Symptoms of Toxicity

Jeffrey Bland, Ph.D., states in The 20-Day Rejuvenation Diet Program that

"Toxicology textbooks list the first symptoms of chronic poisoning as low energy, fatigue, muscle weakness, inability to concentrate and intestinal complaints.  These symtoms are virtually identical to those experienced by the chronically ill."  (Page 23.)

He goes on to explain that the concept of viewing metabolic poisoning as responsible for poor metabolic performance explains the "walking-wounded" symptoms from which so many people today suffer. 

Metabolic is the adjective derived from the word metabolism.  Bland defines metabolism as "the process which enables [the body] to convert protein, carbohydrate and fat from foods into energy for cellular repair, immune function, muscle contraction, nervous sytem function, reproduction, digestion and a myriad of other activities." (page 80)

Metabolic poisoning is poisoning on the cellular level, which is the level where metabolism takes place.  Bland believes metabolic poisoning can be caused by chemicals, viruses, bacterial infections, allergies, pollutants, intestinal infections, poor metabolism, drugs and alcohol that adversely influence the functioning of various organs in the body, or the body's basic chemistry.  After years and years of exposure, this metabolic poisoning begins to manifest as various disease states.  (See Disease Progressions.)  Individual differences in genetics, levels of exposure and whether the individual mitigates these exposures through healthy diet and other lifestyle considerations account for the great differences in the ways individuals react to toxins.     

Bland continues:  "When my colleagues and I began to look at long-term ill health from the standpoint of chronic toxicity, we came up with an approach for the management of symptoms of reduced health and vitality.  Simply stated, the approach we use in the Rejuvenation Program is to identify and eliminate or reduce exposure to the exo- [external] and endo- [internal] toxins to which an individual is sensitive, improve his or her body's ability to detoxify and excrete those substances...and support the function of the person's immune system."  (Page 23.)