The good news is that with a healthy diet, lifestyle, and supplements, you can restore and maintain optimal liver function.

DETOXIFICATION IS ESSENTIAL TO HEALTH

The Critical Role of the Liver in Detoxification and Inflammation Reduction

From a chemical perspective, much of what goes on in the body involves substances being broken down, built up, and turned from one thing into another. A good 80% of this involves detoxifying potentially harmful substances. Much of this is done by the liver, which represents a clearinghouse able to recognise millions of toxic chemicals and transform them into something harmless or prepare them for elimination. The liver is the chemical brain of the body — recycling, regenerating, and detoxifying in order to maintain your health.

As well as dealing with toxins from the food you eat or the air you breathe, your liver also has the crucial task of processing substances produced by the body's essential functions. Everyday processes such as energy production, food digestion, and tissue repair all contribute to the generation of toxins that the liver must neutralise and eliminate. For instance, the metabolic byproducts of digestion and the breakdown of old cells are examples of internally generated toxins that the liver must address to maintain health and vitality.

IDENTIFYING YOUR TOXIC LOAD: SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS TO WATCH FOR

What is your toxic load?

• Is more than half the food you eat not organic?
• Do you spend an hour or more a day in traffic?
• Do you live in a city?
• Do you smoke, or live with smokers?
• Do you often eat fried food?
• Do you eat non-organic meat or the flesh of large fish like tuna or swordfish?
• Is most of the food you eat or drink in contact with soft plastic or cling film?
• Do you take more than twenty painkillers in a year?
• Do you take at least one course of antibiotics each year?
• Do you have an alcoholic drink on most days?

Score 1 point for each ‘yes' answer. The ideal score is 0. A score of 5 or more means you are likely to be taking in a significant quantity of toxins. Any ‘yes' answer highlights areas in your diet and lifestyle that warrant attention. To counteract those you can't avoid (e.g., living in a city), ensure you have an adequate intake of detox supplements.

Detox Symptoms Quiz

• Do you often suffer from headaches or migraines?
• Do you sometimes have watery or itchy eyes or swollen, red, or sticky eyelids?
• Do you have dark circles under your eyes?
• Do you sometimes have itchy ears, earache, ear infection, drainage from the ears, or ringing in the ears?
• Do you often suffer from excessive mucus, a stuffy nose, or sinus problems?
• Do you suffer from acne, skin rashes, or hives?
• Do you sweat a lot and have a strong body odor?
• Do you sometimes have joint or muscle aches or pains?
• Do you find it hard to lose weight?
• Do you often suffer from frequent or urgent urination?
• Do you suffer from nausea or vomiting?
• Do you often have a bitter taste in your mouth or a furry tongue?
• Do you have a strong reaction to alcohol?
• Do you suffer from bloating?
• Does coffee leave you feeling jittery or unwell?

How do you score?

• 0-3 yes answers: You are unlikely to have a major problem with detoxification, but could nonetheless benefit from a short detox to spring-clean your body.
• 4-6 yes answers: You are beginning to show signs of poor detoxification and need to improve your detox potential by cleaning up your diet.
• 7 or more yes answers: Your body is complaining — you could seriously benefit by improving your detox potential and eliminating sources of toxins in your daily life.

ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS FOR EFFECTIVE DETOXIFICATION

Disarming Toxins

The liver detoxifies substances by reformatting them so that they become harmless. This process is called conjugation and it requires an adequate supply of nutrients to work effectively. These include antioxidants such as vitamin A, C, and E; foods that contain sulfur such as onions, garlic, and leeks; and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts). It's also important to ensure the body isn't too acidic, otherwise, it cannot detoxify as well. So, eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables will provide alkaline minerals as well as antioxidant nutrients.

Substances that interfere with proper liver function include caffeine, alcohol, recreational and medicinal drugs, the contraceptive pill and HRT, industrial pollutants, cigarette smoke, exhaust fumes, high-protein diets, fertilisers on the food we eat, paint fumes, saturated fat, steroid hormones, and charcoal-barbecued meat or fish. Needless to say, you should try to avoid as many of these as possible and minimize your exposure to the rest.

