7 Ways to Support Your Body’s Detoxification Pathways

Some experts state that our body has natural detoxification mechanisms. Whilst this may be true in an ideal environment, we think it is important to support our bodies with the challenges of modern life, new chemicals being released into the environment every day and the unnaturalisation of various food products. So, what can we do to support our detoxification processes?

1) Pay attention to your circadian rhythm
Ensuring sufficient quality sleep nightly is essential for maintaining your body’s health and natural detoxification process. Sufficient rest enables your brain to reorganize, rejuvenate, and expel toxins accumulated during the day.

2) Drink enough water
Apart from its various functions in the body, water facilitates the elimination of waste products from the blood through the body’s detoxification system.

3) Consume foods rich in antioxidants
Eating a diet abundant in antioxidants assists the body in minimizing the harm caused by free radicals, potentially reducing the likelihood of illnesses that could affect detoxification processes.

4) Stop or reduce your alcohol consumption
Excessive alcohol consumption diminishes the liver’s capacity to perform its usual tasks, including detoxification.

5) Reduce your consumption of sugar and processed foods as much as possible
Overindulgence in junk food is associated with chronic ailments such as obesity and diabetes, which can adversely affect vital organs involved in detoxification, like the liver and kidneys.

6) Consume probiotic-rich foods
Consuming a diet abundant in prebiotics supports the well-being of your digestive system, which plays a crucial role in effective detoxification and immune function.

7) Stay active
Engaging in consistent physical activity reduces inflammation and enables the body’s detoxification system to function effectively

1) Patel, R., & Mueller, M. (2024). Alcoholic Liver Disease. In StatPearls Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546632/

2) Reddy, O. C., & van der Werf, Y. D. (2020). The Sleeping Brain: Harnessing the Power of the Glymphatic System through Lifestyle Choices. Brain Sciences, 10(11), 868. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci10110868

3)  Popkin, B. M., D’Anci, K. E., & Rosenberg, I. H. (2010). Water, Hydration and Health. Nutr Rev, 68(8), 439–458. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00304.x

4) Lu, F.-B., Hu, E.-D., Xu, L.-M., Chen, L., Wu, J.-L., Li, H., ... Chen, Y.-P. (2018). The relationship between obesity and the severity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: systematic review and meta-analysis. Expert Review of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 12(5), 491-502. https://doi.org/10.1080/17474124.2018.1460202

5) Carlsen, M. H., Halvorsen, B. L., Holte, K., Bøhn, S. K., Dragland, S., Sampson, L., ... Blomhoff, R. (2010). The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide. Nutr J, 9, 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-9-3

 

6) Yoo, J. Y., & Kim, S. S. (2016). Probiotics and Prebiotics: Present Status and Future Perspectives on Metabolic Disorders. Nutrients, 8(3), 173. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu8030173

7) Markowiak P, Śliżewska K. Effects of Probiotics, Prebiotics, and Synbiotics on Human Health. Nutrients. 2017 Sep 15;9(9):1021. doi: 10.3390/nu9091021. PMID: 28914794; PMCID: PMC5622781.

8) Metsios GS, Moe RH, Kitas GD. Exercise and inflammation. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2020 Apr;34(2):101504. doi: 10.1016/j.berh.2020.101504. Epub 2020 Apr 2. PMID: 32249021.