What is Detoxification? |
Toxicity and Toxins |
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Detoxification is the process of clearing toxins from the body. First, the liver neutralises toxins and then they are removed via the gastrointestinal tract, urinary system and skin.
Enhanced detoxification often requires dietary and lifestyle changes to reduce daily toxic load, and remove stored toxins. Just like clearing out years of accumulated rubbish at home it's a spring clean for your body. At first, the task may seem overwhelming, that's why a structured guided program is recommended. Once you start it really is just a matter of routine. During the process, some people experience symptoms like headaches, lack of concentration, mild nausea or a change in bowel function. This can be due to dietary changes (such as removing caffeine and alcohol). However, these symptoms will usually pass after the first week, and are a sign that your body is clearing toxins. It's important to speak with your health care practitioner if symptoms persist. Your naturopath will recommend certain products to help speed the detox process, reduce symptoms, and ensure you are correctly eliminating toxins from your body that are released from your liver. |
Toxicity is literally how poisonous a substance is. Some things are very poisonous even in tiny amounts (i.e. arsenic). Many substances are slightly poisonous, so that small amounts can be removed without harm (e.g. pesticides).
If you have a high exposure to these toxins, or if your body's clearance rate is less than your intake, they can accumulate in the liver. Over time, this build-up can overwhelm your ability to 'detoxify' or remove toxins from your body. Additionally, exposure to several mild poisons at once is more dangerous than to one at a time. What Protects us Against Toxins? Our bodies have several mechanisms that protect against toxins, such as physical barriers (i.e. mucous membranes), digestive secretions, immune surveillance, and enzyme systems that process toxins for removal via breath, sweat, bile and urine.
Often, if we are unable to remove toxins immediately, our body stores them in adipose tissue (fat) and bone. This can cause problems in fat-loss programs, as stored toxins are released into circulation. |
Endotoxins |
What Happens When Protection Fails? |
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A major source of toxicity for most people is the accumulation of products and by-products of digestion (endotoxins). These toxins are created within our body, rather than being the result of environmental exposure (exotoxicity).
Food that is not digested correctly can become fuel for dysbiotic organisms (harmful life forms). This alters the balance of 'good' and 'bad' microbiota allowing yeasts, harmful bacteria, and other organisms to grow and proliferate in the digestive system. This is compounded by certain dietary choices which 'feed' these pathogens, and certain medications (i.e. antibiotics and the oral contraceptive pill), stress, and digestive tract disorders (i.e. irritable bowel syndrome, coeliac disease). Such organisms can produce toxic chemicals, and when they die, fragments of cell membranes can be absorbed into the bloodstream and trigger a massive inflammatory response from the immune system. |
When any or several of these defence mechanisms become impaired (often as a result from toxic overload), our ability to detoxify is greatly reduced, exposing other body systems to accumulating toxins, eventually potentially causing wide-spread damage.
Total Load Magnifies Toxicity'Total load' describes the sum total of all influences impacting our physiology. In a clinical environment we are less likely to see people with high toxicity to one very poisonous substance (i.e. lead), and more likely to see people with long-term exposure to a range of environmental toxins. On their own these toxins may not cause disease, but combined can undermine nutrient status and organ function so that symptoms emerge. Given the ubiquitous nature of toxic chemicals in our environment, much of our health burden is likely to be from multiple, low dose exposure to a range of toxins. Unfortunately, this makes toxicity estimates somewhat unreliable, as research testing is usually done on a single substance in isolation.
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Do You Need to Detox?
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