Supporting Detoxification

When you consider how many toxins the human body is exposed to on an ongoing basis, it can seem overwhelming; however, what you may not know is that there is a complex network of internal organs and biochemical processes that are designed to detoxify those harmful chemicals.

The body detoxifies toxins in a variety of ways:

• The liver breaks down and converts toxins into water-soluble compounds so they can be more easily eliminated.
• The kidneys filter and excrete toxins through urine.
• Toxins are eliminated via sweat and feces.
• Exhaling eliminates volatile compounds from the lungs.

There are two primary ways to support optimal internal detoxification and that is to reduce exposure and support detoxification function with diet, lifestyle, and possibly dietary supplements. Reducing exposure involves toxin avoidance, looking at air and water quality, eating clean food, reducing use of plastics, and using safe home and body products.

From a lifestyle standpoint, physical activity and/or saunas are a great way to support detoxification as both encourage the elimination of toxins via sweat. Some foods and/or dietary supplement ingredients that can help support efficient detoxification include cruciferous vegetables, green tea, resveratrol (grapes, wine, peanuts), quercetin (apples, blueberries, onions, kale), and grapefruit.

The liver is considered the master organ of detoxification so it’s important to support liver function through diet and potentially dietary supplements. A whole food, organic, plant-based-diet that features a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and phytonutrients will help support liver health and detoxification in general. Some herbs that help support liver health include milk thistle extract, artichoke, Oregon grape root, burdock root, and dandelion.

If you are going through active treatment, talk to your oncologist or integrative practitioner before embarking on a dietary supplement program for detoxification.

While it’s true that harmful toxins can be found in food, air, water, and products we use daily, it’s also true that you have an innate detoxification system brilliantly designed to help reduce the burden of these chemicals. That’s why supporting detoxification through diet, lifestyle, and possibly dietary supplements is so critical.