Detox Naturally – The Role of Antioxidants in Detoxification

Photo credit: Igor Badalassi

The key in the liver detoxification process is to keep the activity of Phase I and Phase II in balance.  The role of the Phase I is to activate certain enzymes. Those enzymes start the detoxification process by oxidizing, reducing or hydrolyzing toxins to make them ready for the Phase II.  The second phase of the detoxification process takes the toxins and transforms them into less toxic substances that can be more easily evacuated by the body.  Phase II can also perform tasks on it’s own, acting directly on a substance that does not require transformation by the Phase I.

Since Phase I often involve oxidation, we need to supply our body with sufficient antioxidants to prevent our liver to be overexposed to oxidative stress.  The thing we need to understand is that more the body is exposed to toxins, more it produce free radicals that raise the risk of oxidative damage.

Both phases of the liver detoxification process can be enhanced or undermined depending of what we eat.  More than the vitamins and minerals found in fruits and vegetables, the phytochemical compounds that they contain are also highly beneficial.  Those phytochemicals prevent non-carcinogenic compounds to transform into carcinogenic ones, support the detoxification process to ease the detoxification of carcinogens compounds, and protect against free radicals.

Cruciferous vegetables compounds have been found to have a dramatic impact on certain carcinogens, particularly those created through cigarette smoke.  People who smokes, who have smoked or have been exposed to smoke filled environments for a significant time period, could highly reduce their risk of developing lung cancer through the addition of cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, watercress and cabbage to their diet.

The same thing goes for the vegetables from the Alliums’ family.  The phytochemical compounds that they contain have been proven to reduce the risk of some cancers, including leukemia, skin and stomach cancers.

Other compounds also have an effect on the detoxification of carcinogenic compounds. Curcumin, found in turmeric spice and monoterpenes found in citrus peel activate the Phase II of the detoxification process while protecting against oxidative damage and reducing the risk of cancers.

Having a natural lifestyle is one of the best way to live a healthy, sustainable life.  Having a clean, whole food based diet rich in antioxidants, and avoiding harmful toxic substances is the key to be truly healthy and living in harmony with the world that surrounds us.  Unfortunately, in the world we live in today,  it’s simply not possible to always avoid some toxins to enter our body. To minimize the health impact of those substances, it’s important to learn how to support our body’s natural detoxification process.

Designed specially for that, the upcoming FREE Quick Guide to a Natural Detoxification will guide you through basic information and useful tips to support your own natural body detoxification.

What You’ll Learn in it:

• The problems with our modern diet
• The basics of liver detoxification process
• The top 10 foods to eat to support natural body detoxification
• 5 healthy recipes using the top 10 detox foods
• 9 easy steps to start detoxifying today
• The food list you MUST buy organic
• The 15 cleanest conventionally grown fruits and vegetables

Sign-up now to be the first to get this great detox guide! Remember, it’s free! Plus, you’ll get an email every time a new article is added.