Saunas * Genital Baths * Coffee Enemas
* Liver-Gallbladder
Flush
This article discusses important detoxification procedures
in depth. This is followed by a
short discussion of many other detoxification methods that are either not very
powerful or definitely harmful and to be avoided.
Warning: No claims are made for any procedures described here. Nor are these procedures intended as
treatments or prescriptions for any disease or condition. The following is presented for
educational purposes only. However,
many people find them very simple, effective and safe when used as described
here.
SAUNA THERAPY
Sauna therapy is one of the finest ways to
remove toxic metals, toxic chemicals, chronic infections and other blockages in
the body. Infrared sauna therapy,
in particular, is highly effective for detoxification.
Types of saunas.
Three common types of saunas exist. The traditional sauna
is a room with a heater. These are
found at health clubs and spas.
This is the least effective sauna for healing, in our opinion. However, it is used in some
detoxification programs, such as the Hubbard program, with excellent success.
The far infrared sauna
came into use about 45 years ago.
It penetrates the skin, which adds another dimension to the sauna
experience and appears to enhance detoxification. However, these saunas, if they are truly far infrared, emit
damaging electromagnetic radiation to some extent. Also, the frequencies are not the best, in our view. We are not happy with most of these
that we test. Therefore, we don’t
recommend the far infrared or FIR sauna very much at this time.
The near
infrared lamp sauna uses infrared heat lamps as the heat source. It also penetrates the deepest of all
the saunas and does not emit any harmful electromagnetic fields. It is the best sauna we have found, in
general.
How Often. One may use a sauna once a month for pleasure. However, for therapy one must use the
sauna at least weekly. For best results,
use the sauna each day, once or twice daily.
If one is very debilitated, be sure to
begin with once or twice a week, and only for 10 or 15 minutes maximum. As you feel comfortable in the sauna,
you may increase the time and the frequency of use.
Work up to daily use
as one is able. When beginning, many people overdo the sauna, either the amount
of time inside, or the frequency of sauna sessions.
Always start slowly, even if you believe
you are in superb physical condition.
Many people do not sweat easily.
Instead, their bodies can overheat if one starts with an hour session,
for example.
ALWAYS LEAVE ANY SAUNA IF YOU FEEL VERY FAINT, DIZZY OR
SICK. This does not mean the sauna
is harmful for you. It often just
means you are not used to it and your body needs to adapt slowly to sweating
and removing toxins through the skin and elsewhere.
Over time, you will get used to the heat
and the body will sweat better. In
a few weeks to a few months, as the body acclimates and is more able to regulate
its temperature, sweating becomes easier. Also, the
more one relaxes, the more one will sweat.
Time of day for saunas. The more relaxed you are, the more benefit you will derive
from a sauna session. If possible,
enter the sauna either first thing in the morning, as soon as you arise, or
last thing at night before retiring for the night. These are the times of the day when most people are relaxed
a maximum amount.
Before a Sauna
Session. Avoid heavy meals two hours before a
sauna session. Avoid alcohol or other intoxicating
substances. Drink eight ounces of
water before entering a sauna.
Spring or distilled water is highly recommended.
Add sea salt and two tablespoons daily of
kelp to your diet to help replace any minerals lost through sweating. Some people cannot take kelp. If it makes you jittery, use less or
use another general mineral preparation.
Remove metal jewelry before entering the
sauna, as it may become very hot.
Do not put any oils on your skin before a sauna, as they also may become
very hot, especially in an infrared type of sauna.
Preheating. Before entering a hot air sauna, preheat to 150° F or
so. If you are using a near
infrared or far infrared sauna, enter as soon as one turns it on and you wil warm up with the sauna.
For a more intense experience, preheat
infrared saunas to about 90-100° F.
Do not operate at above 120 F. for a near infrared lamp sauna or about
140 F. for a far infrared sauna.
During a Sauna
Session. Light clothing may be worn in a
traditional sauna. Usually , it is best not to wear clothing in an infrared
sauna for best penetration of the infrared rays. It is acceptable, however, if a bathing suit is required.
Use a small towel to wipe off the sweat. Sit on another towel. Have a
third towel on the floor to avoid slipping. Talking or
working are not recommended while in a sauna. Meditate
or relax.
To enhance the effects of a sauna
session, visualize absorbing the heat and energy. Deep,
slow breathing and good posture are very helpful. Sound
therapy such as listening to low tones is also excellent. Aromatherapy
is also very effective during a sauna session.
