Chronic illness is an increasing problem globally, as well as in the US, due to many factors including increasing environmental toxicity, nutritionally deficient foods, increasing emotional stress and worsening epigenetics (or gene expression) in our population. The way these factors work together to create the perfect environment for chronic disease is complex. For example, we know that environmental toxins either compete for mineral receptors in the body or they bind them from being able to work within the cell, leading to decreased function and energy production in the cell. Compounding factors like the increasing environmental toxicity with an increasingly nutrient deficient food supply leads to a population who have significant mineral and nutrient deficiencies along with increasing levels of stored toxins. These factors contribute to increased chronic low grade inflammation and predispose our bodies toward long term low grade infections, which over time leads to chronic disease.
Epigenetic expression is a fancy sounding term that basically explains that we are not stuck in a darwinian type of victim-of-our-genes reality. We start with the genes we are given, yes. But the expression of these genes (epigenetic expression) can be adjusted by environment, emotions, nutrition, toxin exposure, ect. This can be good or bad. The good news is that it does provide a level of control over whether or not we develop chronic illness in our lifetime and it is not based purely on our genes!
An example of epigenetic expression is what we have learned about how the father’s experiences can affect fetal development. We now know that even the emotions felt by the father prior to conception (even as early as the father’s childhood), can create a genetic change in expression of the baby, leading to a predisposition towards certain health issues.[2] Studies have shown that children of parents who have suffered with PTSD have higher levels of emotional issues such as anxiety, depression.[1]
What this means is this: If we are constantly bombarded with increasing toxins, chronic inflammation, emotional stress and so forth, these factors will lead to changes in the expression of our genes and predisposes our next generation (our kids) for a higher degree of illness if left unaddressed.
Now that we have a better understanding of the problem, let us continue our dialogue on clean living or healthy detoxification. This blog will look at two very helpful tools that can be used for safe, gentle and healthy detoxification- essential oils and binders. We will discuss why these, when used in combination, are powerfully effective for detoxification and for reducing overall chronic inflammation. The question is, who needs to work on removing toxins from their bodies?…. Short answer: we all do.
Here are some health issues that may indicate that you need to consider a detox to remove excess toxins from the body:
- Frequent mood swing
- Poor sleep
- Frequent constipation
- Bloating and gas
- Bad breath
- Fatigue
- Frequent colds or infections
- Chronic Skin issue
- Chronic joint pain
- Hormone imbalances
- Menstrual, menopause or fertility issues
Essential Oils and Detoxification
Essential oils provide toxin elimination from the body through a wide variety of pathways including activation of liver and kidney enzymatic pathways, improvement of digestive function, improved cellular and mitochondrial function and autonomic balancing.
Let’s break that down a bit:
The main organ/ organ systems involved in removing toxins from your body are
- liver (including gallbladder)
- digestive system
- kidneys
- skin
- lungs (respiratory system)
- lymphatic system
Essential oils that drive the detoxification response in the body will directly engage with one of these elimination pathways. One highly overlooked detoxification effect of pure quality essential oils is the action it exerts on balancing the autonomic nervous system.
The autonomic nervous system is the part of your nervous system that is constantly working in the background of your body. It controls the automatic functions like heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, urination, detoxification, and blood flow. The two main parts of this system are your sympathetic (or Fight or Flight) and the parasympathetic (or Rest and Digest).
In a healthy body, the parasympathetic or Rest and Digest side of the nervous system is supposed to be the dominant signal received by the body most of the time. It allows the gut, gallbladder, and kidneys to work efficiently, therefore eliminating toxins effectively through the bile, urine and stool. It also keeps our heart rate and blood pressure balanced and lower at rest.
The Sympathetic or Fight or Flight system is meant to be activated during short periods of stress when the body needs to recruit extra energy to … fight or run away.. It essentially moves the energy that the body would use for detoxification (digestion) and puts all of the energy into the brain, the heart and the muscles to be able to respond quickly to a threat.
