Monday, November 17, 2008

Body Detoxification

Body detoxification is becoming one of the most intriguing and popular methods of alternative medicine

. The basis is that illnesses are most likely caused by toxins building up in the body. Getting rid of these existing toxins and learning how to avoid ingesting new toxins are critical to begin and maintain a process of healing.

There are many conditions that can benefit from detoxification: obesity; depression; diabetes; heart disease; allergies; digestive disorders; and high cholesterol. It can be beneficial for conditions that are influenced by the environment or for exposure to toxic materials at high levels either by accident or on the job site. In cases where traditional medicine is not successful in treating or diagnosing some illnesses, detoxification therapy is useful.

Body Detoxification Symptoms

Some symptoms that indicate a condition that can benefit by body detoxification would be increased allergies, inability to tolerate certain foods, indigestion, insomnia, general unexplained fatigue, and disability. Detoxification is a method to increase overall good health and energy. It is also a helpful preventative measure.

Methods of body detoxification have been around for thousands of years. One of the oldest therapeutic methods used in medicine is fasting. One of the quickest ways to rid the body of stored toxins is in fasting. There are different types of fasts. There are water fasts and there are juice fasts. The type chosen will be determined by the condition of the body and the desired result. For certain conditions a purely water fast is not recommended. Therefore, a juice fast is suggested instead.

As people are becoming more and more enlightened about the condition of the environment and the results it has on the health of the population, the treatment of detoxification is becoming the treatment of choice by many people. The by-products of industry and the pesticides used in agriculture contribute intensely to the amount of pollutants that are resident in the air and water supply in America. It is almost impossible to avoid many of these toxins.

Checking Out the Therapies Available

There are a variety of body detoxification therapies available. However, before any are attempted it is recommended that tests be done to determine the cause of the toxic condition. These tests may include blood work, urine and stool sample, and allergy testing. Some will even do a hair analysis to test for heavy metal levels before beginning the regimen of detoxification. It is important to study the liver function because it is the main organ in the body that removes toxic compounds.

Once the analysis is completed, body detoxification therapists will employ a variety of techniques to bring about the desired result. The first effort is to remove the exposure to toxic substances. These can range from heavy metals to radiation from cell phones to smog or polluted water. Dietary changes are put into place immediately that may initially include a detoxification fast.

If rapid detoxification occurs, the body must be closely monitored for signs of distress such as headache, gas, fatigue, or body aches. If you are considering body detoxification, be informed by checking out the Internet for answers to your questions and concerns. Detoxification is an important and commonly accepted treatment for many illnesses and chronic conditions in the alternative medical community.

Rapid Detox

Rapid detox has shown higher success rates in the treatment of opiate addiction than those of traditional detox centers. Rapid detox is used to treat cases of prescription drug dependency, as well as dependency on the illegal opiates. Over the past decade, drug companies have turned out countless variations on the painkiller, while doctors have prescribed pain medication at continually higher rates, causing addiction levels to rise and creating an even greater need for successful forms of detox.

Breakthroughs in opiate receptor research along with advances in medicine and the not-just-for-sci-fi-anymore art of cloning have enabled specialists to develop a rapid detox method that they believe is far superior to traditional addiction therapies. Clinics that employ the use of rapid detox tend to focus on the problem of physical addiction. Their belief is that the disease is a chemical imbalance that can be treated quickly, safely, and successfully.

Rapid Detox Using the Waismann Method

The Waismann Method, developed by Dr. Andre Waismann, is a three-phase rapid detox therapy that attacks addiction at the receptor level. It has continued to gain popularity as it has continued to produce success stories. Former patients regularly speak on behalf of the method, detailing how The Waismann Method helped them overcome their addictions.

Phases of Rapid Detoxification

Phase I, pre-treatment, involves a full physical exam for the patient and a complete work-up of their medical history. Medication is administered in order to ensure a smooth process. Pre-treatment, as all aspects of the process, is designed specifically to suit the individual patient.

