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Tune Up Your Detox System

by Dr. Julian Whitaker

Published 02/04/09

Give Your Body a Break Today…

First, get in the habit of drinking eight to 10 glasses of purified water every day. Water is perhaps the most important detoxifier. It flushes your kidneys and enhances toxin removal through perspiration.

Second, make high-fiber plant foods a central part of your diet. Include several weekly servings of onions, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, oranges, and tangerines, which support phase I and II detoxification. Add to that plenty of asparagus, avocado, and walnuts, which are good sources of glutathione.

Third, make sure you get plenty of the nutrients that support detoxification. These include copper, zinc, magnesium, B-complex vitamins, and, of course, antioxidants. Vitamin C and selenium are particularly important because they help your body produce and increase stores of glutathione. One study found that taking just 500 mg vitamin C per day increased red blood cell glutathione stores nearly 50 percent.

…And Detox Twice a Year

While the measures outlined above will help you safeguard the health of your liver year-round, I strongly recommend going the extra mile and giving your liver a month-long detoxification break twice a year.

As part of your 30-day program, avoid all alcohol and processed foods, and make a conscientious effort to reduce or eliminate your exposure to everyday toxins such as household cleaners, insecticides, paint fumes, cigarette smoke, etc. And give your liver a boost by adding the following supplements to the daily regimen outlined above:

Milk thistle. The chief compound in milk thistle, silymarin, is an exceptionally effective enhancer of liver function. A potent antioxidant in its own right, researchers have also found that silymarin can increase levels of glutathione by up to 35 percent. To top it off, silymarin actually stimulates the production of new liver cells.
Turmeric (Curcuma longa). Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated that curcumin, the active component in turmeric (the herb that gives curry its color) dramatically boosts phase II detoxification. Curcumin has been shown to be especially protective against cell damage caused by cigarette smoke, and researchers believe it may also protect against several other environmental carcinogens.
Alpha lipoic acid. This very potent antioxidant is soluble in both water and fat, so it can enter virtually all portions of cells to disarm free radicals. Lipoic acid also improves liver function by regenerating glutathione and other antioxidants, and reenergizes the liver by ushering glucose into the cells.

No matter how vigilant you are about your health, you cannot entirely escape the toxicity of our world. However, these recommendations will keep your natural detoxification processes running smoothly.

Recommendations

• Drink eight to 10 glasses of purified water daily and eat plenty of onions, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, oranges, tangerines, asparagus, avocado, and walnuts.
• Give your liver a boost by taking a high-potency multivitamin and mineral supplement containing at least 1,500 mg vitamin C and 200 mcg selenium, along with copper, zinc, magnesium, B-complex vitamins, and other antioxidants.
• Twice a year, undergo a 30-day detoxification program. Avoid alcohol and processed foods, reduce your exposure to household toxins, and take 640 mg milk thistle, 400 mg curcumin, and 50 mg alpha lipoic acid. (You can safely double those doses and/or take them throughout the year.) These supplements can be purchased individually, or you can use a combination product such as Source Naturals' Liver Guard, available in health food stores.

References:

• Johnston CS et al. Vitamin C elevates red blood cell glutathione in healthy adults. Am J Clin Nutr 1993;58(1):103-5.
• Morazzoni P et al. Silybum marianum (Carduus marianus). Fitoterapia 1995;66(1):3-42.
• Polasa K et al. Effect of turmeric on urinary mutagens in smokers. Mutagenesis 1992;7(2):107-9.

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