Detoxification

Despite all the successes in our modern age, our environment is toxic.  We all have toxicity issues and we all need to think about detoxification on a regular basis.  There is no end to detoxification; it’s something we need to think about for the rest of our lives.  Not only does our body have to detox from normal metabolic processes, we also have to detox from additional environmental toxins.  They are in the air we breathe, water we drink, food we eat, and even medication/medical devices that we have or have put in our bodies.  Additionally, there has been evidence that the air within some homes is more toxic than the air outside.

When you make an appointment with Dr. White, she will work to improve your body’s ability to detoxify.  Additionally it’s wise to make choices that reduce your own toxicity.  You can read about some ways to reduce this toxicity below as well as information about genetics and ways your body detoxifies.

Steps to Reduce Toxicity

Air

  • Buy an organic mattress.  These are mattresses that don’t use chemical fire retardants but use substances that are naturally fire retardant.
  • Install an air-filtration system in your home and change filters monthly.
  • Don’t use pesticides around your home.

Water

  • Drink filtered water (using the best filter you can afford).  Filters that remove arsenic tend to be the better filters.
  • Avoid drinking water and eating food stored in plastic containers.
  • Drink plenty of water (1/3-1/2 of your body weight in ounces of water per day).
  • Get a chlorine filter for your shower/bath.

Food

  • Eat organically grown vegetables, fruit, and grains
  • Eat a well-balanced diet and minimize animal products, which reduce metabolic waste.
  • Avoid foods high in saturated fat (animal fat).
  • Avoid eating foods you know you’re allergic.

Skin

  • Avoid aluminum-chlorohydrate and parafen ingredients in deodorants.
  • Avoid regular use of chlorinated/bromated swimming pools and hot tubs.

Medical

  • Remove and never have a dentist put in amalgam fillings (the silver fillings).
  • If you’re going to receive a vaccine, ask for the thimerosal-free version.  This is the best you can do to reduce your vaccine-caused toxicity.
  • Avoid chemical hormone treatment.
Genetics

Since 2013 there has been more interest in mapping one’s own genetics, and despite the fact that most information gleaned is not well understood yet, people are frequently showing up with genetic mutations in their detoxification systems.  A few of the known genetic mutations are:

  • MTHFR (methyltetrahydrofolate reductase) mutations
  • CBS (cystathionine beta synthase) mutations, which relate to transsulfuration and glutathionine synthesis
  • BHMT (betaine homocysteine methyltransferase) mutations
  • MTRR (methionine synthase reductase)/MTR (methionine synthase) mutations

Detoxification

Liver Phase 1 Detox

Fat-soluble toxins are transformed into intermediate compounds by the addition of oxygen, which can be more reactive than their fat-soluble toxins but they are in a prepared form for Phase 2 detox.  Without sufficient antioxidants (and phase 2 detox) these intermediate compounds can cause damage to the body.  The antioxidant systems the body has in place are superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione.

Liver Phase 2 Detox

Neutralization of these intermediate compounds is the job of Phase 2 detox.  It involves attaching small chemicals to the intermediate, oxidized compounds, which either neutralizes them or makes them water-soluble and ready for excretion.  This phase uses the pathways of glutathione conjugation, amino acid conjugation, methylation, sulfation/sulfoxidation, acetylation, and glucuronidation.

Excretion

Urine via the kidneys.
Bile/feces via the intestines.
Blood and lymph filtration through sweat via the sweat glands.

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