What You Do Not Know about Detoxification Can Hurt You
If you have ever attempted a detoxification regimen, you know that it includes DECREASING the amount of toxins coming INTO your body while INCREASING the amount of toxins going OUT of your body. But unless you are aware of the concepts of Phase I and Phase II detoxification, you could not only NOT be detoxifying, but you could actually be INCREASING toxic damage to your body.

The concepts of Phase I and Phase II detoxification are absolutely CRITICAL in detoxification, yet they are almost COMPLETELY unknown to the average person who is interested in eliminating toxins. Most toxins start out as FAT-SOLUBLE substances. The body is only able to excrete WATER-SOLUBLE substances, so these toxins must be transformed before being able to be eliminated. The first part of this process, known as Phase I detoxification, transforms these toxins into 'Intermediary Metabolites' that need to be changed even further before elimination. Phase I detoxification is relatively 'easy' and doesn't require any intense energy expenditures or nutrients; however, the intermediary metabolites that it produces can be very dangerous. In fact, the free radicals and carcinogens produced in this phase can be even MORE harmful than the ORIGINAL toxins!

Under ideal conditions, Phase II begins immediately after Phase I and these harmful metabolites are neutralized and excreted fairly rapidly. But in some cases, Phase II does not begin right away or it can't keep up with the incoming metabolites produced so efficiently in Phase I. Because Phase II IS energy and nutrient intensive, in someone who has fewer nutrients and enzymes than is required for Phase II, detoxification CAN become an overall DAMAGING experience! Situations that can cause high Phase I activity and slowed Phase II activity occur when someone is either sick or malnourished and simply does not have the nutritional stores in order to support Phase II nutrient demands. Other situations are when fat is lost so quickly that the sheer amount of toxins released into the bloodstream overwhelms Phase II systems. Those who water fast, too, should be cautious. Because water fasting is so efficient and there are so few nutrients being ingested, the amount of toxins produced can overwhelm Phase II nutrient requirements and allow free radical damage to occur.

These phases of detoxification are not to be taken lightly, either. The intermediate substances can be SO harmful that Phase II detoxification problems have been linked to cancer, liver failure and the permanent neurologic damage that occurs in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Fortunately, increasing Phase II activity can be assisted with the right nutrients: the amino acids glycine, taurine, glutamine, cysteine and methionine are critical in this reaction. Antioxidants that specifically aid Phase II pathways, like those from turmeric, grape skins, pomegranate and red raspberries, can provide specific substances that not only help to neutralize free radicals and INCREASE Phase II activity, but slow down Phase I activity at the same time. This can allow the body adequate time to transform these free radicals into their harmless counterparts. While dietary fiber, too, binds to the water soluble compounds created, specific types of fiber have been shown to actually improve Phase II activity.

Because we live in such a contaminated environment, detoxification is a nearly Essential pursuit in order to stay healthy, but it is vital to understand the concepts of Phase I and Phase II detoxification before embarking on any cleansing regimen. Providing the body with substances that specifically improve Phase II reactions can help you to have not only a safer cleansing experience, but a more EFFECTIVE one as well.



Detox for Life: The Three Crucial Steps of the Detox Program


Detoxification is a natural healing process needed more than ever in today`s toxic world. With the onslaught of chemicals in our food, air and water, we can all do with undergoing a specific program of periodic cleansing. An approach that is designed to lower the toxic burden accumulated in our tissues, while supporting the organs of elimination in a supportive and nurturing environment, is the type of program that will offer the most effective results in our pursuit of outstanding health.

What is detoxification?

We have all heard about the role of detoxification in creating great health; and many of us have experienced the detox process, some by attending a health retreat designed for this purpose, and some by virtue of a supervised fast or cleansing program initiated by a naturopathic practitioner.

But what exactly is detoxification, and what is happening in the body when we engage in this type of specialized program?

Essentially, detoxification is the body`s ongoing process of neutralizing and eliminating toxins from the tissues and organs of the body. It is the job of the liver to take harmful chemicals, toxins and byproducts of metabolism from the bloodstream, and alter them into safer substances to be excreted via the organs of elimination.

This process is always happening automatically, just like we breathe and our hearts beat, and it`s not something we need to think about on a day to day basis. It is a natural state of the body to be continually cleansing, and most of the time we don`t even notice it is happening.

With the amount of potentially harmful chemicals in our environment, our food, our personal care and cleaning products, in air and water pollution, and in the recreational drugs and medications that many people take; our body burden of toxic substances can rise. It is estimated that there are 50,000+ chemicals in production, with 10,000 of these used in food processing.

When the liver is unable to deal with an excess amount of circulating toxins, they can continue to move through the body, causing disruption and damage, before eventually being stored mainly in the fat cells of our organs and tissues, often being stored for years or decades.

Depending on the type of toxins held in the body, we can experience all sorts of chronic and degenerative conditions that have their underlying cause in an overwhelming burden of chemical overload. For example, one molecule of mercury can inhibit the function of up to 1000 zinc molecules.
By engaging in a "detoxification program" we are actively assisting and supporting the body in its own natural cleansing actions, to help in ridding the body of substances that may be detrimental to our health.

Why a specialized detox?

Before essential nutrients can become available to the cells for renewal and repair, we need to remove:

Metabolic waste
Excess proteins (fibrosis)
Mucous
Fat
Calcium
Heavy metals
Chemical residues
Drugs
Pollution
Radiation

Is there only one disease?

Many schools of thought promote the concept of there only being "one disease", that of toxaemia.

This theory proposes that if the body can be kept free and clear of toxic debris and waste, and if good nutrition is provided, the body`s natural healing processes will enable it to heal from any disease.

All effective natural healing methods combine some type of detoxification process.

What is involved in a detoxification program?

In the natural medicine world, a detox is a specific program of dietary changes and often herbal support to:

1)lower the amount of chemicals being ingested,
2)to provide nutrients that enhance the body`s natural processes,
3)to support the organs of elimination in clearing toxins out of the body quickly and safely

There are many styles of detox programs, but the best ones are those undertaken in an environment where all of these factors can be addressed, and there is an opportunity to rest and relax and focus on healing.

1)Lowering ingested chemicals

The first part of detoxification involves lowering the ingestion of not only chemicals in the diet, but often also lowering the amount of food consumed, to give the digestive system a rest and to allow energy to be diverted to cleansing rather than digesting.

Fasting is a universal natural response to disease, and there are several ways to fast; water only, juices, and mono foods being the most common.

To this end, most detox diets will involve a period of fasting, such as drinking only freshly made vegetable juices for several days. Only organic produce should be used for the juicing, to ensure no pesticides or other chemicals or contaminants are consumed.

After a juice fast, it is sensible to spend a period of time eating plain organic fruits and vegetables to allow the body time to adjust to whole foods again, while keeping the burden of ingested toxins to a very low level.

Water fasting can be too extreme for most people in today`s world, as we are carrying such a load of toxins that we need more than just our stores of nutrients to help the body to detoxify them properly. Many people are already malnourished and depleted, so water fasting is not appropriate in these cases.

Fresh organic juice provides a plentiful supply of enzymes to assist in the breakdown of toxic matter, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to protect from free radical damage.

24 hours after starting a juice program, pancreatic enzymes are no longer needed for the digestion of food and can start digesting waste matter in the body. Not only do they start breaking down debris in the colon, but they can travel through the body and start digesting damaged cells, microbes, metabolic waste, acids, fibrosis, atherosclerotic plaques and deposits in the joints

2)Providing nutrients

As toxins are being released for excretion during the fasting phase, these substances can be highly reactive and create free radical damage. Not only as they circulate, but when they are processed through the first phase of liver detoxification, dangerous metabolites can be produced. A high level of antioxidants can offset this danger and protect the liver and the cells of the body.

This is why juice fasting can be so advantageous, as it supplies an enormous amount of concentrated vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are easily absorbed. Organic juice means no toxins are being ingested and by being in a clean environment this lowers the daily burden.

