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Toxin. A toxin is basically any substance that creates irritating or harmful
effects in the human body, undermining our health or stressing our biochemical or
organ functions, such as the liver or kidneys for example. This may result from drugs which
can have side effects, or from
patterns of physiology that are different from our usual bodily functions.
Recreational drugs, such as cannabis also usually have some harmful effects. The free radicals
irritate, inflame, age, and cause degeneration of our body tissues. Negative
"ethers," psychic and spiritual influences, thought patterns, and negative
emotions all can be toxins as well both as stressors and by changing the normal
physiology of the body and possibly producing many specific symptoms. (Also see:
Liver Detox)
Toxicity. Toxicity occurs in our bodies when we take in more than we can
use and
get rid of. Homeostasis means that our body functions are in balance. This
balance is interrupted when we feed ourselves more than we can use or partake
of specific substances that are toxic, like food colouring, pesticides and
preservatives found in many of today's
foods. Toxicity may depend on the dosage,
frequency, or strength of the toxin. A toxin may produce an immediate or rapid
onset of symptoms, as many pesticides and some drugs do, possibly, even more
commonly, it may cause some long-term negative effect, such as in rare cases, asbestos exposure,
leading to lung cancer.
If our body is working well, with good immune and eliminative
functions, we can handle our basic everyday exposure to toxins found in every
day foods. The purpose of
this section is to discuss ways to support the elimination of our body toxins, excessive
mucus, congestion, and disease and to prevent, on a day-to-day basis, the build up of toxicity. Through
detoxification,
we cleanse and filter toxins and
wastes and allow our body to work on enhancing its main basic functions.
Our body sorts out toxins by either neutralizing, transforming, or getting
rid of
them. As examples, many of the antioxidant nutrients we have discussed so much,
may neutralize free-radical molecules. The
liver helps transform many toxic
substances into harmless agents, while the blood carries wastes to the kidneys;
the liver also leaves waste through the bile into the intestines, where much
of the waste is eliminated. We also clear toxins through sweating, from
general exercise or
heat. Our sinuses and skin may also be accessory elimination organs whereby
excess mucus or toxins can be released, as with sinus congestion or skin rashes.
Detoxification occurs on many other levels as well.
This process
can help clear congestions, illnesses, and disease potential. It can even improve
energy. We believe that many
Detox Programs can help rejuvenate or bodies and prevent
degeneration. Mental detoxification is also important. Even a light detox over a couple of days can help us feel
better, while a longer process and deeper commitment to a new way of life, such
as eliminating certain abusive habits and eating better, will help us
change our whole life for the better. (see also:
Water Detox) Detoxification
or
detox is a relative term. Anything that supports our elimination can
be said to help us detoxify. Doing nothing more than drinking an extra litre of
water a day will usually help us eliminate even more toxins. Eating more fruits and
vegetables, the high water content, cleansing foods and less meat and milk
products will create less congestion and more elimination of toxins. There are many levels
of the progressive detox diets, from these simple changes to complete
fasting. I want to express some concerns about over elimination or
over-detoxification, which we see on some occasions. Some people go to extremes with
fasting, laxatives, enemas, and even exercise and begin to
lose essential nutrients from their body without a thought. A negative balance can be created in
this manner, such as protein or vitamin mineral deficiencies though congestion
from over intake and under-elimination is a more common problem in today's culture.
We
believe that the best and simplest way to look at symptoms and disease is in
terms of excess and deficiency.
The Liver Filter. The liver
acts as a cleaning filter of the blood,
filtering out all those nasty toxins we
consume throughout the day. The liver is
responsible for the production of bile,
stored in the bladder and released when
required for the digestion of fats. It
also stores glucose needed for energy and
releases it when needed. Liver plays an
important role in our metabolism of
protein and fats. It also stores vitamins
A, D, K, B12 and
folate and synthesizes blood clotting
factors. The
livers most important role is
detoxifying and breaking down or
transforming substances like ammonia,
metabolic waste, alcohol, drugs and other
chemicals, so they can pass through our
bodies ready to be excreted.
