Top Ten Things You Can Do to Detoxify Your Body

1. Get more sleep. Your liver the organ in charge filtration and detoxification of you body works mainly at night. The detoxification process has two Phases. During Phase 1 your liver converts the fat-soluble toxins in your body into water-soluble molecules (free radicals), many times more toxic that the original molecules they came from. During Phase 2 the liver neutralizes the new (free radicals) toxic water soluble molecules, and excrete them through the bile and the urine. All this happens through the night and it takes between 5 to 7 hours to complete. Lack of sleep cuts Phase 2 short and you end up with more toxic molecules than you started with.

2. Avoid late night meals. The detoxification process of the liver does not get started until your digestion has stopped. If you eat late, the last meal of the day won’t be fully digested until after you go sleep, your Phase1 won’t start until you are finished digesting, and Phase 2 is again going to be cut short.

3. Avoid heavy protein meals at night. Because we are trying to control our weight many of us are eating heavy protein meals at night. But the protein from beef, fish, or chicken is digested a lot slower that carbohydrates. Again, if you slow your digestion because of a protein meal, you are going to short change your liver detoxification Phase2.

4. Vitamins and Vegetables promote detoxification. Phase 1 are aided by vitamins E, C and the B group, glutathione and caretenoids. Phase 2 is enhanced by the amino acids glutamine, glycine, taurine, cysteine and organic sulphur compounds found in such foods as eggs, garlic, onions and broccoli, and cauliflower.

5. Minimise alcohol consumption. That's a maximum of one drink per day. If you have impaired liver functioning, avoid alcohol altogether.

6. Reduce exposure to pollutants, pesticides and herbicides. Many of the common herbicides depress the function of cytochrome P450 and other enzymes crucial for detoxification.

7. Consume a largely plant based diet and use organic fruit and vegetables specially at night. Reduce consumption of refined carbohydrates, deep fried and processed foods.

8. Avoid coffee. Green tea is a better choice, and unlike coffee, it promotes liver function.

9. Minimise prescription drug use and avoid recreational drugs.

10. Take a Liver protecting supplement. I have chosen to use Mangosteen for myself and my family, because it protects the liver, has the strongest antioxidant capacity I know of, and also has anti-inflammatory properties which make it very unique. Other supplements are milk thistle, silymarin (an extract of milk thistle), goji, schizandra, rhodiola rosea, DHEA and N-acetyl-cysteine.

Detoxification is only one of the liver functions, but it is critical for you health, and it also supports the rest of the liver functions, which are:

* cholesterol control

* blood sugar control

* hormone and enzyme production

* immunity

* metabolism of food

* protein synthesis

* production of anabolic repair chemicals.

The proper function of the liver contributes to the natural release of Growth Hormone, which has been found to be an anti-aging agent.

Remember, Invest in your health today, to enjoy a disease free tomorrow.

Roberto G. Guerrero

Roberto G. Guerrero is a Texas licensed acupuncturist, a Chinese herbalist and a National Board Certified Practitioner of Oriental Medicine with a practice located in San Antonio, Texas.