Cleansing and the term detox

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone,

 

I am often struck by people's use of the term " detoxification, " more

commonly shortened to " detox. " People seem to use this word to refer to

something that has a beginning and an end; I often have the impression that

many people believe that " detox " refers to cleaning up from the past. I am

struck by the apparent need some people seem to express, no doubt driven by

fear fueled by the marketing of various products, that they " need to detox. "

And perhaps most important, I often wonder whether people use this term with

a certain negative energy, a sense that detox is something to be endured and

" gotten through. "

 

My purpose in writing this brief piece is to encourage people to recognize

that " detox " refers to nothing more than the body's own natural, normal,

cleansing activity, which has been accelerated or intensified, either

because of some dire physiological emergency, or because, due to some state

of relative rest, sufficient energy and other resources have become

available to support cleaning up some stored toxins, old tissue damage, or

the like.

 

The body cleanses itself continuously, 24x7, during every moment of

biological life. As long as a single metabolic function continues, there are

waste byproducts, and the body must either eliminate these byproducts, store

them for later elimination if present elimination is impossible, or suffer

grievous consequences.

 

If this is so, then what distinction is meant by the term " detox " ? From my

own observation, people seem to use this term to describe cleansing

activities of the body that occur with sufficient intensity to create

consciously observable (and typically uncomfortable) " symptoms, " such as

headaches, gas, aches and pains, " flu-like symptoms, " accelerated digestive

elimination (how about a new diagnosis called ADE), and so forth.

 

In other words, what people call " detox " can refer EITHER to an acute

cleansing response in an emergency, as when the body is assaulted by toxic

substances such as cooked foods, OR to accelerated cleansing arising from

improved conditions. I often cannot tell whether people appreciate or dread

such accelerated cleansing activities of the body, perhaps some of both.

 

I find that people sometimes poison themselves, then wonder whether their

body is " detoxing. " For example, I have read posts and participated in

conversations where people describe how they eat raw food for a few days,

then a day or two of cooked food, then back to raw, then cooked, as a

repeating pattern. Typically, people who treat themselves in this way

experience unpleasant physiological cleansing events, which they may call

" detox. " But this " detox " occurs not from improved conditions, but rather as

a direct and acute (urgent) physiological response to self-poisoning.

 

Sometimes people ask when such " detox " will end. I tell them that such

cleansing will not end until they either change their ways or die, whichever

occurs first. (Sometimes, though, I say this more " nicely. " )

 

I often sense that people are trying to delude themselves, thinking that

once " this detox " ends they will be " better " or " fine. " Based upon all that

I have observed and presently understand, nothing could be farther from the

truth. In fact, the opposite frequently occurs: once the " detox symptoms "

subside, people seem to lull themselves back into whatever self-abusive

habits led eventually to that " detox " in the first place.

 

What I really wish to suggest is that everyone simply stop using this term

" detox, " for the simple reason that it doesn't seem to mean anything

constructive.and is often used toward self-delusional ends. I have never

known anyone to gain anything from using this term, and if, by using it

repeatedly, we desensitize ourselves sufficiently that we fall prey to

purveyors of " cleanses, " then indeed we do ourselves harm simply by using

this word.

 

I prefer simply to talk about the body's natural, normal cleansing

activities. I enjoy noticing when and in response to what these cleansing

activities seem to intensify or subside. For me, these are relearning

experiences...that is, experiences through which I RElearn my own connection

between my conscious awareness, or perception, and the language of my own

body.

 

I encourage others to adopt a similar approach: appreciate every cleansing

activity or " symptom " of your own body as a golden opportunity to reconnect

with yourself, to relearn your body's own language, so that you may listen

to and interpret its messages more accurately in the future.

 

Best to all,

Elchanan

 

 

 

 

--

------------------------ [ SECURITY NOTICE ] ------------------------

rawfood , rawschool .

For your security, vlinfo

digitally signed this message on 15 July 2005 at 10:52:20 UTC.

Verify this digital signature at http://www.ciphire.com/verify.

------------------- [ CIPHIRE DIGITAL SIGNATURE ] -------------------

Q2lwaGlyZSBTaWcuAVdyYXdmb29kQHlhaG9vZ3JvdXBzLmNvbSwgcmF3c2Nob29sQHlha

G9vZ3JvdXBzLmNvbQB2bGluZm9AZWFydGhsaW5rLm5ldABlbWFpbCBib2R5ANwOAAB8AH

wAAAABAAAAZJXXQtwOAAB5AwACAAIAAgAgWd+zucKbIEucZcbnZ7O7RcEjNJ+04fHvM/E

sxjA51E8BAEHvXDx7hpKTsvAgr9D0EPgSpueSCJ3R+4yHzWz2x9Xhg7AceSwwIwZ75f0h

R8wteyRD5HQSM/V0/l+6z+LR8jt8U2lnRW5k

--------------------- [ END DIGITAL SIGNATURE ] ---------------------