Detoxification is more important than nutrition

I realise this is a bold statement but one that I am going to stand by vehemently 🙂

Here’s why:

1 in 5 adults globally is suffering from some form of low energy or chronic fatigue syndrome.

Why? What’s going on?

Most of us are unaware of the intricate functioning of our bodies. We are conditioned to approach health from an ‘illness and disease’ perspective rather than from a wellness perspective. In other words, Health should mean more than just the absence of illness or disease. Health should mean energy, vibrancy, vitality, a sharp mind and an intricate connection to and understanding of all the systems of our body.

The medical profession and industry currently, is designed to treat sickness, not to optimize health. Prevention and/or causative factors do not feature much, if at all, in a doctors narrative when the patient is in front of him/her.

POOR NUTRITION IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF DISEASE.

TOXINS BLOCK NUTRITION UPTAKE.

TOXINS CAUSE CELLULAR INFLAMMATION.

When it comes to energy, detoxification is more important than nutrition.

Micronutrient deficiencies are the basis of most (some may say all) illness and disease. The cells of our body need to be in a good state of health to adequately uptake and produce micronutrients. The quality and integrity of the cell wall is particularly important for micronutrient uptake from the blood into the cells, and the removal of waste from the cells.

Toxin accumulation in the body compromises the uptake of micronutrients and the production of energy. Therefore, in order to achieve adequate cellular health, detoxification must precede nutrition.

What are the sources of toxins we are exposed to on a daily basis that accumulatively and radically affect cellular health?

1.  Processed food (hydrogenated fat, salt, and refined sugar)
2.  Diet high in Animal products (hormones and anti-biotics)
3. Non-organic foods eg pesticides on fruit and veg, rice contains arsenic
4.  Environmental toxins:
   • Household cleaning products
   • Mold
   • Scented candles
   • Room sprays
   • Furniture
   • Carpets
   • Clothes
   • Paint
   • Unfiltered drinking water (lead, chlorine and glyphosate)
5. Body care and grooming products containing parabens, phthalates etc
6. Baby products
7. Parasitic infections
   • Sushi and carpaccio consumers
   • Pet owners
   • People in the animal care industry
8. Air pollution by-products or nano particles in the home or work environment
   • Dust
   • Lead
   • Rubber (tyres)
   • Carbon Monoxide (roads and highways)
   • Factory environments
9. Teflon and BPA’s in plastic bottles/containers, Tupperware and till slips
10. Amalgam fillings (mercury) and teeth and/or gum infections
11. Flame retardants

Yes!! Toxins are everywhere. Toxic exposure is rife and detrimental to our cellular health, and overall health.

Toxins:

• Change our gut microbiome
• Express harmful genes
• Suppress immunity
• Affect endocrine/hormonal systems (mercury especially affects thyroid health)

Our bodies have an amazing capacity and ability to deal with toxic exposure effectively in the short term. However, long term exposure is accumulative and damaging. We often stand in the way of our bodies natural ability to heal and recover by the lifestyle choices we make.

If the bodies detoxification pathways are blocked or inhibited for any reason, the build up of toxins from daily exposure will result in accumulative oxidative stress and free radicals that inhibit adequate cellular uptake and nutrition. This results in compromised health, low energy, illness and disease.

Eliminating toxins from our daily lives is the obvious first step in essential and adequate detoxification. Given the amount of daily toxic exposure we are subjected to, this may seem overwhelming, but eating the proverbial elephant ‘one bite at a time’, is all it takes.

One bite at a time.

Start small.

Change just one thing a week…like opting for a toxin free skin care or makeup range or maybe moving to toxin free household cleaning products, or using essential oils as perfume rather than the aluminium containing traditional consumer fragrances.

Persevere with one small change a week and in six months time, your life will look completely different: minimal toxic exposure means less endocrine disruption, less contamination, less cellular clogging, less compromise of the integrity of the cell wall, less hot flushes, less brain fog, less acne, less auto-immune conditions… a healthy body that feels amazing: well, energetic and vital.

The six main detoxification pathways in the body include:

1. The colon and pooping

So many many people don’t poop everyday.

This is a sure sign that the digestive tract and Mobile Migrating Complex (MMC) are sluggish and compromised.

Constipation is VERY toxic for the body.

