365 Ways #169–You are what you eat AND what you don’t ELIMINATE!

#169--After a recent post about the toxins which inundate our world, I was asked by several people to write a post about detoxification. So I hope this doesn't end up being too long or complex.

The liver goes through two phases of detoxification:
Phase 1 makes some toxins water-soluble so that it can then be excreted by the kidneys or transforms a toxic substance into a less toxic form so that it can be detoxified in Phase 2. Specific nutrients are necessary for Phase 1 to run smoothly. Among these are Vit C, many of the B vitamins, zinc, magnesium, copper, Glutathione (from brussel sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, walnuts, and avocado), and branched chain amino acids.
Phase 2 involves a process called conjugation where compounds are attached to a toxin to neutralize it or to make it water or bile soluble for easier excretion by the kidneys and intestines. In addition to the nutrients necessary for Phase 1, requirements for Phase 2 include glycine, molybdenum, iron, and more.

With all of the nutrition required to run our systems of detoxification, why is it that people feel like they need to fast to detox the body? If their diet consists of fast food, alcohol, and processed crap, then a fast will likely improve the level of health (after an initial and, perhaps, prolonged period of feeling worse). But if you're eating and drinking in a manner which actually supports health, you will better assist your systems of detoxification by following the below recommendations:

EXERCISE--movement helps pump the circulatory and lymph systems. Intensities should be low enough such that lactic acid production is minimized.
HYDRATE--1/2 your body weight in lbs in oz of water daily to help flush the body (this is the one time when distilled water is o.k. to drink as the lack of minerals in the water will help draw some of the toxins out of the body)
HYDROTHERAPY--hot shower for 3-5mins followed by 30s of COLD water on the head and kidneys performed 3 or 4 times.
MASSAGE THERAPY--passive "pumping" of the system while contributing to a parasympathetic (i.e. repair) state.
SAUNAS--passive method of increasing circulation and opening up the skin--the biggest organ of detoxification.
ENEMAS--coffee enemas especially help cleanse the colon and get the liver and gall bladder to work more effectively.
BREATHING--Deep diaphramatic breathing in through your nose (which contains turbinates that filter the air and stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system) and out through your mouth to help fill the bottom third of the lungs--the portion which often is filled with stagnant from lack of exchange.