We are being poisoned. Everyday our body is attacked by countless toxins and pollutants – from the fumes of chlorine in the morning shower to foods laden with pesticides, hormones, additives and to thousands of airborne pollutants. The poisons aren’t just coming from outside, the bacteria in our gut and free radicals emitted during our normal process of living also poisons us daily. But most of the time we hardly notice because the liver detoxifies the constant flood of toxins from blood stream and destroy them.
99% of all bacteria and toxins from the blood are destroyed from liver before reaching general circulation – by specialized cells called “kupffer cells” and “hepatocytes”. Liver detoxification happens in two phases.
Phase I – it involves detoxification of toxins by group of enzymes called “cytochrome P450”. These enzymes attack toxins to neutralize it or make water soluble components so the kidneys can excrete it or temporarily convert it to even more active chemical that can be attacked by phase II enzymes. In phase II the left-over phase I toxins are destroyed by phase II enzymes and are often incredibly toxic and needs to be immediately removed from the body. Every time when toxin gets metabolized, free radicals are generated and released into blood stream. Glutathione a powerful antioxidant from liver helps in neutralizing the effect of free radicals with aid of various micronutrients – vitamins (B2, B3, B6, B12, folic acid, vitamin C) and minerals (magnesium) and amino acids (methionine, glycine, cysteine, taurine). Lack of glutathione leads to liver damage.
Phase I and phase II must work in synchronization, but it doesn’t happen most of the time as either phase I or phase II is overactive or under active. When this process of liver detoxification is not functioning properly, toxins and bacteria are released back to blood stream and results in various diseases.
Do you know whether your liver detoxification systems – Phase I & Phase II are over happy or sad??
A simple test can help us to understand how strong an individual’s Phase I and Phase II systems are working.
A cup of coffee can help us to understand whether you have sluggish or overactive Phase – I system. If a cup of coffee can keep you up at night, then it indicates a sluggish phase I and having caffeine intolerance. On the other hand, if you can drink several cups of coffee and still sleep soundly it indicates over active phase I system and can tolerate huge amounts of caffeine.
Do you have trouble eating garlic? Do your body react badly to sulfite food or in processing sulfite containing molecules like drugs and foods then it indicates phase II sluggishness. Most people are too fast in phase I and too slow in phase II, it indicates that own body is generating potent and damaging toxins.
To upregulate phase I activity just eat more of cabbage, broccoli, sprouts, oranges and protein. On the other hand, to slow down hyperactive phase I system add foods like grapefruits, fresh grapefruit juice and herbs like turmeric and chili pepper.
To upregulate phase II system, eat fish, fish oils, and add nutrients like methionine, N-acetyl cysteine, glycine, vitamin B6, glutamine and herbs like milk thistle. To slow down phase II system have low protein diet.
Book a consultation with me to get a holistic solution for your liver health