External symptoms of liver damage.
Coated tongue. Bad breath. Skin rashes. Itchy skin (pruritus). Excessive
sweating. Offensive body odour Dark circles under the eyes. Yellow
discolouration of the eyes. Red swollen itchy eyes (allergic eyes). Acne rosacea
- (red pimples around the nose, cheeks and chin). Brownish spots and blemishes
on the skin (liver spots). Red palms and soles which may also be itchy and
inflamed. Flushed facial appearance or excessive facial blood vessels
(capillaries/ veins).
Liver Boost.
Eat large amounts of raw fruits and vegetables, especially dark green leafy
vegetables and orange, yellow, purple and red coloured fruits and vegetables.
Thirty to forty percent of the diet should consist of raw fruits and vegetables.
Try to eat some raw fruits or vegetables with EVERY meal as they contain living
enzymes, vitamin C, natural antibiotic substances and anti-cancer phytonutrients. Eat the “good fats” which contain essential fatty acids in their natural
unprocessed form. These are found in cold pressed vegetable and seed oils, avocados, fish. The good fats are essential to build healthy cell membranes around the liver
cells. As we get older we need to “oil” our bodies and not “grease” our
bodies.
Tomatoes contain a powerful antioxidant called lycopene, which according to a
paper published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
is the most powerful of all the dietary carotenoids. The researchers found that
the dietary intake of lycopene was linked to a lower risk of prostate problems.
They also found that higher levels of
lycopene in the blood lowered the risk of
cell proliferation, which would theoretically exert a powerful anti-cancer
effect. Cooking or chopping tomatoes increases the absorption of lycopene into
the body. Cooking
tomatoes in oil increases the availability of the
lycopene to
the body, which is another reason that Mediterranean cuisine confers health
benefits. (Also see:
Detoxification)Methionine - is essential for detoxification.
Is found in legumes, eggs, fish, garlic, onions, seeds and meat.
Vitamin K - green leafy vegetables and alfalfa sprouts. Arginine - this helps the liver to
detoxify ammonia, which is a toxic waste product of protein metabolism. Arginine
is found in legumes (beans, peas, and lentils), carob, oats, walnuts, wheatgerm
and seeds.
Antioxidants - found in fresh raw juices such as carrot, celery, beetroot, dandelion, apple,
pear and green drinks like wheatgrass and barley-grass juice, and fresh fruits,
particularly citrus and kiwi fruit.
Selenium - sources of the antioxidant selenium are brazil nuts, brewers yeast, designer
yeast powders (very good source), kelp, brown rice, molasses, seafood,
wheatgerm, whole-grains, garlic and onions.
Liver Vitamins to aid repair
- Take some pressure off your
overworked liver with the traditional
healing properties of Milk Thistle.
The liver is involved in a range of bodily
functions and is often overworked. Its
numerous roles include: breaking down and
detoxifying pollutants (such as alcohol
and nicotine) that enter the blood stream,
converting and storing nutrients and
producing bile. But excessive
alcohol
intake and general unhealthy lifestyles
can hinder the liver’s ability to do so.
By supplementing with
Milk Thistle
you are giving it a much needed helping
hand.
Click Here to
find out more on Milk Thistle.
The term Detox
is also used to refer to diets, herbs, and other methods of removing
environmental and dietary toxins from the body for general health. Some old
detox methods are still used today. One in
particular is commonly known as the 24hr
FAST.
This 24 hr detox would consist of
drinking clean water for 24 hours without
the intake of any food what-so-ever. By
doing this, many of the main organs such
as the
liver and kidneys are cleansed and
toxins are disposed of naturally. This is
a common practice that is sometimes
referred to as, the home detox. The
home detox is simple, an effective way to
cleanse your body, simply by drinking
water... however some use the home
detox
program, only eating fresh fruit, salads,
plenty of water and vegetables and stretch
their
detox
plan to 36 hours. This has added benefit
in providing our organs with the vital
vitamins needed for the cleanse. |
