Lani Lopez - Does detoxing work?

Detox can be a confusing term. For some it might conjure up images of alcoholism, drugs and celebrities going to rehab at the Betty Ford Clinic.

For others it can be feeling smug as you wander down the road sipping a green smoothie on the way to a yoga class.

I’m here to tell you what I’ve learnt over the last 25 years as a naturopath. Toxins can be the root cause of disease and that detoxing isn’t rubbish.


The concept of detoxification
No human being lives in a perfect environment. Chemicals, medication, caffeine, alcohol, plastic in our foods, preservatives, pesticides, car exhaust, smoke and toxic metals in our soils and air really defines the ‘concept’ of toxins and detoxification that I’m talking about.

The question is how does the body function in this so-called suboptimal environment? Do we really need to detoxify? Surely the body must have its own processes that deals with these systems?

It does. One of which is biotransformation of chemicals and toxins also known as the detoxification system.


What harm can toxins do?
You may even ask why hasn’t detoxing gone mainstream yet? There’s not an overall acceptance of detoxification or nutrient supplementation.

Why? Molecular toxicology is a fairly new science. Currently toxicity in mainstream medicine is used to refer to poisoning, toxins that can cause incredible damage and death. However medicine is being constantly sculptured and redefined.

Now scientists and health practitioners are linking the body’s response to an overload of toxins with certain disease-like states. These can include chronic fatigue, gastrointestinal symptoms, weight gain, vertigo, poor cardiac function, auto immune diseases, joint inflammation diseases and mental health diseases.

Molecular toxicology is regarded as a respectable scientific discipline. Scientists are now developing molecular tests and research to support the evidence of body detoxification processes. To understand detoxification we’ll quickly look at the history and what happens at a cellular level of molecular toxicology.

Experts in their fields Drs Jean Monroe and Bill Rea researched the approach of detoxification from environmental medicine and observed how the body responded to a clean environment without toxins.

In 1955 an enzyme in the liver called P450 was identified that was capable of detoxing unfriendly or foreign compounds. Since then we’ve discovered there are many more that have appetite for detoxifying different toxins. In the late 80s molecular toxicology started looking at the cause of disease not just the symptoms and also exposure to low-level water or fat soluble toxins that produce disease.


What harm can low level toxins do?
Molecular toxicology is lot more subtle than the mainstream idea of poisoning. Toxins can affect optimal functioning of our body, even toxins so small that equate to a nanogram or one billionth of a gram.

Low level toxins have a different affect than just poisoning the body. They modify the way our cells function. The way our cell speaks to itself and other cells. As a consequence this can lead to states of inflammation, cancer events and insulin resistance.

For example environmental toxins can be found in every day objects we use. Bisphenol A, a toxin found in receipt tapes, internal epoxy resin coatings of canned foods and from consumer products and polycarbonate plastic tableware. Bisphenol A can leach into food from the so-called protective coatings. This toxin has been linked to increased levels in mortality in cardiovascular disease and diabetes.


Weight gain and diabetes
Toxins can affect weight gain and energy loss. Researchers were looking at data to try find a direct correlation with people that were overweight and diabetic but they couldn’t come to a conclusion.  

Then they discovered that when another factor was added to the research, the ‘GGT’ enzyme, this enzyme was elevated in people that were obese and had diabetes.

The GGT test is an indirect measure of the body’s exposure to toxins; alcohol, recreational drugs and chemicals in the environment that build up in the liver altering the livers ability to detox toxins. Toxins that also deplete the nutrients needed for the detoxification process. A catch 22.


Low energy
Low level fat soluble toxins poison our body’s energy powerhouses called mitochondria. When they are poisoned the outcome is that we can’t metabolise energy molecules which affects the way our body metabolises glucose for energy. Poisoning our DNA changes our powerhouse mitochondria and lessens our energy.

There are:

• Low toxin exposure links to chronic disease including obesity and diabetes.
• Changes gene expression and function as our environment influences our health.
• Shifts in our metabolism for energy and stores it leading to obesity.

This is how toxins can affect our body for chronic health disease. The only solution to this problem is detoxification.


Detoxing benefits
Detoxing helps to break the cycle of cravings, urges and addictions. It’s no surprise that caffeine is put in many products because its one of the most addictive substances that’s legally available. I confess, I’m not perfect. I’m addicted to daily cups of tea and therefore caffeine. I detox four times a year.

