Detoxification: How & When (Pt. 3)
Part 3: Botanical Medicine & Homeopathy
Written & Edited by: Dr. Andersen
In our final installment of the three-part series on detoxification we will dive into the wonderful worlds of herbal & homeopathic medicine. Botanical preparations have been used to treat illness & trauma since the beginning of time, & in many cases offer comparable outcomes to their pharmaceutical counterparts without the harmful side effects often associated with the use of toxic medications. Furthermore, it is a fact that many prescription drugs borrowed their active ingredients from plant medicines. In the hands of a Vitalistic Naturopath, herbs aren’t heralded for their “active” ingredient & its specific mechanism of action as in conventional medicine. Instead, they are used as whole preparations, the way nature intended, to guide, inspire, & support the body’s own innate healing wisdom, the Vis Medicatrix Naturae, or “Healing Power of Nature” residing within each one of us.
Homeopathy, on the other hand, was theorized & applied in the early 1800’s AD by Samuel Hahnemann, a Medical Doctor (MD) who became dissatisfied with the state of medicine in his time. He found that the medicine he had been taught, which aimed to suppress one’s symptoms, often did more harm than good. This led him to establish the practice of Homeopathy, based on two uncommon theories: 1) Similia Similibus Curentur, or “Like Cures Like” which he called the “Law of Similars”; & 2) Minimum Consectetuer Necessarium, or “Minimum Dose Necessary”, which he called the “The Law of Minimum Dose.” The Law of Similars states that any disease or illness can be cured by a substance which produces similar symptoms when taken by healthy individuals. The Law of Minimum Dose goes on to posit that the lower the dose of a medication or preparation, the greater its effectiveness, a not only controversial claim but also counterintuitive in a world governed by classical Newtonian physics. However, as the substances that produce the strongest symptoms are often poisonous, this law addresses the inherent danger of consuming toxic substances by diluting & potentizing them to avoid their adverse symptoms, or side effects when used therapeutically. In addition, Hahnemann’s discovery of Homeopathy was the first new philosophical divergence in medical thought over the last 4,000 years of recorded history.
Botanical medicine
The use of herbs to conduct & harmonize the body, mind, & spirit in their healing efforts is well documented & tested clinically through time. Botanical preparations have been used since before recorded history to support detoxification & address compromised organ & tissue function. The herbs most readily identified for their detoxifying effect are the same ones that simultaneously support the Emunctory organs, or Organs of Elimination.There are five organ systems that work tirelessly to clean & eliminate metabolic waste from the body, these are: 1) The Digestive System - Namely the stomach, small intestine, & colon (aka large intestine); 2) The Hepatic System - Liver & gallbladder; 3) The Integumentary System - Skin; 4) The Renal System - Kidneys & urinary tract; 5) The Respiratory System - Lungs. There are various herbs used to specifically cleanse, tonify, & restore every one of these systems, & often there are herbs that benefit more than one system at a time. Since this is not a lesson in botanical medicine, & all herbs should be taken under the guidance of a healthcare professional trained in herbal medicines, I will just briefly mention an example from each system.
1) The Digestive System - Ginger root
It is commonly said that the digestive system is the root of all dis-ease, & ginger is the quintessential aromatic digestive herb. Warming & calming to the digestive tract, it acts as a digestive bitter to address anything from bloating, indigestion, reflux, & nausea, to its proven effectiveness against arthritis, as an antimicrobial agent for certain infections, use for headaches including migraines, & even as a blood pressure lowering agent. It naturally augments digestive function through its bitter yet warming essence, enhancing movement through the intestines, while concurrently propelling circulation of the blood to deliver the broadened nutrient profile made available by its improvement in digestion.
Ginger is commonly used in Asian cooking & taken as a tea to address the symptoms listed above & many more.
2) The Hepatic System - Milk Thistle leaf & seed
The liver acts in concert with many other systems, the circulatory, digestive, & hormonal to name a few. So it should come as no surprise that alongside milk thistle’s restorative & supportive properties on the liver come additional benefits including improved blood sugar regulation, easing an upset stomach, & filtering toxins from the body, including excess hormones, that leads toward hormonal balance.
Milk thistle is most commonly taken as a tea or tincture (alcohol or glycerin-based extraction) to address liver/gallbladder congestion & other complaints listed above.
3) The Integumentary System - Burdock root
Forming the largest organ system of the body, the skin, hair, & nails, as well as sweat & oil glands, have their work cut out for them. Our integumentary system offers our first line of defense from the surrounding environment, warning us of contact with an offending agent or pointing to an imbalance elsewhere in the body. Here it often acts as a secondary eliminatory organ with symptoms like acne, eczema, or even psoriasis as it picks up the slack of a congested hepatic system. Again, it comes as no surprise that the herb used to treat skin conditions is also commonly used to address the liver congestion that underlies it.
Burdock root is used in Asian cooking, taken as a tea, or tincture to alleviate skin
ailments & the concurrent hepatic dysfunction that often coexist.
