What is a Liver and Kidney Cleanse?
This is the third article of our 4 week article series covering the topic of Detoxification. To read the previous article, please click here. At the end of this series, we will launch a 6 week program detailing all the steps you can follow to complete a full body detoxification.
When considering a full body cleanse it is important to focus on all the major organs involved in detoxification. The liver and kidneys are our natural healers and greatly assist in daily cleansing. It is crucial that we look after these organs to enhance long term wellness and give our cleansing organs the best opportunity to keep our blood and body clean and clear of toxin accumulation. This article gives insight into why we must take care of these key organs.
What is the liver?
The liver plays an essential role in all metabolic processes in the body. It is involved in fat, carbohydrate & protein metabolism. It is one of the largest organs in the body and it's most important metabolic functions involve converting nutrients into energy & removing toxic substances from the blood stream. The liver plays an important role in detoxifying the body and also stores some essential vitamins such as Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin D & Vitamin K.
Some of the main factors that affect liver health are toxins such as
- metabolic end products
- micro organisms
- contaminants/pollutants
- insecticides
- pesticides
- food additives
- drugs
- alcohol
Because the liver is so large, a significant amount of liver tissue needs to be damaged before a person experiences symptoms of disease. Symptoms may also depend on the type of liver disease. Some of the most common symptoms are; nausea and vomiting associated with gall stones, jaundice (yellow / orange hint to the skin because the liver cannot metabolise bilirubin), bruise easily or bleed excessively because the liver is unable to manufacture blood clotting, fatigue, weakness, weight loss & shortness of breath linked to muscle wasting due to the inability of the liver to manufacture proteins, acid re-flux and heartburn, excessive sweating and high blood pressure.
Good health is dependent on how well the body removes and purges toxins from your system. One of the main pathways that the body uses to get rid of toxins is through the liver. When the liver is not functioning properly, we cannot digest food properly, especially fats which will effect your ability to lose weight.
How does the liver work?
There are two major detoxification pathways inside the liver cells, which are called the Phase 1 and Phase 2 detoxification pathways. Phase 1 is a pathway that converts a toxic chemical into a less harmful chemical. This process creates free radicals inside the liver cells which if excessive can be harmful to the liver cells. Essential nutrients such as B3, B6, B12, Folic acid, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, Calcium Vitamin E, Citrus bioflavonoids, Milk thistle, Quercetin and N acetyl cysteine are all required for Phase 1 pathway. Most of these nutrients must be in the diet as they are not stored in the body.
The activity of Phase I detoxification enzymes decreases as we age. Blood flow through the liver also decreases as we age, further aggravating the problem of effective detoxification. Lack of physical activity necessary for good circulation, combined with the poor nutrition commonly seen in the elderly, can add up to a significant impairment of detoxification capacity, which is typically found in ageing individuals.
The Phase 2 process is known as the conjugation pathway. In Phase 2 the liver cells add another substance (eg. cysteine, glycine or a sulphur molecule) 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 such as bile or urine. This requires a different combination of nutrients including amino acids L-Glutamine, Glycine, L-Lysine HCL, L-Carnitine, Taurine, Calcium d-glucarate, MSM, N Acetyl cysteine and Cruciferous vegetables (sulphur containing compounds).
To best understand liver detox we must understand how to assist in Phase 1 and Phase 2 pathways. Some substances can actually make toxins more harmful as they alter enzymes inside the liver.
How can I detoxify my liver?
- Grapefruit - Grapefruit juice decreases the rate of elimination of drugs from the blood and has been found to substantially alter their clinical activity and toxicity. Eight ounces of grapefruit juice contains enough of the flavonoid naringenin to decrease cytochrome P450 activity by a remarkable 30%.
- Curcumin - Curcumin, the compound that gives turmeric its yellow colour, is interesting because it inhibits Phase I while stimulating Phase 2. This effect can be very useful in preventing certain types of cancer. Curcumin has been found to inhibit carcinogens, such as benzopyrene (found in grilled meat), from inducing cancer in several animal models.
- Bitter herbs - Bitter herbs are essential in herbal medicine. A range of physiological responses occur following stimulation of the bitter receptors of the tongue. The bitter taste stimulates the specific bitter taste buds at the back of the tongue to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system to trigger a number of reflexes. These reflexes are important to the digestive process and general health. Raw vegetable juices can be very effective for getting some of these nutrients in effectively. Drinking regular small glasses of warm filtered water with fresh lemon juice is a very effective and simple strategy to assist with liver cleansing.
- Sulphur containing foods and amino acids stimulate phase II detoxification - For efficient Phase 2 detoxification, 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. Foods such eggs and cruciferous vegetables (eg. broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower), raw garlic, onions, leeks and shallots are all good sources of natural sulphur compounds to enhance phase two detoxification. Thus, these foods can be considered to have a cleansing action. An essential amino acid supplement could be used here too.
What are the kidneys?
The kidneys play a major role in maintaining your general health and well-being. Think of them as a very complex, environmentally friendly, waste disposal system. They sort non-recyclable waste from recyclable waste, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, while also cleaning your blood. Many people suggest that following a 'detox' is not necessary as our bodies are capable of doing this automatically without our support. Whilst this is true inside a healthy human with optimal health, many of us live lifestyles that weaken our innate ability to detox as well as we should be. This is why we see this as like taking your car to be serviced, this is your annual body service.
Most people are born with two kidneys, each one about the size of an adult fist, bean-shaped and weighing around 150 grams each. The kidneys are located at both sides of your backbone, just under the rib cage or above the small of your back. They are protected from injury by a large padding of fat, your lower ribs and several muscles.
Your blood supply circulates through the kidneys about 12 times every hour. Each day your kidneys process around 200 litres of blood. The kidneys make urine from excess fluid and unwanted chemicals or waste in your blood.
Urine flows down through narrow tubes called ureters to the bladder where it is stored. When you feel the need to wee, the urine passes out of your body through a tube called the urethra. Around one to two litres of waste leave your body each day as urine.
Things like severe dehydration, over the counter pain killers, high blood pressure, high sugar diets, and infections may all affect your kidney function.
When the kidneys are not performing well, you may experience reduced amounts of urine, swelling of the legs or feet, excessive drowsiness, fatigue, pain or pressure in your chest.
What techniques can I use to detox the kidneys?
Flushing the kidneys is a simple process, and most cleanses don’t require a large amount of ingredients to work. Simply drinking plenty of purified water is the first step toward an effective flush. Water, however, only provides hydration. Lemon, Cranberry and Beet juice are very effective kidney cleanse drinks. You can also make a blend of fresh ingredients including vegetables like celery, cucumber, zucchini, lettuce, carrots, kale, and spinach which are all great for juicing. For fruits, try apples, peeled oranges, pears, pineapple, and peaches.
There are also some really nice herbal teas and soups that you can have which will be shared in the program at the end. So make sure you download the program from the website to get all these recipes.
Want to learn more about detoxification?
During the next 2 weeks, we will be sharing articles covering practices to eliminate harmful organisms that can be at the root cause of disease. At the end of this series, remember we will launch a downloadable free 6 week program to help you get back to better health for 2018.
If you know someone who suffers with liver or kidney issues please share this article with them and encourage them to follow the upcoming program.
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