With the start of the new year, many typically create resolutions with hopes for a new start, whether this would be in projects, career, or life changes.  In years past, the top goals mostly included weight loss and healthier eating.  However, in 2016, for the first time in history, there has been a shift, where those goals have become lower in priority.  Instead, the number one goal now is to be happier.  What if there were a program that could help in accomplishing both of these goals?

I had an opportunity to complete a niacin detoxification program, also called the Purification Rundown, a program developed by Mr. L. Ron Hubbard back in the late 1970’s.  Detoxification, for the purposes of this program, is defined as the process by which the body removes toxins through the skin and the gastrointestinal tract, as opposed to the more conventional medical definition of the detoxification process through the liver.  While Mr. Hubbard’s philosophies led to the founding of the Church of Scientology, I have no affiliation with this church.  Although the specific protocol of this program has been somewhat controversial, especially among the medical community, the results of those who have completed the program are compelling, so much so that scientists in the United States, Europe, and Russia have collaborated on this work since the early 1980’s.

Background

In fact, their findings have been published by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, among many others.  This detoxification protocol has brought relief to thousands who have have suffered from health issues due to occupational and environmental exposures.  These include veterans of the Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars, workers involved in the post-Chernobyl emergency response, 9/11 First Responders, rescue workers, and those exposed to toxic material during raids on drug labs.  Among the many Americans who sought out ways to help those harmed by the environmental exposures, Tom Cruise was a huge proponent of the New York Rescue Workers Detoxification Project that started in September 2002, to help the victims of the 9/11 attacks.

Why I Participated in this Program

My 30 years of work as a physicist in the Air Force exposed me to radioactive materials and pesticides while working in the laboratory, as well as to vaccine adjuvants, such as formaldehyde and mercury, included in the mandatory vaccines for those serving in the military.  By the time I had completed my first 10 years of military service, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, which proved significantly debilitating for me.  Prior to this, I had been healthy and taught as a nationally-certified fitness instructor for 8 years, where I could easily complete 7 aerobic classes in a day without issue.  However, after developing chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, I literally could barely walk and struggled to get through even one aerobic class.

Several years later, at the height of my career, I was diagnosed with a rare, malignant form of ovarian cancer, granulosa cell tumor, where my condition deteriorated to the point where I was admitted into hospice with a grim prognosis of just one month left to live.  However, by God’s grace, I miraculously survived.  I underwent major surgery, which created an aftermath of issues with which I had to contend.  This included dysautonomia, which is a dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system.  The results of this condition included my experiencing episodes of dyspnea, or shortness of breath, heart palpitations, vertigo, nausea, headaches, along with chronic, daily limb pain.

In an attempt to address these issues, Dr. George W. Yu of Aegis Medical Research Associates, clinical professor of Urology at George Washington University Medical Center with more than 35 years experience as surgeon, referred me into this particular detoxification program because he suspected chemical toxicity as a potential cause of my symptoms.  He explained to me this program would involve ramping up to high dosages of niacin, exercising aerobically, and then spending several hours in a sauna to sweat out chemical toxins.  Dr. Yu’s explanation of this detoxification protocol can be seen in a Q&A session at David Wolfe’s Longevity Now Conference.

Additionally, Dr. Joseph Mercola interviews Dr. Yu about this detoxification protocol.  Dr. Mercola, osteopathic physician and 3-time New York Times Bestselling Author of The Great Bird Flu Hoax, The No-Grain Diet, and Effortless Healing, has also written a blog providing excellent details into the research into this program.  Finally, Dr. Mercola interviews Dr. Andrew Saul on niacin, especially covering some of the benefits in the psychiatric component, covering common issues such as depression and ADHD.  Dr. Saul is a consulting specialist in natural healing for over 30 years and is featured in the documentary Dying to Have Known: The Evidence Behind Natural Healing and the Food Matters movie.  He has authored or co-authored fourteen books, including four with Abram Hoffer, MD, PhD, and is currently Editor of Basic Health Publications’ Vitamin Cure book series.

I completed the program at the Severna Park Health and Wellness Center in Annapolis, Maryland, a facility solely dedicated for this program and run by Technical Director, Mr. Joe Pinelli. This program was extended to me through the humanitarian efforts of Heroes Health Fund, where John Travolta serves as the Advisory Board’s Co-Chair.

Serendipitously, I started the program just at the tail-end of a clinical trial that the U.S. Department of Defense was conducting on Gulf War Veterans to study the program’s effectiveness in providing relief to veterans suffering from Gulf War Syndrome.  This is actually the third study conducted to study the effectiveness of using high dosages of niacin to aid the body in mobilizing and releasing toxic chemicals.  During this time, I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Crystal Grant, PhD, the Clinical Trial Coordinator from the University at Albany, working under Dr. David Carpenter, MD, who is the Principal Investigator and Director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany.  The results of this study will be published later this year.

