Has anyone done a detox or cleanse after 18 months of illness and meds

Posted by lesleys56 @lesleys56, May 27 8:33am

I have severe COPD and in January '24 I was diagnosed with covid and shortly after that pseudomonas, aspergillus and 2 other bacteria in my lungs. I've been going through a battery of tests and multiple medications.
I feel like a detox/cleanse is in order but have no idea where to begin.
Can anyone put me in the right direction?

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@lesley56 There is very little science or pure research to support the concept of "cleansing" or "detoxifying" - your body is actually very good at doing this.
Here is what the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center has to say:
https://share.upmc.com/2021/08/do-detoxes-work/
And the University of California, Davis - which has an extensive nutrition and diet graduate program:
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/63j447k7
Remember, the advertised "quick fix" methods that involve specific beverages or supplements are NOT regulated by the FDA, so it is "buyer beware.

If you want to do this on your own, the most healthful way is to find a healthy, vitamin and nutrient dense eating plan that works for you, drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol, caffeine, tobacco and get plenty of rest and exercise. This will allow your body to mend itself.

For example, I have a number of medical conditions, with medications that can create havoc with my digestive system, and occasionally my whole body is "out of sorts." Then we go to a full-time Mediterranean diet (we always follow a modified version) with no red meat, fresh fruits and veggies (or fresh frozen ones with no sauces if out of season), eliminate our cocktail/wine with dinner and concentrate on drinking more water for a few weeks. We also limit refined carbs, eat lots of lentils and beans, wild rice and live-culture yogurt. Our treat is a daily piece of really dark chocolate.

What are you thinking you need to improve to feel better?

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No, but it sounds like a good idea for any ailment

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I understand what you are saying but it really depends on what medications/supplements you are wanting to detox from. Speak with you Pulmo. Would certainly select carefully the detox medication and only do one at a time.

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@sueinmn

@lesley56 There is very little science or pure research to support the concept of "cleansing" or "detoxifying" - your body is actually very good at doing this.
Here is what the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center has to say:
https://share.upmc.com/2021/08/do-detoxes-work/
And the University of California, Davis - which has an extensive nutrition and diet graduate program:
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/63j447k7
Remember, the advertised "quick fix" methods that involve specific beverages or supplements are NOT regulated by the FDA, so it is "buyer beware.

If you want to do this on your own, the most healthful way is to find a healthy, vitamin and nutrient dense eating plan that works for you, drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol, caffeine, tobacco and get plenty of rest and exercise. This will allow your body to mend itself.

For example, I have a number of medical conditions, with medications that can create havoc with my digestive system, and occasionally my whole body is "out of sorts." Then we go to a full-time Mediterranean diet (we always follow a modified version) with no red meat, fresh fruits and veggies (or fresh frozen ones with no sauces if out of season), eliminate our cocktail/wine with dinner and concentrate on drinking more water for a few weeks. We also limit refined carbs, eat lots of lentils and beans, wild rice and live-culture yogurt. Our treat is a daily piece of really dark chocolate.

What are you thinking you need to improve to feel better?

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Let me first apologize for taking so long to respond to your very thought answer. I love your advice. My way of thinking goes like this, try as many natural ways as possible and if all else fails, turn to medication prescribed by a Dr. I don't trust Big Pharma at all. I have a great Dr. now and trust him with my life. He also has the philosophy of trying the natural was first.
What I was thinking is the fact that in the past few years I have had many complications because of my COPD and suppressed immune system. All of which required drugs and some of them were heavy duty drugs. I just want to get them out of my system so my system can concentrate on other things, like self healing.

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So, I am very interested...any suggestions in non medications type of therapy for wellness of ANY kind

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@lesleys56

Let me first apologize for taking so long to respond to your very thought answer. I love your advice. My way of thinking goes like this, try as many natural ways as possible and if all else fails, turn to medication prescribed by a Dr. I don't trust Big Pharma at all. I have a great Dr. now and trust him with my life. He also has the philosophy of trying the natural was first.
What I was thinking is the fact that in the past few years I have had many complications because of my COPD and suppressed immune system. All of which required drugs and some of them were heavy duty drugs. I just want to get them out of my system so my system can concentrate on other things, like self healing.

Jump to this post

and @frustrated2025 I understand wanting to feel better - I was sick with an undiagnosed infections for a couple of years, then on heavy duty antibiotics for nearly 2 years to get them under control. I felt horrible and lost over 20% of my body weight. But over the next year, my liver and kidneys eliminated medications naturally (they are designed to do this unless they are damaged.) You do not need and "cleansers" or "detox" to do this for you. If you have liver or kidney disease, you should never take any substances without clearing it with your doctors first.
The exception is some toxins and or heavy metals that could require special medication to help them move out (for example overexposure to lead .) To the best of my knowledge, prescription medications do not contain these substances or they would not be approved by the FDA.
Remember, "detox" and "cleanse" are terms invented by marketers to sell you (unregulated) products or solutions, some of which can be harmful in themselves. They may get doctors, chiropractors, health counselors or dieticians to promote them - but look for independent research studies to prove their safety and effectiveness.

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