Dr. Uday Jani to speak about food choice for detoxification Oct. 5, 12

Integrative medicine specialist Uday Jani, MD, will present free talks from 3 to 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 5, at the Lewes library and from 2 to 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 12, at the Milton library. Jani will explain how choosing the right foods and nutrients can help detoxify the body, resolve gastrointestinal issues and restore wellness.

Ingesting more than 30 to 50 tons of food in a lifetime is no easy task for the body, and it becomes increasingly complex as exposure to toxins unavoidably builds over time. "Americans of all ages are carrying over 219 toxic chemicals in their body at any given time," says Jani who is a well-respected local internist with a fellowship in integrated medicine. "Each year, the average person is exposed to 14 pounds of toxins, making it essential to periodically restore the body's ability to cleanse itself."

To register for the Lewes talk, go to www.tinyurl.com/hmfzm58.

The unfortunate truth is that toxins are all around, in air, water and foods, according to Jani. Toxins come from air (pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, radiation, auto exhaust); water (bacteria, mercury, metals, solvents); lifestyle (cosmetics, nicotine, alcohol, prescription and over-the-counter drugs); food (artificial additives, preservatives, coloring, meats that contain hormones and antibiotics); and cleaning products (chlorine bleach, ammonia, disinfectants). Internal toxins, such as undigested food, stress, unresolved trauma, even unhappy relationships can also cause problems.

While the immune system, liver and kidneys normally work together to remove toxins, when levels accumulate and exceed the body's capability to remove them, the toxic burden increases. A host of ills results from an impaired capacity to detoxify, ranging from digestion issues, muscle aches and fatigue to difficulty concentrating, excessive sinus problems and puffy, dark under-eye circles.

"It becomes challenging to feel completely well," says Jani. "Patients with GI issues experience increased levels of incoming toxins, and aren't able to properly absorb nutrients. Symptoms develop that are different from the underlying cause when toxins build up in various tissues and are not eliminated."

The damage, however, is not inevitable and can be reversed with a thorough detoxification program that can revitalize the body and improve overall health by targeting both the GI system and the liver. "Detoxification is the least expensive and most non-invasive approach to treatment," says Jani.

This must be a true detoxification program that occurs in the liver, he explains - very different from conventionally billed ones that are simply colon cleanses which flush out the intestines. The liver is the primary organ for detoxification in the body, via a two-step enzymatic process changing fat-soluble toxins into a water-soluble form that can then be excreted.

Eating foods such as kale, cabbage, broccoli, turmeric, cauliflower, garlic, beets and arugula aids the process, as well as ingesting essential nutrients such as vitamins A, B and D, amino acids and antioxidants. Herbs like milk thistle also help in the detox.

Detoxification has also proved superior to traditional dieting, says Jani. The rebound effect so familiar and frustrating to dieters is eliminated. "Cutting calories results in fat loss, which increases toxic density. That triggers the body to create more fat to protect the body from toxins, and the weight is regained." Real detoxification, however, removes toxins, creates lean muscle and releases excess fat. "Adopting a clean way of eating helps keep the body lean naturally, and minimizes the toxic burden," he says.

This comprehensive approach is proven effective, assures Jani. "The proper digestion of food and absorption of nutrients to eliminate toxins will ultimately renew wellness," he says.

Jani, a board-certified internist, completed a two-year integrative medicine fellowship in 2012 at the University of Arizona under Dr. Andrew Weil, the renowned founder of integrative medicine. Jani's concierge medicine practice, Shore View Personal Care, is at 28312 Lewes Georgetown Highway in Milton. For more information, call 302-684-0990 or go to www.udayjanimd.com.