We are not fans of short-term or radical detox cures, but recommend taking a long-term and permanent approach to detoxification. Roman Gruber, intestinal and nutrition expert and CEO of Arktis BioPharma Switzerland, has coached top athletes for many years and has an excellent knowledge of biochemistry and the influence of nutrition on our health. He conducted an interview on this subject in the Amedis magazine entitled "Detox buzzword or how to do it right".
Questions and answers from the interview
Detox, purify and detoxify - what do these terms mean to you?
Roman Gruber:For me, detox or detoxification means ridding the body of heavy metals and other harmful substances. I take a holistic approach and believe that it takes more than just a buzzword and one week a year to keep your body fit. Throughout the year, we should make sure that we put as few harmful substances into our bodies as possible and avoid substances that don't normally belong in our bodies.
This has become difficult because almost everything around us is contaminated with harmful substances: food, air and drinking water. When it comes to food, organic products are still the better choice, although they are more expensive and not without their problems. For example, copper compounds are used instead of pesticides. Ready-made products and E-numbers should also be avoided as much as possible.
Isn't it always said that drinking water in Switzerland is of excellent quality?
There are also major regional differences in the quality of drinking water. The quality can also fluctuate over time. I recommend asking the responsible waterworks or well master what the water quality is like and asking to see the detailed analysis certificate. You may need to do a little research so that you can interpret the values correctly and understand what they mean. However, I could also imagine pharmacists offering drinking water analyses. Some pharmacies abroad, for example in Spain or Germany, offer this service.
What would be the alternative? Purchased mineral water?
That's not always the best solution either. As I said, it has become really difficult these days. Mineral water may be less contaminated, but it is usually treated in some other way. Still water is usually treated with UV radiation to preserve it. Or carbon dioxide is added to the water to increase its shelf life. My solution is to use a special filter system to remove any heavy metals and pesticide residues from the drinking water before drinking or further use. Mine is the size of a coffee machine. When I pour our domestic drinking water into it, I initially see a level of 300 ppm. After the filtering process, the level is still 7 ppm.
Organic food and contaminant-free water can therefore prevent heavy metals and the like from entering the body. And the pollutants that are already in the body? Can you ever get them out again?
Yes, that is possible and the purpose of detoxification. You can check the success. I recently had a doctor test me for heavy metals, which not only measured the heavy metals in my blood and connective tissue, but also the load on my organs. My results were in the green zone everywhere! So it is possible. But you have to be aware of the type of test. Some tests only record this, what circulates in the body. With these results, it must be assumed that the load on the organs is many times higher.
Do you notice physical changes when the heavy metal content drops?
Heavy metals are involved in many illnesses, especially in diseases related to the immune system such as autoimmune diseases or allergies such as hay fever, for example. The proteins in pollen combine with heavy metals from the air or exhaust gases and are inhaled together with them. Heavy metals promote the derailment of the immune system. This is one of the reasons why hay fever varies greatly from region to region - depending on the level of pollution. If you manage to reduce the heavy metal load in your body, you may not get rid of the allergy completely, but you can reduce it massively.
So what's the right way to detox?
As I said, you should pay attention to what you feed your body all year round. High-quality and natural food without preservatives, flavor enhancers, etc., sugar-conscious, carbohydrate-conscious, seasonal and regional is the motto.
Actually self-evident, but still worth mentioning in connection with toxins: tobacco smoke contains around 4800 chemicals, at least 90 of which are carcinogenic, and around 250 toxins. It is therefore advisable not to smoke, not even passively.
If you want to specifically boost detoxification, there are a few things you should bear in mind. Such a cure should be carried out for at least 10, preferably 20 days. The diet must be adjusted and the calorie intake reduced slightly, e.g. to 1000 kcal per day. Detox is more than one week of detox a year. I approach it both biochemically and holistically."
Roman Gruber it is also important to take breaks of at least five hours between meals. Both help the body to activate its self-healing powers and switch to "cleansing and regeneration". Drinking enough water or (unsweetened) tea is important so that the toxins can also be eliminated. Such a cure should be carried out for at least 10, preferably 20 days. One of the most important things is that digestion works well. How can digestion be supported in a meaningful way? I like to support this process with our Herbal Ferment drink, a herbal blend that also contains lactic acid bacteria. Herbal stimulates digestion, counteracts flatulence and supports detoxification and regeneration. I also like to recommend it when changing your diet. Of course, you can also use other products such as the well-known "bread drink" or EM products (Effective Microorganisms). The special thing about Herbal is that I have made sure that the herbs we use are all histamine-reducing and not histamine-promoting, as is normally the case with fermented products. Histamine-promoting products or foods can promote allergies or intolerances.
What can be done for the liver, which is running at full speed during detoxification?
To relieve the liver, I recommend our Bitter Drops Bitter Elixir. During detoxification cures or dietary changes, many people experience sleep problems because the liver demands oxygen in the middle of the night and the whole body starts to work. Bitter drops counteract this: The liver can breathe and detoxify better and doesn't have to wake us up in the middle of the night to do so. Fiber, such as acacia fiber, also supports the process. They promote the elimination of waste products via the stool. Fiber also supports regular bowel movements, which is very important for detoxification. Constipation is a common side effect. If bowel movements do not work properly, headaches and migraines can occur because the toxins cannot get out of the body. For the same reason, plenty of fluids must be consumed. A well-functioning digestive system is a top priority when detoxing!
