Top products to support Detoxification:
Learn more about Detoxification:The Flow of TrashCellular Waste and Lactic Acid Lymph Function and Stagnation How Your Liver Handles Toxins Digestive Function is Vital Weight Loss and Detoxification Tips for Those with Fibromyalgia Tips for Children The Flow of TrashThere are many odd notions going around about detoxification. Everyone hears ads for stripping pounds of debris off the lining of their colon or doing a liver flush or doing a two week juice fast detox program at which point you are supposed to be free of all toxins. While I’m sure there are people who think they have benefited from such approaches, by and large such strategies are nonsense and actually hard on your body. I’ve yet to hear any colon examination physician find pounds of toxic waste lining anyone’s colon. The “stones” seen on the olive oil liver flush turn out to be made of soapified olive oil that was just consumed (they are not typically liver stones or gall stones). Fasting for more than a day or two without protein in your diet can shut down primary Phase 1 and Phase 2 liver detoxification function which can stay impaired for months. Detoxification is important – but let’s understand the common sense basics. You are constantly exposed to toxins, which is worse if you live near heavy pollution, pesticide spraying, eat poor quality food, drink unfiltered water, or live in a moldy house. Your body also produces toxic trash metabolites that must be cleared, which is worse if you have digestive problems, sinus problems, are under high stress, are fighting a bug, are recovering from a surgery or accident, don’t sleep enough, or physically wear yourself out (including exercise). In other words, every day there is a certain amount of housecleaning you must do depending on a number of different variables. This means your need to employ various detoxification strategies may vary on different days depending on what is going on and how you are doing. Since your sleep time is a primary housecleaning time, exactly how you feel when you wake up in the morning and how long it takes you to get your energy systems on are fairly good measures of how your detox systems are running. There is nothing worse than waking up and feeling like you didn’t sleep at all – a real toxic backlog. In general there are four primary trash removal systems that must all be working in harmony with each other. These involve:
These four systems tend to flow from one to another. Any glitch in any one of these major systems of detoxification will back trash up in your body and cause problems. In the next four sections I will take up each of these areas in greater detail. Cellular Waste and Lactic AcidWhen your cells are working well and making energy properly they are fairly clean burning engines – making less trash. As cell function declines they start to pour a lot of black smoke out their exhaust, in the form of lactic acid and other inflammatory by-products. This changes the pH in the fluid around cells, stressing circulation to and from cells. Since you have 100 trillion cells, solving this problem or preventing it is a good idea. One key principle of detoxification is to make less cellular trash in the first place. Any healthy person will make too much lactic acid at some point of physical exertion. Long distance runners call it “hitting the wall.” You can only run as fast as you can for a short period before you make lactic acid in excess and come to a stop. Excess lactic acid makes your muscles hurt. Someone with fibromyalgia already has such a high baseline of excess lactic acid around muscle cells that walking across the room can be the same as a 400 yard dash for someone else. The more stiff, achy, and out of shape your muscles are the more prone they are to struggling with poor energy production and excess lactic acid. Too much lactic acid tilts cell metabolism into excess free radical production and inflammation, perpetuating poor health. Thus, an athlete without adequate antioxidants or anti-inflammatory nutrients injures muscles more easily or never achieves elite performance. On the other end of the spectrum someone with fibromyalgia injures themselves for the very same reasons – doing almost nothing while struggling just to get through the day. In between the two extremes is the bulk of unfit Americans who are prone to too much lactic acid and poor muscle function – something that is readily perceived simply by trying to touch your toes or going for a three mile jog. I formulated my multiple vitamin, Daily Energy Multiple Vitamin, specifically to help cells function better and make less lactic acid. I designed a booster product, Muscle Mag, which can help out any person seeking to exercise or whose muscles are struggling to perform. These two are the minimum I would use in a comprehensive detoxification support program for lactic acid management. Additionally, as desired, the use of Q10 is another great tool to help muscles make energy and less lactic acid. Those who are pushing muscle performance or struggling with muscle performance often need extra antioxidants to maintain optimal energy production and cellular protection. Daily Protector and Daily Super E are great choices.*
Lymph Function and StagnationThe fluid around all your cells is called lymph fluid. It moves waste products through various lymph channels and nodes which have two main outlets (thoracic ducts) on either side of your spine around the shoulder areas of your back. Pressure, stiffness, or pain building up in this region is a sign of lymphatic congestion. Your lymph is more active at night while it orchestrates housecleaning. If it is already sluggish the thoracic ducts can swell in the shoulder area and apply pressure to nerves that can make an arm or hand fall asleep while you are sleeping. Some people notice this happening when they move their lymph during exercise. A clogged lymph also causes headaches that start as pressure in the back of your neck and can make the top of your head, behind your sinuses, or whole head feel highly pressurized. Your lymph system is a pressure system that runs best on physical activity and movement. This is why weather fronts (pressure changes) can cause a flare up in lymph-related symptoms – and so can flying in an airplane. Stagnation (sitting all day) is a major problem. Any exercise helps. Building upper body strength over time can solve lymph problems of long duration (don’t push too hard if your shoulders are real tight – do lots of stretching instead). When your lymph is clogged your body looks for alternative ways to get rid of trash. Plan B is making mucous out of it. Lots of