Liver and GUT Detoxification

Toxins and Detoxification

Toxins

Are chemicals that are toxic to the body and require to be neutralised and/or excreted. Sources can be:

Endotoxins – by-products from food digestion, waste products, toxins from microbial growth or death.
Xenochemicals, also called xenobiotics – externally derived toxic substances which are not found in the body natural chemistry.

Consequences are multiple, some examples:

Trigger inflammation
Disrupt cell DNA possibly leading to cancer
Produce free radicals damaging nearby tissues
Disrupt the immune system Interfere with endocrine (hormone) systems
In fact because of the wide spectrum of toxic exposure possibilities, the consequences are numerous, depending on the toxin type.

How are we protected

Many body areas have physical barriers, for example the skin, intestinal lining, lung lining cells, arterial endothelium (lining) and so on.
Immune system surveillance detects toxins and sets in place neutralising secretions or protecting cells to remove the toxin. For example the lymph nodes are usually clustered in locations where the risk is high such as the mouth and throat. Surrounding the intestines are ‘Peyer’s patches’ where approximately 70% of the body’s immune system is strategically located for protection.

What happens to toxins.

Some detailed understanding is needed because this will explain why certain tests are done and which treatments are relevant.
The aim is to remove the toxins via kidneys, bowel, lung or skin.
Certain toxins can be instantly neutralised by body defence systems, others have to go through the liver to be changed into a safer toxin and then made soluble enough to be excreted out through urine or intestines.
If not possible, then fat-soluble toxins as a last resort are stored in the body’s fat cells. This can be a problem when weight loss occurs as its released again. Some fat people feel unwell when losing weight.
Certain toxins can be stored in bones, like lead. Others have an affinity for specific tissues, for example lead to bone and brain, and mercury to brain, kidneys and nerve tissues.

Liver – the major detoxification filter

The liver is the prime detoxification organ. It literally filters the blood, removing waste and toxic substances. As mentioned, the object is to make the toxin more water soluble and less toxic before excreting it out.
Toxins are processed in several ways via:
Phase I pathway – essentially combines the raw toxin with a hydroxyl group by ‘hydrolysis, oxidation or reduction’. The resulting compounds are often very reactive and also toxic, in some cases more so; it is urgent that the liver gets rid of them quickly.
Phase II pathway – Now these reactive intermediate compounds need to be processed into water soluble compounds quickly. Unfortunately Phase II is more susceptible to defects, deficiencies and general hold-ups. Consequently a build up of as toxic compounds an result in typical unwellness when people detox. Especially if one fasts; here the lack of amino acids as well as other nutrients can aggravate matters.
Phase II pathway has at least 6 different biochemical ‘channels’ through which toxins, foreign chemicals, waste-products are processed. They compete for ‘processing time’. Sometimes one channel is being used maximally by one toxin and another can’t get processed so it builds up and becomes even more toxic.
Balancing is the key. Its better to have an efficient Phase II so it keeps up with demands from Phase I, and a not too excessive Phase I.
Some substances (foods, nutrients and medicinal’s) can inhibit or induce either of the Phases. This can be used for to support the liver.
A healthy, functioning liver is vital to any detox program. Full nutritional support is required. This is covered later.

Testing the Liver

Routine ‘Liver Function Tests’ by local laboratories do NOT measure liver function. They are abnormal when there is significant liver damage; enough to cause cell disruption and spillage of their internal enzymes into the blood. A bit too late! Liver function is currently reasonably assessed by determining the activity of Phase I and II. A special Liver Detoxification Profile test can be purchased easily.

Individuality

Some claim, “I’ve been spraying agricultural products all my life and I’ve never had a day off”, others say “I have a mouthful of mercury amalgam fillings and I’m nearly 70. I’m never sick!”. And so on. Genetically we are vary in how our genes ‘express’ or function. In other words, the human genetic blueprint contains all the instructions but whether they are carried out efficiently is a totally different thing from person to person depending on generational effects, environmental and nutritional influences.
Some people get sick within 3 months of spraying! Some who have multiple dental amalgam filling exposure over years can become tired, depressed, lose short term memory and become irritated easily.
Unfortunately, multiple toxins seem to amplify each other. For example, mercury is very toxic but in the presence of other heavy metals like cadmium or lead can be even more toxic.
So a lot of low dose accumulated toxins could be worse than one major toxin.

Toxin contributors

Xenobiotics (insecticides, herbicides, drugs, solvents, plastics and toxic metals)
Infection – toxin release, breakdown products
Biological toxins (aflatoxins from molds, lectins from foods, pollens, algae)
Physical (radiation, electromagnetic fields)
Poor lifestyle (alcohol, junk foods, additives, smoking, recreational drugs)

Affecting handling of toxins

Hormonal imbalances
Stress factors

Symptoms

Headaches
Muscle aches, weakness, twitching
Pins and needles, numbness, nerve pains
Poor immunity – infection prone
Infertility
Chemically sensitive – react easily to chemicals, fumes, perfumes etc
Fatigue
Mood problems – depression, anxiety
Concentration, memory issues
Anaemia, other blood disorders

Detoxification Method

No point in detoxing the liver if there is continued input of toxic materials or the gut is unhealthy.

Start with the Intestinal Tract

Pre-testing

Health history and questionnaire
Stool samples
DNA analysis of gut microbes.
Full blood workup
Hair analysis
Food Allergy IgG and IgE 100 foods test.
ALCAT food sensitivity profiling. Live blood.
Intestinal Permeability Test
Urinary Indican Test – may give evidence of gut bacterial dysbiosis (hence toxins) but not fungal or parasitic presence.
Liver Detox Profile (urine test)
ION test. A very comprehensive functional biochemistry profile (NEW)

Treatment Protocol – part 1

By now you will already be on a specific detoxing or ‘low antigenic’ or ‘low reactive diet’ we call the LRD

Treatment Protocol – part 2

One very successful protocol is called simply the WEED – SEED – FEED system. Here the first approach is to regain intestinal health, then work on the liver. It takes several weeks as detoxing must be done slowly.

Weed for identifying then removing allergic or intolerant foods, toxic gut bacteria, parasites and fungae
Seed for replacing with friendly bacteria species – correcting the ‘dysbiosis’.
Feed for supplements and nutrients to assist repairing gut lining and liver cells.
Liver Detoxification Support

Gut – Liver Detoxification