Some detox programs also support the body with green nutrition such as wheat or barley grass, chlorella or spirulina. These green foods supply a high dose of nutrients, protein for the binding of toxins, and chlorophyll which is a powerful blood cleanser.

Healing nutrients:

By juice fasting and supplementing with concentrated green nutrition and herbs with fiber, we offer our body all it needs to cleanse and heal:

Enzymes
Vitamins
Minerals
Antioxidants
Carbohydrates
Chlorophyll
Protein
Fiber

Enzymes: enzymes are specialized proteins that accelerate or instigate chemical reactions within our cells. Malfunction of just one type of enzyme can be fatal.

All animals eat foods which also contain enzymes for their own digestion

Enzyme reserves can be depleted by cooked food; the demands on digestion from cooked foods means that enzyme activity is used for digestion rather than cleansing and healing purposes elsewhere in the body.

Enzymes are at the heart of physiologic healing, they have been called the "spark of life", a deficiency of which has been linked to chronic and degenerative illnesses

Metabolic enzymes build, cleanse and heal the body:

"After two decades of microscopic analysis of the cellular systems of thousands of people who have been guests at Hippocrates, we discovered and confirmed that digestive enzymes and enzymes found within plant foods clearly enhance the electrical frequency in and around cells of the body."
Dr. Brian Clements
Author of "Hippocrates LifeForce, Superior health and longevity"
Director Hippocrates Health Institute, Florida, for over 25 years

Vitamins: essential for life, they are co-factors in enzymatic reactions and required for producing energy needed for detoxification.

Minerals: essential for life, they are co-factors in enzymatic reactions, are required for
energy production, and are utilized in the liver for the binding of toxins.

Antioxidants: required for neutralizing free radical damage caused by circulating toxins, and by Phase 1 liver detox processes.

Carbohydrates: provide fuel for energy.

Chlorophyll: cleansing, blood building, antibacterial, antiseptic, alkalizing and oxygenating.

Protein: is found in concentrated green nutrition and is needed for binding toxins via the liver.

Fiber: acts like an intestinal broom to drag toxins, mucoid plaque and heavy metals out of the bowel, and provide fuel for the good bacteria colonies.

3)Supporting the organs of elimination

There are many organs and systems involved in the detoxification process, but some are more important than others and supporting their function results in a more thorough and pleasant detox.

Liver: the liver is the organ which does the most work during a detox. It takes pollutants out of the bloodstream, identifies them and makes them safe for excretion.

The first stage of this is called Phase 1 Liver Detox and that involves making fat soluble toxins more water soluble, so that they can be eliminated through the bowels or the kidneys. The outcome of Phase 1 is highly reactive toxic metabolites waiting for Phase 2 treatment. A high level of antioxidants are needed to balance and neutralize these substances.

Phase 2 Liver Detox uses various protein molecules to bind these intermediate products and make them safe to be eliminated.

Bowel: a lot of toxins are excreted through the bowel, so a well-functioning, moving bowel is an essential part of the detox. Many detox programs include bowel herbs, bulking fiber such as psyllium husks, products like bentonite clay which bind toxins, or cleanses such as enemas or colonic irrigation.

By cleansing and supporting the bowel in this way, we ensure the maximum removal of toxic substances.

Kidneys: the kidneys are another organ that filters and processes a large number of toxins. During a cleanse, drinking plenty of fluid supports kidney function, and using juices such as watermelon, celery, cucumber or black cherry can all enhance their detoxification ability.

Kidneys are also the repository for our "chi" energy or lifeforce, so plenty of rest, meditation, keeping warm and gentle movement, will all help to revitalize and nourish our kidney energy.

Skin: the skin can release many toxins, especially when it is helped by dry skin body brushing, and by spending time in a sauna. Both of these practices enhance the effectiveness of our detoxification, not only by allowing the release of toxins through the skin, but by moving our lymphatic system which drains and transports many waste products.

Breath: yes, you often will have "detox breath" during a cleanse! Our lungs are powerful
movers of toxic matter, and deep breathing during yoga or meditation is another tool we use
to support our body.

How long do we fast for?

Short fasts, or fasting one day a week are not a good practice.

During the first day of the fast, glucose levels drop and glycogen reserves can be depleted. The body will then start to draw on protein from the tissues to create glucose.

Following day one, the body adapts and starts to use fat as a source of energy and preserves protein. One day fasts will deplete body protein and serve no purpose for deeper detoxification of stored toxins in fat tissues.

Three days is a minimum, but the general rule is to fast until you feel hungry again. Not from habit, but from a true hunger.

Intermittent fasting can extent lifespan by 20-30%

"Studies have shown that fasted cells have the capacity for assimilation and growth characterized by the cells of young animals, demonstrating beyond doubt that fasting rejuvenates cellular function."
Sergius Morgulis, "Fasting and Undernutrition". University of Nebraska, E.P. Dutton, New York 1923.

What is a healing crisis?

A healing crisis is also known as the "Herxheimer Reaction" where the body tries to eliminate toxins at a faster rate than they can be disposed of, resulting in a possible increase in symptoms, or at times nausea, diarrhea, headaches, dizziness or mood swings.

Many people are reluctant to participate in a detoxification program because they are worried about feeling ill or experiencing some type of healing crisis during the detox.

The first day there are often the common symptoms such as the "caffeine withdrawal" headache, but days two and onwards are when the deeper toxins are being removed

These symptoms, however, are much more likely to occur when the organs of elimination are not properly supported. During a professional cleansing program, these reactions are minimized, as every element is designed to move toxins quickly out of the body, for a pleasant and comfortable experience.

How will I feel afterwards?

A comprehensive supervised detox program of at least a week`s duration once or twice a year works well. After spending that period of time cleansing, building your nutritive status, resting and healing, you will feel like a different person!

Skin often becomes clearer, eyes become brighter, energy and vitality expands, sleep is improved, aches and pains are gone, the bowel works better, mental clarity and concentration is improved, and many people shed a few extra kilos over the week.

By lowering your body burden of toxins, you may very well be helping to prevent the chronic health consequences that can come from long term exposure to the thousands of chemical pollutants saturating our environment today.

NATURAL CANCER THERAPIES

ACID/ALKALINE BALANCE: This treatment is a combination of acid-neutralizing minerals like calcium and magnesium to supply proper mineralization and to correct the acid/alkaline balance of the body. Two proponents of this treatment are Carl J. Reich, M.D. and Bob Barefoot. In addition another approach is the use of Potassium, Rubidium and especially Cesium, which are alkaline elements. When taken, it is believed they alkalinize cancer cells (neutralize their acid nature). Cancer cells do not survive in the higher PH ranges and die off.

ADJUNCTIVE THERAPIES: Adjunctive therapies are used in conjunction with others. Most cancer patients are found to be deficient in selenium, so many doctors add it to their protocol. Therefore, it would be considered an "adjunctive therapy." Other adjunctive therapies would include: detoxification, specific vitamins and supplements like Vitamin C and Co-Q 10, water therapy, and nutrition balancing.

• Detoxification, the removal of toxins from the body, is considered by many clinics as a very important part of their treatment. A variety of approaches are used, including colon cleansing, fasting, chelation, water therapy, heat therapy, and nutritional, herbal, and homeopathic methods. Max Gerson introduced coffee into the enema procedure, which causes the liver to release stored up toxins into the digestive system to be eliminated. Increasing your water intake may be one of the best ways to get rid of toxins in the body.

• Nutritional therapy: Two types or approaches are emerging. One is a specialized combination of nutrients used as a targeted cancer therapy, depending on the individual needs of the patient. The other, which also depends on the needs of the patient, is a more general approach seeking to boost health and strength.

