How Toxins Destroy Your Wellbeing and Health

There is no escaping this sad reality. Our world is becoming more toxic every day. Humans emit more than 250 billion tons of chemical substances into the environment each year.¹ These toxins pollute the land, water, and air we breathe.

And unfortunately, no matter how careful you are, toxins enter your body. Over time these toxins overload your systems. The body simply can’t get rid of them fast enough, so toxins are stored in the body, accumulate, contribute to the cause of illness, and trigger disease processes.

Every day you breathe in environmental toxins like car emissions. Every time you use soap or sunscreen, chemicals such as parabens are absorbed through your skin. Eating processed foods means you are also eating chemicals. Even eating vegetables and fruits are sprayed, GMOs, or cross pollinated by other GMO plants.

Your Natural Defense Against Toxins

Here’s the good news—your body has natural abilities to rid itself of toxins. Your blood, lymph, large intestine, kidneys, and lungs are all busy working to get rid of toxins and byproducts that would be harmful to you. Today we’re focusing specifically on the liver and how it functions because it’s the main organ working to detox your system.

Your liver is an impressive organ. Highly efficient and working around the clock your liver filters blood and performs several vital jobs to keep you alive.

First, the liver works to filter your blood and sorts out nutrients. It then decides which nutrients to use and which to store for later use. But your blood also contains toxins that the body cannot use. So your liver can do something extraordinary. It converts toxins into a different product that won’t hurt the body!

This natural detoxification process is methylation. Methylation refers to all of the genetic chemical processes that occur for the body to function. If the liver can’t alter the toxins through methylation, it channels it into your kidneys and large intestine to be excreted.

Your liver also makes bile. Using cells called hepatocytes it converts toxic waste into the bitter greenish liquid that’s stored in the gallbladder. Bile is then secreted when it’s needed to neutralize stomach acid, break down fats, or destroy microbes. And bile also helps to carry toxins out of the body.²

I told you the liver was impressive!

But what happens if your body can’t get rid of harmful toxins?

Unfortunately, breakdowns in methylation pathways do occur. That breakdown contributes to toxicity accumulation. In other words, if the body can’t get rid of the toxins, they build up inside your body and make you sick.

A major cause of methylation breakdown is environmental toxins. We’ve all been impacted by them. As I mentioned before, toxins enter your body through inhalation, absorption through the skin, and ingestion.

How We Got Here

The same technological advances that make our lives easier in one way, cause damage in another. From the time of the Industrial Revolution until now, environmental toxins have increased and continue to greatly impact our disease processes.

When the United States built the first industrial mill in 1790, the increase of human toxin exposure shot up. Living conditions at that time period were surely less than optimal. Lack of hygiene and proper nutrition was to blame for many illnesses and epidemics. We have learned how to combat those issues but what still remains is the battle against toxic metals.

In the 1800s lead was used extensively to make ammunition, plumbing pipes, and paint.³ Arsenic was also used in paints, to kill rats, and believe it or not, as a face powder and to treat certain health conditions.

The use of toxic metals and improper disposal of them, has made a terrible impact on our environment.⁴ Unfortunately, lead is readily taken up by living beings and directly impedes the normal functioning of the body. Over time, elevated toxicity levels contribute to disease as they interfere with metabolic processes.⁵

Toxins are also in the foods we eat. Processed foods are notorious for the damage they cause to our health because they contain chemicals that damage your metabolism. Even whole fruits and vegetables can be a problem. When so much of our produce is grown in contaminated soil, watered from polluted sources, sprayed with pesticide and herbicides—we’re not always getting health benefits. We’re also consuming the pollutants they were grown in.

What is detoxification?

Detoxification is a process by which harmful toxins such as heavy metals and chemicals can be removed from the body. Your body can do this naturally via your liver, kidneys, and large intestine, but when your system gets clogged up with too many toxins, your natural processes can’t handle the overload. When that happens, it’s time for detoxification.

When a detox protocol is completed, the benefits you can expect are-

Improved immune system
Reduce chronic disease
Increase energy
Mental clarity
Balanced mood
Improved skin
Weight loss
Overall health and wellbeing

The Importance of Detoxing Correctly

There’s lots of talk about detox. But what isn’t talked about is the dangers of detoxing incorrectly. While it’s easy to walk into a store and pick up a colon cleanse or other detox product off the shelf, it’s impossible to know if it will be safe for you.

If you are taking medications, have gastrointestinal issues, or have other underlying conditions—you should not attempt to detox without the proper supervision of a healthcare professional.

If you want safe and successful detoxification, consult your naturopathic doctor. As an autoimmune specialist, I look at the health and function of your lungs, liver, kidneys, large intestine, and lymph systems. This ensures that you get a customized detoxification program. Because we want you to detox safely and effectively.

Watch this video to learn what happened to a patient that felt totally sick during detoxification and how we were able to turn that around. It explains why ‘detox flu’ should be taken seriously and it demonstrates the need for medical assessments prior to detoxing.

5 Ways To Detox Naturally

We may not be able to escape all the sources of toxins in our environment, we can greatly limit them. Here are some things you can do to support your body’s natural methylation processes and regain your health.

Eat organic fruits and veggies. Read food labels and buy only from brands that support your health. If you juice or buy juice from a store or juice bar ensure the juice is made from organic produce only.
Change out your plastic food and water containers for glass or stainless steel.
Purge your home of chemicals with all-natural products. Start with household cleaners and personal hygiene products.
Recycle responsibly. Think about what you are about to put into the garbage. Can it be recycled? Keeping as much out of the landfill as possible will help to protect our natural resources.
Talk to your autoimmune specialist about organic liver detoxification.

You Deserve To Be Healthy

Your body can get rid of toxins naturally, but when it’s bombarded from so many sources, it can’t keep up. Give your body the help it needs. Be aware of what products you use on your body and in your home. Are they safe? If not, toss it. Start a new healthy habit and use only all-natural products.

When you detox, be sure to do so under the supervision of your naturopathic or functional medicine doctor to ensure it’s done safely. Do-it-yourself detox products are often harmful and are not worth the risk.

Like everything we do at Holistic Family Practice, each detox program is tailor-made to meet your needs and to help you achieve your wellness goals. Learn more about our organic liver detox and personalized detoxification programs to see how you will benefit.

We’re here to help you restore balance and regain your health—naturally.

Endnotes

1. “The World Counts.” https://www.theworldcounts.com/. Accessed 13 Jul. 2020.

2. “Bile Acid Sulfation: A Pathway of Bile Acid Elimination and ….” https://academic.oup.com/toxsci/article/108/2/225/1664383. Accessed 14 Jul. 2020.

3. “Lead toxicity | Occupational Medicine | Oxford Academic.” https://academic.oup.com/occmed/article/54/2/76/1510860. Accessed 14 Jul. 2020.

4. “Lead toxicity | Occupational Medicine | Oxford Academic.” https://academic.oup.com/occmed/article/54/2/76/1510860. Accessed 14 Jul. 2020.

5. “Toxicity, mechanism and health effects of some heavy metals.” 15 Nov. 2014, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4427717/. Accessed 14 Jul. 2020.