, studied 29 women between the ages of 20-35. The women were split in to two groups, and each group was given 100g daily of either probiotic yoghurt containing the strain Bifidobcterium lactis BB-12®, or a placebo (non-probiotic) yoghurt. The yoghurts were administered for a period of 14 days, after which a rest period of 21 days was observed, and then the groups were swapped over and given the other yoghurt for a further 14 day period. The results of the trial showed a significant increase in stool frequency in the women that were identified as constipated, making this strain of bacteria my strain of choice for alleviating constipation .

For additional information regarding natural remedies for constipation, the following article may be of interest: http://www.constipationexperts.co.uk/remedies/natural-remedies.html

By shortening transit time, any toxins released by the detoxification process have a speedier exit out of the body, and are therefore less likely to be reabsorbed and re-circulated.

Even if constipation is not a particular issue, probiotics could still help reduce skin breakouts during a cleanse.  In a review of clinical studies into probiotics and acne by Bowe and Logan2, published in 2011 various clinical trials were looked at and it was found that probiotics and prebiotics appear to reduce systemic markers of inflammation and oxidative stress. Additionally it was found that probiotics are able to regulate the release of inflammatory cytokines within the skin, and in particular reducing interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1-α), a protein linked to acne when found in abnormal amounts.

The specific strains of probiotic bacteria that are best at reducing these skin inflammatory markers are not yet fully known, so I would recommend taking a high strength, multi-strain probiotic containing bacteria from both the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria genuses, both in the run up to, and then throughout the detox process.

Outside of probiotics there are other natural approaches that can be utilised to minimise the likelihood of acne during a detox. The following strategies can be used to improve elimination both prior to, and during a cleanse.

The following recommendations may help to improve elimination:

  • Increase water intake – to help with kidney function. A minimum of 2 litres of filtered or natural spring water should be drunk throughout the day.
  • Increase dietary fibre or take a prebiotic supplement – to improve bowel ‘transit time’. Fibre adds bulk to faecal matter and makes the stool easier to pass. Research has shown that the body needs 30-50g of fibre a day to remain healthy, but most Western diets only contain approximately 12g.
  • Consider specific supplements to help support the liver, such as milk thistle, MSM, N-acetyl cysteine or dandelion root
  • Try different relaxation techniques, such as yoga or meditation – stress and tension are well known to affect the digestive system and can contribute to poor elimination
In summary:

By ensuring optimum liver, kidney and bowel health we can improve the efficacy of any detox or cleanse that we do. These organs need to be functioning well to be able to deal with any toxins that might be released from body tissues during the detox process. Supporting them in the above mentioned ways enables us to speed up the elimination of any ‘liberated’ toxins, and reduce the likelihood of us suffering any skin eruptions or other side effects from the cleanse. Employing these methods should enable us to gain the maximum results from our efforts, whilst minimising any discomfort or side-effects.

It is worth mentioning here though, that whilst most detox’s are generally very safe I would not recommend them for people with serious or chronic health concerns, or those taking prescription medications without first consulting their GP. Equally women should be extra cautious during pregnancy and when breastfeeding as many detox regimes do not provide enough calories or the correct balance of nutrients for these times, when a high demand is placed on the mother.

For anyone else, a detox can often be a great way to kick start a new healthy eating and healthy living regime, with all of the benefits that that can bring for our general wellbeing.

By Kathy Wheedon, BA hons and DipION

Nishida, S. et al. (2004) Effect of Yoghurt Containing Bifidobacterium lactis BB-12® on Improvement of Defecation and Fecal Microflora of Healthy Female Adults. Milk Science; 53(2): pp. 71-80

Bowe WP, Logan AC (2011) Acne vulgaris, probiotics and the gut-brain-skin axis – back to the future? 2011 Jan 31;3(1):1. doi: 10.1186/1757-4749-3-1

Colon cleansing, Detoxification

Clean Your Colon!

Clean Your Colon

Clean Your Colon
Clean Your Colon

If you have over indulged on food and drink over Christmas, this is the time to clean your colon using an Oxygen Colon cleanser for detoxing, and to get rid of that bloating around your tummy. You might also want to think about supporting your liver if your health is off-track.

Preventing colds and flus

This is the time of year when every other person seems to be getting colds and flu’s. However I almost never get colds, and when I do, they are incredibly mild these days. I am not naturally super healthy – it’s because I follow the following steps to support inhibit pathogens and support my immune system. You can do the same, and say goodbye to winter colds.

