Demystifying Detox
It’s a nebulous term used by snake oil-salesmen to sell products cloaked in pseudoscientific terminology on late night television. Detox. If what they say is true, we apparently have millions of toxins constantly circulating throughout our body, permeating our cells, coating our digestive systems in a poisonous film, bogging down our organs. These toxins cannot be dealt with, nor reasoned with via the standard avenues of diet and exercise; no, they require the aid of special supplements and detox paraphernalia: magic herbs, weird colon-scouring clay mixtures, foot pads that supposedly suck the toxins directly out of the body, lemonade or juice fasting kits, liver flushes. They’ll often bring out a spokesperson who plays doctor well enough to convince your average Cheeto powder-encrusted insomniac that he or she needs this book or that colon cleanse to avoid obesity, cancer, disease, and depression. If you could just flush out all those toxins, you’d be doing great.
It’s all utter nonsense, of course. And it’s telling that these people never actually identify the toxins. It’s just a blanket term with unnerving connotations and few real denotations – but that’s exactly how the detox scam artists like it. Drum up fears about mysterious toxins without ever having to identify them. Perfect.
Let’s take a look at a few of the more popular detox methods.
The Master Cleanse
Also known as the lemonade diet, the Master Cleanse protocol prescribes a strict detox diet consisting of distilled water, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup, with morning salt water flushes. Yeah, you basically drink nothing but spicy lemonade for thirty days and this is supposed to remove “harmful toxins,” accelerate “healthy weight loss,” and bring about “the correction of all disorders.” Common side effects are dizziness, muscle waste, headaches, nausea, irrational cravings, and vomiting – but these are touted as evidence that the Master Cleanse is working. All that diarrhea and fatigue? That’s just your body expelling the toxins!
Still, some people report beneficial effects. Weight loss is one, but is that any surprise when the average glass of Master Cleanse (two tablespoons maple syrup, two tablespoons lemon juice, 1/6 teaspoon cayenne pepper) runs a little over 100 calories? Besides, there’s no protein in this diet, making it highly catabolic. Fasting of any sort can have beneficial effects (SIRT1 expression, for example), but those are better pursued through intermittent fasting and proper Primal nutrition.
Colonic Cleansers
You’ve probably seen the disgusting images of toxic “mucoid plaque” deposits culled from unhealthy colons. If not, give “mucoid plaque” or “colon cleanse” a whirl in Google Image search. You’ll get hundreds of results, images of brown/black, ropy extrusions that look a bit like chewed up Tootsie Rolls. This is “mucoid plaque,” a toxic film that supposedly accumulates on the walls of our colons over the years. No one is safe from the scourge of mucoid plaque, and the only way to rid yourself of this menace is to purchase a special fiber-and-herb cleansing formula, or shoot a high-powered jet of water through your colon to dislodge the toxins.
It’s strange, then, that physicians have always been unable to locate this mysterious, seemingly ubiquitous colonic plaque, even after “several thousand intestinal biopsies.” Some even suggest that the colon cleansers are creating the problem themselves, and that those ropy extrusions are the product of consuming all that insoluble fiber in the cleansing formulas. Huh? A self-fulfilling marketing ploy that ensures repeated consumption of a product by exacerbating the very condition it purports to relieve? Nah, that would never, ever happen.
Heroic Doses of Fiber
The obsession with consuming massive amounts of fiber to push things along is just weird to me. If you realize what insoluble fiber does in your colon – it scours the walls and generates the production of lubricating mucus, sort of a defense mechanism – you get a little apprehensive about consuming heroic doses of the stuff. A bit of fiber is fine (and may even enhance gut production of butyric acid), especially in whole-food fruit and vegetable form, but to supplement with massive amounts of fiber is completely unnecessary. It assumes that single daily visits to the toilet aren’t nearly enough. We are unclean, impure animals that must purge our colons five times a day.
This is insanity. If you poop once every two days, you’re fine. I’d even say constant trips to the bathroom are indicative of a problem; the notion that our bodies were designed to expel waste every couple hours is ridiculous. Efficiency of elimination makes far more evolutionary sense.
