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Waste

Most all of us take it for granted, and yet it is one of the most miraculous and critical functions that our body performs – the miracle of detoxification. Think about it – every day we ingest or are exposed to a vast number of foreign and potentially harmful substances that our bodies have to process and eliminate. Preservatives, artificial colorings and flavorings, pesticide residues, solvents, plastic residues (known as phthalates), VOCs, gasoline and petrochemical products, air pollution, heavy metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic, and the list goes on and on. Just take a look at a few labels of the food that you eat or your local water company’s analysis. And that doesn’t include the compounds we intentionally ingest – the medications, alcohol, caffeine, etc.

What’s miraculous is that somehow our bodies know how to cope with, process, and eliminate these foreign substances from our bodies. Of course we take it for granted – we swallow or breathe in these toxins and just expect that our bodies will handle them. And yet when humans were evolving our bodies had no way of knowing we would ever be eating FD&C yellow No. 5, for example. How does our body accomplish the impressive task of detoxification?

Most of this complex task takes place in the liver – the workhorse of our detoxification system. The liver accomplishes this task by utilizing thousands of specialized proteins known as enzymes. Each of these enzymes has its own specific talent; each one can perform a single, very specific function, that is, to chemically alter a single compound. In order to process the thousands of substances we can be exposed to, we need thousands of different enzymes in the liver.

What’s important is that because of genetic differences, we all have very different enzymes and therefore very different abilities to process and detoxify different compounds. If we lack a particular enzyme or set of enzymes, we are uniquely susceptible to the harmful effects of particular compounds. There are many examples of how these genetic differences in enzyme function can lead to health problems such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, kidney and liver disease, cardiovascular disease, as well as medication side effects and toxicity.

Science is just beginning to be able to identify and test for specific enzyme function. This ability to test detoxification enzyme systems provides a direct way to identify susceptibility of individuals to specific conditions. Some time in the near future, you will be able to test your susceptibility to a large number of common conditions with a simple blood test. The good news is that we are also learning how to overcome and improve weaknesses or deficiencies of specific enzyme systems. By identifying gaps or weakness in detoxification, we will also know how to support and improve these weaknesses. This provides an entirely new approach to the prevention of common diseases.

This exploding field of research is referred to as pharmacogenomics. Although this sounds like the distant future, the future is happening and available now, at least in part. There are now tests available that can test certain enzyme systems and provide insight into prevention. These tests will have important implications for individuals regarding their susceptibilities and recommendations for prevention.

Here are recommendations on how to improve your body’s detoxification function:

• Eat garlic, onions, lemon, rosemary, and drink green tea. Research has proven these substances to enhance liver function by increasing the enzymatic function.
• Eat more cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and bok choy. These foods, not surprisingly, are powerful cancer protectors, because they improve the functioning of liver detoxification.
• Eat organic foods, which expose you to fewer pesticide residues.
• Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables, which are rich in the vitamins and minerals that support detoxification. You should eat at least 8 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
• A supplement called n-acetylcysteine (NAC) boosts levels of glutathione in the liver. Glutathione is considered the mother of all detoxifiers. N-acetylcysteine is used routinely in the hospital in cases of medication overdosage, such as Tylenol. NAC is also available over-the-counter as a supplement. This best done after testing your detoxification capacity and in consultation with a physician experienced in detoxification and environmental medicine.
• A supplement called milk thistle, which aids detoxification has been shown to help prevent liver injury. This herb has shown effectiveness in the treatment of liver diseases such as hepatitis.
• Nutrient such as magnesium, B complex vitamins, and selenium are required for optimal liver detoxification. Research has identified selenium’s value in the prevention of cancer. The recommended amount is about 200mcg a day of selenium from all sources.
• Avoid constipation by increasing fiber and fluids and taking 1-2 TBSP of ground flax seeds a day. Healthy bowel function is important in eliminating toxins from the body once the liver has processed them.
• Drink plenty of fluids to help flush toxins from the kidneys and bladder.
• Take a sauna regularly to increase your metabolism and mobilize toxins through your sweat glands