The Niacin Detoxification Program

Niacin is simply Vitamin B-3, which, when used along with the other vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, oil, and lecithin, aid in a process called lipolysis, which is a breaking up of the fat cells in the body.  This reason this is significant is because much of the toxins in our bodies is stored in our fat cells.  In fact, based on Dr. David Root’s research, the average person is likely to have more than 500 times higher levels of toxins stored in their bodies than what is revealed in their blood serum.  Dr. David Root, M.D., M.P.H. is the Senior Medical Advisor to the International Academy of Detoxification Specialists.  After taking niacin, the program requires running on a treadmill, or some other form of aerobic exercise, for 20-30 minutes in order to allow the increased circulation and capillary dilation to transport niacin deeper into the body’s cells.

Upon completion of exercising, the next step is to spend up to 4 1/2 hours in the sauna, based on the program that I went through.  However, with newer technology in the form of infrared saunas, it is no longer necessary to spend this lengthy amount of time in the sauna.  World-renowned detoxification doctor, Dietrich Klinghardt, has found that the sweat from an infrared sauna contains 4.3 times more toxins than the sweat from a traditional heat sauna. As a result, people with an infrared sauna can complete this protocol in about an hour of sweating per day.

Of note is that the particular program I went through required doing this program on a daily basis, 7 days per week.  “There are no breaks or pauses because,” as Mr. Pinelli explained to me, “once you start the process of mobilizing toxins in your system for elimination, it is important to do this program daily.”  In other words, one would not want to mobilize and release toxins into the bloodstream, and then allow those same toxins to reabsorb back into the cells from not sweating them out.  Amazingly, 20-60 percent of the toxins can be sweated out through the skin.

This, then, creates the ‘trademark’ red flush on the skin, which often occurs with a burning, prickly sensation that Mr. Hubbard describes as the runout from sunburn, which, in fact, is really a radiation burn.¹  This program is best known for its ability to eliminate previous medicines, anesthetics, diet pills, food preservatives, pesticides, chemical cleaners, LSD, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, “angel dust”, medicinal and pharmaceutical drugs such as aspirin, codeine, as well as commercial and agricultural and industrial chemicals.²  According to Mr. Hubbard, radiation is water soluble and surfaces in a visible way.  This certainly appeared to be the case for me, where past sunburns in the shape of my swimsuit appeared on my body.  So, what exactly does this program entail?

The Specifics of the Program

• High dosages of immediate-release niacin:   Niacin stimulates lipolysis, which breaks of the fat cells in the body, releasing free fatty acids, along with the toxins stored in the fat cells into the bloodstream.  It is important to use immediate-release niacin because the time-release niacin has been found to cause liver toxicity.^{3, 4}
• Moderate aerobic exercise:  The exercise can be done on a treadmill, rebounder, bicycle, and elliptical for 20-30 minutes.  This increases circulation, which ensures a quick and deeper absorption of the niacin throughout the body and into the cells.   The exercise also carries mobilized chemical residues to the excretory routes.
• Sweating in a sauna:  Saunas are very effective for certain cardiovascular problems and can also be used a means to enhance the mobilization of fat-soluble chemical toxins.  While sweating in the sauna for a short time of up to 15 minutes can improve circulation and cardiovascular function, staying in the sauna for up to 4 ^1/2 hours each day facilitates the elimination of heavy metals like mercury.^{5, 6}   Sauna temperatures range from 140° to 180° F, which is lower than the typical health-club sauna.  It is important to ensure that adequate liquids are taken throughout, along with the proper amounts of electrolytes, to prevent dehydration or heat exhaustion.
• Cold-pressed oils:  A combination of organic, cold-pressed olive, flax, and walnut oils prevent mobilized chemicals from being reabsorbed by the intestines. Polyunsaturated oils, in particularly, have been found to enhance excretion of extremely persistent chemicals, without depositing fat in the liver.
• Vitamin and mineral supplementation:  It is important to ramp up the dosage of other vitamins and minerals in order to prevent deficiencies from taking the high dosages of niacin.  Taking the oil also prevents reabsorption of mobilized chemicals.   However, because this could also reduce absorption of important nutrients, an increased intake of vitamins and minerals prevents such toxic effects and also balances the intake of niacin.

 

The Results

Within the first week of the program, I noticed an immediate increase in energy, vitality, agility, as well as a sense of resilience.  I found that I was able to bound up four flights of stairs without feeling winded or out of breath.  Also, upon waking in the morning, I noticed that both my mind and body felt incredibly clear and ready for the day’s activities.  Surprisingly, in spite of running daily on the treadmill as part of the program without any days of rest, I did not experience muscle soreness.  Not only did my circulation and complexion improve, but my skin also became smoother.  Additionally, my mental ability to focus on the task at hand improved.  By the time I was near completion of the program, which, for me, was five weeks, I could do all-out sprints without issue.  In short, I felt amazingly vibrant!

Now, all of these improvements did not occur without some initial struggles.  Surprisingly, during the first few days when I was on the lowest dosage of niacin at 50 mg, I experienced some rather challenging manifestations from taking niacin.  Not only did I have the typical flushing and prickly burning on the skin, but I also experienced bouts of shortness of breath, alarming drops in blood pressure, nausea, abdominal and uterine cramping, diarrhea, along with sharp chest and liver pains.

