Seasonal Dexofication

[Guest guest]

 

Many people believe that periodic 'detoxification' provides a healthy

break for organs, such as for the liver, kidney, bladder and galbladder.

The holidays, for the most part, are a pleasant, memorable time of the year.

As it is with so many things, the good is accompanied by the bad. For purposes

here, excessive and unhealthy eating accompanied by consumption of alcoholic

beverages results in tremendous metabolic stress on the body. Were this not

enough, travel and work stress adds to the load placed on the biological

system.

Preventive maintenance, in the form of a formal systemic detoxification, might

be a pretty good idea, indeed.

Background

Scientific' data is nearly impossible to obtain to support the observations

of thousands of persons over many dacades, but it is clear that there is

something to the claims that liver detoxification in particular makes people

feel better.

Without getting into the basics of phase 1 and phase 2 detoxification, which is

the paradigm that outlines the manner in which the liver, lung, kidneys, skin

'detoxify' substances, there is a lot of good to be said for engaging in

the periodic practice of 'liver detoxification.'

* It is responsible for the production of bile which is stored in the

gallbladder and released when required for the digestion of fats.

* The liver stores glucose in the form of glycogen which is converted back

to glucose again when needed for energy.

* It also plays an important role in the metabolism of protein and fats. It

stores the vitamins A, D, K, B12 and folate and synthesizes blood clotting

factors.

* Another important role is as a detoxifier, breaking down or transforming

substances like ammonia, metabolic waste, drugs, alcohol and chemicals, so that

they can be excreted. These may also be referred to as " xenobiotic "

chemicals. If we examine the liver under a microscope, we will see rows of liver

cells separated by spaces which act like a filter or sieve, through which the

blood stream flows. The liver filter is designed to remove toxic matter such as

dead cells, microorganisms, chemicals, drugs and particulate debris from the

blood stream. The liver filter is called the sinusoidal system, and contains

specialized cells known as Kupffer cells which ingest and breakdown toxic

matter.

The 'poor man's liver detox-

The gall bladder functions to store bile between meals. The gall bladder

contracts when stimulated to push bile salts into the small bowel, thereby

facilitating digestion. Bile is a clear, yellow liquid, when healthy. If the

bile is allowed to stagnate, or if the galbladder is allowed to distend or get

infected, the bile thickens, stones form, and mucous backs up. Sometimes, this

leads to medical conditions that result in the need to surgically remove the

galbladder.

As it were, prevention is probably the best bet, when dealing with the

liver/galbladder system. A little bit of care, and a little bit of prevention

goes a long way.

To keep the galbladder from distending, and to keep the bile from 'going

stale,' the daily administration of silymarin, taken with each meal, will

keep things moving along. The silymarin (milk thistle) stimulates the gall

bladder to 'dump, ' very much in the same way the colon does. Both the

colon and gallbladder should empty with each meal. It gets a little sticky,

however, if a person has had the gallbladder removed, already.

The liver is the cleanser and filter of the blood stream and is of vital

importance. It is the largest organ in the body and has an enormous amount of

blood flowing through it every minute of our lives. It is between 21 - 22.5 cm

in its greatest diameter, 15 - 17.5cm in its greatest height and 10 - 12.5 cm in

its depth, weighing around 1200 - 1600 gms.

We have been attacking the symptoms of weight excess with fad diets,

obsessional high impact aerobics, stomach stapling and toxic drugs, such as

appetite suppressants, laxatives and diuretics. We have failed to consider the

underlying cause of LIVER DYSFUNCTION and indeed we have virtually ignored the

hardest-working organ in the body, with dire consequences.

Steers are implanted with Hormonal Growth Promotants (HGP) which is justified

by corporate statements, that tests have shown that a non-pregnant woman

produces 54,000 times the amount of estrogen found in a 500 gram steak and that

only a fraction of the amount used in human hormone replacement therapy is used

in the implants that are put into animals. Even this additional small amount of

hormone is l increasing the workload of the liver, which over a long period of

time may cause hormonal imbalances in those who eat beef regularly. We must ask

ourselves why is the incidence of breast cancer so high, particularly in

relatively young women? Surely it is better to eat meat from animals that roam

free and happy in fresh green pastures that are not injected with potent

hormones or fed concentrated stock feed to rush their growth?

The use of drugs to control and treat animal disease and to promote faster,

more efficient growth of livestock is a common practice. An estimated 80 percent

of U.S. livestock and poultry receive some animal drugs during their lifetime.

Improper use of animal drugs may cause residues in the edible tissues of

slaughtered animals that could be hazardous to consumers.