You should easily be able to recognize when this system is activated- think of a time when you were almost in a car accident or that feeling you get when you look in your rearview mirror to see a cop with his lights on coming up behind you! That sudden increased heart rate, increased alertness, increased blood pressure and increased strength- that is your sympathetic nervous system engaging!
Many people live in significant imbalance of this system due to chronic stress, chronic illness or just simply due to high levels of toxins. This is particularly true for folks suffering with chronic health conditions like autoimmune diseases, Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, mold sensitivities, mast cell activation syndrome and more. Over time, if your fight or flight system is constantly engaged, this can create real havoc in the body!
Essential oils are excellent tools for driving the function of the parasympathetic nervous system by the ability of these to enhance calming and rest. By supporting the calming of the nervous system you improve all signaling to the elimination and detoxification organs! Herein lies a caution as well- since our bodies typically are in a sympathetic dominant state (in constant low grade fight or flight), the addition of further toxins will only worsen the situation. Toxins trigger the fight or flight response! Sooooooo…. When choosing an essential oil for the purpose of improved detoxification– choose wisely. Many “essential oils” on the market are no more than synthetic (toxin) fragrances rather than the unadulterated whole essential oils extracted from plants.
Essential oils also exert a direct effect on cells and organs of detoxification, enhancing the liberation of toxins from areas of storage in the body and by improving elimination of them by the organs. So basically, the toxins are kicked out of their rent-free housing (your cell) and kicked out into street (your blood vessels) and then flushed down into the sewer (through the liver into your stool)!
There is one other very powerful attribute of pure essential oils which makes them a gentle tool for people who struggle with chronic illness as well as those who just want a safe and healthy tool to support detoxification: essential oils are energetically active.
Say what?
This is an important concept. The tools we use to support our health can be energetically negative, neutral or active, defined by whether they are able to provide energy to the body (energy=electrons). Electrons are the foundation of the cell and are critical in cellular processes, particularly in the mitochondria (see Cell Danger Response blog). When we take a supplement or a medication- these products are typically energetically negative, meaning the require the use of a lot of ATP and electrons to metabolize the product. Energy is expended in the basic metabolic process of the daily action of breaking down foods, but more energy is used when we have to break down “dead” or energetically negative vitamins and supplements.
When we use essential oils, either aromatically, topically or internally (a controversial, but effective route), these substances are donating the energy present from the immune system of a living plant to your body.
What this means: as the body begins eliminating toxins, more energy is required to move the toxins out of the body. If we use a product that both facilitates healthy detoxification and donates the extra electrons (or energy) that we need, the body can continue to thrive and heal during the process.
Binders and Detoxification
Binders are a group of substances that will grab onto specific toxins and help them be less damaging as they move through the elimination processes of the body. Essentially, they neutralize the toxin as it is being eliminated. There are binders that will chemically grab onto toxins in a loose way (ionically), meaning that if the complex of binder+toxin isn’t rapidly eliminated from the body, the binder will let go of the toxins. Likewise, there are some binders that form a chemically permanent (or covalent) bond to toxins, which means that once the binder makes a complex with the toxin, it will never let go of it again. These substances tend to be energetically NEUTRAL, (an exception to this is the category of carbon technology as is found through Cellcore or Microbe Formulas). Carbon technology is highly energetically active, like essential oils, which means that as they grab onto a toxin, they donate an electron to the body to heal the cell that is going through detoxification.
Think of it like this: every time you pull a weed out of the garden, you replace that area with dense compost. After a while, you will have the richest soil and be able to grow vital and healthy plants that can produce high density nutrition!
A Winning Combination
Imagine a situation where you were moving out of the home you lived in for over twenty years. You hire two professionals to help you through the process: one to take all of your stored items out of the closets and cabinets and one to pack them into their respective boxes. Now you discover that the team that came in to do the unloading is not just moving the items out for packaging, but each time they clean out a closet or cabinet they also patch the walls, paint them and wipe down the space. You also discover that the team boxing your items is vacuuming, repairing surface damage and you even find them fixing your sink after packing the items in your kitchen!