First, you should supplement with any of our liquid oxygen products.  Virus’s hate our Liquid Oxygen products! So if you just did one thing through the winter to prevent colds and flu’s, this would be your starting point. But remember to take it persistently – as opposed to when you be bothered, or if you happen to remember, which not surprisingly leads to very poor results. By the way, the liquid oxygen is also extremely valuable in the fight against candida overgrowth, being anti viral as well as anti fungal.

 

Secondly supplement with Vitamin C – Our Ultra Pure Vitamin C is probably the best of our selection of Vitamin C products. Take 1-2 capsules every day, at least a couple of hours away from when you take the Oxygen. If you do go down with a cold, you can take one capsule every 2 hours to get rid of it fast!

Zinc has also been shown to be useful in many studies both for preventing colds and supporting the immune system generally. We provide a number of zinc products, but the one I personally use is Zinc Gluconate with Vitamin B6 (the B6 assists the absorbtion of zinc). Whole books are available on the benefits of zinc supplementation for a whole raft of health challenges, more than can be ventured into in a short newsletter, and some of our older customers may remember that this has been the subject of previous newsletters in the past.

Thirdly, take Vitamin D, which is incredibly important for the entire immune system. Unfortunately, almost everyone living in Norther Europe is Vitamin D deficient at this time of year, and dark skinned people who who absorb vitamin D much more slowly than white Europeans (from the reaction between ultra violet light from the sun on the skin and cholesterol), are nearly always Vitamin D deficient the entire year! The Recommended Daily Allowance for Vitamin D is a pitiful 200iu per day, but my opinion is that this is utter nonsense. In the summertime, 30 minutes exposure to the sun enables the body to produce 10,000-20,000iu’s per day – in other words up to 50 times more than the EU Recommended Daily Allowance. So why is the Daily Allowance so low? There are proposals incidentally, coming from the unelected wastes of taxpayers money know as the EU, ever influenced by the vested interests of big pharma to limit your the legal availability of Vitamin D supplements to the pathetic 200iu I just spoke about. Anyway, whilst this has not occurred, I recommend 1-2 tablets per day of Vitamin D3 5,000iu with Vitamin K2. The Vitamin K2 is added as Vitamin D works synergistically with K2. Oh by the way, you may have read that Vitamin D is ‘toxic’ in high dosages somewhere or other. Well, It is true that 40,000iu given daily to rats has been shown to be toxic and can kill them. Extrapolated to humans, that’s around 10,000,000 (10 million) iu’s per day required to kill a human. According to one leading researcher, Vitamin D is not toxic on any dosage if it is taken together with Vitamin K2. Anyway, since I am recommending 5,000-10,000 and not 10,000,000 units per day (and this is what I take for around 8 months of the year), I don’t think I am likely to be pushing up daisies any time soon as a result of my Vitamin D intake, and somehow I suspect you won’t either.

As always I have only scratched the surface of what I would like to say, but if you follow these steps, I am confident you will get a lot less colds and flu’s this winter.

Best wishes for a wonderful New Year

Mark G. Lester

Director – The Finchley Clinic Ltd

www.thefinchleyclinic.com

 

 

Colon cleansing, Detoxification

Colosan Colon Cleanser – How we began

Colosan Colon Cleanser
Colosan Colon Cleansr

This question was originally going to go on an FAQ page on Colosan Colon Cleanser, but the full answer was so long that it has become an article in itself!

We didn’t originally source Colosan colon cleanser as a natural product for promoting regularity, or as a colon cleanser, even though those are the two most common reasons why the majority of our customers buy this superlative product today. We originally sourced it as an product to improve overall health through improved oxygenation.

Colosan is in essence the product that started the Finchley Clinic Ltd in the late 1990’s. That is to say without Colosan, The Finchley Clinic might never have come into existence as a  company separate from my therapy practise. For a year or two before we sold Colosan, we provided a very similar oxygen therapy product called homozon (often wrongly misspelt as “homozone”, even by companies claiming to be experts on the subject, but clearly not expert enough to know how to spell a product they claim to be experts on!).

Homozon was originally sourced by the company director to accompany his treatments as a natural health practitioner, and at the time he had no intention of this leading to the creation of a successful e-commerce company selling a wide range of oxygen based nutritional supplements, and later on to a full health and nutrition web store.

Unfortunately homozon was very expensive, both at the trade price, and at the best retail price. Not only that but it was quite impossible for us to obtain regular supplies. The final straw came when one shipment took over 8 months to arrive, during which time we received countless feeble excuses as to why the suppliers had not fulfilled our order.

Around this time, we were recommended to provide Colosan Powder by Leeda McCabe and her husband, and Ed McCabe. (Ed being the author of the seminal book ‘Flood Your Body With Oxygen’, which we recommend as the standard textbook for laymen who want to understand more about the importance of oxygen therapy, oxygen products and so on). We bought our first 12 bottles, which unlike Homozon, arrived safely within 10 days of ordering it, then after a few orders, we went up to 144 bottles, then later on began ordering 1000 at a time. By this time we had been appointed the UK and Ireland distributors for Colosan, although we now have a few sub-distributors mostly in the UK, but with a few in other EU countries.