mucous in the morning is a sure sign of a problem. Regular drainage during the day or after eating a meal are other signs of trouble. Another strategy is to shunt toxins in the direction of your skin, which contributes to acne, dry skin, and other skin issues – especially from the chest or back on up to the neck and face. If your lymph is clogged then lactic acid and other inflammatory debris will accumulate in the fluid around cells and have no place to go, as the main plumbing outlets (thoracic ducts) are clogged or their trash clearing function is reduced below optimal levels. Pressure occurring more on the left shoulder/back area relates to digestion, both of your legs, and pressures on the left side of your head (including ear popping and ear ringing). Pressures on your right shoulder/back area relate to liver function, including pressures on the left side of your head. Many struggle with both sides. When children develop lymph congestion then their ears don’t drain properly as the pressure back up won’t let them – in turn causing various ear-related issues. In your body’s system of economy the lymph system is also used to absorb most dietary fat, which goes up the left side lymphatics. Some dietary fat is good for the lymph in that it helps move it along. Too much fat can cause a back up. This is why some children develop congested lymphatic systems from too much dairy. It is also why you notice mucous after eating. Eating before bed handicaps your lymph function by clogging it with too much to do. Diets too low in protein cause the lymph system to not have enough pressure to move your lymph very well at all. Stagnation is the enemy of your lymph system. Consistent exercise or activity at a level you can do is required for healthy lymph function. The natural house cleaners within your lymph system are called macrophages. Unfortunately, they have a temperamental union and when they have too much work to do they go on strike. Our Immune Plus product gets them off the picket line and back to work, which is why it is our number one lymph support product.*
How Your Liver Handles ToxinsThe toxic waste from cells heads through your lymph and towards two major thoracic ducts – which dump back into major veins that go to your liver for final toxin processing. If you inhale or ingest something toxic then the toxins enter your circulation and head directly to your liver. When your liver does a good job it is keeping your blood clean of trash – absolutely vital to your survival. If your liver cannot do its job well or has been inundated with too much work (toxic exposure, illness, etc), then toxic levels rise in your blood and this is considered a significant stress by your body as these toxins can irritate vital organs like your heart, brain, and kidneys as they remain in the circulation too long. This problem can make your lymph get congested because your blood simply cannot tolerate any more toxins coming into it that your liver can’t get rid of. Some people with sinus or digestive issues are constantly overworking their liver from toxic byproducts of imbalanced bacteria and Candida. It is like having their own internal brewery. Obvious problems include too much alcohol, smoking, street drugs, and the number of prescription medications a person is on. Typical liver-related toxic stress includes headaches (mostly on temples or sides of head), dry skin, nausea (especially in the morning), a poisoned or irritable feeling, dark circles or bags under the eyes, fluid retention under the skin (puffy or pitting skin), skin problems anywhere. Note: lymph skin problems are mostly from the shoulders up due to where pressure forces them – whereas the liver’s inability to clear toxins can cause skin problems anywhere on the body. If you get sick and after a few days you feel like you have been run over by a Mack truck then you know full well what an acute and intense toxic overload feels like. Many people struggle with much smaller versions of these toxic feelings on a daily basis. People with fibromyalgia actually feel sick without being sick when they try to do too much for their level of fitness and end up feeling too toxic. One response of your liver to toxic overload is to get the toxins as far away from your heart as possible – which means leave them in your toes (painful). Another solution is to stuff them into fat (discussed later). If you wake up in the morning and all your joints feel sore then it is often because toxins have settled in them during the night. As you get up and move around your body mechanically pumps them out of the joints. When your liver works better any of the above issues improve. Your liver uses a variety of enzymes to neutralize many toxins, often referred to as Phase 1 and Phase 2 detoxification pathways. Phase 1 relies on the family of cytochrome P450 enzymes. It requires antioxidants to work properly, as each toxin processed requires an antioxidant for proper neutralization. The most important liver antioxidant for Phase 1 function is glutathione peroxidase (GSH). P450 enzymes either deactivate a toxin directly or modify it so that other enzymes in the Phase 2 system can get rid of it. In Phase 2 small molecules are added to the toxin to help excrete it through the bile or urine, a process known as conjugation. This system requires energy (ATP) and a supply of the molecules to attach to the toxins in order to work properly.* I designed Daily Balancer to not only protect your liver but to support both Phase 1 and Phase 2 detoxification chores of your liver. It is by far our most popular product for liver health*
Digestive Function is VitalYour liver would like to place most of the trash it is trying to eliminate into your digestive tract by secreting it in the bile (and the bile in turn also helps you digest fat). In your body’s system of economy your digestive tract is both the kitchen and the restroom – an odd combination if you stop and think about it. Trash must move out smoothly or digestion of food doesn’t go so well. The most basic way to soak up toxins in a bulk manner is by having adequate dietary fiber. This creates a sponge affect – literally absorbing toxins and getting rid of them. Of course, constipation not only backs up the digestive tract it sends shock waves back through the entire detox system – stressing your liver, lymph, and cells. You need at least one bowel movement per day – two is better. Turkey Rhubarb is our top product for colon cleansing and moving your GI tract if it is sluggish. If the balance of flora within the digestive tract is out of whack (too much unfriendly bacteria or Candida) then several detoxification challenges result.
