Dr. Salzarulo: A New York City Holistic Doctor

Can the skin be healed? The answer is yes!

Chronic skin conditions — eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea and dermatitis — might look like surface problems, but their root causes are far more than skin deep. That’s why all the skin creams and ointments prescribed over long periods almost never result in a lasting cure, just temporary relief at best. Why do those rashes, pimples, redness, itching and oozing always come back?

That’s one of the most important questions in holistic medicine today. The reason is that the cause of skin problems is almost never the skin itself. They are signs of deeper problems, usually in the cleansing organs of the body: the liver, lungs, kidneys and colon.

Just think of the toxins that our bodies absorb on a daily basis. In a world overflowing with harmful chemicals — from processed foods, air pollution, water pollution and a host of other things — it’s no wonder that our organs are overloaded with toxins. In order to have any level of health, we must get rid of this toxic overload. Our main organs of excretion are the lungs, liver, kidneys and colon. They are the body’s most effective routes for toxin drainage.

Whenever the primary drainage organs cannot keep up with the toxic load (which is very often the case in today’s world), the body will have to rely on secondary drainage organs for help. The major secondary drainage organs include sinuses, mucous membranes, the lymph system, vaginal canal, bladder — and, of course, the skin!

However, secondary drainage organs like the skin are not very efficient at removing toxins. So when our body is forced to use them for this purpose, the skin becomes clogged, scaly, ulcerated, inflamed and chronically unhealthy. Conditions like acne, eczema, psoriasis and rashes are results of the body’s attempt to remove toxins through the skin.

To heal the skin we first have to cleanse the primary drainage organs. Once the lungs, liver, kidneys and colon are draining toxins effectively, the body will no longer need to drain toxins through the skin and true healing can take place.

I have observed great results with Biotherapeutic Drainage, one of the most advanced systems ever devised for cleaning the body of toxins that accumulate in our tissues and organs. It is a safe and gentle means of assisting toxic drainage in the body and therefore addressing the underlying causes of your skin symptoms. It helps open up the primary routes of excretion to relieve the body of its toxic burden. It works on an extra-cellular and intra-cellular level to remove blockages and help move the body toward a state of vibrant health and true healing.

Remember: True skin healing can only be achieved from the inside out!

I can’t emphasize this enough: Drink your greens daily!

The USDA, National Cancer Institute, Surgeon General, and the secretary of Health and Human Services all agree that Americans need to increase their consumption of fresh produce to include at least 2 to 4 servings of vegetables every day. One of the easiest ways to add them to your diet is to juice.

The lack of trace minerals in the diet has quite possibly become one of the major causes of disease within Western culture today. If you look in a chart of minerals, you’ll see that the recommended source of virtually all minerals and trace minerals is green leafy vegetables. A green juice is a fast, delicious, and inexpensive way to get your daily trace mineral needs down the hatch in five minutes or less.

Green juices are alkaline and rich in enzymes, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and chlorophyll. They help the body to stabilize blood sugar, absorb more oxygen, and flush toxins. They are good for your weight, heart, bones, circulation and can be helpful in lowering your cholesterol. Daily juicing will help you to have increased energy, ideal weight, a glowing complexion and a strengthened immune system.

It is recommended that you drink at least 16 ounces of fresh green juice each day.
One of my favorite juice recipes is: 1 small cucumber or ½ large cucumber,
2 celery stalks, a handful of parsley, 1 granny smith apple (remove seeds), and ¼ lime.

I recommend the Black & Decker Fruit & Vegetable Juice Extractor if you are looking for an inexpensive, easy –to-clean, mid-sized juicer. The Item Number is JE2050 (www.bdappliances.com)

If you don’t have time to juice, I recommend Vibrant Health Field of Greens.
This powder is mixed with water to make a great tasting, totally organic green juice.
It can be purchased at your local Vitamin Shoppe or at www.VitaminShoppe.com

The majority of people are chronically dehydrated. Dehydration can be quite pronounced even in an absence of thirst. In fact, the thirst mechanism becomes less reliable as dehydration increases. The thirst mechanism also tends to become less reliable with age.
As a bare minimum we should drink at least half an ounce for every pound of body weight. Thus a person weighing 160 pounds would require a minimum of eighty ounces or approximately eight glasses of water per day.
A fairly simple and accurate method to check if you are drinking enough water is to note the color of the urine. The urine should be extremely pale or clear in color. The urine being darker than this generally indicates dehydration.
Always remember to drink filtered or high quality spring water.

Many symptoms are caused by food allergies. Foods high on the allergy list are: white flour, sugar, wheat, corn, soy, chocolate, soy, citrus, eggs and pork.

The elimination diet is the best way to find if you are allergic to one or more of theses foods.
The way to perform this diet is eliminate all of the above foods for one week. The foods are returned to your diet, one food per day, and reactions are noted.

Sprouted Grain tortillas are yeast and sweetener free.
They are made from sprouted live grains and contain absolutely no flour. The brand I recommend is Ezekiel.

I suggest wrapping the tortilla around a generous portion of your favorite salad mix. You can use Annie’s Lemon & Chive or Goddess dressing–both are vinegar free and great for while on a diet to cure Candida overgrowth.

You can also use the Olive and Flaxseed Oil dressing (see Oil and fats category)

Uses: Milk Thistle is the premier liver herb. Protects the liver from toxic drugs, chemicals and pollutants. Prevents free radical damage and stimulates the growth of new liver cells. Useful for liver detoxification, chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, gallbladder disorders and weakened immune system. Also good for inflammatory bowel disorders, asthma, psoriasis, candidiasis and disorders of the spleen. This herb is esssential for a seven-point cleanse.

Dosage: 20 drops 2 to 4 times per day.

Cautions: None known

Olive leaf fights all types of viruses, fungi, bacteria and parasites. It helps stave off colds and flu.
It is good for virtually any infectious disease as well as for chronic fatigue syndrome, diarrhea, high blood pressure, inflammatory arthritis and hypercholesterol. It is a very useful component of a well-designed Candida program.

Dosage: 20 drops in a little water 2-3 times per day

Cautions: None known

Uses: Mullein is a soothing herb and it is an old-time remedy for bronchitis and dry unproductive coughs.
Because of its demulcent properties, it is also useful for asthma, hayfever and emphysema.
Mullein is also a wonderful addition to a seven-point cleansing program.

Dosage: 20 drops in a little water, 2 to 4 times per day.

Cautions: None known

Red clover is a very useful and important herb for natural detoxification programs. It purifies the blood and fights infections. It it commonly used for bacterial infections, coughs, bronchitis, inflamatory bowel disorders, kidney and liver problems, skin disorders, and weakened immune system. It has expectorant, antispasmodic and relaxing effects. It is also helpful for psoriasis and eczema.

Dosage: 20 drops in a little water, 2 to 3 times per day.

Cautions: None known

Fill a warm bath with 4 cups of Epson salt. Stay in tub until the water cools off to a slight chill. Add 6 drops of any of the following oils to facilitate relaxation:
Chamomile, lavender, rose or ylang ylang.