When digging deeper to uncover why you may not be moving forward with your health goals, looking at hormone levels and how well the body detoxifies is crucial. One way the body helps maintain hormonal balance is through detoxifying actions in the liver and gut. The hormone estrogen, for example, is metabolized (broken down) in the liver and then sent to the intestines for excretion from the body.
Excess hormones, however, are not the only substances the body regularly rids itself of! Many of us are routinely exposed to toxins, like food additives, pollutants, pesticides, and more. While there are a variety of detox support tools available, like dry brushing and saunas, your body’s ability to detoxify correctly depends on many factors, including your overall level of toxin exposure and the health of your gut microbiome.
Signs your body detox systems need some love
Fluid retention
The body may hold onto extra fluid due to lymphatic system stasis. When you eat food, the body excretes waste, and the waste enters the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system does not have a pump like the heart does, it moves through movement (massage, rebounding, diaphragmatic breathing). With a sedentary lifestyle and lack of lymph drainage, waste will remain stagnant and cause the body to retain fluid to dilute the waste sitting around the cells (protection mechanism).
Skin inflammation and breakouts
The predomination elimination pathways for waste are the bowels and the urinary system. The liver is tied particularly to digestion and the kidneys to the urinary system. When these systems are overburdened or not working properly the skin compensates to eliminate waste.
Waking up consistently between 2-4 am
Especially waking up hot. This is a classic sign that our liver needs support.
Low energy
Toxins and waste build-up can cause the mitochondria to undergo dysfunction, which leads to fatigue.
New, sudden irritability
Liver congestion and liver distress show in the emotion of anger in Chinese medicine.
Cellulite
This can occur when detox mechanisms can’t keep up with the load. Waste cannot stay in the blood (dangerous to the body), especially near the torso where vital organs sit. The body moves the waste somewhere safe, mainly the tops of the thighs.
Other signs that may be present
Extreme cravings
Constipation and/or diarrhea
Not hungry for breakfast
Increase in body fat for no other reason
Lumpy breasts that swell with cycle
PMS
Body systems for detoxification
Digestion
The digestive system greatly impacts energy, sleep, hormone balance, and the ability to use fat fuel. So it is important that we learn how to support this.
Digestion begins in the mouth. Chew very well, and be present during meals to avoid malabsorption and too large of particles to enter the stomach. After food is chewed, we swallow and it travels through the esophagus and into the stomach.
Our stomach is the size of an unclenched fist when it is empty so we don't need to eat much to fill it. When food enters, it sits for 30 minutes before it is digested. The stomach muscles begin to move and acid breaks down what the chewing didn’t.
Digestion hack: Our stomach pH is about 1.9. Water has a pH of 7 or greater. We do not want to drink water with meals because we need to keep the stomach acidic to stimulate digestion. Drink water in between meals not with meals. You can stimulate digestion (increase acidity) before meals by drinking lemon juice in warm water or apple cider vinegar.
Next, the broken-down food moves to the small intestine where nutrients get absorbed into the bloodstream - CRITICAL. Vitamin B12 and alcohol are absorbed directly in the stomach and into our blood (within 5 minutes).
Food continues to be broken down by enzymes with help from the pancreas. It moves into large intestine via ileocecal valve. Then the bacteria in the large intestine ferments what’s still left of the food. The large intestine holds 6-9 pounds of bacteria!!
Bloating. Bacteria like small particles (from chewing adequately), if very large particles of foods are present at this stage, their fermentation will cause excess gas and bloat (not normal). Holding onto the gas, and not releasing farts, especially in women, causes excess bloating and interferes with a woman’s psychology. To fix this, we must look at upper digestion- chewing better, more acidity, and more absorption in the small intestine.
Tips to support your digestion
Digestive enzymes or apple cider vinegar before meals
Eat mindfully
3 deep breaths and gratitude before meals
Chew slowly
Ensure daily bowel movements
Avoid drinking ice cold water before meals
Liver detoxification
Phase I and phase II enzyme systems
There is one road into the liver (phase I) and 5 roads out of the liver (phase II). Phase I changes the substance into less harmful substances via antioxidant defense mechanisms. Phase II pathways can get congested due to toxin load. For example: the body prioritizes alcohol detoxification over normal cellular detoxification (cholesterol/hormones).
Liver congestion and recycling
During cholesterol excretion, it gets broken down during stage I and then moves to stage II. If stage II is congested, the pathways don’t open up and the cholesterol can’t hang out in the middle of the liver because more things are coming in via stage I. So it gets recycled. Overtime, this congestion causes the liver cells get replaced by fat globules -> Non -Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).
Liver cells get so overworked they don't replicate and replace themselves anymore, their fat buddies fill in. Fatty liver was only seen in alcoholics but now we have NAFLD even in teenagers and sober people.
This is mostly due to processed food consumption. Even in short periods of time.
Additionally, this recycling causes cholesterol and estrogen levels to rise in the body because they are not leaving the body. High blood cholesterol? Know that 80% is made by the liver and 20% is from diet… High cholesterol might not me a cardiac issue but a liver issue.
To add to that, the changed form of estrogen that is recycled from the liver is the form of estrogen that is highly linked to women's reproductive cancer rates.
Lifestyle choices that can interfere with how well our liver can do the detox work:
Alcohol
Poisonous to our body. Liver changes alcohol to acetaldehyde because we can’t process it as its original form. If our body doesn't get rid of acetaldehyde efficiently, it can be part of the cause for a headache the next day.
Even one glass can be too much. The world cancer research fund says you should have at least 2 days free of alcohol a week and no more than one drink a day for women. Others say, if you have a family history of cancer, there is no safe level of alcohol that you can consume.
Caffeine
Too many people start their day with coffee and end it with alcohol. Always start your day with water. Limit to 2 cups of coffee per day and do not drink coffee on an empty stomach. Tea has less caffeine and the L-theanine in tea can buffer the impact of caffeine.
Synthetic substances
Medications, pesticides, cosmetics burden the liver and take prioritization over hormones.
Trans fats
Processed food, fried foods
Refined sugar
Tips to support your liver:
Increase antioxidants, vitamins and minerals
Eat real food
Have an active lifestyle
Get adequate hydration
Limit processed foods, trans-fats, caffeine, and alcohol
References
Weaver, L. (2023). Elimination and Detoxification. Module 17: Balance to Thrive. Retrieved June 6, 2023, IIN Students Webapp.
(2021) Detox Support Tools PDF. Integrative Nutrition LLC.
Image 1: BIOLULIA EUROPEAN SECTIONS
Image 2: Spoonful of Paradise
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