Most countries will have set MRL or Maximum Residue Limits. This is the amount

of pesticide residue, heavy metals, hormone residues and natural toxins that the

food ( eggs, meat or milk) are allowed to have and still be sold to the public

for consumption. The MRL in Australia are set by the National Registration

Authority for Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals. In the USA they are set by

authorities under the Food and Drug Administration. The key point is, just

because a food substance complies in relation to the MRL , does not mean that

the food is free from ALL contamination - just that it is at, or under, the

level set by the particular authority deemed to be safe. MRLs are often set on a

national basis to meet the requirements of a particular country. However, pests

and pest pressure can vary between countries, as can chemicals used and

agronomic practices. The lists of MRL values applying in different countries can

therefore be quite different.

There is also the point that despite the existence of these laws, it does not

guarantee that all farmers and growers comply 100% . Principle causes of

excessive drug residues are failure to observe drug label withdrawal periods

before slaughter or processing, or failure to withhold milk after dosing of

herds with drugs such as the treatment of bovine mastitis with large doses of

penicillin which requires a withholding period before the residues in milk are

reduced to acceptable levels. Other causes may include failure to follow other

drug label directions, poor feed manufacturing practices, and human negligence.

There are many chemicals (e.g., trace metals, industrial chemicals, and

mycotoxins) that may be inadvertently present in animal tissues yet have no

established safe concentrations. This of course does not mean that these

substances are not harmful.

It is a fact of life that pesticides, herbicides and hormones are used in food

production. Although the regulatory levels set by authorities provide some

control over residues - it is not the 'be all and end all'. The liver is

again highlighted as vital, as it is the organ that metabolizes these substances

and excretes them from the body.

The liver is the gateway to the body and in this chemical age its

detoxification systems are easily overloaded. Thousands of chemicals are added

to food and over 700 have been identified in drinking water. Plants are sprayed

with toxic chemicals, animals are injected with potent hormones and antibiotics

and a significant amount of our food is genetically engineered, processed,

refined, frozen and cooked. All this can lead to destruction of delicate

vitamins and minerals, which are needed for the detoxification pathways in the

liver. The liver must try to cope with every toxic chemical in our environment,

as well as damaged fats that are present in processed and fried foods.

Phase One - Detoxification Pathway

Human liver cells possess the genetic code for many isoenzymes of P-450 whose

synthesis can be induced upon exposure to specific chemicals. This provides a

mechanism of protection from a wide variety of toxic chemicals.

To put it simply, this pathway converts a toxic chemical into a less harmful

chemical. This is achieved by various chemical reactions (such as oxidation,

reduction and hydrolysis), and during this process free radicals are produced

which, if excessive, can damage the liver cells. Antioxidants (such as vitamin C

and E and natural carotenoids) reduce the damage caused by these free radicals.

If antioxidants are lacking and toxin exposure is high, toxic chemicals become

far more dangerous. Some may be converted from relatively harmless substances

into potentially carcinogenic substances.

Excessive amounts of toxic chemicals such as pesticides can disrupt the P-450

enzyme system by causing over activity or what is called 'induction' of

this pathway. This will result in high levels of damaging free radicals being

produced.

Substances that may cause overactivity (or induction) of the P- 450 enzymes:

Caffeine, Alcohol, Dioxin, Saturated fats, Organophosphorus pesticides, Paint

fumes, Sulfonamides, Exhaust fumes, Barbiturates

The family of P-450 enzyme systems is quite diverse, with specific enzyme

systems being inducible by particular drugs, toxins or metabolites. It is this

characteristic that has allowed the development of special tests to check the

function of the various pathways - see liver tests. The substrate is the

substance that is acted upon by the enzyme.

Substrates of cytochrome P-450 enzymes:

Theophylline, caffeine, phenacetin, acetaminophen, Lidocaine, erythromycin,

cyclosporin, ketoconazole, testosterone, estradiol, cortisone, Alprenolol,

bopindolol, carvedilol, metoprolol, propranolol , Amitriptyline, clomipramine,

desipramine, nortriptyline , Codeine, dextrometh- orphan, ethylmorphine,

4-methoxyamphetamin Family Phenytoin, ibuprofen, naproxen, oxicam drugs,

S-warfarin, epam, hexobarbitone, imipramine, omeprazole, alcohol,

chlorzoxazone, enflurane.

Phase Two - Detoxification Pathway

This is called the conjugation pathway, whereby the liver cells add another

substance (eg. cysteine, glycine or a sulphur molecule) to a toxic chemical or

drug, to render it less harmful. This makes the toxin or drug water-soluble, so

it can then be excreted from the body via watery fluids such as bile or urine.

Major Phase II pathways include glutathione, sulfate, glycine, and glucuronide

conjugations. Individual xenobiotics and metabolites usually follow one or two

distinct pathways. Again, this makes testing of the various pathways possible by

challenging with known substances.