• Psychology and Psychotherapy, although used at most clinics, would be considered an adjunctive therapy. Psychological counseling, support groups and even psychotherapy make up a critically important aspect of therapy in the world's most successful cancer treatment centers. Some doctors have reported that a traumatic psychological event in a person's life may trigger the appearance of cancer one to two years later. Music, meditation, relaxation techniques, and stress reduction have proven to significantly enhance the power of the immune system. Some therapists include emotional and even spiritual counseling, not only for the person's regular life, but in dealing with the trauma of cancer. Biofeedback can also be used, where a person visualizes the immune cells of the body attacking the cancer cells.

AMYGDALIN (LAETRILE): When the natural substance called amygdalin is purified and concentrated for use in cancer therapy, it is called Laetrile. Amygdalin is extracted from apricot seeds and prepared in both tablet and injectable form. The injectable is more concentrated and capable of delivering higher doses in a shorter period of time. It is usually recommended at the onset of treatment for patients who are seriously ill. After several weeks or a month, if the patient responds well to treatment, the physician will reduce the dosage and prescribe tablets to replace injections. This therapy is usually used in conjunction with the proteolytic enzymes, a broad-spectrum nutritional program, and a diet calling for fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and the elimination of meat and dairy products for the duration of treatment.

ANTINEOPLASTONS: These are amino-acid compounds (called peptides) found in the blood and urine of healthy people but which are deficient in cancer patients. They were discovered in 1967 by Stanislaw Burzynski, M.D., Ph.D., while a graduate student in Poland. When Burzynski came to the United States to practice medicine, he patented a process for manufacturing these substances and began to administer them to cancer patients on the theory that they will cause cancer cells to revert back to normal cells. In spite of fierce opposition by the AMA and FDA, many patients claim that their cancers have been controlled by this treatment.

CAAT - Controlled Amino Acid Treatment is a novel nutritional approach to cancer treatment developed by Angelo P. John at A.P. John Cancer Institute.
CANCELL/CANTRON (ENTELE) and now Protocel: Cancell is a compound developed by James Sheridan around 1935. Although he obtained cure or remission rates from 70 - 80% in mice, the FDA would not allow him to go forward in full-scale testing or production. This product helps lower the overall energy of the body to help starve the cancer. The cancer dies from energy starvation and is cleaned up by the immune system. For the last 40 years he and another man, Ed Sopcak, of Michigan, privately made and gave away the product to cancer patients – all at their own expense. Today, the Sheridan family endorses Protocel as THE Cancell formula.

ELLAGIC ACID: Ellagic Acid is a newly discovered extract derived from various fruits such as red berries and pomegranates. Tests conducted at the Hollings Cancer Institute at the Medical University of South Carolina show that Ellagic Acid has "proven to be effective in preventing cancer, inhibiting the growth of cancer cells." In addition, Ellagic acid acts as a scavenger to bind cancer-causing chemicals, making them inactive.


ELECTRONIC THERAPIES: Rife, Beck, Clark, and others have used electronic therapies to treat cancer. Many have had successes treating cancer using these devices.
• Electrotherapy, also known as electrochemical tumor therapy, Galvanotherapie and electro-cancer treatment (ECT), was developed in Europe by the Swedish professor Björn Nordenström and the Austrian doctor Rudolf Pekar. The therapy employs galvanic electrical stimulation to treat tumors and skin cancers. ECT is used most often as an adjunct with other therapies. Using local anesthesia, the physician inserts a positively-charged platinum, gold or silver needle into the tumor and places negatively-charged needles around the tumor. Voltages of 6 to 15 volts are used, dependent upon tumor size. To enhance the cancer-cell-killing power of ECT, sometimes small amounts of chemotherapy agents are applied to the skin and driven into the tumor by a kind of sweating effect of the electric current ("iontophoresis"). ECT works by influencing the acid/alkaline (pH) levels within the tumor and causing electrolysis of its tissue, which is more susceptible to direct current than normal tissue. The pH change depolarizes cancer cell membranes and causes tumors to be gently destroyed. The ECT process also appears to generate heat shock proteins around the cancer cells, inducing cell-specific immunity. This process triggers Natural Killer cells.

• Magnetic Resonance or Bio-resonance: A newer technique based on an older technology. All cells have a natural frequency of resonance and cancer cells differ in frequency from normal cells. Radio waves set to resonate with cancer cell frequencies can destroy them similar to the way a high pitched note breaks a glass. It has never been adopted by the conventional medical establishment in the United States, but Bio-resonance devices have been in use in Europe for 23 years.

• Radiowaves set to resonate with certain frequencies can harm the cancer cells similar to the way in which a tone set to the proper pitch can shatter glass without harming other adjacent substances.
• Rife machines were developed by Royal Rife, one of the originators of this bio-technology. These devices transmit specific electronic signals to deactivate or destroy living pathogens, bacteria, and cancers. Rife also developed special electron microscopes. Rife machines have been outlawed by the FDA, but some clinics like American Metabolics use them in treatment.

Zappers are discussed below

ENZYMATIC THERAPY: Enzyme therapy is generally broken down into two types: food enzymes and Proteolitic enzymes. Several researchers including Dr. John Beard, Dr. Ernst Krebs, Jr., and Dr. Dean Burk found that the cancer cell is coated with a protein lining and that it is this protein lining (or covering) that prevents the body’s normal defenses from getting to the cancer cell. They found that, if you can dissolve the protein lining from around the cancer cell, the body’s normal defenses, the leukocytes (white blood cells), will destroy the cancer cell. Woebenzyme is a product from Germany that appears to do just that. Chapters five and six of the book World Without Cancer describe this process in more detail.

• The FDA has approved the Orphan Drug application of Wobe-Mugos as an adjunct therapy for multiple myeloma. Wobe-Mugos is a combination of systemic enzymes, used successfully in Europe in conjunction with chemotherapy since 1977.
DIET AND FOOD THERAPIES: Many centers are using a variety of food therapies to treat cancer. Max Gerson began in the fifties saving lives using a strict diet of fresh vegetables and fruit. Many people have had successes just using a macrobiotic diet, vegetarian diets, and the Budwig diet. Others add products like wheat grass, barley green, and broccoli sprouts to their diet because of special properties they contain. For example, broccoli sprouts (not just broccoli) contains a cancer-fighting agent known as sulforaphane that prompts the body to make an enzyme that prevents tumors from forming.

• Budwig diet/flax seed oil: The Flax seed (Linseed) oil diet was originally proposed by Dr. Johanna Budwig, a German biochemist and expert on fats and oils in 1951. Her simple formula of two tablespoons of flaxseed oil to a quarter cup of low fat cottage cheese (or other foods containing sulfur) helps increase metabolism, boosts the immune systems, reduces cholesterol levels, and helps inhibit cancer-cell growth.

• Hallelujah Acres Diet developed by Dr. George Malkmus is a vegetarian diet that has helped with a variety of diseases, including cancer.

• Low sugar Diets seem to starve cancer cells. Cancer cells seem to use sugar as their basic "fuel." In addition, a high sugar intake seems to increase factors in the body responsible for creating conditions that encourage cancer to grow - for example, high acidosis, immune system suppression and prosglandin production.


GERSON: The Gerson therapy consists of detoxification and diet. Detoxification involves the use of coffee enemas. The theory behind this is that caffeine is rapidly absorbed through the lower bowel and travels directly to the liver where it stimulates the production of natural immune factors. Care must be taken not to over-stimulate the liver which could eventually lead to its fatigue and malfunction. The diet is similar to the Laetrile diet, but is more strict. It includes twelve or more glasses daily of freshly pressed fruit and vegetable juices, a daily vegetable soup, and potassium/iodine supplements. The therapy was developed by Dr. Max Gerson, a graduate of the University of Freiburg Medical School in Germany who fled to the U.S. in 1936 as a refugee of fascism.

GLYCOALKALOIDS: These are used mostly for skin cancers. Lane Labs has done studies using their product "Skin Answer" and has had good results on squamous cell carcinomas. However, melanomas are not treated using this.

