Do YOU Have Toxins inside Your Body?
By Dr. Patrick Giammarise, DC, IHS
Our accumulated toxic exposure has never been greater than it is today. Toxins can be found everywhere, both externally (outside your body) and created internally (inside your body). Particulate matter from burning, exhaust fumes, and pesticides are examples of external toxins. Internal toxins are not as obvious because we can’t see them or always know if they are present. Examples of internal toxins are harmful chemicals made by our bodies from a gut bacteria imbalance, yeast overgrowth, and the body’s reactions to allergens.
Of course we can’t control our exposure to all the toxins in our everyday environment, as careful as we might be filtering our air and water and eating healthy food. But such actions to lessen your exposure may not be enough if you are experiencing symptoms of toxicity—either respiratory or digestive symptoms. Symptoms such as bloating, gas, constipation, or diarrhea are signs the body may be experiencing a “digestive” toxic overload. Coughing, sinus congestion, watery eyes, and runny nose are signs the body may be experiencing a “respiratory” overload.
One thing we do have more control over is the production of internal toxins that produce havoc inside our bodies. By understanding the factors that contribute to our body’s internal toxic burden, we can reduce it. Here are a few common factors:
Chronic viral infections
Food allergies from additives and chemical contaminants
Food intolerances
Side effects of medication
Poor digestion from malfunction of the digestive organs
Chronic negative thoughts—Yes, it’s true. Chronic stress
These factors can all result in intestinal toxemia—a burden of internal toxins that can accumulate with a negative cascade of health consequences. See the “Sources of Internal Toxins” flow chart. As illustrated by the chart, these factors are caused either by something not functioning right inside our digestive systems or it’s what we are putting into our digestive systems. The good news is that those things can usually be corrected with the right treatment.
One way to look at reducing the body’s toxic burden is to first figure out if you have a digestive problem. If the body is not making an adequate supply of hydrochloric acid and producing enough digestive enzymes, we may not be able to digest our food completely. This results in bacterial imbalances or yeast overgrowth, or both, which causes food to ferment and putrefy in the gut.
When gut bacteria feed on undigested protein in the bowel, putrefaction results. Skatole, putrescine, and cadaverine are poisonous alcohols, to name just a few of the 38 different toxic chemicals that result. These alcohols are much more toxic then the ethyl alcohol that people drink for pleasure!
Another source of internal toxins associated with undigested food is yeast overgrowth, sometimes known as Candidiasis. When sugars and starches (carbohydrates) are not completely digested they feed on the yeast, which produce alcohols and aldehydes.
Regardless of your diet (protein, carbohydrates, and fat), toxic waste from bacteria and yeast may be irritating to the lining of the small intestine and bowel. When large amounts of these toxins are present, the gut becomes inflamed, gradually leading to leaky gut syndrome. Leaky gut overwhelms the liver and immune system and can lead to autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and thyroid diseases.
A second factor in reducing the body’s toxic burden is to look at the impact of food sensitivities and food intolerances. Food sensitivities or intolerances cause inflammation of the gut lining, which also promotes leaky gut. In this case, the undigested food starts to enter our bloodstream and ends up in our liver, our primary organ of detoxification. These undigested particles of food place an additional burden on the liver and immune system. That’s because the liver not only has to detoxify the alcohols that the bacteria and yeast are producing but now it has the additional job of eliminating food toxins coming in through the leaky gut. Add external environmental toxins to this mix and the liver’s capacity to detoxify is greatly diminished.
The secret to increasing your energy may lie in reducing your internal toxic burden. If you are experiencing respiratory or digestive symptoms, then it may be time for you to be checked out at the Digestion Relief Center. By rebalancing the organs of your digestive system, improving the digestive process, and by eliminating food sensitivities and allergies, you can greatly reduce the toxic burden on your body. These changes significantly enhance the immune system and liver function, which helps your body deal with all the external toxins we have little control over. Call Dr. Patrick’s office at 530-899-8974 today for a consultation to find out how you can free your body of unwanted toxins and feel better again.
The DIY Food Sensitivity Test
One test you can use to determine if you have a food sensitivity is to take your resting pulse before you eat a meal. After you have eaten, take your pulse. If your pulse increases more than 10 beats per minute, it can mean that one or more of the foods you ate is an irritant to the digestive and immune systems.
Of course, to determine which food, eliminate the suspected food from your diet for four days. Then eat it again and take your pulse. If it speeds up again for more than 10 beats per minute the food should be eliminated. Or you can have the allergen cleared so that you can eat some of your favorite foods again by Dr. Patrick at the Digestion Relief Center.
Since 1999, Dr. Patrick Giammarise, DC, has helped North State residents by using a whole-body systems approach to health. He specializes in providing natural relief for food and environmental sensitivities, intolerances, and digestive problems. For more information contact Dr. Patrick at 530-899-8741 or For more information visit www.DigestionReliefCenter.com
© 2016. Dr. Patrick Giammarise, DC. All rights reserved.