BARB BARRETT/The Luminary Betsy Waddell of Muncy, a practicing licensed pharmacist and certified health nutritionist, gave a presentation at the Muncy Public Library last month on the benefits of getting rid of toxins in the body.

MUNCY – Betsy Waddell of Muncy and a clinical and licensed pharmacist at Montgomery’s Pharmacy in Hughesville shared her wealth of knowledge on the human body with the public last month at the Muncy Public Library.

“Watch the lymphatic system,” she advised. It is a filtering system for the glands and lymph nodes react first if an infection intrudes.

“While we sleep our bodies go through the different systems.” She stressed the importance of sleep and the effect of sleep patterns which make the body function at its best. “Turn off all lights,” she said. “Our melatonin levels go into the deep REM sleep which is good for the aging body.”

Waddell said she began looking into alternative therapies when she noticed in her profession of 35 years as a pharmacist that many were “not getting better.” She supports the use of natural supplements and food nutrients to heal the body. “It is important to have the right nutrients in foods,” she said and revealed a toxicity sheet of facts to everyone that included pesticides, antibiotics and plastics.

“What is in our body may explain what is happening to our body.” She also shared a questionnaire to ask on bodily symptoms such as chronic heartburn or itchy ears, mood swings, fatigue, blurred vision and a number of other ailments that could be a symptom of something else going on in the body. Know what is going into your body, she advised and also what is happening to your body. “Be aware of your emotions,” she suggested. “Detoxification is getting rid of the garbage,” Waddell said and added that she cannot treat, heal or diagnose others. But she has done her research.

“Almost every disease is caused by inflammation which can grow in several different organs. Get the bad stuff out to feel better.” That bad stuff could be exposure to heavy metals, too much consumption of processed foods, or lack of proper nutritional elements the body really needs.

“Medications can destroy the PH of the gut balance.” Waddell recommended eating fermented foods such as sauerkraut, perhaps taking colloidal silver as a supplement, and adding lots of fiber. “Fiber is the magnet for gut garbage. It binds it.” To detox heavy metals, use bee pollen.

“Leaky gut is when toxins are not coming out normally,” she said and recommended the book “Eat to Live.”

With plenty of handouts to back up her statements, Waddell thoroughly explained how to rid the body of harmful toxins. “The skin is our first line of defense.” Look at harmful compounds in hairsprays, soaps, lotions, perfumes and makeup. Sweat will remove toxin buildup. “Skin is our largest organ. Stop the bad stuff from entering.” Skin is a pathway to get rid of toxins. “Don’t put anything on your skin you can’t eat. Everything is a choice.”

The liver filters blood from the digestive tract. “It will detoxify chemicals by changing the toxin into safe substances to be excreted, and destroy foreign invaders such as bacteria and fungi. A solid detox program must support the liver to increase health.”

Good supplements to take, especially for those living in areas with little sun, are Vitamin K2 plus 10,000 units of Vitamin D according to Waddell. “The K vitamin pushes nutrients and calcium through the blood, but watch for calcifications.”

Plant-based diets and organic foods with lots of vegetable juices will cleanse the system. Other alternatives include exercise, yoga, skin brushing, and wheat grass cleansings. “Your body is an amazing machine that is meant to grow, heal and repair itself.” A detoxification plan is recommended for one to two or three times a year to avoid toxin build-up. Repeated exposures to toxins can overwhelm filtration systems. Beware of carpets, paints, microwaved foods, gluten, glysophate, fluoride and chlorine. “These are all hormone and endocrine disruptors.”

But most of all for overall health, avoid synthetics, read labels, and breathe and drink wet air. “Clean water is essential for a good detox,” Waddell said in conclusion.

Waddell can be reached at Montgomery Pharmacy in TJ’s Market on Railroad Street in Hughesville where a variety of nutritional products can also be purchased.