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Detox Your Way to Optimum Health

by Dr. Stephen Sinatra

Published 02/04/09

It's a sea of chemicals out there, and toxic substances are bombarding your body day after day, far more often than you'd like to even think about. Introduced slowly into your body over time, toxic stress can create dire consequences. From my study of the subject, I've become so aware of environmental toxins that I'm almost afraid to walk out the door on days when the pollution indices are skyrocketing.

Consider for just a moment what we're facing. For instance, there are "fake" estrogens in everyday products like hairspray and aerosol deodorants, as well as in meats, fish, and anything else exposed to growth hormones, pesticides, and insecticides. Once in the body, these xenoestrogens act like natural estrogen, attaching to receptors on cells intended for the body's estrogen and inducing response similar to, though weaker than, those of the actual hormone. All indications are that xenoestrogens are on the rise. We're seeing more problems of "feminization," such as low sperm counts, than ever before in men. And in women we're seeing more breast cancer.

And then there are viruses, bacteria, and environmental toxins. Some of us have jobs or live in buildings that expose us to these every day. Asbestos is one that almost all of us are exposed to. Toxic agents can be found on grocery store shelves, as well. Just read labels and you'll see hydrogenated oils and trans fatty acids in many processed foods. These can wreak havoc with your circulatory system.

The list of environmental toxins goes on and on, and exposure to these external threats is at least partly what's behind the drastic increases in ailments like cancer and heart disease. How can we protect ourselves from this toxic environment? Certainly, avoiding contact with these agents as much as possible is key, but we can also take action.

Lymphatics—Key to Immune System Strength

I'm very interested in ways to bolster immunity, but I've never addressed the role of the lymphatic system before. A book by a fellow cardiologist “in the know,” Gerald M. Lemole, is what brought the subject front and center for me. Dr. Lemole is chief of Cardiovascular Surgical Associates in Newark, Delaware, and the author of The Healing Diet (William Morrow, 2000).

As a cardiothoracic surgeon who has operated on thousands of patients, Dr. Lemole has actually “viewed” components of the lymph system, such as the thoracic duct and “nodes” in the chest and underarm (or axillary) areas. He's well aware of the crucial role that a sluggish lymphatic system plays in atherosclerosis. But before you can appreciate the connection between your lymphatic system and illnesses like heart disease and cancer, we need to step back a moment and discuss the lymphatic system itself.

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