Moderate detoxing methods reduce the stored toxins (and fat!) in your system faster than gentle detoxing. You may also feel a more pronounced jump in energy and well-being afterwards. However, a moderate detox may cause some discomfort when toxins and hormones stored in fat cells enter the bloodstream as the body resorts to using the fat to fuel its functions. The liver, relieved of some of its normal digestive-related load by the detox procedures, prepares these toxins for excretion via the bowel and bladder.
Benefits from both moderate and more aggressive detoxification depend on supplying your body with an adequate supply of essential supplements to give your body the biochemical ingredients necessary to process these free-floating toxins. Otherwise, toxins that go through the liver's first detoxification phase, but are hindered by the lack of nutrients from going through the second phase, are more dangerous than when they were in "fat storage." (See How the body detoxifies.)
We recommend a moderate level of detox for persons who have some but not a lot of experience with various detoxification procedures (see Detox Master Chart), who are strong-willed and capable of enduring some discomfort, or who are highly motivated by reasons of health (or vanity!) to achieve the gain, despite some "pain." What we're talking about here in terms of discomfort runs in the direction of headaches, jittery nerves, light-headedness, fatigue, irritability, queasiness, and perhaps mild nausea. If it gets worse than that – to the point that you feel really sick – we suggest backing off and doing more mild procedures over a longer period of time, or finding a licensed health care practitioner who is experienced in detox procedures to assist you. (See finding allies in health care).
One of the best moderate approaches to detox is fully explained in the book, The 7-Day Detox Miracle by Drs. Bennett and Barrie. The basics of the program is a two-day, water-and-lemon-juice fast, followed by five days in which you can eat only fruit, vegetables and rice (as much as you want, but only fruit, vegetables and rice). This is augmented (among other things) by supplements and hydrotherapy – a system of dramatically stimulating circulation, thereby enhancing the body's ability to carry off toxins that are being processed out of individual cells and the extra-cellular matrix. As Dr. Bennett explained in a seminar, a great way to execute the program is to not tell anyone you're going to do it. Come home on a Friday night, tell everyone you're not feeling well, and then stay in bed until Sunday night! Rest is essential in moderate and more aggressive detox programs in which so much of your body's energy is being devoted to cleansing. It's only sensible to reduce the other demands you make on your system at such times. We like this particular program because it's concise, simple, and the results are noticeable.
Another great moderate approach to detox is through the use of Christopher Hobbs' Liver Flush as described in Natural Liver Therapy. Depending on your level of toxicity, your reaction will range from somewhere between imperceptible to "sickish." Because it uses a combination of fresh squeezed citrus juice, fresh garlic, fresh ginger and olive oil, followed by an herb tea that offsets the effect of the garlic on your body odor, it's not an approach that will appeal to everyone. We've tried it several times, we've enjoyed the taste (of course we like spicy foods in general) and we've felt refreshed and renewed afterwards. Given all the research literature about the healing power of the program's main ingredients, it's not surprising that the Liver Flush does good things for the body.
We consider that the use of colonics and enemas falls somewhere in the category of moderate to aggressive detoxing. Whether this is appropriate for you is entirely an individual choice. It can be very helpful to a detoxification program, though it does not take the place of improvements in diet, exercise and supplementation as described elsewhere in this site.
Lastly, before you actually proceed with a moderate detox, be sure to read our page on Gentle Detoxing, since it contains a lot of information on detox methods that can highly complement the steps described here. Some of those gentle methods even approach being hedonistic delights! On the other hand, if you feel extreme measures are warranted, read our section on Aggressive Detoxing – but try not to weep!
