Detox - Should We Really?
Despite the marketing around detoxing, it’s actually an inborn, ongoing survival mechanism in our body. And this is why I am not an advocate for a forceful “cleanse” where we aim to command our bodies to do a year’s worth of detox in 30 days. Instead, we need to support our bodies all season.
Our liver is our master detoxifier. The liver has a three-phase set-up for detoxification
Phase one makes fat-soluble toxins water-soluble, so they’re easier to eliminate from the body. Otherwise, these toxins are stored in our fat cells. The body has a doctor within and in a natural survival strategy, our fat cells are actually protecting us from those toxins. Phase I enzymes directly neutralise some chemicals, but most are converted to intermediate forms that are then processed by phase II enzymes. These intermediate forms are much more chemically active and therefore more toxic. This makes the following phases extremely important, as they are carried out to neutralise and eliminate these toxins from our bodies.
Phase two neutralises the water-soluble toxins and makes them safe to eliminate. This is done through a number of different conjugation pathways: methylation, acetylation, sulfation, glucuronidation, amino acid conjugation, and glutathione conjugation. There are some genetic variations that may impact one of these pathways as well.
Phase three eliminates toxins from our body through urine or poop. This is why I am always getting curious about your bowel movements, and feel that you should be aware and noticing the consistency and regularity of the same. If we’re constipated or dehydrated, that contributes to toxic overload by preventing effective elimination from the body.
For effective and wide-ranging detoxification all three phases need to be supported. I delve into the weeds on the topic of liver detoxification and how we can support it naturally in my “Getting Intimate with Your Liver” program. Here is a little red flag I listen for when a client has chosen to do a detox “cleanse” and feel worse instead of better. There’s a strong possibility that phase two isn’t keeping up with phase one, or phase three is blocked.
Once the liver has done its job;
Our skin eliminates toxins through sweating
Our lungs do the same through respiration
Our Gastrointestinal tract and kidneys eliminate toxins via bowel movements and urination
If your body is giving your the signal that your liver is working super hard and needs a little assistance;
Fatigue
Brain fog
Bloating & constipation
Dark coloured urine
Hormonal imbalances
I don’t recommend an aggressive “liver cleanse” but I do aim to “Clear – Calm – Enhance & Modify. These are the four pillars of supporting our health.
For detoxification, we clear and calm by reducing our toxin exposure (including food toxins). We enhance and modify by supporting detoxification through nutrition and lifestyle choices.
Supporting how your body naturally detoxes with sustainable daily habits is the golden axiom to living your best life!
