The Liver Is your TOXIN Processing Factory
The liver is the second largest organ in the body, your skin being the largest.
Playing more than 500 roles in the body, its really important you feed yourself well and eat enough nutrients to support it. The liver can´t perform it’s jobs well if it’s not provided with the correct “fuel”.
It also struggles when it is overburdened with chemicals and can slow down metabolism or affect our health in numerous other ways.
Our body is designed to excrete toxins via skin, lungs, kidneys, digestive tract and the liver. They are all capable of performing the beautiful job of freeing us from these toxins – the challenge is when the load is higher than what they can handle.
Your liver serves as a sort of “weigh-station” for your blood – inspecting, separating, and processing the compounds floating around in your bloodstream.
Certain nutrients and compounds pass through while others are collected and processed into waste products.
To eliminate these toxins from the body, they have to be processed by the liver to become water-soluble. Our phase 1 detoxification pathway is the process of breaking down these fat-soluble toxins and Phase 2 makes them into water-soluble toxins for excretion (Phase 3)
In Phase One, the liver uses oxygen and enzymes to break up toxins from fat soluble compounds into water soluble ones so they can be more easily excreted from the body by the kidneys and the liver.
Most environmental toxins are fat-soluble to start with, and therefore difficult or impossible to eliminate without the liver’s help.
To support Phase 1 and Phase 2 consider the following:
- Stimulate bile with a tasty salad – Incorporate a side salad with your evening meal: Rocket, Watercress, Endive, Chicory, Radicchio, Lemon, Celery, Apple Cider Vinegar
- Help to push out stored toxins with sulphur-rich food Chicken, Brazil nuts, Haddock, Sardines, Cod, Egg, Almonds, Onion, Cabbage, Garlic, Chickpeas, Leek, Beans, Peas.
- Increase magnesium to aid relaxation Halibut, Almonds, Spinach, Oats, Black-eyed peas, Brown rice, Lentils, Avocado, Pinto beans.
- Increase Cysteine To support detox Egg yolk, Garlic, Onion, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Gluten Free oats, Sprouted lentils.
- Increase Methionine: Egg white, Whole egg, Sesame seeds, Brazil Nuts, Pinto beans, Brown rice.
- Folate (B9): Egg yolk, Dried beans, Lentils, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale, Cabbage, Bok choy.
- B12: Chicken, Fish, Eggs, Rainbow trout, Salmon, Haddock
- B6: Tuna, Turkey, Sweet potato, Sunflower seeds, Spinach.
SUPPLEMENTS to Support Detox
Even with the best efforts to eat organic, small amounts of pesticide residue can still sneak in. Supporting your body’s natural detox pathways can help reduce the overall toxic load. Here are some gentle, research-backed options to consider:
- Chlorella
This green algae binds to heavy metals and certain pesticides in the gut, helping the body safely eliminate them. Look for a cracked-cell wall version for better absorption. - Spirulina
Often used in conjunction with chlorella, spirulina is rich in antioxidants and nutrients that help neutralise toxins and support immune health. - Glutathione or NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine)
Glutathione is the body’s master antioxidant and plays a key role in detox. NAC helps the body produce more of it naturally. - Fibre
Soluble fibre from flaxseed, chia, psyllium, GF oats or apples can bind toxins and help sweep them out of the digestive tract. Aim to include a variety of fibres daily. - Stay Hydrated
Water supports kidney function and helps flush out toxins. Herbal teas like dandelion or nettle may also support natural detoxification.