Rotating in a lamp sauna. If one’s sauna uses infrared heat lamps that are all on one
wall, one needs to rotate 90 degrees every few minutes or so to heat the body
evenly. Sit on a stool or a chair
without a back. Face the bulbs,
then turn to the side, and then turn around to so your back is facing the lamps.
Also, be sure to avoid touching the hot
bulbs. Keeping your eyes open and
even looking at the bulbs is okay, according to the manufacturer. However, I do not recommend staring at
them.
Also, do not allow water, a towel or
clothing touch the hot bulbs. One
will not get a tan in an infrared sauna, though the skin may redden for an hour
afterwards.
Finishing Up. How long one remains inside a sauna depends on one’s
health condition. Most people do
well with 20-50 minutes in a sauna.
We do not recommend more than an hour at a time.
When finished, take a shower to rinse off
the toxins that are excreted during the sauna bath. If this is not possible, then towel off with a damp or dry
towel.
We do not recommend a cold plunge or cold
shower after a sauna. However, a
warm or tepid shower is probably better than a very hot shower.
Avoid using soap if possible, as you
should be quite clean after sweating.
Use shampoo and conditioner only if needed. Most contain chemicals toxic to the body. Also skip most oils, lotions and creams. These also contain chemicals that may clog the pores. Use only the most natural skin care
products to enhance the effects of the sauna.
Use a skin brush or loofa
to remove more toxins. Brush all
over, even your face and hair if you desire. Painful at first, it soon feels wonderful. Skin brushing enhances the
cleansing effect.
Drink eight ounces of water during or
after a sauna session. If you
sweat profusely, you may drink more.
Finally, sit or lie down for at least 10 minutes after your sauna
session. These simple steps allow the body to reap the
full benefit of the sauna experience.
Keeping safe in saunas. Saunas have at least a one thousand-year history of
remarkable safety. In fact, the native Americans where I live told me the Indian sweat lodge
has been in use for 40,000 years!
However, today many people may use saunas
who have chronic illnesses that may affect their
ability to tolerate the sauna’s heat.
In our experience with those with cancer, heart disease, diabetes,
arthritis, joint replacements and many other conditions, the sauna appears to
be very safe. Here are a few
signs, however, that indicate that one should leave the sauna soon:
1. The body
temperature should not increase more than four degrees.
2.The pulse should not increase more than
50% of the resting pulse.
3. Sweating should not stop suddenly.
4. Some faintness and feeling of fatigue
or weakness is normal during or after a sauna session. However, if you feel very faint, end
the sauna session and lay down for at least 10 minutes.
Healing Reactions. Healing reactions are temporary symptoms that occur
as toxic substances are eliminated and chronic infections heal. Symptoms vary from mild odors, tastes
or rashes to periods of fatigue, bowel changes, aches, pains or headaches.
Many people have chronic infections,
often treated with antibiotics that killed most of the bacteria but did not
eliminate bad tissue and all the organisms. These may
flare up as they are healed due to repeated sauna use.
Almost all healing flare-ups or
purification reaction symptoms are benign, though they are often vigorous. See other articles on this website for
details about healing crises, as they are sometimes called. If in doubt, always consult a
knowledgeable practitioner who is familiar with healing reactions and with
sauna therapy.
Emotional healing reactions may also occur. For example, memories of past traumas
may arise consciously or in dreams as they come up to be resolved. Temporary anxiety or other emotional
states may occur. These usually
pass within a few hours to a few days.
Some are directly related to the
elimination of toxic substances from the body. Others are associated with other types of emotional and
physical clearing that can occur with the use of near infrared saunas, in
particular.
Supervision. Saunas are safe for most people providing one follows
the rules here described. Always
move slowly and carefully in and around a sauna. Accidents can occur due to slippery surfaces.
Supervision is always best, especially if
one has a health condition. If debilitated or very
heat-sensitive, begin with less time in a sauna. The
presence of an attendant or friend is also most helpful.
Consult a health professional if one has
any serious health condition. Those who have used LSD
or other psychotropic drugs require an attendant close by, as removal of drugs
from tissue storage sites may cause flashbacks or even full-blown LSD trips.
Pregnant women and children under five
should avoid saunas. Young children must be accompanied by an adult. Continue
prescribed medication while taking saunas unless directed otherwise by the
prescribing physician.
For Acute Infections. If one has an acute infection
with fever or other acute symptoms, more frequent, shorter sauna sessions are
better until the infection subsides. Most people can use the sauna 15
minutes about 5 times a day during infections.