But the detox crowd needs that feedback. They like to know “something’s happening.” They love depositing those “plaque deposits” in the toilet bowl. They live for the lightheadedness and vomiting of a lemonade cleanse, because that means it’s working. What’s interesting to me is that most of these detox pushers claim they’re promoting a more natural existence, free of toxic chemicals and manmade contaminants, and yet they display a distinct lack of faith in the body’s ability to naturally regulate itself. They place themselves in direct opposition to conventional physicians and claim to represent the alternative side of medicine that considers the body as a holistic thing, rather than a set of symptoms to be treated with drugs and invasive techniques. I see two sides of the same coin. I see a quack that considers the human body to be inherently flawed and in desperate need of outside assistance. He or she may not be peddling heavily marketed pharmaceuticals with questionable clinical support, but the “natural” lifestyle changes they promote are anything but non-invasive and border on the religious or the self-flagellating.
The concept of detox is real, but our bodies are already equipped with natural measures designed to remove toxic substances from circulation. We really don’t need any new-fangled products with no scientific basis when we’ve got lungs, kidneys, a liver, the colon, and our body’s tendency toward homeostasis, all of which work perfectly well.
When we breathe out, our lungs are expelling CO2 from the body.
Our kidneys remove various acids from the body while regulating water levels. Excess water can carry too many electrolytes, or even urea (a real toxin).
The liver is a massive factory devoted to detox. It has a real knack for taking insoluble toxins and adding a molecule that renders them water-soluble; the toxins can then be excreted out by the kidneys. This is a far more elegant detoxification process than swallowing a bunch of herbs and insoluble fiber to flush out your colon.
And finally the poor, misunderstood colon. The colon is, quite literally, a waste removal system. It’s specifically designed to handle large amounts of toxic fecal matter. It’s “dirty,” I guess, just like the inside of your garbage can is dirty. It’s supposed to be dirty! It’s built to hold all that dirt and keep it from ending up where it doesn’t belong. Sure, people have problems with their colons from time to time, but ripping it asunder with a bunch of fiber and regularly shooting it with a powerful stream of water won’t help you there.
If you’re eating an otherwise healthy Primal diet, detox is naturally taken care of via urination, defecation, sweating, and exhalation. Avoiding fructose and binge drinking keeps your liver free of fatty deposits and running smoothly. Round things out with regular exercise, steady sleep, and plenty of sun, and I’ll bet that you, your colon, and your toxic load will be just fine.
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Posted By: Mark Sisson
Greetings Mark,
I will start off by saying that I usually appreciate your “no nonsense” approach to everything. Even though I may not always 100 percent agree, I do respect your opinion. But I think that this is a controversial subject, and the “take away” for me anyway, is that this is your opinion.
I do see your points, and I raise you a few more.
Secondly, I would say that I was disappointed that, in my opinion, you crossed the line in good taste by starting off with the whole “anyone who tries to sell ya on the whole detox thing is a snake oil salesman”. Again this is my opinion… but I can think of several well respected, well educated, Dr.s that believe to some extent the contrary.
ie; Dr. Joseph Mercola, Dr. Nan Fuchs,PhD, Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, Dr. Robert Rowan, Doug Kaufmann (the fungus guy) just to name a few.
That would be like me saying you’re a snake oil salesmen because you sell nutritional products. Come on.. we should get all the nutrients we need from a healthy diet right, why then the need to supplement? Don’t worry I supplement, Just trying to make a point.
You referenced some extreme cleansing schemes. I agree, I wouldn’t go to those extremes. Is there excessive sludge in our gut as a toxic by product? I don’t know. Some say there is, some say there is not. But I do know that according the the American Heart Assoc, the average american only consumes about half of the RDA of fiber a day. You said “a bit” of fiber a day is enough. My question is what is “a bit”? A bit just doesn’t sound like enough to me.
