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Body detoxification: guide for body detoxification including liver detoxification and colon detoxification
This is a detailed guide about body detoxification, if you feel overwhelmed, please do not hesitate to ask the doctor for help.
What is Body Detoxification ?  This is the normal innate ability of our body to eliminate foreign chemicals and heavy metals from our body. Why should you be concerned about toxins?You are exposed to a huge amount of toxins on a daily basis, just check the CDC websiteToxins and environmental chemicals have been incriminated in cancer development, heart disease, immune system failure, neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s, dementia and Parkinson disease."Xeno-estrogens" : foreign chemicals that play the role of foreign estrogens, mess up the hormonal system and has been incriminated in obesity, migraines, mood disturbances, breast diseases and breast cancer in females, prostate diseases in males.
Where do toxins come from? - Internal toxins:
Internal toxins come from the normal body metabolism. When you burn wood, you have the smoke to get rid of. Your body needs to burn sugar, fats, protein and subsequently you get the metabolic waste that you need to get rid of. - Gastro-intestinal microbial metabolism:
We have trillions of microbes in our bowels that we call the gastro-intestinal flora. The flora is composed of more than 400 species of bacteria. Many species are very beneficial, others are less beneficial and some are pathological.
When the flora is in balance, it synthesize vitamins such as B12, biotin, and vitamin K, degrade toxicants, prevent colonization by pathogens, stimulates the immune system.
When the flora is not in balance due to excessive use of antibiotics, chlorinated water, it will produce toxic metabolites that get into the blood stream. Some researchers have shown those metabolites in excess in cases of multiple sclerosis, depression, and psychosis. - External toxins:
Medications (Over the counter, prescription medications)
Illegal drugs such as cocaine, morphine…
Illegal hormones such as ilicit steroids
Food additives: preservatives, food colorings, sweeteners, flavor enhancers, etc.
Chemicals used routinely in agriculture: Pesticides, pediculicides, herbicides, and fungicides.
Alcohols
Volatile organic compounds such as formaldehyde, toluene
Fumes from the air pollution
Heavy metals such as lead, mercury, aluminum…
Exogenous hormones and antibiotics found in animal products.
Active and passive smoking
We are exposed to those toxins from the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink.
How does your body detoxification systems work? Your body eliminates those toxins via four major organs the kidneys, liver, intestinal tract and the skin. When toxins enter the body through the digestive system, they are absorbed and subsequently enter the blood stream. Those toxins pass through the liver before reaching any other organs. The liver captures some of those toxins from the first time, de-activate and eliminate them through the bile and the kidneys. The toxins that escape the first liver passage enter the main blood stream where they can reach any organ in the body. If those toxins are water-soluble, they are usually eliminated through the kidneys. If those toxins are fat-soluble, they will escape the kidney elimination process, and they will be trapped again by the liver to be eliminated. Liver detoxification:The major organ in the process of detoxification is obviously the liver. The liver eliminate toxins through 2 phases of chemical reactions that transform those toxins to more water-soluble toxins easier to eliminate by the kidneys, or easier to be excreted by the liver through the bile. Phase I liver detoxification leads to intermediate chemicals, that may be either easily eliminated, or may lead to more toxic and highly reactive chemicals. This step involves a family of enzymes commonly referred to cytochromes. Those intermediate chemicals may become potent oxidants and lead to liver damage. Phase II liver detoxification role is to neutralize those intermediate chemicals by adding a water soluble molecule. Phase II liver detoxification involves multiple chemical reactions, that includes adding a radical or peptide that neutralize those intermediate chemicals, a phenomenon called conjugation. The major conjugation reactions are glucuronidation, amino acid conjugation, sulfation, gluthatione conjugation, acetylation, and methylation. Those chemical reactions in the liver are dependent on many factors: nutritional status, genetic factors, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants,... Those chemicals after Phase II liver detoxification are eliminated through the bile, and excreted in the bowels. Those toxins in the bile mix with the fiber and are deactivated or re-activated by the bowel flora to be eliminated ultimately by the gastro-intestinal tract. Some of those toxins are eliminated through the skin through sweat. Many skin rashes are simply the reflection of your body trying to eliminate toxins. As you noticed, body detoxification is a complex procedure that requires excellent functions of multiple organs: kidney, liver, bowels and even the skin.
How do you know if you need body detoxification? Toxins can be detected by blood tests but those tests are done only in major surveillance centers such as CDC. The manifestations of toxins may be subtle, and lead possibly to cancers. Subtle manifestations as low energy levels, loss of concentration, poor memory, chronic fatigue. More obvious manifestations that reflects long history of exposure: Cancers: breast cancer, prostate cancer, as well as other cancers.Immune disorders(Weak immune system or hyper-reactive immune system) Hormonal imbalances in males and femalesMigraine headaches, depression, anxiety, mood irritability Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease
Why do you need body detoxification support?There are many factors that disturb our natural detoxification system: Genetic variability: having sluggish detoxification enzymesHeavy load of toxins in the 21st century Nutritional deficienciesConstipation Bowel flora imbalanceHigh amount of the enzyme beta-glucuronidase(the bad enzyme that reverse the deactivation process of toxins)
How to optimize your body detoxification?1-Decrease the load of toxins: detoxification diet Eat preferably organically grown vegetables and fruits Eat meats, poultry that are fed organic grains, without the use of antibiotics. Eat fish known to be safe, avoid farmed fish Drink plenty of purified water to flush the toxins through the kidneys 2-Nutritional support for Phase I and II of the liver detoxification: Nutrients that supports Phase I of liver detoxification:
Vitamin B2, B3, B6, B12, and folic acid
The tripeptide gluthatione
The branched amino acids: leuine, glycine, and valine
Flavonoids and phospholipids.Protective antioxidant support is required for handling intermediate chemicals after Phase I in the liver
Vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, Co Q10
The antioxidant minerals Selenium, zinc, copper and manganese
Thiol compounds found in garlic, onions, and cruciferous vegetables, silymarin. Nutrients that supports Phase II of liver detoxification:
Thiol compounds
The amino acids cysteine, N-acetyl cysteine, methionine, and taurine.
Glucuronic acid and gluthatione. 3-Colon detoxification support: add fiber to your diet or use fiber supplementation in order to have at least one bowel movement per day
Alginates: component of brown seaweed has the ability to bind toxins and prevent them from being reabsorbed. Digestive enzymesProbitoics to balance bowel flora. No need for coffee enemas!
What to expect during body detoxification? During body detoxification, you may not feel well initially because your body is trying to eliminate heavy amount of toxins accumulated for years. Some people may be carrying 10-15 pounds of toxins! You may develop fatigue, diarrhea, headaches, night sweats, irregular periods, or post-menopausal bleeding… If you can tolerate those reactions, do NOT stop your supplements, stick with your regimen, make sure you keep drinking plenty of water and take plenty of fibers to assure regular bowel movements. Cutting down on your supplements will prolong the body detoxification process and decrease its efficacy. Those reactions may persist for prolonged periods of time (days and months). After your body is clean, you will notice the difference in energy, well being, period’s regularity, absence of migraines… Remember, those detox reactions reflect effective body detoxification and the ultimate sign of presence of significant of toxins! Unfortunately, many patients stop the supplements because they are not warned about those reactions.
What to do after body detoxification?You obviously going to stay on a detox diet, try to avoid toxins, and keep taking supplements to keep the detoxification process optimized. Nabil Khoury, MD If you'd like to learn more about body detoxification and other health information, take a look at these health symptoms and medical symptoms to help diagnose and treat yourself today. You'll find both men's and women's health information at HealthLine.com!
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