Detoxify or Die

By Sherry Rogers MD

Detoxify or Die documents the irrefutable relationship between toxins from the environment and personal health. The book was written by Sherry A. Rogers MD, a leading environmental medicine authority for over 30 years, who has recovered herself from numerous chronic health conditions. Dr. Rogers backs up her claims with peer-reviewed medical-journal research articles, which too few physicians have the time to review these days. She also shows that many chronic conditions can be healed by removing toxins from the body and correcting nutritional deficiencies caused by them and our dietary choices.

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Everyone’s Toxic

The Environmental Working Group’s Body Burden watershed report in 2005 showed that babies are born with over 200 different toxic chemicals in their cordblood these days, meaning that there is widespread contamination by industrial chemicals.

Most people don’t realize that their bodies are a “toxic waste dump,” full of heavy metals, endocrine disruptors, carcinogens and other health-damaging chemicals.

Sherry Rogers MD believes that the increasing rate of obesity may, in part, be due to toxicity, as the body encases these toxins in fat to keep them out of the blood where they could damage vital organs.

Detoxification Is Key to Health

Detoxify or Die‘s main thesis is that most chronic health conditions are caused by toxicity and nutritional deficiencies. Dr. Rogers recommends that people work with knowledgeable health care providers that know how to test for both of these things as well as how to recommend nutritional supplements. Because we are continually exposed to toxins on a daily basis, detoxification is something that will need to be done on an ongong basis.

The Phases of Detoxification

The detoxiﬁcation process can be likened to how you get rid of garbage in your house. In Phase One, the cells break down stored toxins into intermediate forms, much like putting the trash into garbage bags. In Phase Two, toxins are excreted safely, usually in partnership with an escort nutrient, much like having the garbageman carry the garbage bags away. If the process stops after Phase One, sickness, and even death can occur as these toxins build up.

What’s a Family to Do?

While all would agree that heavy metal detox must be done under the strict supervision of a qualified health care practitioner, most people could potentially implement the following recommendations.

Use foods as natural detoxifiers

Speciﬁc foods, such as sulfur-containing foods like cruciferous vegetables, can have beneﬁcial effects on detoxiﬁcation. Broccoli sprouts in particular stimulate the glutathione pathways, thus supporting Phase Two detoxification. Less familiar vegetables, such as artichokes, asparagus, beets, Jerusalem artichokes and burdock root are also powerful immune system boosters, intensifying the body’s efforts to clear out poisons.

Have your “silver” amalgams removed

“Silver” tooth fillings can undermine health by contributing to the total load because they are made up of 50% mercury, of which there is no safe level. Make sure you work with an IAOMT (International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology) dentist who is well-trained in their removal and uses all precautions.

Sweat out the toxins

The skin of the average adult is 11,000 square feet of surface area. When we sweat, poisons from blood and lymph are excreted. One of the safest and oldest methods of detoxiﬁcation is sweaty exercise. Dr. Rogers also recommends using a far-infrared (FIR) sauna, the treatment of choice for ﬁremen exposed to toxins at the World Trade Center. She cautions that people must replace electrolytes (minerals such as magnesium and zinc) after each sweat-inducing session.