Since most people only consume around 15 grams, which is half of the RDA of fiber in their food supply, would it hurt them to supplement with a psyllium supplement? I don’t think so, because I look at it like any other supplement that I need and don’t get enough of in my diet.
I don’t think that there is much doubt that our bodies are under a tremendous toxic burden from stress, pesticides, environmental substances, mercury, aluminum, etc. Is the liver and kidney over taxed with the burdens they must face? Considering the world we live in, I would tend to think so. Would it help to occasionally take herbs to help purify and support their function? For some, I would also tend to believe so.
And what about parasites, worms H-Pylori and fungus? Dr. Ann Louise speaks and writes on this subject to a large extent. Do they just go away by themselves? No, they do not. Hence, the need for cleansing could be debated here.
The majority of people do not live a very healthy lifestyle. If they did, would there be such an epidemic of obesity, diabetes, heart disease or cancer, etc? No, obviously not.
Given all the circumstances, to say that the average person’s body will naturally work properly all by itself is rather naive. Think of how a baby processes food. They eat… they poop. Are they unhealthy? Not usually. Albeit, their digestive system is young and immature, isn’t it interesting that kids don’t get colon cancer? I personally hate the thought of waste products sitting around in my gut for a couple of days, I believe there is potential for harm there. Hence I “go” at LEAST once a day.
Your last paragraph is right on, of course. But what about the masses that don’t follow that protocol? Are they toxic or not? That is the question.
I think the bottom line is if you live a toxic lifestyle, your body will be toxic. If you clean up your diet and lifestyle your health will improve and the need for much extra help in the “cleansing” department will not be so great.
But I think in the interim, it would benefit a lot of people to seek responsible ways (diet, exercise, water, air, sleep, less stress, PLUS probiotic and fiber supplements, etc) to cleanse the body and allow the tendency for homeostasis to occur.
Just my point of view.
Warmly,
Mellisa
I don’t have much time today, so I’m only going to touch on a few points here.
“Is there excessive sludge in our gut as a toxic by product? I don’t know. Some say there is, some say there is not.”
Those that say there is: Cleanse vendors and those that believe their claims.
Those that say there is not: Medical folk with bum-cameras that can actually *see* in there. And order medical tests. I don’t think there’s any real discussion to be had there.
“I don’t think that there is much doubt that our bodies are under a tremendous toxic burden from stress, pesticides, environmental substances, mercury, aluminum, etc. Is the liver and kidney over taxed with the burdens they must face? Considering the world we live in, I would tend to think so.”
The medical community does not generally agree with your, respectfully here, amateur assessment. There is good scientific evidence that our bodies are more than up to the task of clearing environmental pollutants from itself.
“And what about parasites, worms H-Pylori and fungus?”
What about them? If they’re a problem, we have proven tools to take care of them. Live a good life and they shouldn’t be a problem.
“isn’t it interesting that kids don’t get colon cancer?”
Not really; the nature of *most* cancers is that they appear when you’re older, even when you control for diet, lifestyle, environment, etc. All things being equal, your odds of developing cancer increase as you age.
“I think the bottom line is if you live a toxic lifestyle, your body will be toxic.”
What do you mean by toxic? Once you clearly define it in a way that can be tested and/or manipulated, then we can talk.
In the end, you need to bring the *proof* that cleansing actually does something, not that people believe it does stuff.
Dear Alchemyguy,
With all due respect sir, that is I’m assuming you are a sir… I directed my comments and concerns to Mark, but since you took the time to respond, I have some additional questions/comments for you.
1) Comment In response to :
“Those that say there is not: Medical folk with bum-cameras that can actually *see* in there. And order medical tests. I don’t think there’s any real discussion to be had there.”
You’re right, there is nothing in there. Because Bum camera patients must endure a 2-3 day liquid only diet, harsh chemical laxative, and an enema. My father in law just had his (poor guy) and he was told that his colon had to be totally cleaned out of any solid matter and that the liquid that he passed within hours of his examine had to be “clean and clear” for the colonoscopy to be successful. Plus he was nauseous, weak, and had a severe headache for the 3 days before and 2 after. That’s not to mention the painful effects of the examine itself and the sedative. Wow. That sounds pleasant doesn’t it.