This is a simplified example of what you find when you combine essential oils and energetically active binders. If you use neutral binders like activated charcoal and zeolite, you still have an excellent combination. Our example from above would then be modified however: you would still have two clean up teams, but the boxing crew now is not participating in free repairs.
As you combine products like essential oils and active binders into your lifestyle and detoxification routine, you positively influence your epigenetic expression. By removing toxins and being able to donate electrons to the direct area where toxins were causing the problem, we promote healthy gene expression. Essential oils and binders synergize one another and are a powerful combination to reduce the risk of chronic illness and inflammation!
Specific Essential Oils for Specific Detoxification Plus Binder Combinations
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Our digestive system starts in our mouth and ends at the bottom. Think about all the products and foods that are full of parabens, pesticides, and other toxins which enter your mouth and wreak havoc on the health of your gut.
The Best Oils for Removing Toxins from the Gut
- Bergamot
- Black pepper
- Cardamom
- Cinnamon
- Fennel
- Ginger
- Roman chamomile
- Tangerine
- Wild orange
Winning combination tip: Diffuse Bergamot at night or add a drop of cinnamon essential oil to your morning coffee and use Biocidin GI Detox daily. (neutral binder)
KIDNEYS
The kidneys also help filter toxins from the blood. The kidneys are effective at breaking down the waste, but you can use essential oil to purify blood and help the organ function at its best:
- Grapefruit: Stimulates circulation throughout the body and eliminates toxins that build up over time.
- Lemon: Cleanses the body, encourages white blood cells and helps to eliminate toxins.
- Juniper Berry: Helps the body expunge toxins in the blood and organs.
- Peppermint: Fights off infections and detoxifies the body’s respiratory and digestive systems.
Winning combination tip: Diffuse Juniper Berry at night and add one drop of lemon oil to the first glass of water of the day. Follow with a spray of Pure Body Extra Spray (Nanozeolite, neutral binder).
LIVER
The liver is a really incredible organ. Without it, we are unable to live more than a day or so because it is constantly at work to remove and filter toxins from our system. It is also responsible for protein and enzyme production in the body, so we need to make sure it keeps working optimally to avoid chronic health issues! Some of the best essential oils to support the liver include:
- Basil
- Bergamot
- Clove
- Copaiba
- Cypress
- Dill
- Geranium
- Grapefruit
- Helichrysum
- Juniper berry
- Lemon
- Lemongrass
- Roman Chamomile
- Rose
- Rosemary
- Yarrow
Fatty Liver
Did you know that roughly 10% of children ages 8-15 and it is even higher in teenagers![3] It is an increasing problem in the US population and can cause major health issues. Common causes of it include heavy alcohol use, excess fat in the diet, too much processed foods and oils and too many toxic heavy metals in the body. People struggling with fatty liver often experience the feeling of fullness in the upper part of your stomach and bloating or excess gas. Essential oils that are helpful particularly for fatty liver include:
- Geranium: Supports healthy flow of bile and eliminates fluid from the liver
- Ginger: Studies indicate that supplementing with ginger essential oil can help reverse non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (4).
- Grapefruit: powerful at eliminating toxins from liver, fat, and gallbladder. Promotes increased production of glutathione.[5]
- Fennel: antiseptic properties help protect the liver from some toxins. Protective rather than actively detoxifying.
- Lemon: A natural diuretic, lemon essential oil helps the liver function efficiently and flushes out excess fluid. It also stimulated vitamin K production, which improves how fat and cholesterol is metabolized in the liver
- Rosemary: Cleanses the blood, flushes toxins from the liver. It also aids digestion which improves the overall function of the liver.
Winning combination tip: Add a drop of ginger or grapefruit essential oil to your morning shake and follow this with two Cellcore Biotoxin Binders or Microbe Formulas Bioactive Carbon Biotox. (active binder)
LYMPHATIC SYSTEM
The lymphatic system is a chain of tissues and organs that works to transport fluid containing infection-fighting white blood cells throughout the body and to help rid the body of toxins, waste and other unwanted materials.
