Happy weekend to you all. I mentioned glutathione yesterday, which is such an important antioxidant and often gets depleted. However, there are ways in which we can support glutathione and therefore our detoxification processes:
Supporting glutathione levels
Glutathione is a peptide made up of the amino acids, glutamic acid, cysteine, and glycine. It is found in all tissues and is involved in detoxification, immune system health, oxidative stress management, cell death, and the ageing processes.
Although glutathione is found in the body and is produced and recycled for its various roles, we do not have an endless supply of support and some of us have poor levels due to genetic variations/age.
Toxic overload and oxidative stress (e.g., from metal exposure), may strain production or use up glutathione levels, especially if nutrition is inadequate and stress levels are left unmanaged. To optimise glutathione levels, nutritional support for glutathione is imperative, as is stress management.
Supportive nutrition includes sufficient sources of cysteine (e.g., sulphur rich foods) and glycine. In the case of cysteine, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is often recommended as a supplement and has been used in instances of metal toxicity. Consuming plentiful protein is also recommended to supply these amino acids.
Modulating stress responses through meditation or supplementation (e.g., adaptogens) may help support glutathione stores
Encouraging healthy methylation
In an earlier post, you would have seen the term methylation pop up:
Methylation is a biochemical process which supports DNA, neurotransmitters, hormones, and immune cells synthesis and is one route of detoxification.
While genetics influence methylation, toxic metals may also affect how well an individual methylates. If methylation is not happening properly, individuals may face several health challenges.
Supporting methylation by supplying the body with the nutrients that are supportive for this process is an important step to ensure proper functioning. These nutrients include methionine (poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, spirulina, soybeans, and teff), vitamin B6 (pistachios, garlic, whole grain rice, seeds, legumes), vitamin B12 (organ meats (chicken liver?), poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs), folate (legumes, liver meat, nuts, seeds, spinach, asparagus, mustard greens, avocado), magnesium (pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, legumes, Brazil nuts, almonds, whole grain rice), and betaine (quinoa, beets, spinach, whole grain rice, sweet potatoes, meats, poultry).
Lastly, a healthy gut microbiome is important for methylation. Therefore, it is recommended that fermented foods (kimchi, sauerkraut, water kefir), probiotics, and prebiotic-rich foods (leeks, onions, garlic, asparagus, Jerusalem artichokes) be consumed.
Sweating
Finally, sweating is an easy, safe, and effective way to excrete toxic metals. A study showed that sweat is the preferential excretion pathway for toxic elements. While sauna sweating is effective, sweating during strenuous exercise may be more effective at eliminating toxic metals. One study found that dynamic exercise excreted more toxic metals than only sitting in a sauna. Nonetheless, sweating is an effective protocol for ridding the body of toxic metals.
Final word
The burden of toxic metals is difficult to avoid in modern society. The best strategy is to establish habits and routines centered around avoiding toxic metal exposures and supporting the body’s detoxification processes.
Are you managing to incorporate some of these daily?
Which ones may you be struggling with?
