#3 How to Detox Your Body

Here’s the third topic of our article series, Food as Medicine. Let’s see how you can help your body’s natural mechanisms ward off and eliminate toxins.

WHEN YOUR BODY IS IRRITATED AND CONTAMINATED, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT IMMEDIATELY!

Your liver is an organ that’s a key player in your health and is your body’s “metabolic factory”. It’s also your biggest organ, in which most chemical reactions take place.

Besides playing a role in your digestion by producing bile (up to 1 liter per day!), producing several molecules (including cholesterol) and filtering out toxins to keep your blood clean, it’s also in charge of deactivating something called xenobiotics (literally the molecules that are foreign to life and “contaminate” your body so to speak, such as caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, medication, pollutants, pesticides and estrogen-progesterone… the list goes on and on.

LIFESAVERS FOR YOUR BODY: YOUR LIVER AND INTESTINES

To get rid of these molecules, first your liver will oxidize them, then solubilize them in order to carry them in the blood and finally eliminate them through your kidneys. Your intestines are also closely related to the liver circuit (also known as enterohepatic circulation). In fact, when there are too many contaminants or toxins in your body, your intestines can no longer effectively play their role as a barrier organ, which means that your liver has to work harder. And conversely, pushing your liver’s ability to detox to its limit will have serious consequences on intestinal function. It’s all interconnected.

There are many general symptoms that show that your liver has stopped detoxing effectively, either because there are too many toxins or because your liver doesn’t have the necessary nutrients: fatigue (especially in the morning), sleepiness after eating, migraines, nausea, heightened sense of smell, digestive problems, bad breath or a coated tongue.

USEFUL TIPS TO HELP YOU DETOX YOUR BODY

• Reduce the number of these toxins that you consume as much as possible, especially by eating an organic diet that includes little caffeine and alcohol (and sulfites, which are especially common in sweet white and sparkling wine). Likewise, make it a habit to keep your environment as low in pollutants as possible.
• Drink water! At least 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day that you can spice up with some herbal teas.

• Eat foods that are high in antioxidants and support liver and kidney function, such as artichokes, rosemary, black radishes, broccoli, cabbage, turnips with turmeric, watercress, dandelions, lemons and chicory (aka endives).
• Reduce your intake of foods that are high in sugar, saturated fat and powerful spices (including pepper).

After your body is detoxed and cleansed, find out in our next article how to optimize your mental wellness and build a stronger mindset! Stay tuned!