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Note from Jim LaValle
Bowel Cleanses Do Not Equal Detox
In recent years I have seen a huge resurgence in detoxification
as a way to be healthier, and somehow bowel cleansing has become synonymous
with detoxifying.
If you have ever done a bowel cleanse, you know they typically
involve spending a whole lot of time on the toilet. That whole process of
elimination may make you feel better or not, but are you accomplishing your true goal and do you even
know what that is? Many people
choose to do "cleanses" just because they're the "in" thing or they've heard
that it's the only way to de-gunk their intestines and that it can help with
weight loss. Really, there's no
science behind most of these cleanses and they can leave your body dehydrated,
your bowels irritated and perhaps worse-off than you were in the first
place!
But more importantly, many bowel-cleansing programs do almost
nothing to truly enhance the body's detoxification systems. And detoxification is an important step to take for
good health.
Some medical professionals believe our bodies are totally
equipped to deal with toxins and that efforts to enhance detox are not
needed. But I disagree. I believe that the drastically
increased numbers of chemicals our bodies are exposed to today via air, water,
foods, personal care products, cleaners and more can quickly max out what the
body can keep up with, especially when you factor in things like medications
and other substances we use like alcohol and caffeine that can challenge the
detox pathways of the liver.
And years of clinical experience has shown me that, when done
right, taking measures to help improve the natural detoxification process of
the body can measurably help people with their health. In fact, I believe that detox
enhancements may one day be viewed as necessary for chronic disease prevention.
This month's article will help you understand the why's and how's so read on!
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How to Do a Real Detox
So why detox? To
avoid major health catastrophes. Today the medical literature is proving just
how much environmental toxins can disrupt the metabolism of the body and are
involved in many chronic diseases.
Lead is linked to hypertension, heart disease and
osteoporosis. Mercury is a
neurotoxin and it disrupts immune and thyroid function. Certain pesticides are now known to
cause insulin resistance and are linked with diabetes. And several environmental toxins are
linked with cancer, ADD and ADHD, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease, and are
even linked to criminal behavior.
Here are some of the ways in which toxins can contribute to poor
health and chronic disease. Heavy
metals produce free radicals--highly reactive molecules that damage cell
membranes and DNA.(1,2) Mercury is so disruptive to fetal brain development that the US
government issues warnings to pregnant women to limit mercury-laden fish
consumption.(3) Heavy
metals also displace nutrients such as iron, calcium and magnesium, zinc, and
selenium by binding to their receptor sites thus interfering with what that
nutrient was supposed to do. For
example, lead displaces iron and so it has been linked with poor oxygen
delivery to cells. In children
this leads to an ability to think clearly and concentrate. When calcium is displaced, it causes
osteoporosis. When selenium is
displaced it compromises important detox enzymes and can reduce activation of
thyroid hormones.
Pesticides have a strong link to insulin resistance and low
thyroid function.(4,5) Many are classified as xenoestrogens--chemicals with an estrogen-like
effect in the body and thus are related to hormonal-linked cancers, sex
determination, fertility, and reproduction. Plastic chemicals such as BPA have
a strong affinity for human estrogen receptors and can interfere with hormonal
balance possibly affecting the development of the fetal nervous system.(6)
BPA is also linked with insulin resistance and may alter brain function and
mood.
So what can you do to help prevent these problems? With things like BPA, it is important
to avoid exposure as much as possible, looking for BPA free plastic
products. However, for
unavoidable exposures, to get the best cleanse possible, a course in Detox 101
is in order. It's important to
know which part of the body is doing this work so that the right area gets
addressed--after all, if you wanted to change the oil in your car, you wouldn't
start with the exhaust system, would you? The main organ of detoxification is
the liver and not the colon, so that is the main organ to support! Other organs of elimination including
the kidneys, lungs, skin and lymph and can also be addressed in a detox
protocol. So let's start with the
liver, the "big gun" of detoxification.
The liver detoxifies in two phases.
Phase I is made up of a
network of over 50 enzymes, called cytochrome P450 enzymes, each of which
require certain nutrients. Phase I
enzymes make toxins more water-soluble by oxidizing them. The substances produced by Phase I
detox are called intermediates and they await further processing by Phase 2
detoxification. Phase I enzymes
create a lot of free radicals, which can cause much damage if the body doesn't
have enough antioxidant supplies to neutralize them.
In Phase 2, Phase 1 intermediates are bound with compounds that
allow final elimination from the body via bile or urine; these are called the
conjugation pathways. There are several things that can limit them including a
lack of the compounds that are bound to the intermediates, like sulfur and
glutathione. In addition, some
prescription or over the counter drugs like ibuprofen can, in effect, hog up
glutathione slowing down Phase 2 detox.
The most important thing is that the body gets plenty of
substances that support both detox phases. But the balance of Phase I and 2 is also extremely
important, primarily because many Phase I intermediates are even more toxic
than the original substances. So you don't want them building up. People who have an imbalance in Phase 1
and Phase 2 detox can develop real problems. It can cause them to feel ill and they may have
bad or unusual reactions to medications or supplements, extreme sensitivity to
caffeine and/or multiple chemical sensitivities. This is called being a "pathological (slow)
detoxifier.