GREEN TEA: This is a popular cancer preventative and a favorite of the Asians for centuries. Dr. Fujiki, of Japan's National Cancer Center says "Green tea cannot prevent every cancer, but it's the cheapest and most reliable method for cancer prevention available to the general public." The active ingredient is a chemical compound abbreviated to EGCG, which has strong free-radical-scavenging properties.
HAELAN: Haelan is a promising nutritional-based anti-cancer agent made from liquid soy bean extract. Its array of benefits include blocking cancer-cell blood supplies, enzymatic activity, tumor reduction, and boosting of the immune system. It has also been found to help relieve the side-effects of conventional cancer therapies.
HERBAL EXTRACTS/PLANT PRODUCTS: There are many herbal extracts and concoctions and plant products used to treat cancer. These include:

• Artemesia, also known as wormwood is being researched as a safe, non-toxic, and inexpensive alternative for cancer patients.

• Italian researchers have found that an extract from the chuchuhuasi tree fights tumors and reduces inflammation. (It is often used for arthritis.) We have not had time to research this product.

• Essiac tea is an herbal concoction composed of Burdock, Indian Rhubarb, Sorrel, Slippery Elm and other ingredients. It was developed by a nurse in Canada, Rene Caisse (Essiac is Caisse spelled backward). Caisse gave the formula to a company in Canada who markets the product today. Indian Rhubarb contains benzaldehyde, one of the components of Amygdalin (Laetrile). Many alternative physicians use Essiac to help cleanse the blood, especially if a patient has been on chemotherapy or radiation. Note: Not all formulas being sold today are authentic.

• Graviola is a product from a tree in the Rain Forests of the Amazon. Producers claim it is stronger at killing colon cancer cells than common chemotherapeutic drugs and that it hunts down and destroys prostate, lung, breast, colon, and pancreatic cancers, while leaving healthy cells alone. It is supposed to help one's immune system as well.

• Hoxsey is an herbal concoction composed of poke root, burdock root, barberry root, buckthorn bark, and stillinga root. It is administered in two forms. One is taken orally and the other is a salve (containing blood root) which, if the tumor is on or close to the surface of the skin, is applied topically. The formula was first used in 1924 by Harry M. Hoxsey, a controversial and colorful figure who said he obtained it from his grandfather. The elder Hoxsey was a farmer who observed one of his horses apparently cure itself of cancer by instinctively eating certain plants. Many plants which animals seek when they are ill contain nitrilosides. Amygdalin (Laetrile) is classified as a nitriloside.

• Pau D'Arco is an extract from the inner bark of a certain South American tree. Lapachol, the active ingredient, can produce strong biological responses against cancer. It is said that the pau d'arco tree yields lapachol and 20 other compounds that may be useful in treating cancer, lupus, diabetes and Hodgkin's Disease.

• Radium weed, also known as petty spurge or Euphorbia peplus, may hold the key to treatment of non-melanoma skin cancer. It has been used as a folk treatment for skin conditions for hundreds of years. An Australian company Peplin Biotech has been studying the active compounds in the weed and finding very good results.

• Red Clover - Used for centuries. The National Cancer Institute researched the herb and found 4 anti-tumor compounds in red clover.

• Saw Palmetto is often used in the treatment of prostate cancer.

• Tian Xian (pronounced "Dianne Sean") is a Chinese herbal supplement with ingredients that help control, inhibit and destroy cancer cells.

HYDRAZINE SULFATE: This is a common industrial chemical that was first proposed in the treatment of cancer in the 1970s by Joseph Gold, M.D., of the Syracuse Cancer Research Institute. Its use is based on the fact that cancer is known to derive energy from fermenting sugar instead of by burning oxygen, as do other cells. Gold reasoned that hydrazine sulfate would inhibit the liver's ability to deliver sugar to the tumor and, in that way, inhibit tumor growth. Although this is an alternative cancer treatment, it cannot be considered a natural therapy because it is not based on any known mechanism of the body. However, the advocates of hydrazine sulfate claim that it is useful in combating cachexia, the extreme loss of weight that often is associated with the terminal stage of cancer. However there are cautions that should be considered before you use this product.

HYPERTHERMIA: The theory behind hyperthermia (heat therapy) is that raising the temperature of the body increases circulation and also increases the supply of oxygen to the cancer site. Cancer cells do not thrive in the presence of oxygen. Tumors and cells located near the surface of the body are more vulnerable to heat treatments than those protected deep inside. Although the prolonged high temperatures can be uncomfortable to the patient, this treatment has produced excellent results.

IMMUNE-SYSTEM BOOSTERS/IMMUNO THERAPIES: Also called Biological Response Modifier Therapy. A biological response modifier is a substance that stimulates the body's response to infection and disease. Products like Colostrum, MGN3, IP6 (Inostal), Iscador (Mistletoe), and mushroom extracts help rebuild the immune system and have been successful in fighting and in many cases reversing cancers. Many centers use some form of immuno therapy. Some use herbs, such as Echinacea, Pau D'arco, and Mistletoe, while others use those factors found in a healthy immune system already such as interferon, interleukin, gamma globulin, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF).

• Agaricus mushrooms from Brazil have been found to be very potent.

• Aloe vera helps the body fight infections and malignant cells. It is also a detoxifier and an immunomodulator, meaning it will balance your immune system. One company, Mannatech, produces a stabilized aloe extract in pill form called Ambrotose.
• Alpha lipoic acid has been found to have a number of positive impacts in relation to cancer. In its antioxidant capacity, it protects a complex called NF kappa B. NF Kappa B is involved in controlling cell division and is often damaged in cancer cells (by free radicals). When this damage happens NF Kappa B is activated and oncogenes can take over the cell cycle leading to uncontrolled cell division and cancer. ALA in conjunction with N-Acetyl Cysteine has been found to repair functional defects in the immune systems of cancer patients as well.

• Beta Glucan helps build up ones immunity and can have anti-tumor effects.

• Carnivora is an extract of the Venus Fly Trap plant. Carnivora externally applied has helped with skin cancers and when taken in capsules, may stop the halt or reduce tumor growth. The active component of carnivora is plumbagin, a powerful immunological booster.

• Chlorella, a single cell algae, also helps build the immune system.

• Colostrum is the fluid given by the mother's breast within 24 hours after giving birth. It is a nutrient loaded with immune-system boosters.

• Ganoderma is a unique product containing vitamins, minerals, and different mushroom species. It helps build the immune system and helps with detoxification, especially of the liver. It also helps with the side effects of chemo and radiation.

• Graviola - see Herbal/Plant Products above

• Inositol is a natural phytochemical (plant chemical) found in rice bran. Several studies since the mid-1980s have shown it to increase Natural Killer (NK) cell activity and exhibit anti-tumor activity.

• Interferon, or the Koch serum which is supposed to force the body to create interferon, stimulate the growth of certain disease-fighting blood cells in the immune system, and to help slow tumor growth. These substances are normally produced by the body, but some are produced in the laboratory.

• Interleukin-2 is a synthetic version of a naturally-occurring cytokine found in the human immune system. In conventional treatment, larger doses of this are used vs. smaller amounts used by alternative clinics. Also, recent studies seem to indicate that melatonin combined with IL-2 may be more effective than chemotherapy in treating lung cancer.

• Iscador is an extract of Mistletoe.

• MGN3 was developed by Dr. Mamdooh Ghoneum from extracts of rice bran and mushrooms. In published studies, MGN-3 was shown to greatly increase NK cell activity. One source is Lane Labs.

• Shark Liver Oil (below) is another good immune system builder.
Insulin Potentiation Therapy: IPT is an innovation in cancer care using insulin to magnify the powerful cell-killing effects of ordinary chemotherapy drugs, which can then be used in very low doses. Because cancer cells have so many more insulin receptors than normal cells, insulin acts on them much more strongly. The end result here is that the chemotherapy drugs get effectively targeted just on the cancer cells to kill them, with little or no effects on normal tissues. Thus IPT can avoid the dose-related side effects of chemotherapy. One of the clinics using this approach is Contemporary Medicine, run by Dr. Steven Ayers.

