Foods to help detoxification

The liver acts as the body's primary detoxification organ for the clearance of toxins. Certain vitamins & minerals, as well as plant nutrients, can help support the liver in its detoxification & eliminative processes.

Foods To help detoxification

One of the body's primary self-defence mechanisms is the conversion and neutralization of metabolic products and toxins into soluble and safe by-products, which can then be eliminated. All ingested and microbially produced toxins are presented to the liver, the body's primary detoxification organ for clearance.

The liver has two related processes known as phase 1 and phase 2, in its ability to detoxify pollutants and associated chemicals. Associated with each phase are a number of reactions, which are reliant on certain nutritional vitamins, minerals and amino acids. It is common, that generally, people will have low levels of one or more nutrients, or an accumulation of toxins, which will slow down the overall detoxification pathway.

When we rapidly destroy and remove, from our bowel or body organs, certain microbial pathogens - such as yeast, Candida albicans, parasites, viruses and other bacteria, we do this by breaking down their cellular wall (endotoxin) as part of the removing process.

Processing the proteins in the cellular wall for excretion through the liver produces, with some individuals, a detoxification reaction. At times
one may feel like their health is progressing downhill rapidly, this is known as 'die off'. This reaction will improve over a period of time, as the detox process is completed. At this stage, adopt the following suggestions and
contact Ideal Health to re-establish the correct dosages of your supplement program. As well as this, you need to increase the amount of fluid you are drinking. This will help your body to eliminate the toxicity.

Certain vitamins and minerals, as well as different phyto or plant nutrients, can help support the liver during this time. These are not always essential, but at times helpful to assist with the eliminative process. Phyto-nutrients are plant substances found in various fruits and vegetables, which support detoxification pathways and promote general well-being. These nutrients exert powerful nutritional and antioxidant actions and are useful modulators of toxic reactions.

Foods to increase to reduce toxic reactions and support detoxification

Food choices to support detoxification

These foods have small amounts of naturally occurring beneficial phytochemicals, which help support the detoxification process.

Purchasing organic foods helps the process and, if organic produce is unavailable, then it is recommended that fruits and vegetables are washed thoroughly, and, where possible during the program, should be peeled.

General guidelines

Eat regular meals, selecting from a variety of foods but attempting to consume at least 6-8 foods on the desired lists.

Avoid any foods that are going to stress the liver - fatty foods, alcohol, coffee etc.

Preferably, eat foods raw and as fresh as possible. Otherwise lightly steamed.

It may be necessary to purchase a high quality whey protein supplement to provide adequate amounts of the amino acids needed for detoxification (taurine, glycine, methionine and glutamine) and to enhance your liver's production of glutathione, your premier liver antioxidant.

It is also important to ensure a minimum of 3 litres of water is consumed daily. Water is essential for supplying oxygen, which combats toxins and enriches the blood. Water also is a medium for the removal of wastes from the body. It only makes sense to drink ample water each day to help the detoxification process.