Detox Supplements

It is wise to make sure that your daily supplement program contains significant quantities of detoxifying antioxidants, especially if you are older, live in a polluted city, or have any other unavoidable exposure to oxidants (and also while following a detox regime). The easiest way to do this is by taking a comprehensive antioxidant supplement, in addition to a good multivitamin and mineral. Most reputable supplement companies produce formulas containing a combination of the following nutrients. The kind of total supplementary intake to aim for is:

• Vitamin A (retinol/beta-carotene): 1,000 mcgRE (3,333 IU) to 6,000 mcgRE (20,000 IU)
• Glutathione (reduced) or NAC: 25 mg to 75 mg
• Vitamin E: 66 mg (100 IU) to 330 mg (500 IU)
• Vitamin C: 1,000 to 3,000 mg
• CoQ10: 10 mg to 50 mg
• Lipoic acid: 10 mg to 50 mg
• Anthocyanidin source: 50 mg to 250 mg
• Or Resveratrol: 10 mg to 20 mg
• Selenium: 30 mcg to 100 mcg
• Zinc: 10 mg to 20 mg

These may come in part from a multivitamin and extra vitamin C.

There are several other supplements that really help boost your detoxification. MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) — a form of sulfur — is particularly helpful in supporting the liver. Aloe vera is also a great tonic for boosting the cleansing process in the digestive tract.

POOR DETOXIFICATION LEADS TO INFLAMMATION

If you suffer from any inflammatory condition — asthma, arthritis, eczema, dermatitis, or anything ending in ‘itis' — your body is sounding an alarm bell. Basically, your toxic load has overpowered your system. Inflammation is usually accompanied by pain or irritation, so most people end up taking drugs, perhaps starting with painkillers or steroids, then moving on to antibiotics when infections set in. The drugs treat the symptoms but not the cause — in fact, they usually aggravate the cause by irritating the gut and making the intestinal wall more leaky, which is what non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics do. This means that more garbage gets into the body, further overloading detoxification pathways (and also triggering food allergies). Many drugs, such as paracetamol, are toxins in their own right and severely tax the liver. The result is ever-increasing overload on body systems, attracting more serious diseases and infections.

NATURAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ALTERNATIVES TO PHARMACEUTICAL DRUGS

To avoid damage caused by pharmaceutical drugs, consider natural anti-inflammatory alternatives.

• Omega-3 fish oils — these are converted in the body to anti-inflammatory substances. In trials, these have been shown to reduce inflammation from eczema, asthma, and arthritis. An effective amount is the equivalent of 1 000 mg of EPA, DPA, and DHA a day, which means two or three capsules.
• Turmeric — this bright yellow spice contains the active compound curcumin, which has a variety of powerful anti-inflammatory actions. Trials in which it was given to arthritic patients have shown it to be similarly effective to anti-inflammatory drugs, without the side effects. You need about 500 mg, one to three times a day.
• Boswellia — derived from Frankincense, this plant is a very powerful natural anti-inflammatory agent that reduces joint swelling, restores and improves blood supply to inflamed joints, provides pain relief, increases mobility, and prevents or slows the breakdown of cartilage. Preparations are available in tablet and cream form — the ideal dose is 200 to 400 mg, one to three times a day; the creams are especially useful in the treatment of localised inflammation.
• Ashwagandha — this traditional Ayurvedic herb contains a powerful natural anti-inflammatory substance called withanolides that have been shown to be twice as effective as hydrocortisone. Try 1 000 mg a day of the root, providing 1.5% withanolides.
• IsoOxygene — one of the most effective natural painkillers of all is this extract from hops. It works just as well as painkilling drugs but without the associated gut problems. You need about 1 500 mg a day.
• Ginger — as well as being anti-inflammatory, ginger is also rich in antioxidants. Supplement 500 to 2 000 mg a day in tablet form, or eat a 1 cm slice of fresh ginger each day.
• Polyphenols — these antioxidant compounds are found in green tea, grape skins, and onions and are particularly rich in olives.
• MSM — this stands for methylsulfonylmethane and is a source of the essential mineral sulfur. Sulphur is involved in a multitude of key body functions, including pain control, inflammation, detoxification, and tissue building. Extraordinary results are starting to be reported in terms of pain relief and relief from arthritis, by supplementing around 3 g of MSM daily.

