Despite the wonders of modern medicine, the state of human health throughout the world is eroding at an alarming rate. The long-term accumulation of toxins and acid waste in our bodies--both from the chemically contaminated air we breathe and water we drink as well as the toxins we ingest in the form of low quality food, preservatives, and additives--damages our organs, corrodes our joints and arteries, enervates our nervous system, and inhibits our immune system. Chronic pain and fatigue, hypertension and heart failure, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, indigestion, insomnia, and even acne, are all caused by the long-term accumulation of toxins in our bodies.

In The Tao of Detox Daniel Reid combines traditional Eastern practices and the latest of modern Western thinking to offer detoxification methods that can repair in as little as seven to ten days much of the long-term damage done. He provides breathing exercises, massage techniques, and soft exercises such as yoga and tai chi that help the body to heal itself. He also explains the importance of “rational retoxification,” which allows the careful reintroduction of less healthy substances, and offers ways to counteract those toxins we can’t--or don’t want to--avoid, including alcohol and tobacco. Reid explains that, just as we care for our cars with regular tune-ups, by practicing periodic detox as well as “rational retox,” we can enjoy long and healthy lives and still be able to “eat, drink, and be merry.”