How your Body Detoxes Naturally & how to support detoxification for Optimal Health
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This blog, along with the next few posts, will explore the topics of toxicity and detoxification. Toxicity refers to the extent to which a substance can harm an organism. We will also delve into the body’s natural detoxification processes—the physiological mechanisms by which our bodies remove toxic substances. Additionally, we will examine the substances present in our daily lives that could contribute to toxicity and disease. Finally, we will discuss strategies to reduce toxic exposures and enhance the body’s natural detoxification abilities.
The term detox has become synonymous with a detoxification protocol or diet - to undergo some sort of “cleanse.”... However, the reality is that our bodies are naturally detoxifying all the time. Several organs and body systems are continuously involved in detoxification and elimination processes, including the liver, kidneys, lungs, gut, skin, and lymphatic system. These systems work tirelessly around the clock to keep us healthy. Understanding how our bodies naturally detoxify and learning how to support these detoxification pathways are crucial for enhancing our health and well-being. It turns our that diet and lifestyle choices are also key to supporting our bodies’ detoxification pathways.
In our modern world, exposure to various toxins is almost unavoidable - it is true that we are generally living with increasing toxic exposures from our environment, as a result - our toxic load is increasing. From the air we breathe, to our home and office environments, to the food we eat, and even the products we use daily - our bodies constantly encounter potentially harmful substances.
Our bodies are equipped with remarkable natural detoxification systems designed to protect and purify us. Understanding how these systems work can empower us to support them and promote our overall health and well-being.
Our Detoxification Organs
Lungs
Our lungs diligently filter out airborne toxins and keep our respiratory system clean. As we breathe, our lungs work tirelessly to remove harmful particles and gases, ensuring that the air we take in is as pure as possible.
Ways to support our respiratory detoxification:
Avoid Smoking, Vapes and secondary smoke exposure
Avoid heavily polluted areas
Correct Mouth Breathing to Nasal Breathing
Breathing Exercises
Physical Exercise to keep our lungs strong
Air Filters in the office & home
Use face mask when in contact with common toxins - herbicides, doing DIY work, potting mix, renovations, paint, pollutants.
Choose Ultra Efficient Log Burners in the Home
Avoid Coals burners
Neti pot
Liver & Kidneys
The liver, often considered the body’s primary detox organ, processes and eliminates toxins from the blood, converting harmful substances into less harmful ones that can be excreted. The liver plays a crucial role in detoxification, acting as the body's primary filter to remove toxins and waste products from the bloodstream. By breaking down harmful substances and converting them into less harmful compounds, the liver supports overall health and well-being. Its efficient detoxification process is integral to maintaining the body's balance, contributing to optimal physical, emotional, and cognitive health. The kidneys, working in tandem with the liver, filter waste products from our blood and expel them through urine.
The body's detoxification pathways are a sophisticated, multi-phase system designed to efficiently rid our bodies of toxins and waste. In phase 1, enzymatic detoxification occurs to modify harmful substances, making them more water-soluble and easier to process. Following this, phase 2 involves further chemical breakdown through conjugation to the modified toxins, enhancing their solubility and preparing them for elimination. Finally, phase 3 focuses on the elimination of these now less harmful substances through bile, urine, or faeces. The liver breaks down toxic byproducts so that they can be filtered out through the kidneys. The liver supports the body to eliminate pathogens like viruses and bacteria, cholesterol, hormones, and exogenous toxins including alcohol, drugs, chemicals, and heavy metals.
The kidneys keep our body in balance filtering out unwanted by-products and regulating fluid and electrolyte balance allowing for optimal cellular function and controlling blood pressure.
Love your liver by reducing your body’s overall toxic burden.
To support Phase 1 Detoxification Pathways:
Cruciferous Veg/ Celery/Berries/ Rosemary/ Garlic/ Quercetin/ Iron/ Anti-oxidants/ Polyphenols
To Support Phase 2 Detoxification Pathways:
B Vitamins/ Glutathione/ NAC/ Magnesium/ Turmeric/ Garlic / Epson Salt baths
To Support Phase 3 Elimination:
Fiber/ Hydration/Aloe Vera/ Binders - Zeolite/charcoal (the latter should be done under the supervision of a trained professional)
Your Kidneys thrive with adequate hydration and mineral balance. Electrolytes and mineral salts can further support hydration. However, please consult your health practitioner before adding electrolytes if you suffer from kidney impairment or high blood pressure.
Gut & Digestive tract
Next, we turn to the gut, where a complex interplay of beneficial bacteria and digestive processes help to break down and neutralize toxins found in our food and drink. A healthy gut not only aids in digestion but also plays a critical role in our immune defense & mood regulation. We expel toxins through our bowel movements. To support the right balance of good gut bacteria and to reduce an overgrowth of harmful bacteria we need to support our bodies with good nutrition. Poor gut microbiome and nutrition can compromise the tight junctions in our intestinal wall leading to increased gut permeability or “leaky gut”.
Ways to Boost your gut health:
Choose an organic whole-food, high-fibre, varied diet eating all the colours of the rainbow
Avoid ultra-processed foods
Choose fermented foods, pre-, pro- and post biotic rich foods
Hydration
Skin
Our skin, the body’s largest organ, acts as a barrier and an excretory system, shedding toxins through sweat. Up to 80% of what we put on our skin can be absorbed into the bloodstream. Our skin is our first line of defense against toxins.
Ways to support your Skin’s Detoxification Pathways:
Choose natural skincare products
Choose natural sunscreens
Avoid antibiotic and harsh sanitisers
Move and Sweat
Sauna
Dry Skin Brushing
Choose natural fibers on your body over synthetic fabrics
Choose organic natural bedding - cottons and linens
Choose natural home furnishings
Use natural cleaning products
Lymphatic System
The lymphatic ( and glymphatic - more on this in a later blog) system is a crucial yet often overlooked component of our body's intricate network, playing a pivotal role in maintaining optimal health and well-being. This complex system comprises a network of lymphatic vessels, nodes, and organs that work in harmony to transport lymph—a clear, nutrient-rich fluid—throughout the body. The lymphatic system supports our immune defense by filtering out toxins, waste, and harmful pathogens, ensuring that our bodily environment remains clean and balanced. Moreover, it facilitates the absorption of dietary fats and fat-soluble vitamins from the digestive system, nourishing our cells and tissues. By promoting fluid balance and aiding in the removal of cellular debris, the lymphatic system is fundamental to our overall wellbeing
Ways to support our lymphatic detoxification:
Hydration
Exercise
Sleep ( glymphatic system)
Restore & Rebalance Minerals
Herbal Bitters
Avoid Aluminium and metalloestrogens (metals that can mimic the action of estrogen in the body by binding to estrogen receptors: Aluminium, Cadmium, Lead, Mercury, Nickel, Tin, Chromium, Arsenic)
Bounce, Rebounding
Dry Skin Brushing
Lymphatic Massage
Inversions
Sweating
Sauna & Cold Showers
Epsom Salt Baths
Castor oil compresses
By understanding and supporting the vital detoxification organs—the lungs, gut, liver, kidneys, skin, and lymphatic system—we can promote lasting well-being.