It's possible to find many of these nutrients combined into single formulas.

9-DAY DETOX PLAN: STEPS TO A HEALTHIER, LESS INFLAMED YOU

Throughout the centuries, health experts have extolled the value of spring-cleaning the body. In much the same way as you need time off sometimes to go on holiday, your body also benefits from a break from its work. This means stopping any foods or substances which increase your toxic load (e.g., alcohol, stimulants, refined foods) while increasing levels of all the nutrients which help your body heal and rejuvenate. Doing this once a year, for a week, can make a major difference to your energy levels.

1. Eat in abundance

• Fruits — the most beneficial fruits, with the highest detox potential, include fresh apricots, all types of berries, sweet melon/spanspek, citrus fruits, kiwis, papayas, peaches, mangoes, and red grapes.
• Vegetables — especially good for detoxification are artichokes, peppers, beetroot, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, red cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, kale, pumpkin, spinach, sweet potato, tomato, watercress, and bean and seed sprouts.

2. Eat in moderation

• Grains — brown rice, corn, millet, quinoa: not more than twice a day.
• Fish — salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, trout: not more than once a day.
• Oils — use extra-virgin olive oil for cooking and in place of butter, and cold-pressed seed oils for dressings.
• Nuts and seeds — one handful a day of raw, unsalted nuts and seeds should be included: choose from almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pecan nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and flax seeds.
• Potatoes and bananas — limit to one portion/one fruit every other day.

3. Avoid

• All wheat products — including bread, biscuits, cereals, pasta.
• Meat, eggs, and dairy produce (including milk, cheese, butter).
• Salt — and any foods containing it.
• Bad fats — fried foods and anything containing hydrogenated fats.
• Artificial additives — sweeteners, food additives, and preservatives.
• Dried fruit.

4. Begin your detox on the weekend or during a time when you don’t have too much going on.

5. Do some brisk exercise (e.g., walk or cycle) for at least 25 minutes every day, preferably in natural light.

6. Drink at least half a liter of water a day — purified, distilled, filtered, or bottled. You can also drink herbal teas or dandelion coffee (which is good for the liver).

7. Have half a liter of fruit or vegetable juice a day — for example, carrot and apple juice (you can buy these two separately and combine them with one-third water) with grated ginger, or fresh watermelon juice. The flesh of the watermelon is high in beta-carotene and vitamin C. The seeds are high in vitamin E and antioxidant minerals zinc and selenium. You can make a great antioxidant cocktail by blending the flesh and seeds in a blender.

8. Supplement with two multivitamins/minerals, 2 g of vitamin C, two antioxidant complexes, and 2 g of MSM every day. Also, have a shot glass of aloe vera juice.

Don't be surprised if you feel worse for a couple of days before you feel better. This is especially likely if you are eliminating foods to which you are allergic or upon which you are dependent.

Summary

Your body is constantly working to make safe all the toxins that you encounter and create from everyday functions such as breathing and digestion. Supporting your liver — the main organ of detoxification — is essential to good health.

• Aim to reduce the toxic load on your body by reducing your consumption of alcohol, caffeine, refined carbohydrates, and sugar.
• Also, avoid recreational drugs, medicinal drugs (when possible), cigarettes, and pollution, and eat organic where possible.
• Filter your drinking water.
• Increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables and consider supplementing with additional antioxidant nutrients.
• Once a year, do a week's detox program to give your body a break.
• If you suffer from an inflammatory condition, address the underlying cause and consider natural anti-inflammatories rather than drugs.

Editor's note: Other must-read detox articles include: Our Environment demands an Annual Detox, Detox Done Right – the purification process and Detox with the Docs

Source

From Patrick Holford's book, Optimum Nutrition Made Easy.