Always check with someone knowledgeable
if you are unsure about sauna use, although in general saunas are quite
safe. For medical references for saunas, see the Sauna Therapy
article. Also available is our
book, Sauna Therapy. Click on the title to see the table of
contents and how to order this book.
GENITAL BATHS
This
simple procedure, borrowed from the hydrotherapy literature, is often effective
for alleviating vaginal, bladder, uterine and even prostate difficulties. Bladder and vaginal infections in women
often respond very well to this procedure. Men can use
it as well for urinary and penile difficulties.
The genital bath is probably effective
because the cold water causes a reaction that greatly enhances the blood flow
to this area. This in turn assists the healing process. The procedure is as follows:
* Sit on the side of a
bathtub facing into the bathtub.
Alternatively,
sit on a stool placed in the bathtub. One can wear a shirt or sweater, as the water will be
directed only at the genital area.
* Splash cold water on the
genital area only, using a wash rag or a flexible
shower attachment.
* Continue the procedure for
10 minutes, and repeat it three or more times per day.
* The genital bath can be
repeated for as long as necessary with no ill effects.
COFFEE ENEMAS
From Lynn: “I just had my first coffee enema. UNBELIEVABLE. Just after the first session, I felt a
sense of fresh air all over and my breathing was deeper. A constant
pressure that I felt on my back at the location of the liver got immediate
relief. The racing thoughts was replaced with a
quiet mind. I felt relaxed and a sense of peacefulness. I hadn't sang in months; but I suddenly found myself singing.
Doc, I felt so good that I wanted to have a second session immediately and had
to restrain myself. I hope it is not addictive because now you couldn't
pay me to stop. It is quite effective!! The only thing is I am obviously very seriously dehydrated
because a lot of it doesn't come out.”
Why in the world
would someone use coffee in an enema?
That is the question I asked when my health practitioner suggested I do
coffee enemas. Yet when I got over
my initial resistance, I quickly noticed the many benefits of coffee
enemas. I did them daily for over
15 years and I credit, to some degree, the recovery of my health and that of
many others.
I have recommended coffee enemas to over
ten thousand patients. Many have
told me how wonderful they are.
Several said coffee enemas saved their lives. Indeed, they are most helpful for many types of conditions. The procedure is also inexpensive and
can be done at home without special equipment.
History of the Coffee Enema. Enemas are an ancient form of
hydrotherapy. They have been used
for hundreds of years for mechanically cleansing the colon.
The use of enemas and colonic irrigation
used to be routine procedures in hospitals. Many patients in hospitals are worse off during surgery,
childbirth and other procedures since they were discontinued.
Coffee enemas were mentioned in older
editions of the Merck Manual, a
handbook for medical physicians. They were later popularized by Max Gerson,
MD, author of A Cancer Therapy - Results
of 50 Cases.
Dr. Gerson
pioneered nutritional therapy for cancer and other diseases with excellent
results. His therapy combined
coffee enemas with a special diet, juices and other supplements. The enemas were an integral part of the
therapy.
Benefits. The
major benefit of the coffee enema, according to Dr. Gerson,
is to enhance the elimination of toxins through the liver. Indeed, endoscopic studies confirm that
the coffee enema increases bile output.
To test this idea, a patient was given a
coffee enema while an endoscope (a thin tube with a camera on the end to view
the intestine) monitored the entrance to the common bile duct. Within minutes of administering the
enema, bile flow increased.
Increased bile flow also alkalinizes the
small intestine and promotes improved digestion. Coffee also acts as an astringent in the large intestine,
helping clean the colon walls.
A common contributor to ill health is the
production and absorption of toxins within the small and large intestines. If food is not digested properly,
sugars ferment and protein putrefies or rots. Both processes generate toxic chemicals, which are then
absorbed into the liver.
The coffee enema enhances digestion by
increasing bile flow and removes toxins in the large intestine so they will not
be absorbed. Most people with
health complaints suffer from impaired digestion and excessive production of
toxic substances in the intestines.
Coffee enemas are particularly helpful
for slow oxidizers. Their liver activity
is more sluggish and digestion is usually impaired. Fast oxidizers may have more difficulty retaining the enema.
The procedure described below is really a
coffee implant rather than an enema, because it involves only two to three cups
of water. Using more water than
this may make the enema more difficult to retain for some individuals and is
not really needed in most cases.