METABOLIC THERAPY: The dictionary definition of the word metabolic is that which pertains to the physical and chemical processes involved in the maintenance of life. There are two kinds of metabolism: anabolism, the process by which simple substances are synthesized into complex ones; and catabolism, the process by which complex structures are broken down into simple ones. Anabolism is associated with the growth and repair of healthy tissue. Catabolism is associated with the disease state and the breakdown of tissue. When the term metabolic therapy is used by doctors of alternative medicine, it denotes, not a specific therapy, but a category of treatments which are non-toxic, non-invasive, and which support the anabolic process. Diet and enzymes are key in this type of therapy. Dr. William Kelly and Dr. Nicholas Gonzales are well known for their use of metabolic therapy in treating cancer.

OXYGEN AND OZONE TREATMENT: The key to this therapy is getting elevated concentrations of oxygen into the body or tumor using various means. Nobel Prize winner Dr. Otto Warburg showed that cancer cells do not occur in a healthy, oxygenated environment. Many think lack of oxygen is the prime cause of all cancers. An impressive variety of new ways to introduce oxygen into the body are emerging including pressure chambers, liquid oxygen, peroxide, chemical compounds, acid/alkaline balancing, injections, and ozone treatments. Flooding cells with oxygen may retard the growth of cancer cells or even help to return them to normal.

• Hydrogen Peroxide is a form of ozone treatment. Administered intra-veneously, this therapy supplies an abundance of oxygen to the cancer site. Since cancer thrives in a fermentive state and does not do well in the presence of oxygen, the effect is to inhibit or destroy the cancer. As with hydrazine sulphate, this is not a mechanism found in nature, but many patients claim to have had their cancers put into remission with this treatment.

• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is generally used for strokes and brain damage, but has been used by some clinics for treating cancer.

• Ozone therapy has been widely used in Europe for many years. Ozone (O3) is a highly active form of oxygen. Because it has powerful antiviral properties, it is also used in treating AIDS. In the body, ozone gives off O which kills viruses and bacteria. It also creates an oxygen-rich environment that may force cancer cells to shift from an anaerobic metabolism to an aerobic, or oxygen-based, metabolism. Ozone also produces molecular oxygen (O2), in the same way that hydrogen peroxide does.

PolyMVA: (Poly for polynucleotide reductase and MVA = mineral, vitamins and amino acids) is a nontoxic antioxidant liquid formula composed of alpha lipoic acid and the element palladium. Poly-MVA is a compound that contains various minerals, vitamins, and amino acids such as lipoic acid, palladium, B 12, and other B complex vitamins. It is promoted as a nutritional supplement that is a nontoxic alternative to chemotherapy. Because it is said to be able to cross the blood brain barrier, this product is usually used with brain tumors, but it is said to be effective against tumors in the brain, lung, ovaries, and breast, and that it boosts the immune system, reduces pain, and helps people regain energy and appetite. It is considered a powerful antioxidant that can turn the toxins released by cancer into energy. According to its manufacturers, the compound attacks cancerous cells and protects DNA and RNA. They contend that the lipoic acid allows the various minerals, vitamins, and amino acids to be easily absorbed into the system where they can kill cancerous cells.

SHARK CARTILAGE: Much attention has been focused on shark cartilage as a treatment for cancer. It is believed that it inhibits a tumor's ability to create new blood vessels thereby starving it away. Questions have arisen about the statement that "Shark's don't get cancer." New studies may show that sharks do get cancer, but even if they don't, it is has been theorized that this may be because of the mineral rich environment sharks live in and not due to the "shark cartilage." More information is needed on this type of therapy. One of the most popular sources of shark cartilage is BeneFin by Lane Labs.
Shark Liver Oil contains Alkylglycerols, chemicals that are found in mother's milk, the immune system organs: liver, spleen, bone marrow, lymphatic tissues, and in the blood. One chemical found in Shark Liver Oil is squalamine, which appears to shut down a tumor's ability to connect to and develop its own blood supply, and may be helpful in brain cancer. It is another good immune system builder.

714X (Naessen) or "Immunostim": 714X is a less documented but impressive cancer treatment based on the microorganism theory of cancer. (For more information on this, see Zappers and Anti-Parasitic herbals below.) Scientist Gaston Naessens developed a highly advanced new form of microscope which led him to the discovery of a controversial blood microorganism he named "somatid." From this he developed a therapeutic treatment for cancer and even AIDS. 714X is a homeopathic combination of ammonium compounds, camphor, phosphors and salts of silicate. A similar product is Immunostim. Recently NCI has agreed to study 714X.

WHEAT GRASS: This therapy consists primarily of detoxification and consuming a wheat-grass drink several times each day. Fresh wheat grass in this form is a potent source of many vitamins, minerals and plant enzymes. Thus, it is said to be nature's own nutritional program. Wheat grass also contains Amygdalin/Laetrile, although other sources, such as apricot seeds are more potent.

VACCINES: Many clinics have developed vaccines that they use to treat cancer. One vaccine called Coley's Toxins, developed by Dr. William Coley, appears to stimulate the body to create an anti-cancer immune system response. Clinics that use vaccines include: American Metabolic, BioPulse, and International Center for Medical & Biological Research, Inc., all in Mexico.

• Dendritic cell cancer vaccines are special vaccines that use the body's natural defense system to combat cancer. Dendritic cells are a specialized type of immune system cells. Dendritic cells initiate the immune response by processing antigen and presenting it to lymphocytes to stimulate production of more lymphocytes. BioPulse is one of the clinics on the forefront of this specialized technology.
• VG-1000 Vaccine is a specialized vaccine developed by Dr. Valentin I. Govallo, MD, PhD, which undermines the cancer cells defense mechanisms. This vaccine is most beneficial in treating carcinomas and melanomas, and it is also indicated for some sarcomas (cancers of muscle, bone, and connective tissue) and in leukemia. Patients recently subjected to chemotherapy or radiation respond more slowly to VG-1000 as they have a depressed immune system. However, patients who have had neither radiation nor chemotherapy respond favorably. Thus VG-1000 is clearly indicated as first-line treatment for persons with recently diagnosed cancers, as well as to help prevent recurrence. This treatment is now available at two specialized facilities in North America, The Immuno-Augmentative Clinic in Freeport, Grand Bahamas, and also CHIPSA's - Center for Integrative Medicine in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.


ZAPPERS AND ANTI-PARASITIC HERBALS: The thesis behind this theory is that all diseases are caused by parasites (including flukes) and that all one has to do to eliminate the disease state is to eliminate the parasites. The two methods normally advocated are (1) passing a low-amperage electrical current through the body via a small, battery-powered device called a "zapper" and/or (2) consuming a combination of anti-parasitic herbals. There is strong evidence to support this theory, and we at The Cancer Cure Foundation know that positive results are often obtained. However, we question the explanations of why this works. It is our view that the parasites are not the cause of diseases but the result of them. It is possible that the disease state is caused by a low electrical charge at the sub-cellular level which leads to an acidic environment. It is this environment that, not only causes the cells to malfunction (thus, the diseases), but which also reduces the cell's defenses against parasites. Anything which raises the electrical potential of the cells (the zapper?) or which moves the body toward an alkaline state (the herbs?) will produce the desired healing effect. It is possible that the herbs also have a genuine anti-parasitic effect in their own right by being selectively toxic to the parasites. However, if the electrical concept is valid, then the long-term healing effect is attributable, not to the herbal therapy, but the electrical therapy.
One of the pioneers in the use of zappers and anti-parasitic herbals is Dr. Clark.