4) The Renal System - Nettle seed
The kidneys & urinary system are literally at the heart of your vitality & cardiovascular health. The kidneys balance electrolytes throughout the body, cleanse the blood of metabolic waste, & ultimately help to control blood pressure. A lesser known role is in their conversion of Vitamin D from supplement & the sun to its active form used in the body, making it an organ of central importance in the regulation of calcium metabolism. Vitamin D also plays a pivotal role in proper immune system health, reducing inflammation, preventing & resolving infection, & curtailing the growth of cancerous cells.
Nettle seed is not only great for the kidneys, it supports the adrenal glands (think stress regulation), the skin, hair, & even cognitive function. It is usually taken as a tea or tincture.
5) The Respiratory System - Mullein leaf
The lungs work tirelessly to rid the blood & body of carbon dioxide (CO2), which can cause dizziness, fatigue, & shortness of breath. The respiratory system relies on open flowing airways to allow for exchange of waste carbon dioxide (CO2) with life-promoting oxygen (O2), needed by all organ systems to function optimally. If the airways are congested, due to any type of infection & its resultant inflammation, this exchange is impeded & all systems are affected due to its disrupted performance.
Mullein leaf is a well known expectorant, meaning it helps the body to loosen & expel mucus, while its antibacterial & antioxidant properties calm inflammation & open congested airways. It is commonly taken as a tea or tincture.
Homeopathy
Homeopathic medicine is Quantum Medicine, acting on our entire being physically, mentally, emotionally, & spiritually to implement & integrate accelerated movement through healing processes on all levels of our experience. This is the “medicine of the future”... in a future that honors the guiding Six Principles of Naturopathy: The Healing Power of Nature, Do No Harm, Treat the Whole Person, Treat the Cause, Doctor as Teacher, & Prevention. It is as simple as the basic acknowledgement that life has evolved & developed an innate ability & intelligence to heal & restore itself. Homeopathy works with that inherent propensity & wisdom to bring about whole-systems health & well-being in body, mind, & spirit.
The practice of homeopathy ranges from what are ironically called “Classical homeopaths”, meaning they use single remedies at a time, to “Pluralists” who use more than one preparation at a time in the same way Hahnemann did when he discovered & introduced the homeopathic medical system of therapeutics more than 200 years ago. More recently the “Techno-homeopaths” have employed electronic & energetic technologies to identify & even prepare the needed homeopathic preparations. Although we’re not advocating for one practice over another, a couple clear patterns have emerged from studies: 1) Classical homeopathy seems more effective at treating chronic conditions than other prescribing methods; & 2) Treatment of acute conditions appears to be effective with various forms of homeopathic prescribing, with no clear winner. So, if you’re looking to heal a long-standing condition, the Classical Homeopath or Naturopath trained in Classical homeopathy may be the right practitioner for you. However, if you’re down with a seasonal cold or flu, & looking for something quick to turn it around, it may do you equally as well to follow the indications on one of those blue bottles for immediate relief & help with recuperation.
Homeopathic Drainage Therapy is one of the surest ways to promote the natural process of detoxification in the body, mind, & spirit! At Matrix Wellness we utilize UNDA Biotherapeutic Drainage combination remedies as we believe these to be by far the most effective approach to cleansing specific organ & tissue systems as we move towards whole-systems health in body, mind, & spirit. There are also other common single remedies that are indicated for specific situations in a given setting which include: Nux vomica for the liver & intestines; Chelidonium for liver & gallbladder congestion; Hydrastic for liver, gallbladder, & intestinal mucus; Berberis for kidney & liver draining; Saponaria & Fumaria for skin purificaiton; Hamamelis & Carduus marianus for venous cleansing; Phytolacca for lymphatic drainage; & Aloe for the rectum. Bottom line, it’s always a good idea to talk with a trusted healthcare professional, trained in the art of Homeopathy & Natural Medicine, to ensure that the homeopathic preparation & potency you’re choosing will have the effect you desire.
When to Detox…
Below, I’ve included a short list of common complaints we encounter & recommend some sort of detoxification protocol for. This list is by no means exhaustive, & the benefits from cleansing far outweigh improvements in the specific complaints that our patients come in with. If any of these conditions apply to you, a good cleanse may be just the thing to kickstart a whole new you as you rediscover yourself & reimagine health.
Generally feeling fatigued or lethargic
Autoimmune dysregulation or frequently falling sick
Insatiable cravings or abnormal weight gain or loss
Bad breath or body odor
Insomnia, irregular sleep patterns, or generally feeling unrested
Bloating, constipation, indigestion, reflux, or other digestive issues
Skin problems (acne, eczema, rashes, rosacea, psoriasis, etc)
General body aches, lower back pain, or neck stiffness
Recurring headaches, difficulty concentrating, irritable, moody, or depressed
Conclusion…
As you can see, there are many ways to detoxify the body, mind, & spirit… & even though this concludes our Detoxification: How & When trilogy, we have a surprise in store for you. What better way to celebrate than to bring back the series for a final bonus installment on movement as a means of detoxification. Detoxification Resurrections Part 4: Movement in Body, Mind & Spirit. So stay tuned as we approach the New Year & resolutions that are bound to be set in a final burn-out session that’ll leave you feeling clean from the inside out.