Time to detox
GETTING rid of toxins from our body is widely recognised as a way to stay healthy. Consequently, there is a wide variety of so-called detox formulae available in the market today.
Drinking enough plain water may lower one’s toxin load, but most toxic chemicals from the environment are fat-soluble. They can’t be dissolved in water since they come from oily, processed or inorganic foods.
Since we’re constantly being exposed to toxic wastes and chemicals, we may never be able to remove all toxins from our bloodstream.
Water-based toxins may be removed through our kidneys and skin in the form of urine and sweat. In women, the menstruation cycle also helps in detoxification.
Oil-based toxins may be processed for removal by our liver through two phases: Phase 1 (P450) and Phase 2 (conjugation).
Phase 1 detoxification requires nutrients such as magnesium, vitamins B, ascorbic acid, niacin, zinc citrate, and folate.
Rich food sources of magnesium include cocoa, almond, and coconut. An estimated 400 bodily enzymes depend on magnesium besides being a component of the sugar-regulating hormone insulin.
Excess calcium intake or consuming black tea, soft drinks, salt, or alcohol lowers this mineral in your body.
Diabetes, kidney disease, hyperthyroidism (highly-active thyroid gland), taking diuretics, as well as gastrointestinal disorders such as colitis and pancreatitis also lower the body magnesium levels.
If there’s more rapid clearance of toxins during Phase 1 compared to Phase 2, the accumulation of toxic load can worsen liver functions.
The intermediate compounds generated from Phase 1 might be more toxic than those previously stored in the body.
So, balancing the two liver detoxification phases is crucial. All detox packages used must ensure adequate nutrients for Phase 2, which is to bind toxins for elimination in our urine and/or stools.
Nutrients used in the six sub-phases of Phase 2 include sulphoraphane, glutathione, magnesium, vitamins B1, B5 and B6, molybdenum, taurine, glucoronic acid, L-glutamic acid, L-glutamine, L-glycine, N-acetyl cysteine, curcumin, and sulphur-based amino acids.
These help convert oil-based toxins to water-soluble ones for easy removal by kidneys and liver.
Research studies link the imbalance between Phase 1 and Phase 2 to incidence of cancer, lupus, and Parkinson’s disease.
If you already suffer from chronic health disorder(s), don’t detox without expert advice from a licensed therapist.
Other things to be aware of include:
Slimming diets
There may be a hundred times or more chemical toxins in our adipose (fat) cells than in our blood or other tissues.
Slimming diets designed to reduce body fats may be doing more harm than good if they contain inadequate nutrients to meet Phase 2 liver detox processes.
Toxins can travel to the brain, heart, endocrine (hormone-producing) system, as well as to joints and tissues – triggering pain, discomfort, and bodily dysfunction.
Bile flow obstruction
Consuming excessive refined starch/sugar causes elevated blood triglyceride levels leading to slower bile flow. Bile acid can harden to form ‘gallstones’.
Do not udergo a liver detox programme if there’s evidence of bile flow obstruction. A proper liver function/GGT test and/or stool test can detect this condition.
Dietary fibres
Besides cholesterol, bile acid is flooded with toxins for elimination through the stool. If a sustained intake of dietary fibres during the detox period is inadequate to trap the toxins, a large portion of these may be re-absorbed back into our bloodstream.
Consult a licensed healthcare professional when this condition arises since it’s often erroneously being blamed as the “side effects” of some nutrients in the same way that rice consumption is being implicated for ‘causing’ diabetes.
Refined starches & fruits
Alcoholic beverages and refined carbohydrates (bread, noodles, buns, pastry, biscuits, roti, white rice) interfere with detoxification process.
The addition of fruit sugar as a major part of any dieting plan can worsen an existing weak liver since fructose is a big cause of fatty liver after alcohol. But elevated insulin isn’t the only issue in weight (fat) gain. Fructose also promotes insulin resistance (pre-diabetes), hypertension, heart disease, and may even be used by cancer/tumour cells as a food source.
It’s not recommended to include packaged fruit juices for breakfast or soft drinks for lunch/dinner since both are high in fructose.
Exercise, sauna & Far Infrared (FIR) therapy
These methods could be safely used to induce mild detoxification through the skin and urine so long as some of the liver Phase 2 nutrients are consumed regularly to convert toxins to their water-soluble forms.
Currently, colon cleansing/hydrotherapy isn’t approved by the Ministry of Health.
Reducing toxin intake
Eating organic non-processed and non-GMO foods and drinking filtered water, using natural products at home, in the office and car, showering in non-chlorinated water, living and working in non-polluted environments, having no mercury amalgam fillings, and having regular exercises and a healthy lifestyle can help.
Also, it’s better to seek the help of a healthcare professional competent in detoxification.
Source: The Sun Daily
Published: 09 Sept 2013
Category: Features, Wellness and Complementary Therapies