If you wish, however, the use of a quart
of water, and making sure the water reaches most of the large intestine, is
more helpful for cleansing the colon of accumulated waste material. If one suspects severe bowel toxicity
or in cases of serious illness, quart enemas are preferable, at least to start
with.
How Often And How Long? I usually suggest one enema per day to assist
detoxification or to enhance liver activity. Two enemas daily may be taken during a healing reaction if
needed. For those who are very
ill, several a day may be best for at least several
months. (Dr. Gerson,
by the way, used six coffee enemas daily for cancer patients.)
For best results, a program of coffee enemas should be
carried on for at least a month. They should not be
needed for more than two to five years, although many people have continued to
take them for a number of years without problems.
The best time to take the enema is after
a normal bowel movement. One will
get a slight rush from the caffeine, but it is not like drinking coffee, which
I do not recommend. Coffee enemas
taken in the evening may interfere with sleep.
If performed properly, coffee implants do
not cause habituation, constipation or any rectal problems. In over 28 years of practice, I have
rarely seen significant problems from coffee enemas if they are done properly,
according to the instructions below.
The exception is if there are significant
hemorrhoids, rectal fissures or other rectal problems. In these cases, extra care is needed in
inserting the enema tip.
Some people with hemorrhoids find enemas
irritating and cannot do them.
This is one of the few contraindications for coffee enemas. While enemas may seem uncomfortable,
many clients report the procedure is so helpful they soon forget the
inconvenience.
Step 1. Materials
* Buy a 2-quart enema bag
with a clamp. This is sold at drug stores. The enema/douche bag combination is easier to use because
you can close the top.
* Buy any brand of regular
coffee - regular grind or flaked, non-instant and not decaffeinated, or grind
your own coffee. Organically grown coffee is best,
though any coffee will do. Organic
coffee is available at natural food stores. Store
opened coffee containers in the freezer for maximum freshness. The S.A. Wilson coffee advertised
specially for coffee enemas is great, but not necessary.
Step 2. Preparation
of coffee
There are two methods. The first is best.
* Place 2 to 3 cups of
purified water and one-half to two
tablespoons of coffee in a saucepan and bring to a boil (or use a coffee
maker to percolate the coffee quickly).
NOTE:
The first time you do a coffee enema, use only1 teaspoon, NOT TABLESPOON, of coffee. This is critical because some people are sensitive to
caffeine and will feel very jittery on more coffee. After a few enemas, you will see how much coffee you can
tolerate comfortably. Ideally,
increase to two tablespoons per enema.
* Let it boil 5 minutes,
then turn off the heat and allow it to cool. One or
two ice cubes may be added to speed the cooling process. You may make a larger quantity and use
it for several enemas.
Tricks
to speed up cooling the boiled coffee. 1) Boil only a little of the water with the coffee. Once it has boiled, add the rest of the
water to the coffee mixture to cool the entire amount down to body temperature.
2) Pour the coffee mixture back and forth
several times through the air from one container to another, even from the
enema bag back into a cool pot.
This will also cool it much faster.
NOTE: Body temperature feels hot when you
place your finger in it. If the
water is too hot or too cold, retaining the enema will be more difficult.
* Only when the mixture is
about body temperature, strain the liquid through a fine strainer or coffee
filter paper into a clean enema bag.
Screw on the top of the enema bag.
The enema is now ready.
The
alternative non-boil method. This is not
quite as powerful but may be used if time is very important:
* Place 1 cup of ground
coffee in a container with 2 cups of water. Stir the
mixture thoroughly and allow it to soak overnight.
* In the morning, filter
the liquid through coffee filter paper or a fine strainer. Place
in a jar for storage in the refrigerator.
* To prepare an enema, pour
2 cups of purified water into the enema bag. Add 2 or
3 tablespoons of the coffee liquid from the jar.
Step 3. Preparing
to take the enema
* Have a bowel movement
before doing the enema. This is
important, as otherwise you will not be able to retain the enema in most cases
and there could be a mess on the floor!
To have a bowel movement, the best method is to drink many glasses of
spring or distilled water beforehand.
You may also have something to eat or even use a laxative like prunes if
needed.
If you have not had a bowel movement,
take a plain water enema first, before the coffee enema. This will usually clean out the bowel
quickly and effectively.
* Be sure the plastic hose
is pushed or fastened well onto the enema bag and the thin enema tip is
attached to the other end.
* Remove any air from the
enema tube the following way.
Grasp but do not close the clamp on the hose. Place the tip in the sink. Hold up the enema bag above the tip until the water begins
to flow out. Then close the clamp. This
expels any air in the tube.
