Toxins limit our health potential. A toxin is any substance that will limit or completely block the normal chemical functioning of your body. Detoxification is the processing and elimination of toxins and toxic byproducts from your body. Optimal health requires an effective and efficient system of detoxification.
The liver is the main organ that processes toxins in your body. The liver is located in our abdomen, right side, just up and under our rib cage.
The liver processes toxins that are carried to it in the blood of our general circulation and from our digestive system, as well as toxins from our general circulation. There are two types of toxins: water-soluble and fat-soluble. The water-soluble toxins are processed and returned to the blood to be removed from our bodies by our kidneys. Fat-soluble toxins, such as hormones and solvents, are processed by the liver and carried in bile to the small intestine for elimination in our stools.
Our liver is most active at 3:00 am. If the liver is processing a high level of toxins, its activity will increase even higher. That increased activity is why some alcohol drinkers and menopausal women wake up around 3:00 am. Their livers are under increased load.
After 3:00 am, the toxins processed by the liver are carried by the bile into the small intestine. This is why consuming dietary fiber first thing in the morning is so important. Dietary fiber, both soluble and non-soluble, will absorb the toxins and then carry them out of our body. Without that fiber, the processed toxins risk being reabsorbed and returned to the liver.
For the general support of the liver, I recommend the following five items: silymarin, artichoke, turmeric, lecithin, and dietary fiber.
The Silymarin, also known as milk thistle seed extract, supports the chemical processing of toxic metals in the Cytochrome P450 enzyme system. Toxic metals block the processing enzymes essential to eliminating many toxins.
Artichoke extract increases bile flow in the liver, thereby increasing toxin elimination. Turmeric is a well-known anti-inflammatory herb. A less inflamed liver is less swollen and will flush out toxins better.
Lecithin is a good fat. Good because it flushes the liver. It is available from soybeans, but I prefer lecithin from Sunflower seeds due to possible soy contamination with GMO soybeans.
Now that you have a supported liver, with bile flushing into the small intestine by the good fat lecithin, you need to get all those toxins out of your body. This is where the dietary fiber comes in. I recommend consuming dietary fiber every morning to absorb and carry out of the body all the fat-soluble toxins processed by the liver the previous night.
Detoxification is an essential part of a healthy life. Supporting your liver to do its vital job will improve your life.
Let me know if you want to discuss a detoxification program specific to you needs at your next appointment.
