The liver is totally amazing.
I wish I knew in my twenties what I know now… I would definitely have been kinder to it 💜
Your liver is one of your detox organs- detoxification in the liver is broken into two stages- known as Phase I and Phase Il pathways.
✨Phase I Liver Detoxification Pathway
Phase I liver detoxification is the first line of defense against toxins- essentially converting a toxic chemical into a less harmful chemical.
It consists of a group of enzymes known as the cytochrome P450 family. The enzymes help neutralize substances like alcohol and caffeine by converting these toxins into less harmful ones.
It does this through various chemical reactions such as oxidation (breaking down using oxygen), reduction (making smaller/less- usually with oxygen) and hydrolysis (breaking down using water). During this process free radicals are produced which, if excessive, can damage the liver cells.
Antioxidants (such as vitamin C and D) reduce the damage caused by these free radicals. If we don’t have enough antioxidants and toxin exposure is high, the toxic chemicals become far more dangerous.
Over exposure to chemicals like pesticides can disrupt the P-450 enzyme system by causing over activity and results in high levels of free radicals being produced.
If these free radicals are not further metabolised by Phase II they may cause damage to proteins, RNA, and DNA within the cell, of they are allowed to build up in the liver.
In Phase II liver detoxification, the liver works to ensure that those toxins do not build up, neutralising them for removal.
Things that may cause overactivity are:
•Caffeine
•Alcohol
•Dioxins
•Saturated fats
•Pesticides
•Paint and exhaust fumes-VOCs
•Barbiturates
✨Phase II Liver Detoxification Pathway
Phase II liver detoxification neutralizes the byproducts of Phase I liver detoxification and other remaining toxins. This is done by making the toxins water (conjugation)-soluble so they can be excreted from the body.
Glutathione, sulphate, and glycine are primarily responsible for this process. The liver cells add another substance to a toxic chemical or drug, to make it less harmful. This makes the toxin or drug water-soluble, so it can then be excreted from the body via watery fluids like bile and urine.
For this to happen the liver cells require sulphur-containing amino acids such as taurine and cysteine. The nutrients glycine, glutamine, choline and inositol are also required for efficient phase two detoxification
You can include the following in your diet to support your body system and cleansing action:
•Eggs
•Cruciferous vegetables
•Raw garlic
•Onions, leeks and shallots
Conjugation allows the liver to turn drugs, hormones and various toxins into water soluble excretable substances.
The detoxification enzymes produce low levels of glutathione, when the body is under high toxic stress it increases production of glutathione- the body’s master antioxidant.
You can include the following in your diet to support glutathione:
Asparagus
Avocado
Spinach
Broccoli,
FYI, food sources are poorly absorbed into the body. Digestive enzymes break it down before it can be absorbed. There is also no direct transport system for glutathione.
If the phase l and ll detoxification pathways become overloaded, toxins will build up. Many are fat soluble and incorporate themselves into fatty parts of the body where they may stay for years, if not for a lifetime- oftentimes when people lose a lot of weight they can become ill when these toxins are released.
Although glutathione is poorly absorbed, diet the body needs some building blocks to manufacture it, these include:
•Selenium
•Vitamin E
•Cruciferous vegetables
•Milk thistle, and
•N-acetyl cysteine.
Vitamin C is super important in liver detoxification pathways. It helps protect the detoxification enzymes, from oxidative damage. It’s tightly regulated- blood levels are mainly determined by vitamin C intake and kidney regulation.
You can include the following in your diet to support vitamin C:
•Cantaloupe anf honey dew melon
•Kiwi fruit
•Mango
•Citrus fruits
•Strawberries
The helps control your metabolism and has a number of functions;
•Glycogen storage
•Breakdown of red blood cells
•Plasma protein synthesis
•Hormone production
•Detoxification
•Bile production (aids in digestion through the emulsification of lipids)
This leads us to the waste removal and excretion phase. In this portion of detoxification, a healthy gut is essential!
If you have an imbalance of bacteria in the gut, the bad bacteria (E. Coli, Clostridium) can produce enzymes that unbind the Phase 2 compounds do they can’t be excreted. They are sent back to the liver to be re-processed… making us more toxic!
Detoxing is not just about cleansing, fasting, eating clean, or taking supplements- each of the 3 phases need to be working. Though we can support them through proper minerals, nutrients and antioxidants.
What should you do?
Well, you need a comprehensive plan of attack to address things.
You may need to adjust your lifestyle and require assistance with detoxification support and healthy elimination. Whatever your circumstances may be, rest assured there is a way to support it.
To enhance the detoxification pathways:
•Increase good water intake- my non- negotiable is my Berkey water filter with added fluoride filters.
•Look at the nutrients your putting in- you may need to address the nutrition part- ideally more organic fruit and vege, but this is quite individual. You need a nutritional plan.
•Fulvic acid- I can’t stress enough how much this helps and supports the body- I like Black oxygen fulvic powder.
•If you have heavy metal toxicity take a natural zeolite- I like PBX, the powdered version I don’t line do much.
•Support your lymphatic system and your gut with Amino Neurofrequency therapy to help with restoration and reduction of pain and inflammation.
•If you think you need tests- a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) can help here- I’ll post on this soon, but can arrange for it to be sent to your door
Here’s to health and wellness
💜✨