In those days, Colosan Colon Cleanser was only available as a powder. However we received constant complaints from customers about the fact that it wasn’t available in capsules. So after a year or so of fairly persistent nagging by us, the producers eventually agreed to manufacture Colosan in capsules. Colosan powder was and still is better value for money than Colosan capsules (you get over twice as much stuff per bottle if you buy the powder), but despite this, the capsules quite quickly became far more popular than the powder. It’s not that Colosan powder tastes that bad. To be honest, it doesn’t really taste of anything. We would describe Colosan powder as just having a rather vague nondescript chalky kind of taste. Nonetheless a lot of people either couldn’t be bothered to muck about with Colosan powder, or wanted something where they could measure the dosage more accurately. A few people wanted Colosan in capsules claiming that they didn’t like the taste of Colosan powder, but given that Colosan powder barely has any taste, we think the objection was more a psychological repugnance to taking Colosan as a powder than grounded in reality.

Within two years we were selling around 3 x more Colosan Colon Cleanser capsules than Colosan Powder, and that’s been pretty much the proportions ever since. Interestingly though, a lot of the colon hydrotherapy practitioners who refer people to us still recommend the powder instead of the capsules.

Alternatives to Colosan Colon Cleanser.

Oxy-Powder Colosan and Mag 07

These days we sell two more rival brands to Colosan – namely Oxy-Powder (which rather confusingly only comes in capsules despite the word “powder” in Oxy-Powder), and Mag 07, which is available in both capsules and powder. The background to why and when we began selling these products when we already had Colosan are separate stories in themselves.

All three manufacturers claim theirs is the only one that works, which either means two of them are lying, or that individual results vary, and that some people get on best with Colosan, some with Oxy-Powder and some with Mag 07. Our experience is that the truth lies with the latter hypothesis – i.e. that individual results vary. Because they are all similar products, quite a few people find that all of them work pretty much the same. However, there are no hard and fast rules, and just as some people find they all have more or less the same effect (the company director being one of them) some people do find that one of them works noticeably better than one of the others. Try them all, and let us know how you get on.

Colosan Colon Cleanser also has a dedicated web site found at www.colosan.co.uk

Detoxification

ZNatural dosage

ZNatural & heavy metal toxicity
ZNatural & heavy metal toxicity

I was asked a question today about the dosage of ZNatural, and since this question is relevant to a lot of customers, I am going to publish the question and my reply (with the customers name removed).

My question is about Znatural . We live in shanghai most of the year and have done for 3 years with more to go what does would you recommend for us to help combat the extreme pollution ?

Question 2; my mum has general aches and pains fogginess and depression , suspected fibromyalgia – what dose for her ?

Question 3; my dad is type 2 diabetic would it be any good for him and also are there any other products you’d recommend for him and my mum both in 70 s . I’m looking for healthy Xmas presents this year!

Question 4; Any contraindications with other meds on any products you recommend for my parents ?

ZNatural: My reply

Since the concentration of is now double what it was a few years ago, I think that the label ZNatural dosage on the label of 5 drops twice per day is sufficient for most people. However for a faster result you can take a double dosage, so if you want to do that, it will be fine. So I think both you and your mother could take either take the label dosage, or for a stronger and faster result, take double the label dosage.

What concerns me more than the dosage is that this product should be taken for 6 months or 3 months as an minimum. Even though some people will notice benefits within a few weeks, as usual 90% of customers will doubtless ignore me, and expect a miracle in a couple of weeks.

For ‘extreme pollution’, I would probably say Znatural is product #1. But you may want to also consider Burdock formula, which we formulated specifically for full body detox (at some point I will write an article about it), any of the liquid oxygen products, Burbur, and Green Magma.

For your mother, its fine to use the Znatural as a stand-alone product, but you could also consider the same products that I mentioned above for her too, especially the oxygen and green magma. If that doesn’t work, I have other ideas up my sleeve, but its probably best not to load you up with too many ideas, and contact me in the new year if these products are not helping.

Re your father. He should use sucroguard (as per the label) + 1 drop per day of chromium + zinc gluconate with vitamin B6 (2 per day for the first month, then one per day). Monitor blood sugar levels, and expect some improvement (but not a total cure) and medication might be able to be reduced under medical supervision of course.

Re question 4. There are no contraindications of taking ZNatural to the best of my knowledge, but definitely speak to your doctor before usage if there is any doubt in your mind.