A board-certified anesthesiologist administers Accelerated Neuro-Regulation (ANR) during the second phase. ANR cleanses the body's opiate receptors while the patient is under a non-surgical anesthesia. Upon waking, the patient's body is free of physical addiction. On top of that, the patient has, in essence, slept through withdrawal.

Phase III, after care, can last up to a year. During this time, the patient receives Naltrexone, a non-addictive, non-mood altering opiate inhibitor. This medication would eliminate the narcotic effects of an opiate if the patient were to slip. The length of after care is dependent on the patient's needs and progress. With the three phases, those who practice the method believe they have developed the most successful treatment for opiate addiction to date.

Benefits of Rapid Detox

The most obvious benefit is, of course, the amount of time spent in the center. While most detox clinics require stays of weeks or even months, rapid detox centers generally require a stay of no more than forty-eight hours. If patients feel they need more time before returning to everyday life, there are clinic-supported resorts they can attend to ease the transition.

Rapid detox centers also attempt to individualize treatment. Each patient's addiction is unique and requires unique therapy. Also, many are drawn to rapid detox and ANR, because it allows addicts to avoid a lot of the suffering and fear that often accompany withdrawal. As the problem of opiate addiction grows in the United States, rapid detox centers are attempting to stay on the cutting edge of treatment, offering what they consider to be hope for addicts where there once was none.

Drug And Alcohol Treatments

Dealing with a drug or alcohol addiction is a challenge for everyone involved. Addiction intrudes into every area of a person's life. It not only affects the sufferers, it affects their friends, their families, their co-workers, and anyone else who comes into contact with them. Whether you are an addict or know someone you suspect is an addict, the important thing to remember is that no one wants to be addicted to anything.

Understanding Addiction is the First Step in Treatment

It may be hard to understand why addiction happens, but understanding the problem is one of the first steps to being able to overcome it. We, as human beings, don't do anything that we don't get a pay-off from. Substance abuse is no exception. Why do people use substances? The answer is simple--because they work.

Drug and alcohol act in the same way painkillers do. They numb the body to pain whether physical, mental, or spiritual. Using drugs and alcohol is a way for people to self-medicate away some form of conscious or subconscious pain.

Yet the question remains, why do some people become addicted to some substances? The answer to that question is more complex. There are several schools of thought as to what makes some people addicts and others not. Some experts believe some people have a predisposition to addictive behavior based on genetics. Others believe that some drugs have chemical properties that make them physiologically addictive. Still others believe addiction to be a behavioral disorder. The truth is probably that all of these experts are at least somewhat correct.

Treating Addiction Effectively

Treating addiction in general is an area of health care that has not yet been fully mastered. For that reason, recovery programs cannot guarantee a 100 percent success rate. In fact, the national average for successful recovery from substance abuse after treatment is between 10 and 20 percent. That means that as many as nine out of 10 substance abusers will abuse again after completing treatment. That is an alarming statistic.

There are a number of reasons that an addict will go back to using. Many drug and alcohol programs are not equipped to treat the whole person; they can only treat the drug addiction. Treating just the addiction and not the person is analogous to treating just the symptoms and not the disease. In order to effectively treat a substance abuser, a program must address the underlying causes of the addiction as well as teach life skills.

Finding the Right Treatment Center

Finding a treatment center that can offer personal attention as well as real success is tantamount to beating an addiction. It is important to do adequate research before choosing a treatment center. Not all treatment centers are equal. Some subscribe to the conventional 12-Step approach for recovery; others do not. It is important to do a thorough investigation to discover what a treatment center has to offer.

Whether you choose a 12-Step program or one of its more unconventional counterparts, there are a few things you should look for. For example, investigate the center's success rate and how they measure success. If it has worked for a lot of other addicts, there is no reason why it can't work for you or someone you care about. The important thing is to ask questions. Good treatment centers will always be willing to help guide you.