The digestive system, also commonly referred to as the gut or gastrointestinal (GI) tract, greatly affects our overall health. In fact, leaky gut, the condition in which bacteria and toxins penetrate the intestinal wall, has been linked to celiac disease, diabetes, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), food allergies, brain fog, cancer, ADHD, autism etc

The colon, or large intestine, forms a huge part of the digestive system. It reabsorbs water from digested food and turns what is left into stool, which is then released by a bowel movement. A fiber-heavy diet rich in organic fruit and veggies can unburden your digestive system and even enhance your immune system.

If food stays in the digestive tract for longer than it should (>24 hours), excessive fermentation occurs, leading to toxin build up.

The ‘white sesame seed test’ is a good measure of Transit Time or the time it takes food to move through the digestive tract.

Mix a tsp of white sesame seeds in 125 ml of warm water and swallow without chewing. The time it takes from swallowing the seeds to when they first appear in your poop is called ‘Transit Time.’ Take notice also of when the seeds last show up in your poop.

The sweet spot for Transit Time is 16 hours – longer than that means toxin build up in the gut and shorter than that means food is passing too quickly through the digestive tract  (< 12 hours) without adequate time for the digestive system to extract and absorb vital micronutrients from the food we eat.

Inadequate dietary fibre and general aneasthetic are just two examples that dramatically and negatively impact the MMC.

To optimize your gut health:

• Heal leaky gut
• Re-seed gut microbiome (healthy gut bacteria)
• Fibre rich diet
• Avoid the lifestyle nuclear bombs that destroy gut health

2. The kidneys and urination

The kidneys are responsible for filtering the blood and help release toxins from your body through urine. The best way to ensure that they are functioning efficiently is to maintain proper hydration. Healthy kidneys filter about half a cup of blood every minute, removing wastes and extra water to make urine. The kidneys also remove acid that is produced by the cells of the body and maintain a healthy balance of water, salts and minerals such as calcium, potassium, sodium and phosphorous. Without this balance, nerves, muscles and other tissues of the body would not function normally.

To improve the detoxification function of the kidneys:

Adequate baseline hydration starts at your body weight in ounces of water per day (eg: a 70kg person needs at least 75oz water daily). One ounce = 30 ml so a 70kg person needs total hydrating fluid intake of 2.2litres per day.

Another rule of thumb, especially for those who exercise, is 1 ml of rehydrating fluid for every calorie burned.

Remember that caffeine and refined sugar containing beverages are dehydrating.

3. The skin through sweating

Ever wonder why that pimple popped up, or that new rash is evolving?

Your skin’s role is to excrete toxins that have found their way inside, as well as to protect the body from bacteria, viruses, and chemical toxins entering in the first place. The skin does an amazing job, but like anything, it can’t do it all. Increased EMF exposure, like sleeping with your cell phone close to your body or with WIFI surging through your bedroom for 6-8 hours can increase the permeability of the skin to toxins, thus compromising its role as a barrier.

With a total area of about 20 square feet, the skin is the largest organ in our body. As a result, our skin is highly susceptible to toxin exposure through the products we use, including toiletries, cosmetics, household cleaners, and others, which contain harmful ingredients that get absorbed into our bloodstream in a matter of seconds… In fact, we absorb 60% of what contacts our skin in just 26 seconds! Slathering on lotions filled with toxins, or sleeping in sheets washed in chemicals every day can lead to serious health implications. A good rule of thumb is to avoid putting anything on your skin that wouldn’t be safe to eat.

Exercise (sweating), body brushing, reducing environmental toxic exposure (parabens, phthalates etc) and a WFPBD (Whole Foods Plant Based Diet) are the best ways to optimize the detoxification function of the skin.

4. The lymph drainage system through adequate flow

The lymphatic system is a network of tissues and organs that are part of the circulatory system and that help the body remove toxins, waste and other unwanted material. The systems’ s primary role is to transport lymp, a fluid with white blood cells that fight infection throughout the body.

The lymphatic system and the immune system work together to remove and destroy waste debris, dead blood cells, pathogens, toxins and cancer cells.

A lymph system that is not functioning well is associated with chronic disease and can manifest in health reactions such as fatigue, eczema, acne, cold limbs, bloating, headaches and stiffness.

Good health and optimal energy are dependant on a well functioning  lymphatic system. As such, detoxifying the lymph drainage system should be given extreme importance and should be a regular part of a healthy lifestyle.