The conjugation molecules are acted upon by specific enzymes to catalyse the

reaction step. Through conjugation, the liver is able to turn drugs, hormones

and various toxins into excretable substances. For efficient phase two

detoxification, the liver cells require sulphur-containing amino acids such as

taurine and cysteine. The nutrients glycine, glutamine, choline and inositol are

also required for efficient phase two detoxification. Eggs and cruciferous

vegetables (eg. broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower), and raw

garlic, onions, leeks and shallots are all good sources of natural sulphur

compounds to enhance phase two detoxification. Thus, these foods can be

considered to have a cleansing action. The phase two enzyme systems include both

UDP-glucuronyl transferase (GT) and glutathione-S-transferase (GSH-T).

Glutathione is the most powerful internal antioxidant and liver protector. It

can be depleted by large amounts of toxins and/or drugs passing through the

liver, as well as starvation or fasting. Phase II reactions may follow Phase I

for some molecules or act directly on the toxin or metabolite.

Substrates of the glycine pathway

Salicylates and benzoate are detoxified primarily through glycination. Benzoate

is present in many food substances and is widely used as a food preservative.

Many other substances are detoxified as well via the glycine conjugation

pathway. Patients suffering from xenobiotic overloads and environmental toxicity

may not have sufficient amounts of glycine to cope with the amount of toxins

they are carrying.

Substrates of the sulfation pathways

Neurotransmitters, steroid hormones, certain drugs such as Acetaminophen (also

known as paracetamol) ,and many xenobiotic and phenolic compounds.

Substrates of glucuronidation

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, steroid hormones, some nitrosamines,

heterocyclic amines, some fungal toxins, and aromatic amines. It also removes

" used " hormones, such as estrogen and T4 (thyroid hormone) that are

produced naturally by the body.

Toxic Overload

If the phase one and two detoxification pathways become overloaded, there will

be a build up of toxins in the body. Many of these toxins are fat soluble and

incorporate themselves into fatty parts of the body where they may stay for

years, if not for a lifetime. The brain and the endocrine (hormonal) glands are

fatty organs, and are common sites for fat-soluble toxins to accumulate. This

may result in symptoms of brain dysfunction and hormonal imbalances, such as

infertility, breast pain, menstrual disturbances, adrenal gland exhaustion and

early menopause. Many of these chemicals (eg. pesticides, petrochemicals) are

carcinogenic and have been implicated in the rising incidence of many cancers.

Rarely does anyone think about the liver, which seems incredible to me because

it is such a powerful organ and is easily improved. Indeed the simplest and most

effective way to cleanse the blood stream and thus take the load off the immune

system is by improving liver function. An example of the phase one pathway is

the Cytochrome P-450 mixed function oxidase enzyme pathway. These enzymes reside

on the membrane system of the liver cells (called Hepatocytes).

Specific Detoxification Recommendations

1. Begin with ensuring rapid transit through the colon. Without this, waste

materials can be reabsorbed, and benefit is minimized.

a. CLA 1000 mg taken three times daily. This should be started first, and

maintained throughout the detoxification period.

b. Silymarin/curcumin combination. This should be started simultaneously

with the CLA. Dosage is different for men and women. Men should take it three

times daily, women take one capsule at bedtime, only.

c. After 2 weeks of the CLA/Silymarin/Curcumin consumption, begin one of

the following:

Ortho DTX- one capsule three times daily (orthomolecular products,

inc.)

or, Ultraclear pH- (metagenics, inc.)

Choose one or the other, but they should be taken for a period of about

3 weeks.

2. When the Ortho DTX or UltraClear pH is finished, begin the following:

a. NAC 500 mg three times, daily

b. Taurine 500 mg three times, daily

c. Hawthorne 450 mg, once daily.

This combination should be maintained for 4 weeks or more. Many

patients feel much better when the take it, and simply stay on it indefinitely.

(This is what I do for myself, actually)

3. Maintain colonic function with Flax Seed Oil and capsular aloe.

Maintaining healthy colonic function is a very, very good preventative

health approach. It costs very little and it is an important factor in

stimulating weight loss.

NOTE: This should be initiated soon after Thanksgiving and maintained through

the holiday season.

Given the individual nature of detoxification, I am willing to customize a

regimen for persons interested in sending me an e-mail.

Information should include: age, sex, brief medication list and medical

conditions.

The anticipated cost for a complete package will depend upon the specifics of

the situation. The supplements will be taken over a 6-8 week period.

I am willing to put together a custom regimen, with home-shipping of the

products. E-mail me if you are interested in this seasonal service.

dsklein@...

S. Klein, MD, FACA, FACPM, FACMIMS

Director, Pain Center of Orlando

www.suffernomore.co

If you no longer wish to receive these emails, please copy and paste the

following link into your browser:

http://www.eminservices.com/StagesofLife/Default.aspx?e=gabrieladevelbiss (DOT) \

com

This message was sent by Works

http://www.taylorworks.net 

Love, Gabby. :0)http://stemcellforautism.blogspot.com/  " I know of nobody who is

purely Autistic or purely neurotypical. Even God had some Autistic moments,

which is why the planets all spin. " ~ Jerry Newport