Detoxing can reduce the poisoning of pharmaceutical drugs taken daily. The most common poison in USA is paracetomol. It requires certain detox pathways. If the body is overloaded with this drug, or with alcohol, or too busy managing normal body functions, the paracetomol goes through another detox pathway. This creates a by-product poison and damages the liver and nervous system. A super antioxidant enzyme called Glutathione deactivates this poison.

So what happens if someone is someone with a chronic poor diet, that drinks too much alcohol and has taken paracetomol?  They can increase their risk of liver damage and end in emergency hospital.
Treatment would be to deliver glutathione, be given a precurser dose of N-acetylcysteine to support detoxification, to save their life.

Detoxing can support so many areas of the body and wellness. Weight loss, chronic inflammation, arthritis, breathing problems, diabetes, immune disease, skin eruptions, mental health states and energy levels.


Here are some tips for detoxing naturally.

Follow a supporting, gentle detoxing diet. Good nutrition is also involved to make these detoxing enzymes work better. The guidelines are as follows;

Nutrition
Wake up call — Drink 1 large glass of hot water and a squeeze of lemon, lime or orange juice when you wake up in the morning. Initially over the first three days some people may feel nauseas after drinking hot water and lemon juice. This is the action of the liver working and the nausea should stop after three days as your liver function improves.  

Nutrient lift — supply your body with extra nutrients to help with detoxing the liver and improving energy levels.

• Drink 1 glass of fresh vegetable juice (carrot, celery, spinach, or fruit juice (cranberry, grape, pear, pineapple).
• Or 1 tsp of Spirulina with vegetable or fruit juice
• Or take a Multi vitamin, mineral formula.

Consume — carrots, beetroot, alfalfa, barley grass, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, capsicum, tomatoes, citrus fruits (except grapefruit), brewers yeast, brown rice, whole grains, soy flour, buckwheat flour, oats, corn, pumpkin, kumara or sweet potatoe, fresh fruit and vegetables (organic where possible). A small amount of ground nuts and seeds is recommended.

Increase — green leafy vegetables and water filled fruits, prunes loaded in fibre and apples. Use berries as a form of antioxidant protectant from a build up of free radicals causing damage to cells.

Fibre — Eat plenty of fibre from fruit, grains (bran, ground flax seed, oat bran and apple pectin) and vegetables.

Digestion enhancers — Enjoy a bitter aperitif before dinner or a soda, lime and bitters to encourage digestive juices before dinner. Alternatively take Aloe Vera juice to increase absorption and digestion of nutrients from food. Take 50mls with every meal.

Do not cook — in or with aluminium utensils, foils or pots and pans, as it is linked with alzheimer’s although this is not yet fully proven.

Include ginger — into your diet to increase your circulation of nutrients around the body.

Eat fish — at least 4-5 times weekly, it’s rich in omega 3 oil. Good sources inlcue tuna, sardines, and other types of oily deep sea fish.

Avoid smoking — as it reduces blood flow to the brain as it constricts blood vessels and increases toxicity within the body.

Consume — 3 meals daily and include two healthy snack meals in between meals.

Digestion enhancers — Enjoy a bitter aperitif before dinner or a soda, lime and bitters to encourage digestive juices and liver function before dinner. Alternatively take Aloe Vera juice to increase absorption and digestion of nutrients from food. Take 50mls with every meal.

Protein — Eat adequate amounts of lean organic white meat, fish, poultry and seafood of 1-2 serving (100-200g) per day is fine. Protein contains amino acids that are important to help with the detoxing process too much protein places a strain on the digestive system and kidneys as a rule.

Dairy products — Small amounts of butter and yoghurt for those that are not sensitive to dairy products is fine. If sensitive to dairy try a variety of goats milk, rice, almond, coconut, or soya milk products.

Water — Drink 2 litres of pure filtered water throughout the day, every day. As you increase your fibre intake the water intake must be increased to avoid constipation.  It is known that a diet high in fibre intake traditionally from vegetables, grains, gums etc. can produce some benefits to normal health. These particular fibres work by absorbing water, toxins and remain undigested as they pass through the body improving stool transit time and bulk. Avoid diuretics, antihistamines and reduce tea, caffeine, coffee and alcohol.

