Detox Basics
by Woodson Merrell, M.D.
APOGEE’s Integrative Health Advisor
Environmental toxins can affect the way our bodies work. One recent study revealed a link between thyroid dysfunction and the chemicals used to coat non-stick pans and other manufactured goods. Toxins can enter your body in food and water—even in the air you breathe. The Centers for Disease Control found 148 man-made chemicals in the average American blood sample.
So, the question becomes, how do we de-tox, or rid our bodies of these chemicals? Colonics, enemas, and other drastic measures don’t help your body process or eliminate toxins. Instead, use lifestyle changes and foods to support your body’s natural ability to neutralize and remove chemicals.
Reduce your toxic load. Obviously, if you smoke, quit, and reduce your exposure to second-hand smoke and other air pollutants. But also eat foods with the USDA organic label as much as possible to avoid ingesting pesticides. If organic isn’t an option, choose natural over processed foods, which can contain synthetic stabilizers, colors and preservatives. Chemicals in cosmetics, soaps, detergents can also increase the toxic load on your body. Consider switching to natural products.
Support your body’s natural detox process: Fruits and vegetables contain compounds that help turn toxins into free radicals (Phase I detox) and then neutralize those destructive molecules (Phase II detox). Many of these are foods you may already eat—try to include them every day to help your body’s detox systems. Especially powerful are vegetables in the Brassica family, including broccoli and kale, and the Allium family, including onions, garlic, and leeks. Fruits such as citrus and red grapes and berries contain enzymes that help with Phase II detox. Also helpful are fresh herbs, incuding parsley, oregano and rosemary and spices, especially ginger and tumeric. Green tea helps with both Phase I and Phase II detox.
Create a healthy gut: A healthy stomach and intestine act like a barrier to keep chemicals from food out of your body. The keys are probiotics, fiber and clean water. Naturally fermented food such as yogurt contain probiotics in the form of healthy bacteria—be sure the label indicates living bacteria. Unprocessed fruits, vegetables and whole grains will give you the fiber you need so toxins are excreted. And drinking eight to 12 ounces ounces of clean water every three hours helps all of the body’s cleansing processes.
Sweat: Sweating has also been shown to help the body remove toxins, which to a limited amount it can through the sweat and oil glands. Saunas are great for this, but so is sweating from a good old-fashioned aerobic work-out.
There’s a lot more to say about detox, but knowing these basics can make you aware of how you can help your body with a natural on-going process of cleansing itself.
Tags: detox, natural detox
