What is True Detoxification and Cellular Cleansing?
When many people think about cleansing, they focus primarily on the liver, kidneys, and other organs. While those areas are extremely important, it’s also necessary to cleanse at the cellular level. When cellular cleansing occurs, the body can rid itself of damaged or malfunctioning parts of cells, including damaged mitochondria, which can truly be toxic if left unattended in the body. Damaged mitochondria, for instance, can lead to accelerated cellular damage and aging as well chronic diseases.
We don’t often hear about cellular cleansing or getting rid of damaged mitochondria because this mode of cleansing isn’t something we ingest. In fact, it has a lot to do with what we don’t ingest This is because cellular cleansing often comes about when we give our bodies a rest from regular meals, which helps our bodies use their built-in mechanisms to cleanse themselves at the cellular level. In fact, short periods of fasting and “semi-fasting” help to bolster the body’s ability to cleanse itself, beginning with the cells. On the other hand, eating regular meals all the time—especially processed foods—can get in the way of cellular cleansing.
While cleansing at the cellular level, it’s also important to remain properly hydrated, although over 75 percent of North Americans are already chronically dehydrated. Staying hydrated is essential for every bodily function, including cell metabolism, toxin removal, digestion, body temperature, and others. As far as cellular metabolism, however, staying hydrated must occur because all nutrients, oxygen, and more are moved through the cell membranes to the inner-workings of the cells. The bottom line is that lack of proper hydration can adversely affect cells and cellular reactions, quickly leading to a state of unhealth.
Likewise, it’s important to keep a healthy sodium-potassium balance. Potassium is an essential mineral necessary for proper bodily functions, including heart and digestive function, bone health, and smooth muscle contraction. Additionally, potassium is an electrolyte which serves to conduct electricity in the body so that the body’s cells, tissues, and organs work as they should. The problem is that most people get only about half of the potassium they need daily. That’s not the case with sodium intake, however. About 90 percent of us get too much of it, paving the way for high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Interestingly, approximately 75 percent of the sodium in America’s diet comes from processed foods.
A potassium shortfall is a problem in and of itself, but a study says that eating too much sodium while not getting enough potassium could be a double whammy. Dr. Thomas Farley, New York City’s health commissioner whose commentary on this study was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, says, “If you have too much sodium and too little potassium, it’s worse than either one on its own.” That’s why it should be a priority to have a potassium-sodium balance. It allows your cells to work as they should, especially during cellular cleansing.
by Dr. Daniel Pompa, D.Psc.
