Detoxification is a natural, ongoing process that is essential for life. Here's how detoxification works:
Every time that we ingest an environmental toxin, for example, second-hand cigarette smoke, or a fine glass of pinot noir, our bodies must detoxify hundreds of chemicals in order to excrete them and rid them from our body system.
For the most part, detoxification occurs in the liver, by an elegantly efficient family of enzymes called the cytochrome P450 system. These specialized proteins bind toxins that might otherwise be harmful if they remained in our bodies for long periods of time. The P450 system, through a series of intricate biochemical pathways, processes the toxins for excretion, usually in the urine and in the bile.
For a number of reasons, the P450 system may begin to loose its effectiveness in several ways. When the toxic burden exceeds its capacity to keep up with the toxic load, toxins accumulate, mainly in fat cells. If the toxic burden continues and if our nutritional requirements (that is, vitamins and minerals) are not met, the P450 system cannot operate effectively, and these harmful toxins accumulate.
At some point, a threshold may be reached when the toxin begins to cause harm. This may be the genesis of a particular imbalance, which then leads to a particular illness.
There are many paths to detoxification. Of course, every patient will require a slightly different protocol, but there are a few generalizations.
The first step is diet modification. 60 to 70 percent of our immune system lies within our GI (gastrointestinal) tract, a system known by doctors as the GALT (gut associated lymphoid tissue). Over our lifetime, most of us have altered our native bacterial gut flora by taking prescribed antibiotics and by eating foods that may be irritating to the sensitive lining of our gut.
Furthermore, many people have latent food sensitivities. The milk protein, casein, and the grain protein, gluten, are the most common, but there are many others. This is one of the reasons that nutritional counseling is the cornerstone to all Whole Health & Healing recommendations.
One must understand a simple concept about our GI tract: Each of us has between three and four pounds of bacteria which live in our gut. We evolved to live in harmony with them. It's a dynamic, dependent relationship; we feed the gut bacteria and they help us.
A good example of this relationship is the production of the essential blood clotting protein, vitamin K. This vitamin is actually made by the bacteria within our gut so we can absorb it. Without Vitamin K, we might bleed to death from the trauma of a simple fall. This symbiotic relationship is vital to our wellness.
But when our gut flora is altered, for a number of reasons, the bacterial environment changes. Bacteria and yeast that once were present in a very low population with our gut can multiply. These once minor species of organisms can rapidly reproduce and produce toxins that irritate the gut and may directly, and indirectly, cause disease.
A well-known example of this is the bacteria, Clostridium difficile (C. dif, for short). You may know someone who had to take an antibiotic because they developed a diarrheal infection from taking their primary antibiotic. They likely had a C. dif.
Food is much more than simply a means to satisfy our hunger. All of the nutrition we need to sustain ourselves should come from our food. If all we eat are soda, donuts, and chips, we are soon going to deplete ourselves of the nutrients that are vital to sustaining our health and wellness.
Plus, industrial scale farming has so depleted the native soils, that there are no nutrients that the plant can absorb from the soil. Without the aid of artificial fertilizers, the plants could never thrive on the grossly depleted soils. This is why truly organic fruits and veggies are best. And that's why at Whole Health & Healing, we begin the detox process with the diet.
Another step in the detoxification process is the addition of nutritional supplements. Of course, we would love for everyone to eat an exclusively locally grown, whole food organic diet, but for many of us, that's not immediately possible. At Whole Health & Healing, we use only pharmaceutical grade herbs and supplements, tested by independent labs for ingredient content and purity. These supplements are available only from licensed physicians.
One of the reasons that initial detox supplementation is helpful is because it revs up the body's P450 system, enabling the enzymes to function at their maximal efficiency.
There are other detoxification options, too. Far infrared sauna and exercise regimens can augment the body's total detox process. So can fasting, massage and hydrotherapy. At Whole Health & Healing, we will work with you to initiate the detox protocol that is right for you.
The final word on detoxification should be patience. Every human on the planet has a certain toxic burden. It takes years to accumulate toxic burdens that upset our health balance. Consequently, it may take weeks or even months for you to fully detox your body. And it will be an ongoing process, requiring lifestyle changes that limit your toxic burden. But it can be done, and we at Whole Health & Healing would be pleased to help you do it.
Michael Geci-Black, MD
michael@wholehealthandhealing.com
607-434-4866