The Whey Prescription (6 page)

RECOGNIZING GOOD EXCRETORY FUNCTION

The criteria for good excretory function are as follows: the intestines should empty once a day; the stools should be well formed but not hard, and they should not have a foul odor. The speed at which food travels through the intestines is also important. Food should leave the body within twenty-four to thirty-six hours after it is consumed. Hard, dry stools that are difficult to expel and are evacuated only every two to three days or more are a sign of autointoxication in the intestines, characterized by poor elimination.

The kidneys eliminate approximately 1.3 liters of urine each day. Urine should contain certain wastes that are detectable only through analysis, but which give urine its typical color and odor. Consequently, urine that is too clear, has no color or odor, or is excreted too infrequently (meaning only two or three urinations a day) indicates insufficient kidney function. Urine that is highly charged with wastes testifies to strong eliminatory capacity, but also reveals a high level of contamination.

The skin eliminates wastes through the sudoriferous glands in the form of a liquid (sweat) and through the sebaceous glands as a greasy coating (sebum). Healthy skin perspires over its entire surface and maintains its suppleness thanks to secretions of sebum. The absence of perspiration, acne, and the various forms of eczema can indicate that the skin is sealed and the wastes it should be eliminating are stagnating below the surface.

The respiratory tract (lungs, bronchi, nasopharynx, sinuses) provides paths of elimination for gaseous wastes (CO
₂
). It should not be obstructed by solid or fluid wastes (phlegm, mucus, colloidal wastes). Congestion is a sign that the body as a whole has accumulated too many toxins and is trying to expel some of them through the respiratory tract. Except for a few waste products present when rising in the morning, the nose should always be clear and free of congestion.

THE DRAINERS

Drainers are the products used to stimulate the excretory organs to perform their filtering and elimination tasks. Drainers, in addition to their eliminatory effect, also regulate and reeducate the excretory organs to restore optimum function. Drainers consist of simple foods as well as medicinal plants that have specific properties that encourage the work of the excretory organs. Some of the most effective drainers for each of the excretory organs are listed here.

HEPATIC DRAINERS

• Artichoke, dandelion, black radish, carrot, cabbage
  
• Infusions, drops, or tablets of common centaury
  (Centaurium minus)
  , rosemary, chicory, dandelion, black radish, boldo, curcuma
  
• Olive oil: Take 1–2 tablespoons in the morning on an empty stomach. This treatment should be followed for fifteen days.
  

INTESTINAL DRAINERS

• Wheat bran
  
• Flax seeds, psyllium, agar-agar powder
  
• Prunes, figs
  
• Infusions, drops, or tablets of alder buckthorn, cassia, mallow, licorice, polypody
  
• Whey
  

RENAL DRAINERS

• Artichoke, asparagus, pumpkin, watercress, green beans, cabbage, celery, onion, turnip, pear
  
• Infusion, drops, or tablets of linden sapwood, birch, bearberry leaves, cherry stem, horsetail, couch grass, dandelion, juniper, nettle, onion, leeks
  
• Drinking lots of fluids: water with low mineral content, fruit and vegetable juices, whey, herbal teas
  

PULMONARY DRAINERS

• Juice, infusions, tablets, or essential oils of eucalyptus, oregano, plantain, licorice, coltsfoot, Iceland moss, thyme
  

CUTANEOUS DRAINERS

• Juice, infusions, drops, or tablets of burdock, borage, chamomile, wild pansy, elder, lime blossom
  
• Hot baths, saunas, warm compresses
  
• Massage with gentle essential oils like lavender or geranium
  

As we have seen, whey is an intestinal drainer as well as a renal drainer, and it has an indirect effect upon the liver. Whey acts on three of the five excretory organs—hence its great effectiveness in detoxifying the body.

THE PRACTICE OF DRAINING CURES

Two factors must be taken into consideration with draining cures: their intensity and duration.

The efficacy of the draining will depend on its intensity. Therefore, determining the correct dosage is key: if it’s too low, the excretory organ will not receive enough stimulation and no results will be obtained; if the dose is set too high, the body will exhaust itself and the excretory organs themselves can become damaged from the flood of toxins. The optimum dose, one that sits somewhere between these two extremes, will be different for each individual body. Unfortunately there are no mathematical formulas for determining the correct dosage. Each individual must start with a small dose and gradually increase the amount, while monitoring the body’s reactions, to determine the appropriate dosage. Beginning with a large dose can cause imbalances and puts the body at risk for exhaustion. In addition to the general health threat this poses, it also makes it difficult to determine the body’s true reaction to the drainer.

The duration of the draining also plays a fundamental role in the success of the treatment. The cleansing engendered by the draining is a physiological process. The body is not capable of emptying itself of all its toxins at once. To the contrary, toxins are extracted from the blood and tissues little by little. For a detoxification cure to be effective, drainers should be used regularly for at least two weeks, preferably for a duration of one to two months. Cures can be repeated several times during the year as needed, so long as the body is given a month-long rest in between treatments.

All of the excretory organs should not necessarily be stimulated at the same time. When draining is practiced for the first time, it is preferable to stimulate only one organ at a time to avoid dispersing the body’s strength. In this case, begin with the organ that is the most deficient: the intestines in cases of constipation, the kidneys in cases of edema, and so on.

Another option is to stimulate the excretory organs in order of their importance: liver, intestines, kidneys, skin, and lungs. This progression is even more prudent for the individual who is suffering from a great degree of poisoning (someone who eats a lot of meat or has been overmedicated) or whose energy reserves and strength are restricted (the elderly or those who have been severely ill). Once the excretory organs have been retrained, the draining cures can target all the eliminatory organs at the same time. The organs will be more responsive to detoxification efforts and will eliminate wastes more efficiently, leading to better overall health.