Are you toxic? Naturopathic MD shares tips to cleanse your body

Coffee and liquor topped the list of can-I-still-haves and I-can’t-give-that-ups that flooded the question and answer period after a presentation on Toxicity in America and its Relation to Health and Disease Issues hosted by Isagenix on Thursday, November 12, 2008 at The Dish in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport, CT.

The presentation was given by Dr. Veronica Waks who began her career as a physician nearly two decades ago. Two years ago, she began practicing naturopathic medicine because she “got tired of pushing pills”.

“There are toxic substances always around us,” said Waks.  “My goal is to make people healthy.”

“Whatever you apply on your skin will end up in your blood stream,” said Waks holding up a cosmetic cream after rattling off a list of ingredients that maybe no one in the crowd could spell or guess the meaning.

White bread and white flour are made white by bleach, said Waks. Toxins in cleaning products can enter our bloodstream through the skin, while other toxins can enter through the air, she said.

Waks gave a thorough but brief laymen’s lecture on proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, and cell physiology.

“Most chemicals get deposited in the fat (on the cell walls)” said Waks. “People who are overweight have a difficulty losing weight (because of the toxins)” said Waks, who explained the ping-pong game that goes on between the bloodstream and the liver bouncing toxins back to each other in effort to rid the body of them.

Ultimately, the toxins end up re-stored in the body as fat cells, and the dieter never loses the weight they want.

According to Waks, a recent study published on PubMed found that chemicals from sunscreen stayed in the subjects’ bloodstream for up to 96 hours after application, said Waks.

“It (toxins) has no place, we have no use for that,” said Waks.

“Here is your job: Drink lots of water and get plenty of fiber,” she said. “Pollution is everywhere, take it easy. Do your part. By decreasing your chemical load it will help your liver.”

Donna Keys said this is where Isagenix comes in.

“Isagenix helps rid the body of toxins on a cellular level that the liver can’t get rid of on its own,” said Keys.

Keys tried Isagenix, “a healthy approach to nutritional cleansing, weight loss, and anti-aging”, as a skeptical customer about a year ago.

“I’d always been lucky with my weight, but then stuff was not fitting right, I was tired. I started the program and in nine days, I lost seven pounds. I was sleeping better. Within four days I saw a difference,” said Keys.

A single mom facing an empty nest with her son going off to college, Keys became a consultant for Isagenix five months ago.

Consultant Paulette Benning said she had been dieting since age 12, and had tried every one.

“Something about this program does not allow you to go back to your eating habits,” said Benning.

“I’m not giving up my alcohol,” said one man who went on to describe his reason for wanting to try Isagenix. “I’m not a binge eater; I eat crap, then I eat healthy.”

The system consists of “cleanse days” and “shake days”. Shake days consist of two shakes and a balanced meal or a shake and two balanced meals. People who don’t want to drink the shakes can choose to eat nutrition bars instead. There are also additional items to curb hunger.

Pre-cleansing side effects may include constipation, slight headaches and achiness as the toxins leave the body, said Keys.

“But you don’t have that scary bathroom situation,” said Keys, answering one question about diarrhea.

“The first day I had a small headache and was a little achy; the next day I was fine,” said Keys.

The Nine Day system was around $150, while the 30-day system was about $260.

“It sounds good,” said a woman only identified as Sara. “It sounds like I might try it a la carte. But I have to put my son through college.”

For more info on Isagenix, contact Donna Keys at (203) 522-0883.

–BY Keysha Whitaker

Keysha’s Thoughts and Things:
Okay - so I went to this seminar and I really like the idea of the product. But I have to be honest, I went home and then I had a cheeseburger on a white bun, and I feel rotten. My stomach feels super heavy and I’ve got that annoying gas bubble in the top of my chest. Anything has got to be better than this.

I think someone wouldn’t try Isagenix because of the price and their skepticism. But actually, it doesn’t cost a lot of money; I’ve spent and will spend more on pocketbooks. And skepticism really isn’t a valid excuse for not doing anything. Every day we try things that we are unsure if it’ll work – we flick on the light switch, turn the ignition, send an email.

The real issue for me, and maybe you, is avoiding committing to a program that would encourage you to stop drinking for nine days (gasp) or that would make you take more responsibility for the kinds of food you put in your mouth.

Nine days isn’t so bad, but the bigger question is, if you feel better in nine days, that means you were doing something wrong, and then, what about day 10 and 20, and 95? Are you committed enough to change your lifestyle for 900 days to feel better and be healthier? Or would you rather just continue the eat crap eat healthy cycle?

Tags: black rock, body cleansing, donna keys, health, isagenix, the dish