Many people think that fasting actually helps detoxification,
but in reality it slows down the cytochrome P450 enzymes. Grapefruit juice is another inhibitor
of phase I enzymes and medication labels warn us not to consume it with certain
medications because doing so can cause unintentional drug overdose.(7)
Both phases of liver detox use many nutrients and compounds,
which we can get from foods. For
example, limonene from lemons and sulfur from vegetables like onions, garlic,
broccoli, leeks all help with Phase 2 detoxification. Eating foods high in glutathione, like watermelon, walnuts
and asparagus supports Phase 2 detox. The herb cilantro has also been shown to
help detoxify mercury from the body, so it is great to try to eat it
regularly. And supporting detox is
the biggest reason we at LMI recommend eating organic foods - it is a way to
reduce the amount of pesticides your body will have to deal with.
So how do you best support detox in the body? Eat organic foods as much as possible
and eat a diet high in the foods that contain detox nutrients mentioned
above. Keeping your intestinal
lining in good health is also important; the most important measure to take is
to prevent yeast overgrowth. These organisms produce their own toxins, which
damage the intestinal cells and break down that barrier that keeps many toxins
from entering the bloodstream to begin with. You can do this by taking a good probiotic, eating fermented
foods such as sauerkraut and goat's milk kefir, and eating a low sugar high
fiber diet.
Besides diet and supplements, we can support other organs of
detox including skin, lungs, and kidneys. Skin brushing can aid detox through the skin. In addition working up a good sweat with regular daily
exercise and/or saunas can help with the elimination of toxins that store up in
fat cells. It's also important to drink plenty of water. And finally, we recommend using
supplements that support detox by supplying more of the raw materials that
support detox pathways in the liver. A few key supplements that have studies to prove their ability to
support detox and which can be taken on a daily basis are: aged garlic,
sulforaphane (SGS), milk thistle, alpha lipoic acid and selenium. N-acetyl
cysteine is another which replenishes glutathione in the liver and kidneys.
Colon cleanses may be somewhat helpful for detox in people who
are chronically constipated, because the longer pesticide residues or other toxins from foods stay in our
intestinal tract, the more potential for toxins to be absorbed. However, herbal laxatives are not a
long-term solution. Probiotics and
magnesium along with increased water, fiber and exercise are usually the answer
to chronic constipation.
These are easy measures, but they are REAL ways you can help
your body detoxify.
References:
1.Galanis A, et al. Metal-induced
carcinogenesis, oxidative stress and hypoxia signalling. Mutat Res. 2008
Oct 30 [Epub ahead of print.]
2.Flora S. et al. Heavy
metal induced oxidative stress & its possible reversal by chelation
therapy.Indian J
Med Res. 2008 Oct; 128(4):501-23
3.Centers for Disease Control (CDC). www.CDC.gov/niosh/topics/arsenic/
4.Lee DH, et al.Relationship
between serum concentrations of persistent organic pollutants and the
prevalence of metabolic syndrome among non-diabetic adults: results from the
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2002. Diabetologia. 2007.
Sep;50(9):1841-51. Epub 2007 Jul 12.
5.Santini F, et al. Thyroid
function and exposure to styrene. Thyroid. 2008 Oct; 18(10):1065-9.
6.Okada H, et al. Direct
evidence revealing structural elements essential for the high binding ability
of bisphenol A to human estrogen-related receptor-gamma.Environ Health Perspect. Jan
2008.116(1):32-38.
7.Uesawa Y, et al. Drug
interaction potentials among different brands of grapefruit juice. Pharmazie. 2008;
Feb;63(2):144-6
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Greetings!
Welcome. We hope you find our new newsletter a valuable source of information that will help you in your journey to improved health and well-being. For further information we invite you to visit the LaValle Metabolic Institute.
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The LaValle Metabolic Institute is an interdisciplinary healthcare facility utilizing expertise from an experienced staff of medical doctors, registered nurses, registered dieticians, and a clinical pharmacist that uncover metabolic disruptions and reccommend proven therapies which improve our patients' health and well-being.
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Factors Affecting Liver Detox Phases
Factors that Speed Up
Phase I (not always desirable)
Alcohol, Caffeine, Nicotine
Herbs -
St.
Johns's Wort, Schisandra,
Drugs -
Sulfa Drugs, Steroids,
Barbituates
Factors that Slow Down Phase I (not desirable)
Prescription
Drugs
-Antidepressants
-Antihistamines
-H2 Blockers
Trans
Fats, Oral Contraceptives, Grapefruit juice, Iron Overload.
Factors that Speed Up Phase II (always
desirable)
Sulfur-containing foods
-Cruciferous
vegetables
-Garlic
-Onions
-Leeks
High cysteine
proteins
-Whey
-Eggs
Limonene (from lemons), Milk thistle
Factors that Slow Down Phase II (never
desirable)
Low protein diets,
Non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs,
Increased demand.
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L Dtox provides support for proper liver functioning and elimination of chemicals.
Antioxidant liver protection from oxidative stress due to free radical
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