The following strategies improve the health and functioning of the lymph drainage system:

• Exercise
• Stress management
• Sauna
• Herbs such as dandelion, black walnut, cilantro, peppermint
• Spices such as fenugreek, cumin, turmeric, cloves, parsley, rosemary
• Essential oils such as lemon, lemongrass, myrrh
• Dry brushing
• Fasting
• Massage
• Cold water submersion

5. The liver via the bile duct into the large intestine

The Liver is probably our most important detoxification pathway. The liver’s main job is to filter the blood coming from the digestive tract, before passing it to the rest of the body. It helps our body metabolize nutrients, eliminate harmful chemicals, heavy metals, alcohol, and drugs. It also helps breakdown fats, get rid of excess cholesterol, filters the blood, and plays a vital role in carbohydrate metabolism (i.e. keeping our blood sugars stable). The liver also converts fat-soluble toxins into water-soluble substances that can be excreted from the body through the kidneys. 

Keeping your liver healthy is critical for optimal health and disease prevention. A few symptoms of a toxic liver include:

• Bad breath
• Acne
• Constipation
• Brain fog
• Anger/Rage/Irritability
• Chronic fatigue
• High cholesterol
• Frequent colds
• Coated tongue
• Slow metabolism

Milk thistle and dandelion tea can help boost liver function. Milk thistle has been known to stimulate cell regeneration and trigger the formation of glutathione, giving it the potential to reverse liver damage.

Coffee enemas are one of the most effective ways to detox the liver as well as the colon. As colonic irrigation upsets the gut microbiome, its essential to reseed and ensure a well balanced gut microbiome before and after the cleanse.

The most important thing about a coffee enema is that the coffee MUST MUST MUST be organic. Do not use conventional coffee – it is toxic and filled with ridiculous amounts of toxins and pesticides… and sometimes even mold. the DripBar recommends the Colon Clinic in Dunkeld. As a client of the the DripBar (show them your DripBar receipt), you will pay the reduced rate of R620 for a coffee enema at the Colon Clinic in Dunkeld. (normally R700)

6. The lungs

Toxins can also be breathed in—especially if you are a smoker or live in heavily polluted areas. You know the hair in your nose? This is a great example of why we have them; small particles like dust or dirt that we breathe in get stopped by those hairs, keeping our lungs free and clear of those particles. Your lungs are also responsible for filtering out carbon dioxide, fumes, mold, and other airborne toxins.They can only filter within reason. Good quality air is essential to good health.

Here’s the real kicker: the average home contains 2 to 5 times higher levels of pollutants than the outside air. Common household cleaners give off hazardous fumes that linger in the air we breathe and remain in the fabrics we sleep in and wear all day long. Breathing these chemicals is destroying our respiratory system, disrupting our hormones, and is linked to a multitude of illnesses.

The bottom line:

Almost everyone needs to give these six detoxification organs extra love and attention from time to time. Our individual lifestyles provide clues as to how and when  extra support should be given to our body’s natural detoxification pathways. For instance, if you suddenly find yourself experiencing low energy, brain fog, headaches, weight gain, digestive difficulties, blemishes, eczema, or trouble sleeping, your body could be either softly – or very loudly – telling you its overburdened and that additional detoxification support is necessary.

If we listen to our body when it whispers, we won’t have to hear it scream.

We deserve to feel our absolute best every day. The power is in our hands.

Here’s to a preventive approach to wellness, acknowledging that detoxification is as important, if not more so than nutrition.

Its all about extending not just the years of our life but the life in our years. After all, who wants to be old and grumpy and sick and tired.

August 2020

Blog post written by Chantal Du Chenne, Health and Lifestyle Coach and owner/ operator of the DripBar.

BIO: Chantal is a B.Sc.Hons Allied Health with an international diploma in Nutrition and Sports Nutrition. Chantal is a passionate Gut Health advocate & holistic Lifestyle Coach, specialising in the management and improvement of conditions, illnesses & diseases associated with dietary excess, leaky gut and dysbiosis (imbalance) of the gut microbiome. These include IBS, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, overweight, obesity, acne, eczema, depression, anxiety, auto-immune conditions.

Over her 25 year career, Chantal has held various positions within the health and wellness industry – including 10 years as the Executive Head of Vodacom’s corporate wellness & mobile health programs. Chantal is the owner/ founder of the DripBar which offers vitamin and mineral drip therapy in improving micronutrient deficiencies. She is also the founder/owner of a Kombucha brewery which produces the brand of organic green tea ‘booch’ called theFarmacy.

Chantal is a competitive cyclist, a plant strong vegan and mom to two grown up girls.

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This blog post contains information that is not designed to take the place of,
substitute, or replace any form and method of professional or medical advice
and treatment or medicine. All content is the author’s opinion and is not
intended to diagnose and remedy. The facts and figures contained in this
document are presented solely for informational and educational purposes
only.