Detoxification with Asian Food
Detoxification -the word is quite familiar, but not everyone understands the full implication of the detoxification process. More importantly, why do we need to Detox on a regular basis? Everyone knows that we suffer from air and water pollution, especially in the big cities. However, very few people know how badly the soil is polluted from the chemicals used in farming.
There are roughly 100,000 synthetic chemicals being produced and sold worldwide, and another thousand are introduced each year. These substances, which are not naturally occurring and for which little safety data exists, are everywhere – in our air, food, water, and things we touch.
We breathe them, eat them, and absorb them through our skin. This toxic overload severely taxes the body’s capacity to effectively deal with the toxins needing to be removed.
Internal detoxification is one of our most basic autonomic functions. Our bodies were created to neutralize normal biological toxins and rid themselves of accumulated wastes and toxins. This takes place through the lymphatic system-controlled spleen.
And by filtration and the liver’s conversion of toxins to water-soluble substances or fat-soluble substances. Also, externally through the lungs and skin by breathing and sweating. And internally by kidneys/bladder and colon through urination and defecation
Now, in addition to the normal range of unnecessary or harmful materials the body must purge on a daily basis, modern society adds an onslaught of unnatural substances to be dealt with.
We have little way of knowing the toxic presence in foods. As the body becomes overwhelmed, impurities accumulate. They are tucked away in whatever available spaces can be found, pending removal. Foreign substances that can’t be eliminated may be ‘quarantined,’ stored in mucus or fat so as not to trigger an immune reaction.
Toxins can lodge around joints, forming crystals, or bind to proteins in interstitial tissues. Fat-soluble toxins will find their way into fatty tissues. Cholesterol will collect in arterial walls or as gallstones.
Minerals may form stones in the kidneys and bladder. Glycoproteins form mucous deposits in connective tissue. We must get rid of these toxins on a weekly basis to prevent cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and autoimmune diseases.
Here is a short list of common neurotoxins in order of importance:
(i) Heavy metals: such as mercury, lead, cadmium, and aluminum.
(ii) Bacteria, viruses, intestinal parasites and fungi. These show up as tetanus toxin (vaccination), botulinum toxin (botox), unspecified toxins from streptococci, staphylococci, Lyme disease, and Chlamydia (STD).
(iii) Environmental toxins such as dioxin, formaldehyde, insecticides, and wood
preservatives, PCBs, etc.
(iv) Food Preservatives such as aspartame (diet sweeteners), food colorings, fluoride,
methyl-and propyl-paraben, etc.
Fatigue is one of the basic symptoms of neurotoxins, and Self-medication is one of the ways we treat fatigue. Some people run their bodies on caffeine rather than on their basic life force (Qi) and the natural energy of their hormones, such as adrenal and thyroid. Caffeine, although not seriously addictive, is very habit-forming.
Anyone seriously interested in health, like athletes, should not drink coffee on a daily basis. Although it may improve muscular work and short-term performance in both physical and mental athletes, it creates depletion by its diuretic nutrients, and Asian foods can help balance this.
Asian Detoxification and internal cleansing practices are opportunities to realign us with more wholesome and harmonious patterns. With self-awareness, the healing crisis becomes the healing journey.
Detoxification includes dietary changes, sweating, acupuncture and auricular therapy (Ear acupuncture), Juice feasting, and colon hydrotherapy.
The basic Asian Diet Detox program:
1. High-quality vegetable protein from Leafy greens, tofu, and sprouts.
2. Re-mineralization from Carrots, celery, broccoli, and other crunchy vegetables.
3. Essential Fatty Acids from fish oil, safflower oil, flax oil, coconut oil, Chinese sesame oil, and Chinese peanut oil.
4. Increased Fluid intake from water and green tea
Enjoying an Asian diet several times a week is helpful for detoxification. There are many Asian Fruits that can be used for snacks or desserts, such as Asian pears, carambola, kaki fruit, mandarin oranges, litchee, or tangerines. Soups are excellent before a meal, such as miso, corn, or seaweed soups.
