Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Detoxify the Liver to Enhance Cancer Recovery
Often times, as part of cancer recovery, western holistic detoxification methods emphasize the use of herbs and foods that deplete energy significantly as toxins are released.
While this approach may work well for individuals who are healthy and strong, it can create additional fatigue and weakness for individuals who are already deficient in energy due to chronic illness, chemotherapy or radiation therapies.
The Chinese approach to balancing the liver and releasing toxins is much more gentle and less depleting. It also does not involve:
* fasting
* extreme dietary shifts
* a predominant use of energetically cooling green supplements such as alfalfa, seaweed, and chlorophyll.
Instead, the Chinese medicine approach considers the overall constitution of the individual to create a custom formulation of herbs that not only detoxifies the liver but also facilitates building strength of the liver and other internal organs.
This two prong approach of detoxifying and strengthening is important for people who have serious chronic conditions such as cancer, fibromyalgia, diabetes, liver or kidney disease, endocrine imbalances and other conditions that involve internal weakness of the organs.
A trained herbalist might include the following gentle detoxifying herbs:
* chai hu
* chrysanthemum
* mai men dong
* bai shao
* huang qin
Gentle tonic herbs such as
* di huang
* dang gui
* shan zha
* gu ya
* rou cong rong
An effective pre-made formula for balancing the liver energy is Free Easy Wanderer which contains a nice blend of herbs to detoxify and strengthen the liver and other internal organs.
However, before you purchase this formula, be mindful of the brand as many of the pre-made Chinese herbal formulations contain impurities such as heavy metals and chemical preservatives that are toxic.
Plum Flower (Mayway) and Guang Ci Tang are the two brands that I trust in my practice, as they are produced in GMP certified labs that meet FDA standards for purity control.
On the western herbal side, nettle leaf is also a very gentle liver cleanser and can be combined with milk thistle.
Nettle leaf is also a natural antihistamine that can help your body cope better with allergens to reduce sneezing, congestion and other allergic manifestations.
Millk thistle weed contains silymarin, which protects the liver against toxins.
If you smoke, drink or are exposed to toxic fumes such as paint, nail polish and certain household cleansers regularly, milk thistle may benefit you.
I use Gaia brand of phyto-extracts of nettle leaf and milk thistle as this brand contains a highly potent yet gentle formulation that is standardized in terms of strength.
Consult with a trained herbalist to determine the correct dosage for your particular energy and health conditions. Also, if you are undergoing chemotherapy, check with your herbalist and medical doctor as some herbs that detoxify the body may also reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
Note: Information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Consult with your medical physician to determine if herbal supplements are appropriate for your unique health challenges.
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