Here I provide you with some simple suggestions. Please see my Digestive Health page if you have significant digestive issues and need more guidance. Digestive processes must work relatively well for detoxification systems to perform in a reasonable manner.
Weight Loss and DetoxificationRandom fat sampling by our EPA shows that all Americans store fat-soluble toxins from common chemical exposures in their fat. This is a testament to the amount of pollution we face. Some of these like PCBs, which are proven to elevate in your blood as they are released from fat when you lose weight, can be quite toxic. You must be able to get toxins out of your system fully as you lose weight, otherwise your fat will simply not release them easily and you will struggle to lose weight past a certain point. I have observed many times that a key reason for rapid weight gain (25 to 50 pounds in a year) is that the person is toxic. This is a self defense mechanism wherein toxins are being stuffed into fat and gotten out of the circulation so as to protect vital organs from damage. Of course, with our understanding of leptin we come to realize that fat itself is a vital organ and so none of this toxic storage in fat is a good thing. Detox systems in general, as described in previous sections must all be working well or weight loss will be more difficult. Thus, if you known you have trouble in one or another of these areas then be sure to support it as you lose weight. Otherwise you will just feel really toxic, irritable, and grumpy as you struggle to lose weight. You’ll feel better when you eat too much, as your body will package up the toxins you aren’t getting rid of well and send them back to storage. You can’t lose weight that way. I generally recommend at least extra fiber for any person on a weight loss program because it is typical that fiber from other carbohydrate sources is reduced during a weight reduction dieting effort.* You may do quite well for a length of time on a diet and then run into a toxic layer of fat. Weight loss stops and you start feeling irritable – even though you haven’t changed what you are doing. This is typically the plateau that is 10-20 pounds down from where you first started your diet and 5-15 pounds or more from your goal weight. This is when extra Pantethine or Activator Plus can really help out. Find solutions that keep your detoxification systems on track and you can break through these difficult times and reach your goal weight.* Consult our Weight Management page for more information.
Tips for Those with FibromyalgiaOne of the nutritional challenges in trying to help people who are struggling with fibromyalgia is to help them get their natural detoxification systems in better working condition. A person with fibro will usually think they need every single product described in this section. In reality they just need to get started and see how they do. They can’t do to much too fast as their detox systems are too backed up in the first place. They are kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place – where doing nothing just lets toxic lymph stagnation build up and doing very little triggers lactic acid overload in their muscles. The way out of this mess is easy does it. The basic protocol of Daily Balancer, Immune Plus, and Fiber Helper (if sluggish/irritated bowels or dietary fiber is low) – as given at the beginning of this section, along with Muscle Mag, are the best products to start out on. More is not necessarily better. Try to find some improvement and as you improve then do more stretching and mild activity on a gradual basis. As your fitness improves your detoxification capacity will improve.* Some people feel so much better so fast they think they are “normal” again. This is not the case – so don’t do too much too fast just because you feel better or you will most likely have a setback. Pace yourself, as you improve your detoxification systems, then gradually improve your activity level. After a few months you truly can get to a better place – reflected in the number of quality hours in your day compared to when you started. Consult our Fibromyalgia page for more information. Tips for ChildrenInfants and children never feel good or look bright when they are too toxic. Stools tend to smell bad – and there is often constipation or diarrhea. Eyes have dark circles and/or the sparkle in the eyes is missing or dulled. Too much colic or other digestive irritation results in crying or discomfort. The biggest health issues for any infant or young child is evolving a healthy digestive terrain and properly functioning immune system. Gentle detoxification strategies are always best. As children get older they can do more and more of the tips in the above sections, as needed. The following are basics for children who don’t swallow vitamins yet.
Consult our Children’s Health page for more options. |
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