Lyme DiseaseWhat to do if I suspect I might have Lyme DiseaseTick Bite PreventionMisdiagnosis of Lyme DiseaseHorrowitz QuestionairreUnderstanding The Causes of DiseaseThe 10 Step ProcessStep 1 - TestingStep 2 - DetoxingStep 3 - Diet and Reduction of Toxic ExposureStep 4 - Support your bodyStep 5 - Build the Immune SystemStep 6 - Support Your MindStep 7 - Kill the infectionsStep 8 - Bind the toxinsStep 9 - Control InflammationStep 10 - ExcerciseLyme DoctorsUK based Lyme Literate DoctorsNaturopathsLyme Doctors AbroadAlternative MedicineStem CellsRifeOxygen TherapyEssential OilsContact ListsBiological DentistsLive blood analysisCryotherapyIV chelationBiomagnetismIV Therapy and Vitamin InjectionsBioresonanceOzone treatment
Step 2 - Detoxing
Detoxification
Detoxification is the most important step to take for anyone who is suffering with ill health and that is why it’s the first thing you should address. Throughout the years we’ve been stock piling toxins in our body, such as heavy metals, fluoride, aspartame, and plastics. When the liver, our main detoxification organ is overburdened with too many toxins, it just can’t do its job properly. As a result, a lot of these toxins end up getting stored in our body. For instance, lead often gets stored in the bones, plastics can bind to hormonal receptors, other toxins float around in our blood disrupting vital systems and some get stored in fatty organs including the liver. Like a bucket sitting under a slow dripping water tap, our bodies can cope with a heavy toxic burden for a certain amount of time but when the water bucket gets filled to the top, eventually the water starts to spill over the sides and that’s when disease sets in.
You may have heard or read statements that we don’t need to detoxify our bodies, that the detoxification systems in our bodies can cope with the burden. Unfortunately, our detoxification systems cannot cope with the vast amount of toxins we are exposed to in this day and age, the sheer number and variety of toxins have exponentially increased in the past 30 years and perhaps coincidentally so has the variety and number of disease diagnoses. Diet is key to the detoxification process and also changing your personal and household products to limit your exposure to chemicals, these two factors will be covered in the following steps. Below are some recommendations as to how you can detoxify the toxins that are currently stored in your body.
Chelation Therapy
The first thing to address in a detox process is heavy metal build up in the body. Everyone will have some sort of heavy metal build up so it’s important that you undertake chelation therapy. Chelation therapy involves introducing molecules into the body that bind to heavy metals and remove them from your body via the urinary tract system. It’s most effective administered via an IV though you can also buy tablets which aren’t quite as effective as they lose some of their potency when they are digested via the stomach. Chelation therapy can be dangerous if over utilised so it’s advised to be cautious. Some autoimmune patients have made significant improvements just from using chelation therapy alone.
Chelation Tablets
Glutathione
Glutathione, a peptide is produced in every single cell in our bodies and our liver. It is the most powerful antioxidant we have at our disposal and it is known as the bodies master detoxifier.
To give you an idea of how vital glutathione is for us, some scientists claim that measuring the amount you have is a good indicator of how long you’ll live. In our 20’s we are producing optimum levels of glutathione but like many other essential fuels in our bodies, our levels drop by 10% each decade we age. That’s why glutathione is often linked to anti-ageing and is considered by many to be the most effective anti-ageing supplement that nobody really knows about.
Besides slowing down the ageing process and detoxifying the body of chemicals, heavy metals and cellular waste, glutathione also reduces inflammation, strengthens the immune system, increases energy levels, improves athletic performance and aids in cellular repair.
Unfortunately, due to a change in our environment such as pollutants, pharmaceutical drugs, a poor lifestyle and infectious diseases like Lyme disease and co-infections our naturals levels of glutathione could be drastically affected. Even strenuous exercise can reduce our levels of glutathione, so if you are a gym addict then you could be suffering with glutathione depletion. IV supplementation is the best way to receive the benefits of glutathione. Another effective consumption method is through suppositories.
Glutathione Suppositories
Glutathione Supplements
Coffee Enemas
Yep I know what you're thinking, I love my morning cup of coffee but that's not how I imagined taking it. Coffee enemas are the brain child of a man called Max Gerson. He claimed to have created a therapy program that could cure cancer, a lot of people i.e. the medical establishment have actively discredited his research but a lot of cancer survivors swear by his program. Lyme patients use this part of his program to assist in detoxification. Coffee enemas have a wide range of benefits, not only is coffee a great source of antioxidants but a coffee enema is a great way of flushing out toxins from your lower intestines. They have been found to flush out bacteria, heavy metals, fungus and yeast from the digestive tract including the liver and colon. People in the health and wellness community rave about them and testify to the fact that these enemas lower inflammation in the body and increases energy levels. You can’t buy the coffee you need for this task from your local supermarket, you need to use specific green coffee. If your new to the world of coffee enemas then I found this kit from amazon to be highly effective.
