Detoxification Demystified: How to Reduce Toxins
In light of the rising smoke index over these past weeks, I thought an article on detoxification seemed timely. As a naturopathic physician, I’ve come to respect the power of a good detox for my patient’s health, but also acknowledge how confusing the detox and health world can be. Throughout my ever-evolving adventure within the world of health detox, I have gotten myself lost down more than a few rabbit holes…and that’s with a medical degree! My goal in this article is to bring awareness and simplicity to the detox world so you can more easily navigate your health.
As humans, we inherently know that our bodies can house some unsavory characters in the form of toxins and that we feel better when we periodically clean house, so to peak. However, what is detox, really? What is a toxin? And how do you choose the right detox method for you?
Essentially, there are two steps that need to be taken with every detox protocol:
Reduce toxins in the body.
Reduce toxin exposure.
STEP 1: ELIMINATE TOXINS IN THE BODY
As a fundamental bodily function, detox is the removal or neutralization of toxins through various organ systems in the body. The top five organs that manage elimination are called the emunctories - they consist of the liver, kidneys, skin, colon, and lungs. Of those organs, the liver and kidneys are the organs that manage the bulk of detoxification. The liver oversees filtering out toxins from the blood and neutralizing them into less harmful substances that can then get filtered out of the body through the emunctories. A good percentage of toxins that the liver processes are what we call fat soluble (they travel through and store well in fat). The kidneys cannot eliminate a fat-soluble toxin because what we eliminate through the kidneys is primarily water (imagine mixing water with oil). So, the liver sends these toxins through two phases of detoxification, literally called phase one and phase two, to make the water soluble, ensuring the kidneys can easily filter them into the urine and out of the body.
When the body is exposed to excessive toxins or the emunctories are not functioning efficiently, health symptoms appear. Think of the body as a bucket holding toxins - if the bucket overflows, it does so in the form of symptoms and disease. The most common symptoms of excessive toxic exposure include: fatigue, memory loss and brain fog, headaches, sleep issues, anxiety, and depression. More serious diseases that have been linked to toxin exposure include cancer, autoimmune diseases (such as Hashimoto’s thyroid disease and lupus), and neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease). These are not uncommon symptoms or diseases, indicating a universal need to focus on supporting our body’s elimination processes.
STEP 2: REDUCE TOXIN EXPOSURE
To reduce exposure, you must know what to look for. So what is a toxin? The technical definition of a toxin is a poison produced by and organism that causes ill effects. If a toxin is synthetically made (like a chemical), it’s called a toxicant. For simplicity’s sake, I’m going to use “toxin” to indicate any substance, organic or synthetic, that can cause ill effects to the body. Toxins can be endogenous (coming from byproducts of functions within the body) or exogenous (coming from environment outside the body). Most folks have the goal of cleansing environmental toxins when they venture into a detox program, which is a great start. Endogenous toxins are a whole new bucket of worms best addressed by a detox savvy physician. However, if you support detox well with a cleanse that fits your individual needs, elimination of both endogenous and exogenous toxins will be supported to some degree. So, what are these exogenous toxins that we’re trying to get rid of?
Here are the top 5 toxins in the environment and how to easily reduce your exposure for better personal and planetary health:
1. Pesticides and Herbicides
Health risks: developmental delays, diabetes, peripheral artery disease, neurological dysfunction, impaired digestive abiliti8es, allergies, leaky gut, celiac disease, cancer.
Simple avoidance measures: eat organic, or at least follow the Clean 15 or Dirty Dozen recommendations from the Environmental Working Group. Avoid spraying those beautiful dandelions on your yard and home gardens.
2. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Solvents
VOCs are the chemicals that create the smell of paints and glues commonly used for home improvements.
Health risks: neurological damage, liver, kidney, and lung damage, cancer.
Simple avoidance measures: buy no or low VOC paints and glues, use an air mask and an air filter when use of VOC products can’t be avoided. Avoid synthetic indoor air “fresheners.”
3. Mold
Health risks: memory loss, difficulty concentrating, neurological damage, vertigo.
Simple avoidance measures: keep your living and work environments dry, take care of any water leaks or damage within 24 hours, run a quality HEPA air filter in your living and work spaces, consult a mold remediation specialist for proper, safe mold removal if mold is detected in your living space.
4. Heavy Metals
Health risks: heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, neurological dysfunction such as memory loss or Alzheimer's.
Simple avoidance measures: avoid/remove mercury dental amalgams, avoid/remove lead paint and water pipes from older buildings. Have your home’s drinking water tested and/or install a home water filter.
5. Plastic (even BPA free)
Health risks: heart disease, hypertension, breast cancer, endometriosis, obesity
Simple avoidance measures: avoid plastic packaging and bags by bringing your own reusable bags and choosing brands that use glass or cardboard packaging. Choose a glass or stainless steel water bottle and food containers.