There’s always a detox diet or new detox foods reported in the press but do we really need to detox our livers??
Detox processes happen in our bodies every day, every hour, every second. Our bodies are like a big biochemistry lab where detoxification is an essential end point to key metabolic reactions in the body.
The liver is the most important detoxifying organ in the body. Given the proper nourishment the liver is capable of regeneration both in building new tissue and in restoring its ability to detoxify substances – which is pretty amazing!
So if our bodies (and our liver’s) are busy detoxifying all the time do we need to spend time doing anything else? The answer is unfortunately yes!
Liver detoxification is a complex subject but is broadly described as being in phases – Phase I, II and III. In order to function optimally, each phase depends upon the presence of specific nutrients.
These include
- certain amino acids (from protein rich foods),
- l- carnitine (from avocados and red meat),
- magnesium (from green leafy veg),
- limonene (from lemons)
- sulphur (from garlic and onions) to name a few
That means PROPER NUTRITION is required for PROPER TOXIC CLEARANCE.
Also we must consider that our genes are not prepared for the chemicals we are now exposed to. Bodies did not evolve to be able to break down the recent toxins in the environment and if they are fat soluble toxins they will end up in our fat tissue. It’s not just one toxin that we can remove or avoid, multiple low toxic exposures from things such as pesticides, drugs, plastics, household products, paints and skincare build our total toxic load.
This increasing chemical world we live in in conjunction with common nutrient deficiencies (even in diets that seem healthy) means that we struggle to detoxify as our bodies were intended to.
So how can we help our body (and our livers) cope with the burden of toxins?
- Food
- Exercise, such as a yoga class
- Meditation (stress diverts blood away from the liver so any activities that reduce stress are helpful)
- Floatation Experience (which again helps to reduce stress levels)
- Skin (brushing/saunas/anything that makes you sweat)
- Breathing (fresh air)
- Lifestyle factors (such as looking at household products, skincare, water and overall environment)
If you have any issues with symptoms that include fatigue, headaches, skin rashes, allergies, gut symptoms, food intolerances, hormonal issues, low mood or inflammation then it could be a good idea to think about how to better support your liver.
Start your day with a cup of warm water with the juice of half a lemon and aim for a selection of the following foods every day :-
- Garlic
- Onions
- Lemons
- Avocados
- Beetroot
- All green leafy veg
- Broccoli/Cauliflower/Brussel Sprouts/Kale
- Olive oil
- Apples
- Good quality protein
- Herbs such as rosemary, turmeric and black pepper
If you are eating these regularly and still getting health symptoms then consider a targeted liver support programme such as the NutriCLean Metabolic Detox. This is a brilliant kick start and supportive liver programme – get in touch to find out more!
Sandra James, Nutritionist at The Float Spa in Hove