* Lubricate the enema tip
with a small amount of soap or oil. (Too much
lubrication will cause the tip to fall out of the rectum, creating a mess!).
Step 4. Taking
the enema
* The position preferred by
most people is lying on one's back on a towel, on the bathroom floor or in the
bathtub.
* With the clamp closed,
place the enema bag on the floor next to you, or hang the bag about one foot
above your abdomen.
* Insert the tip gently and
slowly. Move it around until it
goes all the way in.
* Open the clamp and hold
the enema bag about one foot above the abdomen. The
water may take a few seconds to begin flowing. If the water does not flow, you may gently squeeze the
bag. If you develop a cramp, close
the hose clamp, turn from side to side and take a few deep breaths. The cramp will usually pass quickly.
* When all the liquid is
inside, the bag will become flat.
Close the clamp. You can leave the tube
inserted, or remove it slowly.
* RETAIN THE ENEMA FOR 15
MINUTES (less time is okay, but not quite as effective). See below if you have difficulties with
this. You may remain lying on the
floor. Use the time to read a book, meditate,
etc. Some people are able to get
up and go lie on a towel in bed, instead of on the floor. Walking around the house with the
coffee inside is not recommended.
A small number of people are unable to retain even a cup of water
for the required 15 minutes. One
can start with less coffee or less water in these cases. There seems to be no harm if one wishes
to retain the enema longer than 15 minutes.
Step 5. Finishing
up
* After 15 minutes or so,
go to the toilet and empty out the water. It is okay
if some water remains inside. If
water remains inside often, you are dehydrated.
* Wash the enema bag and
tube thoroughly with soap and water.
Hints regarding enemas:
* Remember, you will do
best if you have a bowel movement before doing the coffee enema.
* If intestinal gas is a
problem, some exercise before the enema may eliminate the gas.
* It is not essential but
is helpful if the water fills the entire colon. You
can assist by first lying on your right side for 5 minutes, then on your back
for 5 minutes, and then on your left side for 5 minutes.
* If water will not flow
around the entire colon, you may gently massage your abdomen.
Some people attach a 30-inch colon tube to the tip of the enema tube,
and insert the tube so the water will reach the right side of the colon.
* If the enema makes you
jittery, reduce the amount of coffee.
* The enema may lower your
blood sugar. If so, eat something just before or after
taking the enema.
* If you have trouble
holding the enema, here are suggestions.
1) Be patient. Practice makes
perfect.
2) The water may be too hot or too cold.
Be sure the water temperature is comfortable.
3) It may help to place a small pillow or rolled up towel under your buttocks
so the water flows down hill into your colon.
4) If trouble continues, try reducing the amount of coffee or add 2 tablespoons
of blackstrap molasses to the water.
EPSOM SALT BATHS
These are simple, pleasant and not too costly. They can help relax tired or tense
muscles and release some poisons as well.
Magnesium is an element that is often deficient in modern diets. One can absorb a fairly significant
amount of magnesium and sulfur from an Epsom salt bath.
Procedure: as you fill a
bathtub, add 3 to 5 pounds of Epsom salts to the bath water. Water should be hot, but not scalding
for the most relaxing and effective treatment.
Submerge
as much of your body, particularly the spin, in the bath. Stay in the water for 20 to 30
minutes. There is no need to
shower off after the bath. You
may, in this way, absorb more of the Epsom salts with their sulfur and
magnesium.
SALT AND SODA BATH
This
is primarily an alkalinizing and mineralizing bath. It is inexpensive and usually
comfortable, although the salt and soda bath can sting the skin a little at
first.
This
bath will remove certain toxins and even help with infection in some
cases. We do not use these baths
too often, but they can be helpful if one is in a detoxification reaction or
having an infection heal on a nutritional balancing program.
Procedure. As you let the water run into the
bath tub, add about 2 pounds of baking soda and 3 or 4 pounds of sea salt. Any type of sea salt will do. Mix the salt and soda into the water. The bath should be fairly hot for best
results.
Stay
in the water for 20 to 30 minutes.
Then let the water out. A
shower may be helpful if you feel itchy or sticky from the salt. However, it is not necessary to take a
shower afterwards.
LIVER-GALL BLADDER FLUSH
The
liver-gall bladder flush is a non-surgical method to help remove
gallstones. It can help avoid the
need for gallbladder surgery in some cases. It is not, however, a substitute for a complete
nutritional balancing program to
restore normal activity of the liver and gall bladder.