The niacin also re-stimulated in me the actual searing pain of a previous thoracentesis procedure I had undergone.  This is where a long needle was was inserted through my back to the pleural space between my chest wall and lung to drain it from the ascites, the fluid caused by the cancer when I was in hospice.  During the actual procedure, the anesthesia numbed the area, so I mainly felt pressure as the needle was inserted into me.  However, during this detoxification process, I actually felt the searing pain of the needle breaking through my skin and flesh between my chest wall and lung.  While this may sound strange to some, I would not have believed it had I not experienced it myself.

A common thread that I noticed throughout the program was that most of the pains and discomforts that I experienced would surface, and then be “run out” by the niacin.  Since then, I have not experienced another case of dyspnea, hypertension, nor heart palpitations.  Indeed, I feel incredibly vibrant from the improved circulation as well as the sense that my body has become less burdened.  With the ability to now run at an all-out sprint without any encumbrance, the difference is quite stark.  Those were the physical results that I experienced.

The emotional results were no less remarkable.  With the lessening of the toxic burden on my body, my mind became clearer as I gained an increased ability to focus.  With the clearing of the mind as well as the body, my emotions soared.  I would awaken in the mornings feeling very upbeat and positive due to the increased energy that surged throughout my body.  And rather than having the typical afternoon slump that is common for so many, the energy I started with in the morning continued straight through until night.  This newfound energy resulted in accompanying emotions that followed a natural upward trend for the better.  I felt a joy for life much more intensely and noticed that I felt emotions, in general, at a deeper level.  It is almost as if I had been somewhat numbed in the past, most likely due to the chemical residuals from previous medications as well as other environmental toxins.  For me, being able to feel the full spectrum of emotions more deeply is certainly a gift that enriches life’s experiences.

I felt a profound sense of renewal or rebirth.  I experienced, first-hand, how the mind, body, and spirit are so intimately tied together.  We are not simply mechanistic systems of parts.  Each part is intimately connected with other parts in a complex web of interconnectivity.  In cleansing the body, it improved energy flow throughout my body, which greatly heightened my sense of wellbeing.

Is this Program for You?

Do you struggle with lingering or stubborn health issues that just don’t seem to improve no matter what you do?  Maybe you are experiencing ‘brain fog’ and cannot seem to focus as well as before.  Or, perhaps you are dealing with a health issue such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, cancer, diabetes, or a neurological condition.  Because we are exposed to so many different environmental toxins on a daily basis, it is helpful to set aside time periodically to go through a detoxification.  Sometimes, our bodies just need relief from the toxic overload of toxins that we are exposed to on a daily basis.  As detoxication occurs, the body moves towards achieving homeostasis and balance again.  The results of improved wellbeing, energy, and vitality are simply undeniable.

How to Do this Program

You can have this protocol administered professionally like I did or you can do it yourself.  Here are the pros and cons of each.

Professionally Administered Protocol:

There are only a couple of places in the country that administer this protocol in an effective, yet gentle way.  This is important as many facilities may potentially provide up to twice the amount of vitamins that you actually need.

One facility is run by Anita Warren, a long-time expert in this detox method out of her beautiful home in a resort town in North Idaho.  She offers an all-inclusive package that includes lodging and transportation.  You can learn more about this facility here.

Having the protocol administered professionally on location would be ideal.  However, in the event that this is not possible,  it can also be self-administered.

Self-Administered Protocol:

Brett Bouer runs a Facebook group with thousands of members, many of whom are self-administering this protocol.  For those who are self-disciplined, this is a feasible option if you can do the following:

1. Own or access a quality infrared sauna
2. Study the book, “Clear Body, Clear Mind” by L. Ron Hubbard
3. Obtain distant supervision from the clinic listed above

For more details on self-administering the protocol, please check out this Facebook group.

With this new year, start out fresh by clearing out the old and bringing in the new throughout your mind, body, and spirit.  Please also share this with your friends, family, and colleagues, and let me know your experience with this program or what you think in the comments section below!

Ready to make your health a priority? Contact me here to schedule your consultation.

 

References:

1. Hubbard, L. Ron, Clear Body, Clear Mind (Bridge Publications, Inc., 2002), 72.

2.  Ibid,18.

3.  Niacin, LiverTox Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury http://livertox.nih.gov/Niacin.htm

4.  David, William, Using Niacin to Improve Cardiovascular Health, Life Extension Magazine, 2007, http://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2007/3/atd/Page-01

5.  Crinnion W.  Altern Ther Health Med. 2007 Mar-Apr;13(2):S154-6. Review.  Components of practical clinical detox programs–sauna as a therapeutic tool. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17405694

6.  Sherson DL, Stopford W. Ugeskr Laeger. 1986 Jun 30;148(27):1682-3.  Mercury levels of sweat. Its use in the diagnosis and treatment of poisoning. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3750455