2) In response to:
“The medical community does not generally agree with your, respectfully here, amateur assessment. There is good scientific evidence that our bodies are more than up to the task of clearing environmental pollutants from itself.”
Well, since my amateur assessment is not good enough, perhaps you should take the time to argue with experts in these matters.
Because I derive some research and opinions from experts in their field, I would encourage you to contact Dr Ann Loise Gittleman, Dr. Grace Zeim, Dr. Joseph Mercola, Dr. Dave Holland, Dr. Fred Pescori, Dr. Iichiroh
Ohhira, Ph.D., Dr. Luke Curtis, or even a lay person like Doug Kaufmann for starters.
However, I’m a researcher. I do gather information from various other sources from mainstream Dr.’s that do publish test results for say, liver toxicity due to chemicals, drugs, aflotoxins, dietary carcingens, etc.
Just go do a search at pubmed.gov if you don’t believe me. Also visit chemicalinjury.net, or mayoclinic.com for their opinion.
Again, if our bodies were capable of handling the onslaught, would there be any such thing as colon cancer, obesity, diabetes, liver disease, etc. Our bodies were designed to filter and cleanse itself,that is true but in so doing a tremendous amount of free radicals are produced. Which in turn create a whole other host of problems.
3) In response to:
“What do you mean by toxic? Once you clearly define it in a way that can be tested and/or manipulated, then we can talk.”
According to my medical dictionary:
A Toxin is
toxin tox·in (tŏk’sĭn)
n.
A poisonous substance, especially a protein, that is produced by living cells or organisms and is capable of causing disease when introduced into the body tissues but is often also capable of inducing neutralizing antibodies or antitoxins.
There are bacterial toxins, marine toxins, fungal toxins, ricin, and toxoid vaccines, just to name a few of those that are of organic nature. Not to mention chemical and man made toxins like food additives.
and Toxic is:
toxic tox·ic (tŏk’sĭk)
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or caused by a toxin or other poison.
2.Capable of causing injury or death, especially by chemical means; poisonous.
Therefore, what I mean is that when toxins are inhaled, ingested or otherwise introduced into the body, the body will try to repel, process, and eliminate them, but because it cannot always naturally or effectively do that on it’s own, it will become toxic. Or maybe a better word would be sick and diseased.
Is there really any argument there?
4) In response to:
“*proof* that cleansing actually does something,”
Again I would defer you to some of the named experts I have already mentioned. I would be curious to know what you come up with.
But of course there is proof in Scientific studies that something as simple as the use of Activated Charcoal is effective for absorbing poisonous or toxic substances. Oil of Oregano can kill hundreds of pathogens. Curcumin has been studied as an effecitive antifungal. Again go check Pubmed for specific studies. There are thousands to pour over.
All the best to you,
Mellisa McJunkin
Oh, well, if the American Heart Association says I need more fiber, then it must be true!
Actually it’s not the American Heart Association that says you need more fiber. They just report that the average american only gets about half of the DRI of fiber.
The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) is a system of nutrition recommendations that comes from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.
There’s a really interesting theory being thrown around by the doctors right now, that the reason there’s such a jump in intestinal disorders in the first world (and only the first world) is caused by having a diet that’s too clean, and there’s been some interesting studies on treating Crohn’s disease by feeding the patients intestinal worms.
I’m just saying, I’m much less scared of parasites in the food than I am of the antibiotics/hormones. Our bodies are used to parasites.
“…would it hurt them to supplement with psyllium? I don’t think so….”
Uhggg, good luck with your colon health =P
http://www.gutsense.org
Dr. Natura’s Colonix does this. They pack their “cleansing” product with so much psyllium, it then bulks up inside your intestinal tract, only to come out looking like the “poop-ropes” you describe. They try to pass it off as if it’s the “mucoid plaque” bogging you down, but in reality it’s just the product you ingested yourself. Sadly, on their website, you’ll see people proudly holding up their feces as if it’s an accomplishment. lol.