Infrared Sauna
Saunas are a great way of detoxing the body, clearing those all essential detox pathways of gunk and also killing some bacteria in the process. What's great about an infrared sauna versus a conventional sauna is it heats up the body from the inside out and it doesn't heat the air around you making it a lot more bearable and comfortable to sit in for long periods of time. It achieves what a conventional sauna achieves at much lower temperatures and it’s portable, so you can even pop it in front of the television. Not only do these saunas kill bacteria and detoxify your body, they also improve circulation, aid weight loss, reduce pain and purify the skin. A lot of people in my Lyme community have one of these in their homes.
Portable Sauna
Detox Baths
One of the things I have found most helpful and therapeutic in my quest to treat Lyme has been detox baths. When I first became unwell I was having one of these nearly every day. Detox baths are a great way of detoxing your body but they are also a great way of managing pain and die off reactions from infections. Epsom salt baths are fantastic because they contain magnesium. Infections feed on magnesium in the body so patients can become extremely unwell due to low levels which can cause muscle twitching and even seizures. Replenishing depleted Magnesium levels is essential and one of the ways I was able to do that was through regular baths. I recommend staying in a detox bath for a good 40 minutes. I also recommend dry body brushing before you get into the bath so that you can stimulate the lymphatic system and the ingredients can penetrate the skin more effectively.
Dry Body Brush
Salt Detox Bath recipe
This is my usual go to bath. The Epsom salts are fantastic for restoring magnesium levels in the body. Bicarbonate soda is an excellent detoxifier and has antimicrobial properties. Himalayan Salt is excellent at restoring minerals and hydration to the skin. I always find it’s best to buy the ingredients in bulk.
A quarter of a cup of Epsom salt
A quarter of a cup of Himalayan Salt
A quarter of a cup of bicarbonate soda
A third of a cup of Apple Cider vinegar
10 drops of Lavender
Lymphatic Drainage Massage
A lymphatic drainage massage helps stimulate the lymph system which can become very sluggish when you are battling infections and toxic overload. The lymph system collects toxins from cells and helps the body get rid of them though bowel movements, sweat and urine. If your body is clogged up with toxic waste the lymphatic system is one of the first systems that will become affected. Qualified masseuses will be able to push debris out of clogged up pathways and put them into circulation to be excreted by the body. Some people could be suffering with ill health purely because this system is backed up with debris. It’s so important to keep your detox pathways free and open. Have a look at the Treatwell website and find a lymphatic drainage masseuse in your area.
https://www.treatwell.co.uk/places/treatment-lymphatic-drainage/offer-type-local/in-uk/
Ionic Foot Bath
Disease thrives in acidic environments so it’s important to make your body as alkaline as possible. Ionic foot baths are a great way of reducing the bodies PH levels and making your body more alkaline.
Ionic footbaths work by ionising hydrogen atoms in the water which gives them a positive charge, these atoms then attract toxins which have a negative charge, they work in exactly the same way that a magnet does drawing out toxins using magnetic force and the law of attraction. It’s also nice to give your feet a soak at the end of a hard day.
Biological Dentistry
Your teeth could be making you really sick. If like me you have weak teeth and have had a number of dental procedures then these procedures could be compromising your health. Certain dental procedures put patients at risk for disease such as root canals which are breeding grounds for bacteria with microbes thriving in dentin tubules left behind after the event. Also, if you read our section on understanding the causes of disease you will have read that mercury fillings can be highly toxic to our bodies. The type of mercury used in amalgam fillings is elemental which is the same type used in certain thermometers many of which have been banned because of their toxicity. These fillings are approximately 50% mercury and they can emit a toxic vapor which is absorbed and retained by the body, it is poisonous to nerve tissue and can destroy neurons. This is where a biological dentist comes in handy. Not only will they remove all the toxic mercury fillings that are releasing poisonous vapours but they will also remove all your roots canals and leave your mouth a much less hospitable place for disease to thrive. Many people have seen a marked improvement in their health after seeing a biological dentist. See our list of recommended biological dentists here.
