Shift in Health

By Wendy Henrichs
Board Certified Nutrition Counselor and Chiropractic Pediatrician

Springtime is the perfect time for doing a little spring cleaning. I’m not talking about spring cleaning your home, spring cleaning your body! Spring cleaning usually focuses on the homes we live in, but you can also spring clean your body or your other “house.” Your body is your own ecosystem and can get out of balance and accumulate toxins making it less efficient. The cold and very hot weather months make it harder to eliminate these toxins. Spring and fall are the perfect time to detoxify your body. The more moderate temperatures make it easier to eliminate toxins and thus restoring your body’s normal balance.

What are toxins and how do they affect your body?

Toxins in your body make your body work at a less than optimal rate. Toxins are created by the build-up of unhealthy eating habits, as well as the over-consumption of alcohol, smoking, lack of exercise and other harmful lifestyle habits. The accumulation of toxins can make you feel sluggish, moody, and unhappy. It also affects your digestive system, trouble sleeping and low libido. Your liver is responsible for detoxifying your body. If your body is in an unhealthy state, your liver has a harder time doing its job and slows its detoxification ability. Toxins are usually eliminated in your urine and bowels, but when your body is unable to eliminate them in a timely manner, these toxins are stored in your fat. The process of detoxifying your body allows these toxins to be activated and moved out of your body.

How does the detoxification process work?

We use gentle, yet effective detoxification systems in our practice. The shortest is 10 days, to jump start the process. Most of my patients, including myself, receive the greatest benefit from a 30-60-day detoxification. The systems include a guide and targeted supplements to mobilize and remove toxins from your body.

How will I feel after undergoing a detox?

The first few days a patient might feel a bit sluggish. This lower energy state means that your body is starting to flush the toxins out of your system. After about 2-3 days, patients start to feel a lot better. “Cleaning your internal pipes” can sometimes lead to overall weight loss and a reduction of inches. The majority of patients have reported more energy, more mental clarity, clearer skin, better muscle tone, decreased constipation leading to more regular bowel movements and overall better health. The weight loss experienced is a byproduct of a better functioning body.

Why is a medically-supervised detox program better than a self-created detox using the same principles?

The expertise of the doctor and the accountability with the doctor/program system creates a winning combination that ensures a higher level of success. About 1% of the population is self-motivated. The other 99% is externally motivated. That’s why health clubs are so popular. Most people need to see others working out to keep their motivation going. A detoxification system where you are held accountable really makes you think about your overall eating habits. As part of the program, patients are required to fill out a daily food diary and have several nutrition counselling visits with the doctor. Going over what you eat prior to the program as well as while you are detoxifying gives you a good idea as to how you are actually “fueling” your body. Just like a car, fueling your body with food containing less nutrients and less overall positive components leads to less efficiency and more maintenance checks, i.e. chronic non-yearly check-up doctor’s appointments, medications, etc. If you want a high performing body, you need high performance fuel and a system that is working at its best.

Is there a cost to the detox program?

Since this is a medically-supervised program, there is a cost associated with detoxification programs. The costs cover consultation meetings as well as follow-up nutrition counseling visits, detox kit essentials including meal guides and shakes as well as supplements. Additional costs may apply depending on the program chosen.

What if I already lead a healthy lifestyle?

Everyone wants to work at a higher level and be more efficient. Even someone who is really fit and healthy can benefit from a detox. It is a great way to jumpstart your body to a new level of health and gives you more focus and clarity in your day-to-day life.
Drs. Wendy and Scott Henrichs of Timber Land Chiropractic provide comprehensive chiropractic care among other services including rehabilitation and wellness services. For more information, call 715-362-4852 or visit www.timberlandchiropractic.com and Facebook.