05 Oct Springtime Detox Focus

Focus On: Detoxification – Springtime Is The Best Time

You are worthy of feeling (and looking) amazing – follow these three easy steps to a cleaner temple this spring.

If your body is your temple, then there are many people living in rather decrepit relics that could be featured on a renovation show or sold with the tag line ‘some TLC required’. Detoxification is such an important consideration for all humans, from those that tend to overindulge or are overweight, to those with low energy, digestive disturbances, headaches, hormonal imbalances, or poor immunity. Living in the Western world, we are constantly exposed to toxins present in the air, water and food, not to mention internally derived endotoxins which can all contribute to poor health. Following an Integrative Detoxification Program, you can enjoy the benefits of increased energy and vitality, improved digestion, enhanced nutrient absorption, and even weight loss. With spring on our doorstep, now is the perfect time to start a detox.

The aim of an Integrative Detoxification Program is to enhance and support the body’s natural detoxification mechanisms, so we need to reduce the exposure and absorption of toxins and enhance their removal, thereby improving cellular function, vitality and restoring health.

1. REMOVE – DISCARD THE OLD… Stage 1 of detox requires the removal of dysbiotic bacteria, parasites, and fungi that may have taken up residence in the gut. Ensuring optimal function of the gastrointestinal tract for adequate toxin elimination is paramount. Antimicrobial Herbs may help to reduce the levels of dysbiotic micro-organisms present, using a combination of herbs including Black walnut and Chinese wormwood, known to possess antiparasitic, anthelmintic and antibacterial qualities.

Colostrum contains high levels of immunoglobulins that are vital to the removal of toxins and foreign microbes from the gut. When dysbiotic bacteria die off they produce lipopolysaccharide complexes, a type of endotoxin. High levels of recirculating endotoxins can produce side-effects sometimes seen in detox patients, such as headaches, nausea and aggravation of inflammation. Colostrum reduces the adherence of microbes to the gut wall, whilst the immunoglobulins bind to the dysbiotic bacteria,¹ reducing the risk of endotoxins entering the bloodstream. Therefore using Colostrum may help reduce these symptoms during a detox program.

2. RENEW – RENOVATE THE INSIDES… Now that you’ve removed the old it’s time to renew the gut flora, repair the gut lining and balance systemic pH. Re-inoculation of the bowel flora at this time is vital and probiotics play an integral role during detoxification. Probiotics have been shown to up-regulate mucin genes, induce epithelial heat-shock proteins and restore the tight junction protein structure², thereby improving gut motility and intestinal barrier function. Lactobacillus rhamnosus LGG^® has been shown to bind to and eliminate toxins,³ and increase the gut IgA response to promote the gut immunological barrier.⁴

There are nutrients essential to the elimination of heavy metals and toxins, as well as balancing the body’s pH. Glutamine contributes to gut integrity, is the preferred fuel source of the cells in the small intestine⁵ and reduces inflammatory cytokine production.⁶ It also increases production of the cellular antioxidant glutathione⁷ which plays an essential role in the detoxification of mercury from the body.⁸ Spirulina and coriander facilitate the safe excretion of toxic metals.^9,10 Potassium citrate provides an alkalising source to maintain pH balance, which is vital for good health.

3. RELEASE – SEND TOXINS ON THEIR WAY… The final stage, biotransformation, is the conversion of toxic substances to their non-toxic metabolites for excretion via the liver and kidneys. There are a number of nutrients imperative to this process to support balanced Phase I, Phase II and Phase III detoxification, as detailed in Figure 1 below. These nutrients are available in Phytonutrients for Detoxification and Nutritional Support for Detoxification. Curcumin modifies both Phase I and Phase II detoxification pathways, down-regulates the activity of cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP1A and CYP3A), and increases glutathione S-transferase activity.¹¹ St Mary’s thistle has been used traditionally in Western herbal medicine for liver and gallbladder disease, due to its hepatoprotective, hepatic trophorestorative, antioxidant and choleretic actions.¹² Amino acids provide nutritional support essential for optimal Phase II liver detoxification.

It’s Time to Surf ‘n’ Turf Out Those Toxins!

Spring has sprung! With the warmer weather, the abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables, and the all-important pre-summer incentive, spring is the perfect time of year to detox! So while you are busy spring cleaning your homes, why not take the challenge of some internal spring cleaning of their own. Get ready to feel on top of the world, with renewed health and vitality!