Saturated fats — Avoid all animal fats. Animal fats aggravate the liver and gallbladder more than saturated vegetable fats including coconut milk. Poly and mono unsaturated fats help fat metabolism and reduce inflammation so substitute animal fats for these beneficial fats and oils e.g. olive oil, canola, oil, coconut oil, flax seed oil and evening primrose oil. Do not deep fry any foods. Instead use the flash pan technique of heating the pan till hot. Add 1tsp of olive oil or coating with canola spray. Add meat or vegetables then a little water to naturally steam fry until your food is cooked.  

High sugar and refined carbohydrate intake — increases cholesterol production and blood triglyceride levels of the liver, triggered by a pancreas response to the sugar. Reduce sugar intake to prevent cholesterol metabolism problems involved with gallstones. Avoid eating sugary foods including sweets, pudding, cakes, biscuits and fatty sugary crackers.

Food sensitivities — to these foods in order of negative reaction can lead to inflammation and immune system reactions. Eliminating these foods including eggs, pork, garlic, soy, gluten, onions, milk, coffee, oranges, corn, beans and nuts has been shown to reduce symptoms dramatically.  

Avoid — high protein diets and dairy products with the exception of small amounts of yoghurt (4 tbsp daily) and butter approximately 2 tsp daily for cooking or spreads.

Eliminate — junk food, roasted foods, take away meals, charcoal-cooked meats and foods, nonessential medication, artificial foods, sodas, sugars and drugs, smoking, excessive amounts of sugar and fatty fried foods.

Restrict — alcohol to 4 serves of alcohol per week and only drink a maximum of 2 cups of coffee or 3 cups of tea daily.


Supplements
Antioxidant formulas — that include vitamin E, the amino acid protein methionine and the mineral manganese are beneficial as deficiencies in antioxidants (particularly these ones) are thought to contribute to liver disease. Take a broad spectrum antioxidant formula as directed.

Cysteine, Methionine and Taurine — are amino acids required by the liver to remove toxins. They also make up antioxidant enzymes to help scavenge for free radical toxins.

Fibre — Dietary fibre is important as when the toxins are unloaded into the digestive tract, fibre helps to chelate (grab onto) toxins for evacuation and reduces toxic reabsorption. Fibre from flax seeds, psyllium, apple pectin or Slippery Elm helps to bind onto excess dietary cholesterol for excretion. Take 1-3 tsp of flax seed fibre, psyllium husk or other fibre products.


Herbs
Liver cleansing and regenerating herbs — are important for supporting the livers enzymatic processes and bile flow.

• Dandelion — Take 3-5g of dried root daily.
• Yellow Dock — Take 2-4ml daily.
• Milk Thistle — enhances bile flow and detoxifies the liver. Take a standardized Milk Thistle product, 420mg of  silymarin content daily.
• Globe artichoke — Take 1.5-4g of dried leaf daily to promotes the flow and discharge of bile.

Red Clover — The Blood Cleanser. Blood cleaning is not a great descriptive term but what happens when you take blood cleaners is that these herbs tighten loose cell junctions in blood vessels and stop proteins leaking out into the body from the blood. This helps stop inflammation and an attack from our immune system because the immune antibodies regard these intruders as enemies.
        
Burdock Root — the Digestive and diuretic Herb. Stimulates better bile and digestive juices. Also has a diuretic action to flush out unwanted toxins from the kidney.

Cascara Sagrada — re-education of the bowel function, removal of waste products.  
            
Turmeric — increases the impact of the herbs and aids circulation while adding protection as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory herb.


Other beneficial therapies
Detoxing observations — during the cleansing process you may experience some symptoms of detoxing. These may include headaches, hidden skin blemishes like pimples may rise to the surface, an increase in bowel movement. If symptoms persist or if any unusual changes occur discontinue detox and please seek health professional advice.

Massage, baths and showers — Lymphatic massage, reflexology, sports massage and deep tissue massage facilitate the removal of toxins from the skin and muscles.

Self body scrub before you shower. Gently scrub your body all over with a dry flannel and then have a warm shower. At the end of your shower have a blast of cold water stimulate your body and removal of toxins. A handful of Epsom salts (Magnesium) or Rock sea salt added to your bath for the last 15 minutes can aid removal of toxins and relax fatigued muscles.


See your health professional for guidance or email [email protected] for your nearest naturopath in your area.

For more tips visit Lanilopez.com.