A liver flush or two may help at the
beginning of a nutritional program or if one is having gall bladder
problems. I am not aware of
complications or damage from this procedure, although occasionally someone
remains nauseated for several days or more.
1) For 6 days, eat well,
take your nutritional supplements and take 90 drops (30 drops three times a
day) of phosphoric acid drops daily.
You can purchase these inexpensively from www.tuberose.com, 877-988-2376
or 352-797-8000 in Florida. Their
website is a bit hard to navigate – click on “Natural Health Store” at
the top of the page, and from there click on “Health Maintenance Supplements”
to find “Phos-drops”.
Instead
of phosphoric acid drops, some doctors tell patients to drink as much apple
juice as possible. However, this
is much too sugary and I don’t recommend it at all.
Also take about 200 mg of magnesium (chelate,
citrate or other quality product) three times a day, one tablet with each
meal. The phosphoric acid and
magnesium help soften stones and dilate the bile ducts.
2) At noon on the sixth
day, eat a normal lunch with supplements, phosphoric acid drops and
magnesium. Two hours after lunch,
do a 1-quart coffee enema using 2 tablespoons of coffee, along with 2
tablespoons or 1/4 cup of Epsom salts in the enema. Retain this enema for 15 minutes.
3) At suppertime, have a
normal dinner with supplements, and be sure to have fat with the dinner, such
as 2 tablespoons of butter on vegetables or some real whipped cream as a salad
dressing.
4) At bedtime, do one of
the following:
a) Take 1/3 cup of olive oil
followed by some lemon or other juice if the taste is objectionable.
b) Take
1/3 cup of olive oil blended with 1/3 cup of orange, grapefruit or diluted
lemon juice.
c) Take 4 tablespoons of
olive oil followed by 1 tablespoon of fruit juice every 15 minutes until one
has take 1/3 cup of olive oil.
For nausea. The release of bile causes nausea in a few cases. If nausea occurs during this procedure,
it indicates stimulation of the gall bladder. Finish the procedure.
If vomiting occurs, just continue and do not add more than the planned
amount of olive oil.
5) Immediately upon
finishing the oil, lie down on the right side with the right knee drawn up
toward the chin for half an hour.
This is to assist emptying of the oil out of the stomach.
6) If ill during the night,
one may take another strong coffee enema with Epsom salts.
7) In the morning, if
nauseous try to remain in bed until it passes. Upon arising, take another coffee enema with Epsom
salts. If nausea continues after
the procedure, eat lightly and skip supplements for a day or two.
OTHER DETOXIFICATION PROCEDURES USED MUCH LESS OFTEN
Colonic irrigation and
other hydrotherapy. These can be excellent
treatments that can greatly assist detoxification. We don’t usually recommend a lot of colonic irrigation due
mainly to its cost and inconvenience having to go to an office for a
session. However, it may always be
used with nutritional balancing programs safely, provided the person administering
the therapy knows how to do it safely.
Other hydrotherapy baths, sprays and
other procedures in the tradition of The
Water Cure and other naturopathic traditions may also be used, though they
are not as effective, in our opinion, as they once were, when the bodies were
healthier, in general.
Herbal poultices. This is an ancient therapy. There are many kinds of herbal packs and poultices. Overall, these are very good. Some are potato poultices, onion
poultices, mustard poultices and others.
We don’t use them, as a rule, because they are a lot of trouble and we
don’t find them necessary.
Castor Oil Packs. This procedure was recommended often by
Mr. Edgar Cayce. We don’t
use them much, but they are very relaxing and appear to assist lymph
circulation over the area they are placed, in particular the stomach, liver or
other parts of the abdomen.
Procedures:
Here are two common ways to do castor oil packs:
1. Daytime Method. Pour pure castor oil onto a piece of flannel or other absorbent
cloth that is about 1 foot long by 1 foot wide. The cloth should be quite damp, but not dripping with the
oil. Castor oil can be bought at
many drug stores. Some outlets
sell organic castor oil, but this is not needed in most cases.
Place the pack on your abdomen, usually
over the liver (upper right side of the abdomen). Fold the cloth over once if it is too large.
You will now place a heating pad on top
of the pack. However, before doing
so, be sure to cover the pack with a large plastic bag lying flat. This is to keep the oil from soiling
the heating pad. Turn on the
heating pad to its highest setting and relax in bed or on a couch with the pack
for about 2 hours.
To
clean up, turn off the heating pad.
