Enhance Your Body’s Detox Ability

In the earlier parts to this series we looked at the most common types of indoor air pollutants, what harm they can cause to our health, and ways that we can minimize coming into contact with them. However, some degree of exposure to environmental pollutants is inevitable. No matter where you live and how careful you are, you are bound to take in a cocktail of chemicals each day at home and work. Luckily the human body is fairly well equipped to handle toxins and remove them from the body. The problem is that we live in an artificial world; we are exposed to a far greater quantity of chemicals than any generation before us and it will only get worse. Many of these chemicals are man made and foreign to our body, so it is not well equipped to dispose of them. How well your body excretes toxins depends on the function of your organs of elimination. The human body has six main organs of elimination: the digestive tract, the liver, the urinary system, the skin, the lymphatic system and the lungs. The better each of these systems works, the better your body will be at handing environmental pollution. We will now look at each of these organs of elimination and give you tips on how to boost their function.

The liver

The liver is your main detoxification organ. Every chemical that enters your body will eventually make its way to your liver. The majority of toxins that enter your body are fat soluble, meaning they can accumulate in fatty tissues of your body such as the brain, cell membranes and body fat stores. It is the liver’s job to convert the toxins into a water soluble form so that they may be excreted. The liver carries out its detoxification reactions in two phases. Phase one reactions temporarily turn the toxins into a more harmful state, and they can generate a lot of free radical damage if you don’t have enough antioxidant in your diet. Phase two reactions utilize a lot of sulphur containing amino acids to make the toxins less harmful and water soluble. Ideally the two phases occur in rapid succession, but if you are exposed to a great deal of toxins, or you lack the antioxidants and amino acids required in your diet, your liver will be overwhelmed and poisons will build up. You can ensure a good intake of antioxidants in your diet by eating a raw vegetable salad each day. All berries, especially blueberries and raspberries are another great source of antioxidants. A good liver tonic can boost the efficiency of phase one and two detoxification reactions in your liver. Ideally the liver tonic should contain St Mary’s thistle providing a daily dose of 420mg of silymarin. This is the proven therapeutic dose in clinical trials. The liver tonic should also contain B vitamins, selenium and vitamin C. MSM Plus vitamin C powder is an organic sulphur that supports phase two detoxification reactions in the liver.

The digestive tract

After your liver breaks down toxins, they are secreted into bile which enters your gallbladder. The gallbladder secretes bile into your small intestine. In a healthy digestive tract the majority of these toxins are excreted in bowel movements. But if you have constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, Candida or another digestive problem, you will not be excreting the toxins efficiently; a lot of them will be reabsorbed back into your bloodstream. A great way to excrete more toxins through your digestive tract is to eat more fibre. Soluble fibre in particular is great for absorbing toxins in your gut and carrying them out of your body. Soluble fibre forms a thick gummy solution when it dissolves in water, and it is found in seaweed, rice, soy, oats, fruit and vegetables. Pectin is found in several fruits including apples, bananas, grapes and cherries; it is especially good for carrying toxins out of your body. If you are prone to constipation you may need to take a powdered fibre supplement. A good one contains soy and rice bran, pectin, powdered vegetables, ginger and peppermint.

The urinary system

The kidneys receive toxins that have been broken down and made water soluble by the liver. Some water and electrolytes are reabsorbed by the kidney, and some are excreted along with wastes the body does not require. Ideally your urine would be a faint yellow colour. Very concentrated urine can promote the formation of kidney stones. If you don’t drink enough water you will not produce enough urine and toxins will have to leave your body through another route; such as the skin, perspiration and bowels. It is important to drink at least two litres of pure water each day; you may need more if you live in a hot climate, exercise intensely or have a physically demanding job. Avoid consuming large quantities of caffeine and alcohol because they make you lose fluid and they irritate the kidneys. Raw vegetable juices are an excellent way to keep hydrated and boost your nutrient intake. Celery, dandelion leaves, asparagus and chicory leaves are all excellent urinary tonics; include them in your raw juices regularly. See delicious and healthy recipes in my book Raw Juices Can Save Your Life.

The skin

It is easy to see when a person’s skin is overwhelmed with toxins; acne, itchy skin, rashes and offensive body odour are all telltale signs. Skin conditions are usually a sign of poor liver function. Your skin is your body’s largest organ of elimination. Sweat has a similar composition to urine and we can excrete a significant amount of toxins through it. One of the best ways to increase elimination through your skin is to exercise regularly. Any exercise that makes you huff and puff pumps blood around your body under high pressure. This is great for improving circulation and bringing toxins to the surface of your skin for excretion through sweat. Dry skin brushing before you have a shower is another good way of boosting elimination.

The lymphatic system

The lymphatic system consists of lymph, lymphocytes, lymph vessels, lymph nodes, tonsils, the thymus gland, Peyer’s patches in the intestines, and the spleen. Fluids move out of the blood capillaries, into tissue spaces and then into lymph capillaries. Lymph is a colourless fluid and we actually have three times the amount of it as we have blood in our bodies. The lymphatic system functions like a garbage collection service. It filters the bloodstream of toxins and lymph nodes contain large amounts of white blood cells that engulf bacteria. Unfortunately lymphatic fluid is not pumped around the body like blood is pumped around by the heart. Muscular contractions are required to pump the lymph around the body. For this reason exercise is the best way to get your lymphatic system moving. The contractions of your diaphragm when you breathe deeply are also cleansing to the lymphatic system. Dairy products can congest your immune system and lead to symptoms such as fluid retention, sinusitis, post nasal drip, hay fever and excessive mucus. Avoiding cow’s milk and foods that contain cow’s milk can eliminate these symptoms.

The lungs

The main function of your lungs is to supply inhaled oxygen to the blood and get rid of exhaled carbon dioxide. But we also excrete a lot of toxins in our breath. Try to take deep, slow breaths through your belly rather than shallow breaths through the chest. This will get rid of a lot more toxins from your body. Avoiding cigarettes is an obvious way to avoid a whole lot of poisons entering your bloodstream and so is avoiding exhaust fumes as much as possible. Avoid exercising along busy roads; this includes cycling along congested streets. You can read more about the best ways to detox your body in our book The Ultimate Detox. It includes a 2 week deep cleansing detox with eating plan and recipes.