The truth is, if you eat enough fresh fruits and vegetables, you’ll get all the fiber your body needs. Plus, you’ll get plenty of essential nutrients and vitamins. I’ve found that all the products that are surrounded by hype, usually don’t pan out. Don’t fall for these products.
~Johnny
Mark,
Perhaps it makes sense to consider colon cleansing isolated from cleansing and detox diets. There seems to be confusion here as I do not think there are many who to listen to what you have to say believe in diets like these but there sure is controvery over maintaining a healthy colon and those that rationize cleaning colons as a means to engage in a food regimen that is extreme in its nature. The question becomes, with most americans constipated and with slow moving colons, what can be done to get them moving along in a more normal fashion so that they may thrive under a way of life style program that you present int he primal program. So much disease begins in the colon, it is foolish not to keep the colon house clean. And there is nothing more important that including fermented foods for addressing the bacteria issue that plagues most and is a reason for the massive allergy issue in this country, amoungst other health issues that the lack of good bacteria presents. I was raisedon anti biotics and a diet that incorporated massive amounts of flesh but had a very weak colon. I nearly died many times due to allergies that were severly compromisded by a colon that was toxic which created horrible allergies. I have studied my own body for over 30 years and have conducted every trial and error program imaginable. Nothing has been more successful than focusing on the bacteria issue, maintaining a clean colon and moderating the quantity of animal flesh. By moderating, I mean not over doing what the body acvtual needs to operate. And of course this would differ depending on what activities an individual engages in on a regular basis. As you delve into the digestion issue, you will also find that most americans are deficient in HCL which makes the digestion of meat more challenging.
Regards,
David
Anything can be called “snake oil” if people don’t understand what that thing is designed to do. I’m sure many of those in the CW community see the primal diet as snake oil too. People attack what they don’t understand.
Detox diets do work if done for the right reasons. Some people go overboard with them and damage their health but for some of us they are the first step in getting healthy again.
I had severe eczema and after a decade of dealing with dermatologists that didn’t do a damn thing for my skin condition I went to a naturopath – who did. The first thing he did was put me on an elimination/detox diet. Then we worked on digestive enzymes and probiotics and eliminating foods I couldn’t tolerate but I was in such a state when I first came to his office that detox was the first thing that needed to be done. My body was no longer able to handle elimination of toxins on its own which is why I had eczema.
I think fasting or detoxing once or twice a year can be beneficial for most people if they choose to do so. It can be snake oil or part of a healthy lifestyle depending on how you choose to fast or detox.
Thank the gods you laid this one to rest, Mark. Once I dabbled in this stuff, and although it did me no harn, it was just an uncomfortable bore.
Mark,
I agree with you in all points, but…
what about all the substances/molecules/drugs/toxins that are made by the human and accumulate in our body or disturb homeostatic regulations and our tissues?
I once ate a small bag of sunflower seeds in the shell without removing the shells, having vaguely remembered doing so in the distant past (wrong…that was peanuts). They turned into little knives that came out bright red. I had been not only “cleansed” but roto-rooted.
Hi chaps,
A mate of mine just finished a 7 day fast, just drinking water and fresh fruit juice. He combined it with a visit to a colonic irrigation clinic where he got flushed out (6 times, 6 days). He said that on day 4 he started to discharge this plasticlike stuff which looked very much like the mucoid plaque shown on some these websites. It continued discharging with each visit for 2 more days. He did not ingest any supplements or dietary fibre, psyllium husk etc at all before or during the fast period so it couldn’t be attributed to that. What do you think it was?
Cheers
Henry
I’m a fan of Mark, but I’m also a fan of CLEAN by Dr. Alejandro Junger- I do cleanse periodically, and I don’t buy into Colonix, Master Cleanse, etc. The good doc states that our bodies produce mucous in response to inflammation, which is in response to a toxic lifestyle; when you are in the detox process, said mucous is expelled via the bowels (i.e. not pounds of stagnant poo). I don’t drink all the detox KoolAid, but this makes sense to me, and the Clean Program helped me discover that a gluten sensitivity had been keeping me miserable for years.