Medicine is in need of complete and total reform—from the curriculum in medical schools to protecting patients from excessive medical intervention. It is obvious that we cannot change anything if we are not honest about what needs to be changed.

HEALING WITH NATURE

Nature provides us with a simple, straightforward system for regaining and maintaining superb human health and beauty.

• Healing with Food:
Most human illnesses and diseases are due to a deficiency of vital nutrients. When you supply your body with the proper nutrients, in a form that your body can use, it knows how to repair itself.

• Healing through Fasting:
Fasting is the world's most ancient and natural healing mechanism.

• Healing with Water:
Hydrotherapy has been used for centuries to heal the sick

• Healing with the Sea:
There is no family of foods more protective against radiation and environmental pollutants than sea vegetables.

• Healing with Sunlight:
Sunlight helps the body heal wounds and injuries and overcome virtually any illness.

• Healing with Earth:
Clay is renowned to have many uses in promoting health in plants, animals and humans.

• Healing with Plants:
Plants have the power to supply the bodies’ life force with the energies it needs to restore and maintain health.

• Healing with Urine:
One of the most powerful, most researched and most medically proven natural cures ever discovered.

• Healing from the Hives:
Bee pollen rejuvenates your body, stimulates organs and glands, enhances vitality, and brings about a longer life span.

TRUE MEANING OF DISEASE

There are no diseases, only disease. Singular, not plural. Disease should be perceived as life itself: an infinite number of shapes and forms, springing from the same primordial well. Disease is like life itself because it is a part of life, in the same way that death is part of life, forming a never-ending cycle in which energy is never lost but used time and again. He who understands life, understands disease.

Pleomorphism

The concept of pleomorphism was developed by French biologist Antoine Béchamp, Louis Pasteur's largest counterpart. It was Pasteur's claim that pathogens attack us from the outside and it's therefore essential that we kill them before they kill us. By viewing pathogens as external organisms, a war mentality is created, which causes one to adopt an anti-position and declare micro-organisms to be an enemy. This bellicosity is evident in our terminology. We 'fight' or 'battle' disease, 'kill' bacteria and a medicine can be 'antiviral'.

Béchamp demonstrated that this is not only a highly simplistic but also very unwise position to take. In true Pasteurian fashion, he declared war on pathogens in his experiments and battled them with all necessary means. Under the microscope he discovered that micro-organisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites possess the ability to transmutate, i.e. change form. In response to being attacked, a fungus would morph into a parasite, a bacteria into a virus, etcetera. The possibilities seemed endless. He also found they could team up together. The more vicious the attack, the more efficient micro-organisms became in warding off the attacks.

Béchamp identified 16 different forms. The American Royal Rife was later able to identify four. In my opinion the true number is infinite, because life will find a way no matter what. An Italian former oncologist (disbarred due to his controversial opinions) named Tullio Simoncini claims cancer is a fungus. There are, however, also viral forms of cancer and cancer has as well been linked with parasites. I hold the view that cancer is all of these and more and that cancer is therefore pleomorphic in character. It's for this reason that cancer will metastasize when hit with chemo or radiation therapy, a mindless approach which is only anti-disease and not pro-life.

The environment of the cells

Pathogens and micro-organisms are part of life. They are the original life forms and they fulfill a very complex function. All forms of cellular life on earth share genetic links. Humans are genetically linked to so-called pathogens, or micro-organisms. We actually consist of bacteria, fungi, viruses, parasites and other micro-organisms and they form part of our system. Plants and animals are also made up of these. Béchamp discovered that if he stopped fighting micro-organisms and instead improved what he called the 'milieu', the environment of the cells, the so-called 'pathogens' did not disappear but actually aided in repairing the cells. By not focusing on the disease but on healing instead, Béchamp witnessed the pathogens doing the same. When he concentrated on the disease, however, and literally tried to combat it, the pathogens proved themselves to be the worst enemy. He showed that micro-organisms are the bridge between life and death, and the stage in between -- disease.

Béchamp successfully demonstrated that micro-organisms are genetically coded to clean up weaker organisms, because nature no longer considers them viable. However, this is generally a slow process and life offers every cell the resilience to recover and become stronger. The same micro-organisms have then been shown to possess the genetic code to help the cells remain viable. All of this is not caused by the micro-organisms themselves, but by a change in the cells' environment. This means that besides cell degeneration there is also the very real possibility of cell regeneration.

Yet the foundation of modern medicine did not become Béchamp's theory, but Pasteur's. As a result, we now have pasteurization, vaccination and medication, all of them based on keeping out 'intruders'. This leads us to fight ourselves. By pronouncing micro-organisms to be the enemy we are essentially putting ourselves outside of nature. Going against nature instead of working with it has created the wrong basis for medicine as we know it. Fighting life is nothing but death energy, leading to endless death, disease and toxic medication. It's a road into oblivion.

The intelligence of life

Did you know that salmonella and E. coli were once favorable gut bacteria which as a result of pasteurization have become potentially deadly pathogens? Did you know that when you drink unpasteurized, raw, organic, grass-fed milk you consume these bacteria, thus naturally protecting yourself by befriending the bacteria instead of turning them into enemies? Did you know that natural, unprocessed milk possesses a synergy of bacteria, fats, proteins, sugars and other substances in which salmonella and E. coli play a favorable role instead of being the dangerous pathogens we make them out to be? Do we really think we can 'beat' these primordial life forms which have been on this earth a few billion years longer than us? The force of nature, of life, is infinitely stronger and it's very dangerous and even arrogant to think we're above all this.

And that's just the example of milk. The same is true for all natural, unprocessed foods. Natural, unrefined sea salt, for example, is a mineral complex of no less than 84 minerals, among which are some very poisonous elements such as mercury, aluminum, arsenic and lead. In their isolated form these elements can cause sickness and death, but in synergy with the other 80 minerals contained in natural sea salt they are not only harmless but even necessary. Only nature has the intelligence to provide the necessary balance to make this possible. Life works according to complex wholes, never the isolates our reductionist and mechanistic 'science' likes to work with. By trying to force out bacteria with antibiotics (literally: anti-life) we have even created super bacteria like the MRSA and staph bugs in hospitals, making the very places that are supposed to make us better, a true haven for deadly pathogens! Diseases we thought we had eradicated are coming back with a vengeance and there is no vaccine or medicine that can protect us. Except when we improve the environment of our cells, our immune system. Herein lies our future, not in Pasteurian medication and vaccination.

There are numerous examples of the intelligence of life both inside and outside ourselves, which defy Pasteurian logic. For instance, if fungi and viruses were really ruthless pathogens destroying everything in their path, then we would be facing cruel death squads which must be carpet-bombed before they annihilate our entire system. This seems to be the vision held by science with regard to these micro-organisms. Scientists do attribute some form of intelligence to them, though. They have identified that these micro-organisms are in fact so small they're able to 'fool' the immune system and even appear to be smart enough to lock themselves inside the nucleus of a cell. Some micro-organisms are also capable of surviving in both an aerobic (oxygen-rich) and an anaerobic (oxygen-starved) environment. If micro-organisms are really capable of surviving in so many different ways and fooling the immune system, then what is that saying about the intelligence of our immune system? This brings us to labels such as 'auto-immune disease'. An immune system that attacks itself is not very smart, is it?

Or does this apply to the people that develop these theories? Could it be that fungi and viruses are in fact very intelligent, intelligent enough to selectively clean up only those organisms which are too weak to live? Could it be that our immune system deliberately lets these micro-organisms through to carry out their job unhindered? Shouldn't we be grateful to both our immune system and these 'pathogens', even if they can weaken and maybe kill us? Wouldn't it be a better idea to ask ourselves why these 'pathogens' are systematically cleaning us up and focus on strengthening these weak spots? Life wants to go on and shows incredible resilience. If you work with this power and give your body the substances it needs to build itself back up, it will set out immediately to regenerate the cells. Life is not a war, it's a dance. The word 'uni-verse' means 'one song'. All we have to do is to sing and dance along.

