While January has come and passed, I know that with the start of the new year there are pledges abound to: lose weight, drop that terrible habit, drink less, exercise more, eat healthier, and so on. With these resolutions usually comes some sort of "detox" plan in the hopes that a week-long juice cleanse, for example, can undo all of the drinking and eating choices of the holiday past. The word detox gets thrown around so casually nowadays, often in reference to a clean eating or diet plan, that it makes me wonder whether or not people actually understand the true meaning of the word. In my practice, I take time to educate patients on their health conditions and the natural treatments available, as well as their mechanisms of action, so it makes perfect sense that for my first blog post to the women of the Happy Healthy Women community, I'd like to educate everyone on what precisely it means to detox, as well as when and why it is important for your health.
What is detox?
Detoxification is simply the process by which the liver - your body's detox specialist - neutralizes and prepares chemicals for excretion from the body. These chemicals can range from drugs (from pharmaceuticals to caffeine) to hormones, and many substances in between. Your liver uses several different pathways each with its own array of enzymes (which are essentially chemical converters) to process and eliminate a vast spectrum of different substances. This process occurs in two phases, so encouraging both phases of detox is important to fully rid the body of chemicals. When these pathways get clogged up, either through an overload of chemicals or from insufficient enzyme production (the former of which is more common), the detox process slows and a backlog occurs.
How do we hinder detox pathways?
Chemicals - from pharmaceuticals to sulfates, too many of these chemicals can overwhelm the liver and end up hanging out in other areas of the body.
Coffee and alcohol - these chemicals are processed by the same pathway that rids the body of excess estrogen.
Poor diet - many of these enzymes the liver uses to clean house are made up of proteins, vitamins and minerals, so eating a nutrient-dense diet is crucial to healthy liver function.
Not emptying the tank - if you don't eat well, you're hindering detox from both ends. Once the liver processes the chemicals, they must get shipped out of the body either through the digestive system or through the urinary tract, so being regular is important.
Who needs help detoxing?
While many people may not need to help their detox pathways along (after all, as I mentioned above your liver is taking care of detox 24/7 for you anyway), there are some circumstances where a dedicated, targeting approach to detox is useful. Here are some times when detox is important to address:
You use a lot of cosmetics - or even very basic personal hygiene products such as antiperspirant. Take it from someone who used to use clinical strength varieties of Secret or Speedstick - it was a shocker to me to learn that the aluminum used to block sweat glands is implicated in breast cancer. Other health and beauty products often contain parabens, which are shown to be estrogenic in nature and can also contribute to female cancer risk.
You live in an urban centre - from exhaust fumes to drinking water, high-density areas have more chemicals present and less natural spaces to help get rid of them. An analysis of urban street dust in Tianjing, China showed concerning levels of arsenic, chromium, cadmium and lead, and implicated these heavy metals in cancer risk.
You have energy issues/brain fog/chronic fatigue - certain chemicals in too large amounts in the body are associated with cognitive decline and other neurological symptoms. In the case you suspect heavy metal toxicity, this is something to be tested and addressed by a trusted health care provider.
You have menstrual irregularities/fertility trouble - an excess of estrogen can throw off a delicate balance of hormones that is crucial for proper reproductive function, and many things in our lives can interrupt this balance. Chemical exposure and diet are two of the many factors addressed in hormone concerns.
How can we support detox?
Before we introduce supplements that encourage the liver's detoxification processes from a biochemical perspective, I find in my practice that the best way to start is by keeping things simple. Certainly we can pull out the "big guns" in the form of herbs and nutrients that support liver function and detox enzymes, but establishing the fundamentals is not only easier and less costly, but usually sufficient and certainly effective.
Nix the java and booze - Sometimes, what you add to your regimen is not nearly as important as clearing away the habits that don't serve you. Did you know that it can take up to 18 hours for your liver to metabolize caffeine? So much for that morning cup of coffee not interfering with your sleep! As disappointing as it sounds, getting rid of coffee was one of the biggest game-changers for me. I slept better and had enough energy to wake up before my alarm clock - at 5am! Also, save the red wine for special occasions and not for the nightly wind-down routine as alcohol often increases estrogen which can result in weight gain and painful periods.
Drink water - With water comes increased elimination, both from the bowels and the kidneys, which are your liver's faithful detoxing companions. Going to the washroom on the regular is critical for getting rid of the by-products of detox that your liver so nicely took care of for you. I know there are many different arguments about just how much water to drink, and science still has not provided us with a satisfactory or definitive answer, so all I'm going to say is this: drink enough water to stave off the annoying symptoms of dehydration, such as headaches, constipation, and dry skin, and then add a little more water such that you feel good. Coffee and alcohol do not count, herbal tea does count. Drink more water if you work out.
Make a product swap - Switching out all of your bathroom products can seem very overwhelming, so just start with one. Begin with one item you use every day and give yourself time to get used to it. Toothpaste, body wash, deodorant, are just a few you may want to start with, and companies are getting better at letting you know which harmful chemicals are not in their products. Remember that you put this stuff on your body every day, so you want to make sure it's the best quality you can afford. Or, you can always make your own if you're resourceful - I made my own deodorant and put it through its paces at my CrossFit gym - it was no worse at holding back the BO than my regular antiperspirant.
Because of her knowledge on this topic, and her passion for health advocacy, Happy Healthy Women Founder Natalie Colalillo also distributes a great brand of personal care and cosmetic products from Arbonne International that are free of harmful toxins - get in touch with her to learn more.
Eliminate - Since chemicals are excreted from the body via urine and feces (and not sweat - sorry to disappoint the hot yoga crowd) you need to make sure you're going to the washroom regularly. If you don't have a daily bowel movement, usually you need more fibre and water in your diet, and exercise also helps move the digestive system along. However, if you still struggle with going to the washroom, there may be more happening than a lack of fibre, and investigating these issues with a trusted health care provider is a great plan.
Eat veggies - Here's the cool part: the sulphur-containing compounds in cruciferous vegetables (Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, spinach, cabbage, etc.) actually assist the liver's detoxification enzymes. Along with providing all-important fibre (which is way better quality than any Fibre One bar), green vegetables love your liver. One of the best pieces of advice I read from a doctor was to eat 1 pound of vegetables per day. In other words, if you are not eating vegetables as part of all of your meals, you need to add more. Hint: you can hide a lot of spinach in a smoothie before you begin to taste it; kale, not so much.
Incorporate one tip at a time and it will be much easier to implement than that resolution you planned back on January 1st. If you are struggling with any of the issues I mentioned above and/or you would like some guidance on a more involved detox, please seek a healthcare provider such as a naturopathic doctor who has training in environmental medicine. Have you ever tried a detox before? Did anything surprise you? Please feel free to share your experiences!
Dr. Hillary Webster
Naturopathic Doctor