Remove the plastic bag.
Remove the pack from your abdomen and wipe off the area with a clean rag
or paper towel.
Place the castor oil pack in a glass or
plastic jar. Screw on the top of
the jar to keep the oil moist. The
pack can be reused many times without adding more oil, unless it is getting
dried out.
2. Overnight method. Create a castor oil pack as described above. When you are ready for bed, place the
pack on your abdomen, as described above.
Cover the pack with a plastic bad or better, another clean towel or cloth.
Now wrap an Ace bandage around your waist
and around the pack as tightly as you can comfortably stand it. Go to bed with the pack strapped
on. In the morning, remove the Ace
bandage, remove the pack, wipe off the area and store the castor oil pack as
described in method #1 above.
Drinking salt water. This is popular and a bad idea. Salt water will pull a
certain amount of toxic substances out of the body by osmosis. However, the long-term effects are
questionable at best. Salt is an
unbalanced mineral product and will slowly change the mineral balance of the
body.
Salt water has been known to kill, if one
drinks enough, by upsetting the mineral balance. Avoid this method completely.
Steam baths cause detoxification. I don’t recommend steam, however, because
1) the temperature is too hot for most people, 2) chemicals from the water can
get into the body. The water must
be distilled or reverse osmosis to prevent this, and 3) if used at a health
club, often the steam unit is not clean enough.
Hot springs. A few hot springs are very therapeutic. The trouble is that most are not and it
is hard to tell which are helpful . So, as a general principle, I don’t
advise spending a lot of time at hot springs, though occasional use is
excellent, especially if you know the water is clean and safe.
Hot tubs, if heated to over about 103 F. cause some detoxification. However, I do not ever recommend using a hot tub for the
following reasons: 1) one always
absorbs chemicals from the water unless it is distilled or reverse osmosis
water. 2) Some chemicals, even
silver, must also be added to the water and these are absorbed as well. Never use chlorine or bromine, if
possible, as these are quite toxic, 3) hot tubs are breeding grounds for
bacteria and viruses, even if the tub is sanitized, unless you use hydrogen
peroxide at about 100-200 parts per million, which will work. 4) you can
never really clean the pipes that are inside the tub, so germs build up there
that cannot be seen, and 5) hot tubs are costly to buy and to operate in
relation to saunas.
An ozone sauna or ozone steam
cabinet is an
excellent detoxification bath. I
don’t need them, but they are helpful, especially for some conditions.
Clay or mud baths,
wraps or packs. Clay and some muds
are powerful detoxifiers and can help with many skin and other conditions. They are nearly as powerful as the
sauna or enemas. Also, clay and
many types of mud are high in aluminum and other toxic metals. Some metals will be absorbed if one
does too many clay or mud baths, packs or wraps.
Bikkrum yoga. This is a yoga class that is done with
the heat turned up in the room, often to 90 F. or more. This causes sweating and some
detoxification. This is the best
way to do yoga, though the odor can be strong by the end of class. The reason is the heat relaxes the
muscles and helps prevent some yoga injuries, which are quite common among
people who think they are fit and can do a lot of yoga.
Ionic foot baths are popular, but very dangerous on
subtle levels. They consist of an
electrical device that is placed in a small tub of water, in which one places
the feet. While they are excellent
to remove toxins, all ionic foot baths I have reviewed
spin the chakras backwards and damage a person’s etheric
energy field severely.
Detox Foot Pads
are Japanese methods of removing toxins through the bottoms of the feet, and
occasionally they are placed elsewhere.
Studies have not indicated these are too effective, however.
Alkaline water
machines. They
include the Jupiter machine, I-Water, Kagen Water and
many others.
These devices filter tap water in most cases. Then they change the mineral content of the water using an
electrical charge or by adding coral calcium or other minerals to the water to
make it more alkaline. I have seen
terrible problems from these machines on at least two occasions. Definitely avoid any device that adds
coral calcium to water. It
contains some toxic metals and eventually poisons the person. These devices create an
unnatural water that is not very good. Also, most or all do not filter out most of the toxic metals,
toxic chemicals and other imbalances in modern tap water.
Plain steam-distilled water, though it is
a little acid in its pH, it removes a lot of toxic substances and, over time,
will help the body alkalinize for this reason. Good spring water is also excellent to drink.
Homeopathic drainage remedies and others used for dtoxification may have great benefit. We don’t use them
as we don’t feel they are needed, in general. If you go to someone for these remedies, make sure you are
tested for them because homeopathics are quite
specific for each person, as a rule.