Some examples of the intelligence of micro-organisms from nature:

There are mushrooms (fungi) which grow on dead or half-dead tree trunks. Their job is to clean up these tree trunks. If nature were really reckless, wouldn't the fungi in their appetite for destruction clean up the entire forest? Did you ever wonder why that rose bush in your garden is eaten by lice and the plant next to it isn't? If insects were that gluttonous, pretty soon you wouldn't have much of a garden left! You may choose to spray the lice with some chemical substance that kills everything in its path and in the short term, that will do the trick. It won't make your rose bush much healthier, though, because now it also has toxins to deal with. Or you can choose not to concentrate on the lice but instead on the plant's health by administering the roots and the soil the proper nutrients. Eventually the lice will decide to move on to another weak plant and your reward will be the most beautiful roses.

The same is true for your body. Nature rewards when you cooperate with her. Through fermentation, Japanese scientist Teruo Higa developed a synergetic complex of some 80 micro-organisms, among which are acids and fungi, which he calls EM, Effective Micro-organisms. EM has been used successfully in agriculture to enrich soil life, but it also appears to have purifying qualities for water. Not only that, it is drinkable for people and can enhance their immune system, particularly people with Crohn's disease and other bowel disorders. Interesting, isn't it, when you consider that our bowels are our 'soil', our 'roots'? In the same way, root vegetables and herbs are beneficial to our liver and guts. A healthy liver and healthy guts (soil, roots) promote healthy growth of the whole. Another parallel we have with nature.

Disease as a teacher

Love is the healing power of nature. Unconditional love is defined as giving without taking. This is the force of nature: she gives without ever taking back. Don't be misled by stories about 'nature's revenge' or other tales of doom. Only by giving to yourself and loving yourself including your disease and concentrating on your soil and roots, the environment of the cells, are you able to really heal. By seeing yourself outside of the disease and by hating the part of you which is sick and declaring war on it, you hate that part of you which you don't like and declare war on yourself. This goes against the universal force of love, with ultimately death as a consequence.

Disease is life and death at the same time and every day we can make a choice between negative, sickening death energy or positive, life-creating energy. Disease offers us a unique chance to ponder our ways and make the necessary change in the way we feed ourselves, both physically and emotionally, energetically and spiritually. It's the whole package: mind, body and soul. Disease is a teacher. Learn the lesson well and you learn to find the love in yourself and others. If you don't learn the lesson well, the disease will lick you and you should try again in another life.

Here's that lesson:

True growth starts at the bottom and the only way is up. The only intelligence we value is academic intelligence, the intelligence of the thinking brain. We reward this with status in the form of money and other material things, all of it external stuff. This means a lot of energy is going to the top, to our heads, causing us to be stuck in rational thought. But rational thought is amoral and often immoral, which means we can reason away anything and everything. Some of this reasoning is in our history books, which tell us the atom bombs thrown on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945 were 'necessary because they ended the war and saved a lot of bloodshed'. Anyone with a heart couldn't possibly say this.

Translated to our organs, the energy is top-down: from the head to the heart to the guts. That is exactly the wrong way around. Have you ever watched a flower, plant or tree grow upside down? Think also about the route our food takes: we digest it in our bowels, it is then transported to the heart, which pumps the blood around, and only then does it reach the head. Isn't it interesting to observe that our body does not give priority to our head and the extremities when it comes to the transportation of blood, but instead gives priority to the vital organs in our abdominal and chest cavities? If our bodies follow that order then why don't we? Instead, we're stuck in thought and are unable to develop feelings about our experiences, let alone digest them.

Being inside our heads is disease number one in the western world. No wonder there's so much depression, heart disease and bowel complaints! You can free yourself from this today by deciding to make changes in your life. The closer you are to nature, the closer you are to your own nature. Disease is a reminder that you are too far removed from nature. This is the true meaning of disease.

COLD AND FLUS

The next time that you experience a cold or the flu, remember this: giving your body plenty of rest while allowing the cold or flu to run its course is good for your health. Conventional medicine and the pharmaceutical industry would have you believe that there is no "cure" for the common cold, that you should protect yourself against the flu with a vaccine that is laden with toxic chemicals, and that during the midst of a cold or flu, it is favorable to ease your discomfort with a variety of medications that can suppress your symptoms.

Unfortunately, all three of these positions represent a lack of understanding of what colds and flus really are, and what they mean to your body.

Colds and flus are caused by viruses. So to understand what colds and flus do at a cellular level, you have to understand what viruses do at a cellular level.

Do you remember learning about cellular division in grade seven science class? Each of your cells are called parent cells, and through processes of genetic duplication (mitosis) and cellular division (cytokinesis), each of your parent cells divides into two daughter cells. Each daughter cell is then considered a parent cell that will divide into two more daughter cells, and so on, and so on, and so on.

Viruses are different from your cells in that they cannot duplicate themselves through mitosis and cytokinesis. Viruses are nothing but microscopic particles of genetic material, each coated by a thin layer of protein.

Due to their design, viruses are not able to reproduce on their own. The only way that viruses can flourish in your body is by using the machinery and metabolism of your cells to produce multiple copies of themselves.

Once a virus has gained access into one of your cells, depending on the type of virus involved, one of two things can happen:

1. The virus uses your cell's resources to replicate itself many times over and then breaks open (lyses) the cell so that the newly replicated viruses can leave in search of new cells to infect. Lysis effectively kills your cell.

2. The virus incorporates itself into the DNA of your cell, which allows the virus to be passed on to each daughter cell that stems from this cell. Later on, the virus in each daughter cell can begin replicating itself as described above. Once multiple copies of the virus have been produced, the cell is lysed.

Both possibilities lead to the same result: eventually, the infected cell can die due to lysis.

Here is the key to understanding why colds and flus, when allowed to run their course while you rest, can be good for you:

By and large, the viruses that cause the common cold and the flu infect mainly your weakest cells; cells that are already burdened with excessive waste products and toxins are most likely to allow viruses to infect them. These are cells that you want to get rid of anyway, to be replaced by new, healthy cells.

So in the big scheme of things, a cold or flu is a truly natural tool that can allow your body to purge itself of old and damaged cells that, in the absence of viral infection, would normally take much longer to identify, destroy, and eliminate.

Have you ever been amazed by how much "stuff" you could blow out of your nose while you had a cold or the flu? Embedded within all of that mucous are countless dead cells that your body is saying good bye to, largely due to the lytic effect of viruses.

So you see, there never needs to be a cure for the common cold, since the common cold is nature's way of keeping you healthy over the long term. And so long as you get plenty of rest and strive to stay hydrated and properly nourished during a cold or flu, there is no need to get vaccinated or to take medications that suppress congested sinuses, a fever, or coughing. All of these uncomfortable symptoms are actually ways in which your body works to eliminate waste products and/or help your body get through a cold or flu. It's best to avoid medications that aim to suppress helpful processes such as fever, coughing, and a runny nose.

It's important to note that just because colds and flus can be helpful to your body doesn't mean that you need to experience them to be at your best. If you take good care of your health and immune system by getting plenty of rest and consistently making health-promoting dietary and lifestyle choices, your cells may stay strong enough to avoid getting infected by viruses that come knocking on their membranes. In this scenario, you won't have enough weak and extraneous cells to require a cold or the flu to work its way through your body to identify and lyse them.

A cold usually comes on gradually -- over the course of a day or two. Generally, it leaves you feeling tired, sneezing, coughing and plagued by a running nose. You often don't have a fever, but when you do, it's only slightly higher than normal. Colds usually last three to four days, but can hang around for 10 days to two weeks.

Flu, on the other hand, comes on suddenly and hits hard. You will feel weak and tired and you could run a fever as high as 40 C. Your muscles and joints will probably ache, you will feel chilled and could have a severe headache and sore throat. Getting off the couch or out of bed will be a chore. The fever may last three to five days, but you could feel weak and tired for two to three weeks.