Leafy greens like Bok choy and baby Bok choy, broccoli leaves, Tat soi, Chinese cabbage, Chinese spinach, red mustard greens, and Chinese kale are great detoxifiers, as are bean sprouts. Fermented soybeans such as tofu or tempeh and some nuts and seeds like roasted peanuts, walnuts, cashews, sunflowers, and almonds are the basis of this high-nutrient Asian diet.
Of course, vegetable salads that include beans, seaweed, baby corn, water chestnuts, bell peppers, celery, carrots, cucumbers, snow peas, and Chinese parsley. Fast cooking requires delicious dark sesame or Chinese peanut oil. There are many benefits besides essential fatty acids. These oils are highly nutritious rich in vitamins A, B6, and E, as well as the minerals iron, calcium, magnesium, copper, silicic acid, and phosphorus.
It contains linoleic acid and alpha-linoleic acid as well as lecithin, and this may go some way to explaining its benefit to the brain and nervous system.
Fasting and Juice Therapy are both quicker ways of eliminating toxins. Fasting in China is called Bi Gu, or literally without grain. We do Qigong or vitality exercises three times a day for 20 minutes as a meal replacement. You are actually eating air or Qi (life energy).
Juice Fasting allows you to drink vegetable juice up to four times a day to re-mineralize the body and eliminate toxins by reducing overload on the kidney, liver, and lymphatic system. Toxins are converted to water-soluble substances, which are then eliminated by the kidneys. A reduction of meat and sugar and, of course, the elimination of dairy will also help in reducing toxicity. Avoid caffeine’s diuretic loss of potassium, magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins, especially thiamine B1.
Caffeine also washes out vitamin C. All of these nutrients can be deficient unless they are obtained from foods in increased amounts or taken as Vegetable juice for an extended period of seven to twenty-one days.
Auricular Therapy, or Ear acupuncture, has been used for detoxification at Lincoln Hospital since its introduction by Dr. Omura, a professor at Columbia University.
Lincoln Detox, as it’s called, was the only hospital-based acupuncture program in the US, directed by Dr. Mike Smith.
Through experimentation, the staff chose five points that were needled in the ear with small three-millimeter long thumb tacks. They are placed in these points for 1-2 hours each day. Under Mike Smith’s observation years, this author has designed magnets that provide the same benefit for detoxification from drugs, food, and alcohol.
Acupuncture Detox has been used since the beginning of time. The first recorded use is for snakebite. Now, that is a neurotoxin to avoid. Acupuncture helps to eliminate withdrawal symptoms, calm and relax your nervous system, and eliminate craving for drugs. So, if you are looking to detoxify, make sure to add acupuncture to your Asian menu.
Spa therapies like steam, sauna, and whirlpool all help the body open its pores to eliminate toxins by sweating. Alternating with cold water 40-50 degrees will help clean the blood and lymphatic system. Some people like Tony Robbins, the motivational speaker, have a cold plunge of 50 degrees in his bathroom. Others like Laird Hamilton, six-time world surfing champion, build cold plunges of 40 degrees in his backyard.
We all need to detoxify on a regular basis. One day a week, fruit fast, three days a month, lemon water and cayenne, and seven days when the season changes.
To this, I would add mental and emotional detox. Elimination of negative thoughts, feelings, judgments, and attitudes will go a long way to provide a healthy and happy life. Each night, as you lay in bed, mentally review your day like the playback on a VCR.
Look at each of your interactions with co-workers, friends, and people you meet along the way. Did you express kindness to everyone? Were you loving? Did you lift them up with your words and attitudes? Tomorrow, you will do better. Notice that the older Asians always smile and bow upon greeting. What they are saying is the divinity in me recognizes the divinity in you.
When you can see the divine in another, then you become divine.