The structure of the lymphatic system primarily consists of lymphatic vessels, tonsils, adenoids, spleen and thymus. The lymphatic vessels are similar to the veins and capillaries of our circulatory system.
The flow of the lymphatics goes in this order:
Excess fluid that drains from the cells into the tissues →
Drains to lymphatic vessels →
Drains into the lymphatic trunks →
Lymph is then dumped into the Subclavian veins →
Liver →
Bile/stool →
Out of the body 💩
One of the best ways to boost circulation of the lymphatics is to walk for at least thirty minutes then dry brush your skin, starting from the bottom of your feet and working upward toward your heart. Adding a layer of diluted essential oils can enhance the circulation as well!
The best essential oils to detox the lymphatics include:
- Arborvitae
- Chamomile
- Clary Sage
- Cypress
- Frankincense
- Geranium
- Grapefruit
- Juniper berry
- Lavender
- Lemon
- Neroli
- Rosemary
- Sandalwood
- Tea Tree
- Tangerine
Winning combination tip: Topically apply essential oils to the skin with a carrier oil, then dry brush the skin from feet towards the heart, from hands to the heart. Follow this with two capsules of Cellcore ViradChem Binder or Microbe Formulas Bioactive Carbon Foundation. (active binder)
HEAVY METALS
Even if you complete daily liver support, there are heavy metals and other harmful toxins that can accumulate inside the body. Care for yourself by limiting your exposure and removing the metals from your system routinely.
The best essential oils for detoxing heavy metals include:
- Cilantro: Binds to the metals inside your body and removes them using the natural digestive process.
- Rosemary: It is widely known to be beneficial in stimulating circulation, which is incredibly important when detoxing the body by carrying the heavy metals through the body and transporting them to the different areas for elimination.
- Cypress: this is considered one of the best essential oils for cellulite, (fatty deposits often found on the buttocks and thighs). Heavy metals have a high affinity toward being stored in fat tissues, so reducing the amount of these tissues can also aid in the detoxing of heavy metals.
Winning combination tip: Research shows combining cilantro essential oil internally (capsule recommended) and chlorella binders is effective at removing 70 to 90% of lead, mercury, and aluminum [8]. (neutral binder)
A Few Practical At Home Detox Recipes
Below are some of the go-to DIYs that I keep on hand. I particularly like the foot bath for my ADHD kiddos, as it seems to enhance pH balance to improve symptoms of inattention triggered by certain foods or chemicals! It is an excellent tool for anyone seeking for gentle detox and pH support
FOOT SOAK DETOX
- 1 cup Epsom salt
- 1 cup baking soda
- ⅓ cup Himalayan sea salt
- ⅓ cup of Bentonite Clay
- 3-4 drops of 1 or more of your preferred oils (my preferred: Lavender, Eucalyptus, Rosemary, Spikenard)
Mix dry ingredients and add to a large mason jar- (we use a half gallon mason jar). When ready for a foot soak, put ¼ cup of dry ingredients in the bathtub and mix in oils. Add warm/hot water to cover your feet completely.
Pro-Tip: Add this mixture once a week to your Ionic Foot Bath for deeper cleansing!
For a full body soak, just use ½ cup of the mixture and avoid hot or sensitizing oils!
A FULL-BODY DETOX and CELLULITE BLEND
This blend improves detoxification of your entire body through the skin with the added benefit of being highly effective against cellulite.
You can either choose to massage the following ingredients together and apply them to your body or make a roller to target problem areas. When applying oils, use firm strokes from the bottom of the body (legs and feet), working toward the top (chest) in order to boost your lymphatic circulation.
- 4 drops Juniper berry
- 4 drops Grapefruit
- 2 drops Rosemary
- 20 ml of a carrier like fractionated coconut oil
Final Word:
Just like your massage therapist recommends a higher intake of water after a deep tissue massage, it is recommended that you consume more water when using essential oils or other herbs to remove toxins from the body. Also be sure to give you body extra greens and probiotic rich foods during a targeted detox program.