One final note on this topic: because the common cold and the flu are both caused by viruses, antibiotics are not necessary. People who take antibiotics while suffering with a cold or flu often feel slightly better because antibiotics have a mild anti-inflammatory effect. But this benefit is far outweighed by the negative impact that antibiotics have on friendly bacteria that live throughout your digestive tract.

FASTING

Despite the luxuries of the modern world and the perceived abundance of food, the human body is much the same as it was 10,000 generations ago. During that time, known as the Paleolithic Period, humans did not have welfare, food stamps or discount grocers. As a result, men and women did not eat nearly as regularly as we do now, and on average about one day per week they would go without any food at all. Obesity was unheard of as anyone who managed to become overweight was quickly devoured by wild predators due to their sluggishness. During this period (which covers Pliocene and the Pleistocene epochs) our bodies developed powerful detoxification methods that were triggered by the rhythm of food consumption of the era. Nearly 99% of humans existence was during this period. The last two centuries of the Industrial Revolution are a mere instant compared to our entire history on Earth, which is not nearly enough time to evolve or even adjust to our modern diets of processed food.

Just what is Fasting?

Deliberately ceasing to ingest food is called fasting and has been used throughout history by both people and animals to restore and maintain optimal health. Animals that become ill instinctively know to heal themselves properly by resting near a source of clean water and refraining from eating. For this reason your veterinarian will often ask whether your pet has been eating when trying to diagnose an illness. You may also have noticed that when you are very ill you lose your appetite. This was your body forcing you to fast against your will, but it should never come to that point.

When living creatures stop eating, they reserve energy normally used for digestion and they experience the miracle of fasting. Many dismiss fasting and say "but I can't go without food... I need my nutrition". Ironically those who use this as an excuse are usually munching away on a fast food burger that not only provides zero nutrition, but actually taxes the body of energy for digestion and strips away nutrients while leaving toxic residues. While humans can only go a few minutes without oxygen and a few days without water, we can go up to 70 days without food! In fact, a 30 or 40 day fast is considered by many to be the key to physical and spiritual enlightenment.

While our bodies are extremely efficient and store most substances "for a rainy day", there are many unnatural and unfortunate toxins in our environment that should not be stored, and the only way to release many of them is through fasting. The enzymes in our blood are normally preoccupied with digestion, however after we go for 24 hours without food digestion ceases and detoxification begins. Those same enzymes (never wanting to take a break) move from the gut into the bloodstream where they immediately begin purifying the body, neutralizing toxins, dissolving cysts, destroying cancer cells and releasing stored toxins from cells where they are eliminated from the body

During a fast, the level of toxins in the bloodstream can increase by as much as 1000%, meaning uncomfortable symptoms such as headaches may occur. In general, during a fast, the worse you feel the more it is working, because these unnatural substances take their toll one way or another, whether via a slow time-release or a quick purge. Subsequent fasts will feature less uncomfortable symptoms as our bodies have less accumulated toxins.

If you have never fasted, chances are there are substances in your body that have been there your entire life and which do not belong there. Thus, the first fast is the toughest.

In a nutshell, fasting means you cease ingestion while continuing (or increasing) excretion, resulting in a net reduction in toxins. There are a handful of essential products that will assist the detoxification process and reduce some of the uncomfortable symptoms. If you tend to have excess mucous and allergies, you will likely find your sinuses totally clear by day 2 of the fast (however the symptoms are typically worse during the first day as the toxins are being released in higher than normal quantities).

Types of Fasts

1) Total fast – A total fast means not consuming any food or water. While it may be that when we become severely dehydrated our cells are able to squeeze out toxins that would otherwise remain in the water (and thus in the cells), and while plants often bounce back stronger after they are dehydrated, pure fasting is generally not recommended as water is essential to eliminate toxins.

2) Water fast – A water fast means consuming only water. While safer than total fasting, there are some beneficial substances that are alright to consume during a fast so this fast is also not recommended, especially for beginners.

3) Juice fast - A juice fast means consuming only liquids like freshly squeezed juice, with no solid foods. You must also refrain from consuming any caffeine, nicotine, alcohol or prescription drugs. This is the most common type of fasting and the one we will explore in this article.

Next we'll explore the five key substances that you should have in stock to support periodic fasting.

Top Five Fasting Products

1) Distilled Water - (H20)

Distilled water is pure, condensed steam, as nature intended. While spring water companies pretend that non-distilled water contains essential minerals, the reality is that humans do not absorb required minerals from water. Only chelated minerals (produced by vegetables) can be absorbed. Reverse osmosis is the next purest form of water.

2) Bentonite Clay - Aluminium Phyllosilicate (Montmorillonite)

Bentonite clay (available in two forms called sodium bentonite and calcium bentonite) is a form of volcanic ash that is a natural adsorbent and which has the remarkable ability to physically remove 25 times its weight in impurities from the body, including mercury, viruses and pesticide residues. Bentonite contains high levels of Iron, Magnesium and Silicon. Bentonite has laxative action and is also used in cement, ceramics, acne medication, cat litter, and to clarify white wine.

3) Psyllium (seed husks) – Plantago spp. (Plantaginaceae)

Psyllium seeds husks, available in powdered or capsule form, contain fiber along with the amazing ability to absorb massive amounts of water. One teaspoon of psyllium, when added to a ½ cup of water will create a mixture that becomes so thick within the first minute that it is the consistency of pudding. Psyllium acts as a laxative and provides soothing moisture to areas that are commonly chapped due to digestive acids. For this reason it is used to treat stomach ulcers and hemorrhoids.

4) Milk Thistle (seed) - Silybum marianum (Compositae)

Milk thistle is a flower whose seeds offer the antioxidant Silymarin, one of the most powerful liver tonics available. It is so potent that it serves as the antidote to poison Death Cap mushrooms, one of the most deadly natural substances known and one that would otherwise cause death within 24 hours. Milk thistle is used to treat cirrhosis of the liver and even promotes healing in those who continue to drink alcohol. It also promotes lactation and is a natural antidepressant.

5) Cascara Sagrada (bark) - Rhamnus purshiana (Rhamnacea)

Cascara Sagrada (or "sacred bark") is one of the only safe herbal laxatives besides psyllium. Used for over 1000 years, Cascara Sagrada bark promotes peristaltic action within 12 hours (the rule of thumb being "take in the PM for an AM BM [Bowel Movement]). Normally when we ingest meals the current meal helps move out the previous meals. However, during a fast it is essential to assist the elimination process in order to effectively remove the large amount of impurities that are trying to make a simultaneous exit.

Instructions for your first (36 hour) Fast

* On a weeknight of your choice, consume a vegetarian meal as your final meal. Popcorn is a good final snack to have before the fast. Consuming meat or dairy as the final meal will complicate the fasting process due to the high content of protein and possibly dangerous substances like sodium nitrate. Note, your first fast should occur on a non-work day as you will likely not feel so well.

* For the entire next day, from sunset to bedtime, consume only freshly squeezed (non bottled) juice, along with the substances listed above (see labels for correct amounts to consume). Drink a big glass of (1 Tbsp) Psyllium with (1 Tbsp) Bentonite Clay and water, and an hour later take any other herbs that are part of your fast. Taking them together is less effective since one removes the other. You will feel hungry and may eat out of habit so be careful. Getting to sleep that night can be tricky.

* On the morning after your first full day without food, enjoy a healthy vegetarian "break" fast. Again, you may be surprised to find that by the 36 hour point you are no longer hungry and you will have increased energy. For this reason you may decide to go longer periods as you gain experience with fasting.

For more information about fasting along with some herbs that help alleviate the symptoms of detoxification, please see the sequel to this article: The Miracle of Fasting Part 2: (Reducing Discomfort). Note: although fasting is generally extremely safe, if you have medical problems or are taking medication you should consult your doctor first.