Click here to purchase ZNatural 15ml, click here for ZNatural 30ml, click here for ZNatural 60ml.

Detoxification

Heavy metal toxicity: Link to candida, brain fog, poor memory, Alzheimers

Our approach to  reducing heavy metal toxicity and brain fog

ZNatural & heavy metal toxicity
ZNatural & heavy metal toxicity

Did you see the news in the UK newspapers last week that scientists have discovered a link between Alzheimers disease and the build-up of heavy metal toxicity in our body’s from aluminium (1). I had to chuckle because this “news” was something I first read about when I was at naturopathic college 20 years ago. And I’m not sure it was especially fresh news even then!

It has frequently been claimed by holistic dentists, doctors  and naturopaths that heavy metal toxicity from mercury is one of the contributory factors in all neurological illnesses, such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimers disease, multiple sclerosis, poor memory, brain fog, depression and a whole host of other problems for just as long. Indeed a friend of mine, who is a retired holistic dentist, himself a victim of mercury toxicity has been aware of this problem for over a quarter of a century. Other dentists, such as Hal Huggins were aware that there was a problem four decades ago! (You can ‘Google’ his name if you’re curious).

A number of practitioners also contend that heavy metal toxicity is the reason why some people with stuborn candida problems, just don’t seem to get better regardless of how persistently they use anti-candida products, such as Threelac, or how well they keep their colon’s clean with products such as Oxy-Powder, colon hydroptherapy treatments, or both. One colleague I know usually doesn’t treat candida at all, without first getting her patients to do a heavy metal detox, along with using products for colon cleansing. Personally I find that rather extreme, but I can accept that virtually every Westener benefits from doing a heavy metal toxicity cleanse anyway.

Products that help with heavy metal toxicity

We have a number of products that help remove heavy metals from the body in a safe, non toxic way, and without “side effects”.

(“Side-effects” – in my opinion a dishonest form of Orwellian double-speak created by the medical industry to conceal what I would describe as toxic effects. But that’s a separate discussion for another day).

A list of products that help or are alledged to help with heavy metal toxicity includes Algas, Crystal Energy,  all green superfoods (especially Green Magma), and Curcumin (or Turmeric). However I regard our core product for reducing heavy metals to be ZNatural. You can visit the web site for detailed information on ZNatural, but below some of the key points.

Introducing ZNatural

ZNatural® works at the cellular level to help remove harmful toxins from the body. The patented molecular structure help remove…

•Lead • Mercury • Arsenic • Chromium • Other Heavy Metals • Pesticides • Free Radicals Organic Toxins • Chlorinated Compounds • BPA • PCBs

ZNatural has been extensively studied, originally by it’s developer Dr Harvey Kaufman, and continues to be studied today at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio (USA). One of these tests showed a 91% reduction in mercury over 4 months, and an 86% reduction in lead over 90 days, based on  human urine tests.

Another test (see table below) compared the heavy metal removing ability of ZNatural, with five other products marketed for this ability. The tests were done on water samples with the heavy metals ions added, then the products added (dosed) and analyzed by UV-visible spectrophotometry. In this test, after 30 minutes, the ZNatural sample had reduced the heavy metal by 53.9%. Turmeric (product 5 below) came second, reducing it by 22%. A combination of Bentonite clay and charcoal (product 3 below) came third at 17.6%. The other three samples had a minimal effect only. These are test tube results only, so one would not expect such dramatic changes in the body from a single usage, but other tests based on urine tests have shown a consistent effect when taken long term.

ZNatural and heavy metal toxicity removal
ZNatural and heavy metal toxicity removal

We provide ZNatural in a 15ml one month size, a 30ml two month size, and a 60ml 4 month size.  My view is that best results are accomplished by taking ZNatural for 6 months initially, then one month per year, every year. ZNatural is not one of our better known products, but we have had great results reported to us by some of the people who have used it. You can read a few reviews here for things like chronic fatigue, brain fog, skin problems and fibromyalgia, which we think are the result of the detoxification that ZNatural enables to take place in the body.

We would like as many people as possible to try it, and in order to encourage this, we provide ZNatural with a 60 day money back guarantee (less our shipping and processing costs) if for any reason you are not satisfied with the product.

Wishing good health to all

Mark G. Lester
Director – The Finchley Clinic Ltd

1. The Daily Telegraph http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/11159812/Aluminium-poisoning-may-trigger-Alzheimers-disease-claims-professor.html
Also reported at  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2792370/aluminium-poisoning-brains-causing-alzheimer-s-professor-claims.html
and http://www.keele.ac.uk/pressreleases/2014/aluminiumanditslikelycontributiontoalzheimersdisease.html