Herbal detox
regimens, in
general, are definitely not recommended.
They work to some degree.
However, many herbs are slightly toxic. Therefore, over time they will not be of much benefit in
many cases. Herbs that are
definitely helpful for detoxification are milk thistle, dandelion root and
Russian or Spanish black radish, and very few others.
We also do not like or use herbal metal
detoxification remedies that contain powerful chelators
such as bugleweed, yellow dock, cilantro extract and chlorella. These can remove vital minerals, along
with the toxic metals. Products
containing these include popular products like Metal-Free, NanoDetox
Factors and a host of others. See chealtion for more on this type of product.
Chelation therapy. This is covered in far more detail in a
separate article, entitled Chelation
Therapy. In general, we
don’t use it. It is not needed, is
costly and has side effects that can be dangerous in a few cases. Instead, to remove all the toxic
metals, we use over seven methods simultaneously. With nutritional balancing methods, we can remove more toxic
metals to a deeper level, as well as removing toxic chemicals.
However, in some cases, IV or oral chelation therapy is very helpful. These include advanced cases of
multiple sclerosis, perhaps other neuromuscular diseases and rarely other
situations.
Fasting is a dangerous procedure, in our
experience, if done for more than a week at a time. If you must do it, be sure to work with someone very
knowledgeable in fasting. I worked
as medical director of a fasting spa for several years and placed over 600
people on fasts. Results were very
mixed. We prefer the much safer
nutritional balancing method of nutritional correction. Fasting was appropriate in years past,
when most of the classic books about it were written.
Today, we find that most fasting just
accentuates nutritional deficiencies and does not address many deeper
imbalances relating to the body load of toxic metals, toxic chemicals and
infections. Radiation poisoning,
which everyone has, has made the body’s much less
capable of handling most fasts.
Juice fasts are much safer, but still not generally advisable for more
than a few days, at most.
Juicing is a popular method, along with
cleansing diets, to rejuvenate the body.
We like a small amount of carrot, celery, or
green juice daily, up to 5-6 ounces only.
More than this has too much sugar for many people and is extremely yin
in Chinese terminology. Yin means
cold, raw and broken apart. Once
again, this method was effective in times past, when many excellent books were
written about its use such as A Cancer
Therapy – Results of 50 Cases by Max Gerson,
MD and others.
This can impeded detoxification in most
people today, whose bodies are already yin. To read more about this, read the articles on this site
entitled Raw
Foods and Juices and Yin and Yang Healing.
Cleansing diets can be useful if they are used for
no more than 1 month at the beginning of a nutritional program.
However, their value is often overrated.
We don’t find them necessary in almost all cases. Problems with them are:
1) Often they are deficient in protein
and other nutrients that people require for detoxification. Thus they can have a counterproductive
effect.
2) They are often yin in Chinese
terminology, which also inhibits elimination in many people. For these two reasons, use extreme care
with cleansing diets.
Energetic detox methods such as IMT, ERT, homeopathics,
radionic machines and electro-acupuncture machines. These methods have definite merit. However, they are not methods of mental development because
they do not require enough effort on the part of the client and they do not
usually go deep enough in almost all cases.
I prefer nutritional balancing for many
reasons from safety to the fact that it systematically removes all the toxic
metals and all toxic chemicals at once, in the body’s own order, in a
repeatable, objective manner that is not dependent on the skill of the machine
operator or practitioner. Also, I
prefer the emphasis on lifestyle and diet as I feel this is a more fundamental
approach to health and healing.
Exercise for sweating. Many people say they do not need to detoxify because they
sweat profusely when they run, play tennis or do other common exercise. Sweating with exercise is
excellent. However, the
sympathetic nervous system is activated during exercise, so the amount of toxin
removal is much less. Also, the
near infrared lights offer other benefits that are not possible with
exercise. Also, exercise uses up a
lot of energy that could be used for detoxification in a sauna.
Light and color
therapy. This is an underused method that could
be a great help. A near infrared
lamp sauna involves color therapy.
Using Bentonite,
Azomite, Montmorilliinite
or Zeolite clay, and using detox
vitamins such as high-dose vitamin C, N-acetyl-cysteine,
modified citrus pectin, alginates and other detox
products. While these do cause some
detoxification, we do not use them, as a general rule. The reason are
cost and possible toxic effects.
However, they can be helpful, especially for acute toxicity to reduce
the side effects of the metals, in particular.
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