Sounds like your friend did a pretty intense cleanse, which could cause a response like that.
I know I’m a little late to this party, but I just came across this article; was interested in Mark’s thoughts on detox.
I especially love about this article how this guy goes on about people that sound great selling products and telling you the medical world is lying to us, when this guys sounds great, with a real lack of scientific evidence, goes to the extremes and doesn’t take the time to actually investigate cleansing, and then promotes his own stuff. Your awesome man…keep up the great work. We need more people like you!
TOOL!
You can read a lot of articles off her website and check out some videos on youtube. There’s a great video that has a raw food vs. cooked food debate between Brigitte mars and her.
I bought a detox kit once and just ended up getting sick. But hey, that means it’s working right? Hmmm…
I agree that the commercial psyllium and laxative based “cleansing” products are ill advised (yes that icky stuff is hydrated psyllium molded by the gut–so lovely) however I seriously question the wholesale dismissing of all modalities and practices intended to support and facilitate detoxification. I have seen, though I am not sure of its validity, endoscopic evidence of unclean and unhealthy colon–Search for Dr. Hiromi Shinya on youtube and you will find it. For those who have an interest in the subject and are sympathetic to the paleo way of eating and living (as I am) the book, “The Wellness Project A Rocket Scientist’s Blueprint for Health” by Roy Mankovitz, has a fascinating, intelligent and scholarly discussion of specific, empirically verifiable issues of toxicity in the body including that of of heavy metals, candida, parasites, and debris/residue from the modern diet.
I might mention that Roy Mankovitz is a smart guy, even for a rocket scientist, but he is in no way as sexy as Mark Sisson. Mark’s book is lighter and more fun to read, so you know, read Marks book for sure…
I will mention, while the topic of colon cleansing may not be sexy, that based on the realities of our modern exposure to chemicals, heavy metals, drugs, unhealthy eating practices, and the ensuing secondary issues of depleted beneficial bacteria in the gut and yeast/mold overgrowth, the possibility of addressing these issues in ways beyond what can be accomplished with diet and lifestyle changes merits careful consideration. Another possibility to consider is that the problems of a congested, slow moving, toxic gut may be a particular bane to women. This was suggested by author Natalia Rose in her book “Detox for Women” which I do not particularly recommend, but which I think contains some pearls of wisdom.
I cannot offer authoritative advocacy for hydro colon cleansing (just to clarify, this practice is not discussed in the Roy Mankovitz book) but I will provide my anecdotal support for the practice. I have had occasional colonic therapy over the course of several years with no negative side effects (that I know of) and have noted improved mood vitality, clearer looking skin and eyes, and glossy coat (just kidding about the coat.) Issues of minor bloating and gas have disappeared and problems involving elimination have been much improved. Still, I would like to find some greater basis for doing this, admittedly un-grock-like activity other than my own experience and the quasi-scientific claims of the practitioners. Maybe we can get the pharmaceutical companies to fund a study. Ha ha ha -sorry. Seriously though, I believe part of the contentiousness of the the cleansing discussion has to do with the strong tendency for advocates of cleansing to be big into vegetarian-ism and often also purveyors of a cultish alternative view regarding health, much of which i do not subscribe to; My hydro colon therapist is a great guy, but I personally think he would be a lot healthier if he would eat some bacon LOL. The best resource on hydro colon therapy that I have found is gravityeastvillage.com In their Q and A section one of their therapists actually mixes up some psyllium to demonstrate the point that Mark was making in the photo that prompted all these posts…
I am, by the way, not affiliated with any of these authors or with Gravity East Village. I am just a concerned-cave-girl-member-of-the-public who is all into health.
I AM interested in information on the topic of cleansing/ detoxification from those with knowledge and experience, and I respectfully suggest to those who, like me, are to some degree undecided, that these are areas about which it might behoove us to keep an open mind.