What role do minerals and trace elements play in detoxification?
In order for the heavy metals to actually be excreted, they need binding partners. In the body, these are usually other metals such as selenium and zinc. You can take advantage of this, but you need to know how. You can do everything right when detoxing and boost detoxification to the maximum - if there is too little selenium, it backfires: the heavy metals are only moved from A to B without being able to be excreted. So before you plan a cure, you should have your selenium level determined and, if necessary, top it up beforehand. Incidentally, I also recommend doing the same before having amalgam removed. No matter how carefully the dentist works - a little always gets into the body. However, the body can easily remove these small amounts if enough selenium is present. That's why I also like to add a multivitamin with minerals and trace elements to detoxify in order to replace what is removed from the body in the form of compounds.
What is the acid-base balance all about?
The acid-base balance is most effectively controlled through diet. Alkaline powders make the most sense for athletes after extreme performance or stress. Instead of alkaline powders, I like to use alkaline baths, which remove the acid from the connective tissue. For example, for cellulite caused by a high-sugar diet, which even very young women suffer from these days. That really shouldn't be the case! Less sugar, more fiber - we need to pay more attention to our diet. But it also has to be enjoyable and taste good so that we can really stick to it in the long term.
Exercise - how much sport is necessary? Of course, a little exercise is also part of it. But it doesn't have to be sport! Just go outside and maybe take a few stairs to build up your muscles. It doesn't have to be intensive training. For me, a detox also includes a mental detox. Like: consciously walking through the forest. Without headphones. Listening to the sounds. Breathe in terpenes in the pine forest. After four hours in the pine forest, my natural killer cells have doubled. What we feed our bodies forms the basis for our health. I approach this biochemically and holistically. And with a little more perseverance than that of short-lived buzzwords.
Detoxing in spring especially popular
Many people typically feel the need to detox in spring. The days get longer and with the higher temperatures and the first rays of sunshine often comes the desire to do something good for yourself and your body after the "winter break", to detoxify your body and rid it of harmful substances.
First and foremost, detoxification involves a whole range of measures, such as adjusting your diet, moderate exercise, massage, tidying up / decluttering and much more. Speaking of dietary adjustments: our detox soup with red lentils is a recipe tip for you :)
What definitely doesn't work is to simply swallow a few supplements and then carry on as before.
But: carefully selected supplements are definitely a good support for your body during detoxification. That's why we're delighted to be able to introduce you to a few of our new products today that can help you detox.
Supplements for detoxing
Bitter drops to support your metabolism
Bitter drops
have so many benefits that they are actually recommended for everyone!
However, bitter substances are particularly suitable for dietary changes, for detoxification and deacidification and also for rebalancing the gut.
Many people get a craving for sweets at the beginning of detox cures in particular, and bitter drops are very effective in counteracting this. They are also a great help in supporting a good night's sleep and cleansing the liver.
It is also very important when detoxing that toxins are removed from the body as quickly as possible, so regular bowel movements are crucial. Bitter substances also do a good job here, as they help to counteract stomach and intestinal problems and especially constipation (which often occurs when changing diet).
Our bitter drops Bitter Elixirare handmade by a pharmacist according to a traditional recipe. And the best thing is: it doesn't taste as bitter as many other bitter drops!
Basis Care plus, the multivitamin for more energy and to support fat burning
We are very proud of our popular multivitamin product. Our Basis Care Plus provides the most important vitamins, minerals and other helpful substances in a sufficiently high dosage so that you can also have a Detoxing is always stressful for the body and in such stressful situations it has an increased need for nutrients.
The selenium and vitamin E it contains, for example, are good partners for reducing oxidative stress. However, Care also contains nutrients that help you burn fat, strengthen your immune system and promote energy metabolism.
Arktis Basis Care plus is formulated in such a way that you get an all-round supply in a single product and do not have to swallow several different supplements to ensure your nutrient supply.
Curcumin 200 + piperine to support intestinal emptying and promote fat digestion
The effects of turmeric are manifold, it has a positive effect on blood flow properties, has an anti-inflammatory effect and what is particularly helpful for you when detoxifying: turmeric promotes bile production and its release into the small intestine. This positively supports the digestion of fat and promotes bowel movements.
As turmeric has an anti-inflammatory effect, curcumin also helps to alleviate inflammation of the intestinal mucosa. Turmeric also has an immunomodulating effect and cleanses the digestive tract of worms, bacteria and viruses and is also used for heavy metal detoxification.
Curcumin's antioxidant effect also protects the liver cells, which in turn helps the liver to perform its detoxification function. A high bioavailability of the product is important for the absorption of curcumin. This is ensured with our Ellance Supporting Curcuma Drops.
This was a small excerpt from our new product range. Of course, we have other products that can support you with detoxification, such as the Herbal Ferment Drink, the natural cosmetic Alkaline Bath or the Acacia Fiber Powder Grow.
If you have any questions about the products or are not sure which ones are right for you, please get in touch with us, we will be happy to support you!
