The Seven Channels of Elimination

Phyllis Pipkin, C.M.T., C.P.T., C.L.T.

Now more than ever, it’s imperative that we realize we now breathe, eat and live in toxic soup! Mercury and Aluminum, for example are ubiquitous. Webster’s dictionary defines ubiquitous as: existing or being everywhere at the same time. Both heavy metals can be found in the food we eat, what we drink, the products we use and the air we breathe, they’re everywhere.

So how healthy are you really? How much do you understand and know about your body to keep it vital and healthy? It’s important to realize that only YOU are truly responsible for your health, not your doctor, your spouse, family or friends. Become your own best friend by educating yourself about how and why your body works and stays in a state of vitality.

This brings us to awareness of how important it is to educate ourselves on how our body actually works. The body truly is a miracle and has inner wisdom to keep us alive! One of the first systems to learn about is the Seven Channels of Elimination. Once we have knowledge of how important detoxification is, our awareness grows. When toxins collect in the body we set ourselves up for inflammation, pain, early aging and all of types of degenerative diseases.

Toxins are unstable compounds produced by microorganisms. While certain plants produce toxins, the ones that affect the body the most are man-made. This includes pharmaceuticals, cleaning products, chemicals in make up, hair products, plastics, toothpaste - anything that has chemicals and/or solvents in it. Become a label reader - if you can’t pronounce it or do not understand what the word(s) means, it doesn’t need to go in your body.

The first step is to recognize that for you to be healthy; you need to make sure that your seven channels of elimination are open and flowing. This means your body can gently detoxify itself. These seven channels not only rid your body of toxins accumulated from environmental sources, they remove wastes from foods, liquids and emotions we manifest daily. When your seven channels work effectively you will “glow” with good health. If any of the channels become compromised, it can stagnant or shut down any or all of the remaining channels, resulting in death.

The body is designed in a way that if it becomes overwhelmed with an excessive amount of toxins or has an overload of one particular toxin; it will move them through all channels attempting to clean the body. In 1904, Eli Metchnikof, a Russian Naturopath, discovered that the body recycles to clean and removes wastes. When it is overloaded and is unable to purge the body of the toxins then the wisdom of the body sends them to the fat cells, far away from the vital organs as possible.

As the elimination channels move the waste and toxins through and from the body, free radicals can accumulate. A free radical is a molecule that is missing a negative electron, thus it is always seeking to “steal” from another molecule that carries the negative electron to stabilize itself. Free radicals cause disease, tissue damage and early aging.

Each channel has a specific way of eliminating the toxins and supporting the body through this elimination. The first channel is the LIVER. The Liver is not only a factory that carries out numerous jobs; it is also considered a “Gland” of the body. With over 250 functions, the Liver most important functions storing and releasing glucose for energy; sorting and processing vitamins and minerals; breaking down harmful substances such as alcohol, chemicals, pesticides, etc.; dilutes and filters metabolic wastes and more.

The LARGE INTESTINE is the next channel that plays a very important role in keep you healthy. Not only does the Large Intestine move waste accumulations through itself, it pulls nutrients through it walls to send through the circulatory and lymphatic systems to support various organs and it supports hydration of the body. This is why it is important to hydrate yourself with at least half of your weight in ounces of water daily. Seventy percent of your immune system lies in the Large Intestine; another reason to understand each body system affects each other to make a whole person healthy or sick.

Your LYMPHATIC SYSTEM is three times larger than your circulatory system. This method of filtration supports your immune system also. By stimulating your Lymph daily with exercise, dry skin brushing, Far Infrared Saunas, or rebounding, it continuously filters wastes of all types away from your organs and strengthens your immune system.

The LUNGS removed metabolic wastes that are carried through the Circulatory and Lymph systems. The Lungs also bring oxygen to the body that assist in killing bacteria, viruses, yeast and parasites. These “critters” cannot exist in a highly oxygenated environment. That is why by deep breathing exercises such as in Yoga and other forms of aerobic exercises, you not only increase your lung capacity, you pull in more oxygen to aid in metabolizing, harmonizing and healing your body.

Our KIDNEYS not only help remove wastes, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine they also carry our “Life Force”. The Kidneys have our accumulated and congenital energy flowing through them. Staying hydrated also supports the Kidneys, which produces urine so we have another way to eliminate wastes again. Since around seventy percent of our body is made up of water, it is another reason to respect the nature of your body craving the need to be hydrated. Great working Kidneys not only keep the body youthful, flexible, removes wastes; it also helps to keep emotions flowing through us so we are not stagnant with emotions that can cause more toxins to create “dis-ease” with in us.

Our BLOOD is another constant flow to eliminate toxins and maintain homeostasis within the body. It is a liquid organ that has to have a constant pH of around 7.4. The Lungs and the Kidneys help to stabilize the Blood so that it not only removes wastes as it travels from head to toe, blood also brings nutrition supplied by the other organs of the body that stores the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and trace minerals our body needs to survive.

The SKIN seems to be neglected the most of all of the organs of elimination, yet it is the largest of all of the channels. It protects our body externally and internally from all kinds of toxins. Sweating is a natural elimination we all seem to avoid; yet it is one of the most important ways to help maintain our health. The Skin when allowed to sweat rids us of toxins quickly and easily. Your Skin diffuses oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide. We prevent illness, have a more youthful appearance by storing water and balancing our temperature, feel more alive and have the gift of touch through our Skin.

When you have an understanding of how wonderfully your body works, it’s easy to begin your healing by balancing your body systems. This can be done by working with a practitioner or using the knowledge you’ve gained to become responsible for your health.

All of these channels work in synchronicity with each other. View your body as a WHOLE SYSTEM, while learning how the different systems integrate and flow with each other. When we work within the wisdom of the body, we learn how to help our bodies heal…it will always tell us what it needs when we learn to listen to it. Remember learning about your Seven Channels of Elimination maybe the first step in educating your self on Whole Health!