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I recently visited a health food store and talked to a man getting an “Ionic Water Foot Detox.” He pointed to the water and said, look at all the toxins being removed. Yes, the water was a YUCKY color. I was a skeptic, and did the research on it.
It is a scam. The water was salt water, and the electrodes sent a current through the water, as in electrolysis. The water would have changed color anyway even if his feet were not in it. The discolored water was a result of the electrodes being eaten away by the current flow.
Grizz
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Why can our arteries get plaque but our Colon cannot?
Nevertheless atherosclerosis probably would not be removed or in long droopy strings.
I think that fasting is a better way of Detoxing – animals when they get sick they rarely eat – as most pet owners can testify.
Our body stores Dioxins and toxins in our fat. – If we burn off the fat to fast we feel bad – when we fast our body goes into healing / cleaning / and toxin removing – I think that this is one reason that the Juice fasting / juice cleanses for people – that are gravely ill are effective – the body is detoxify and cleaning and the lower calorie cause fat to be used/burned and toxins are released and removed from the body – as well the energy demands from digestion are minimized.
Thus the body can focus on healing. – Most people that are gravely ill are not doing P90x or Crossfit with the Juice fasting.
I know that the Enema’s/Colonic’s are often a part of Juice fasting – which if a person is detoxing the Liver is dumping in to the intestine (not the kidney’s ) So it would be beneficial to get toxins out of the colon faster (Enema’s/colonic).
I think that PB that IF – are cleanning and healing as well during the IF. Albeit on a slower pace.
Well, I naturally ‘cleanse’ every other day, sometimes even twice a day naturally simply by sitting on a toilet…ya’ll should try it!
Primal is da shiz!
You are threading on thin ice Mark.
You have some knowledgeable contributors that are up against disinformants who are very slick and have ulterior motives.
Any one that claims americans brits are healthier than most of the rest of the world is clearly suspect.
I suggest contributors list the books they have read protocols they have tried and positive or negative results as outcomes. Keep the disinformants out and ban arrogant and abusive responders. If one can’t show respect towards other’s journey to better understanding you will lose the honest health seekers that are really here to learn.
Also what qualifications do you have to judge colon cleansing wrong, have you conducted honest research without ulterior motive.
The gall bladder flush is real yet one responded as it being a joke and that no way could someone pass stones without pain. Has that person tried it or known someone to have tried it. All presumptions. Get some serious individuals that have followed through on various protocols correctly and can reflect on their experiences. We want to learn, give us true insightful info and anyone notice a shill feigning to be into health yet disinforming should be banned, they work for the big boys.
Hi Marc – your a twat .
Thanks Mark, for debunking these crazy cleanses. Back in 2006 I did one of those liver cleanses. I didn’t consume any fat for three days, just apples and one night for dinner, some spinach, a potato and mustard, but no oil. Then a day later, I did the final step of the “cleanse” – guzzled some olive oil and lemon juice and in the morning drank epsom salts (disgusting) and laid on my side to make the “effect” happen. The next day I crapped little green marbles just like all the cleanses said I would, but I really wanted to know what was going on and you know what, those weren’t any kinds of stones. I pulled a green marble out of the toilet and it was just coagulated olive oil.
As for eating apples for three days… it sure is one way to get your crap to smell like apples! I’m sure all the paleo folks here will cringe over consuming that much fruit. It was pretty excessive.
I come from a totally hippy vegetarian background, but after that stupid cleanse, I determined that they’re a waste of time and starving yourself isn’t a good way to take care of your body. Eat good food! That works much better!
You are full of crap. Maybe if you consumed some of these products your mouth wouldn’t run away with you. Explain all the diseases running rampant and obesity . American eating habits are deplorable. I have been to France. No such thing as a fat french woman. or man for that matter. You have to get the intestinal track cleaned out then diet then exercise. did you major in lack of common sense and stupid in college?
I’ve read here several times references to an over 300 day fast that one overweight man did that worked. I recall Mark writing about that in a positive light. How are some of these all that different? (I’m asking sincerely, I’m not trying to make a point or anything.)