WHY CLEANSE

Oxygen is the number one most important thing we need. It is our life force. So, it’s no surprise that our lungs have the constant duty of filtering the air we breathe in and breathe out. It is literally through breathing that we transport fresh oxygen to every cell in our body. It is the haemoglobin in our blood that looks to grab this oxygen up and transport it around to our tissues via the bloodstream. Our autonomic nervous system works to control the expansion and contraction of our lungs to inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide.

Our lungs can become overburdened with toxins and chemicals from our environment every day - think smoking or breathing in exhaust fumes or working in industrial spaces. It is also through chronic shallow breathing particularly in sympathetic nervous system dominance (fight or flight response) that we are not supporting our entire respiratory system to do the job it is intended to do in the cleansing process.

The average adult filters approximately 10,000 litres of air each day, therefore when we cleanse our environment, our food, our space and focus on deep breathing techniques we are giving our lungs the best chance to stay healthy and support detoxification.

Our skin is the foundation of what we call the integumentary system. This system also includes hair, nails, and other specialised glands. When we think about exposure to the outside world, our skin really is the first point of contact, and it processes hundreds to thousands of physical sensations every day, protecting us and regulating so many key processes. It regulates our body temperature, protects us from harsh elements and microbes and supports absorption and excretion mechanisms.

One of the most natural ways our skin knows how to cleanse is through sweating. Through that excess moisture that we dispel, we are simultaneously ridding our bodies of unwanted toxins. Therefore, if we aren’t sweating in some way each day through exercise or specific activities such as saunas or baths, then our natural detoxification channels aren’t working optimally.

The appearance of our skin is also a direct reflection of how healthy our internal environment is and a sign of the nutrients that either we are or are not getting from our diet. When we cleanse our body of exogenous and endogenous toxins and other compounds we support the bacterial diversity that is naturally present in the sebum of the skin, the immune cells in the second layer otherwise known as the dermis becomes more robust, we enhance the replacement process of the epidermis (which happens every 4-6 weeks), we provide key nutrients to the skin membrane to support its healing and protection processes and overall we reduce and limit the effects of environmental burdens to the skin, which often can’t be completely avoided.

We know good gut health really is the foundation of good health overall, and it goes without saying then that our digestive system is one of the most important detoxification organs. It has the vital job of elimination, and it can only do this properly with the right dietary, lifestyle, and nutritional inputs in place. The gastrointestinal system is both exposed to incoming toxins (through what we ingest) as well as having pre-metabolised toxins reintroduced into the intestinal environment on their path to excretion.

If we consider our bowel movement habits as a sign of healthy or unhealthy detoxification, a lot of us would be on the unhealthy side. Something as simple as not having a formed, regular bowel movement every day, is a sign of poor elimination and furthermore something impacting our detoxification ability further upstream. Leaky gut is one of the most common, yet detrimental factors, when it comes to the burden our detoxification pathways face. When our gastrointestinal system is leaky it allows greater entry of undesirable compounds and toxins into the body. It also gives some of these potentially toxic substances the chance to by-pass the important steps of detoxification that would naturally happen within the gut.

Through an intentional cleanse, we support the gut by firstly lifting some of the burden off digestion. We deliver anti-inflammatory foods and nutrients to this system to be broken down and absorbed and the rest to support healthy elimination of excretion. Our fibre and fluid intake is naturally increased through an abundance and diversity of fruits and vegetables which create the perfect combination to naturally support bowel movements and the maintenance of beneficial gut bugs. Through proper digestive function and detoxification, the build-up of unhealthy microorganisms and internal toxins can be reduced and the recirculation of toxic materials back through the body (due to leaky gut and dysbiosis) can be avoided.

Regular urination means that our kidneys are doing their job of automatically cleansing. However, when we are dehydrated, waste and toxins can build up in the kidneys due to their being inadequate fluid moving them on to be expelled from the body. In this instance the kidneys will try to preserve water through concentrating the urine. If this is a chronic system response, there may be a build-up of harmful substances and even microorganisms, creating a greater risk of unwanted urinary system conditions such as kidney stones and urinary tract infections. This is more common than we think.

Our kidneys are incredibly important detoxification organs as they efficiently go about detecting and filtering out waste products. They also have the job of stabilising fluid in the body and maintaining balance where possible, such as retaining electrolytes or knowing when to release certain vitamins, minerals and even hormones the body may need.

When we cleanse, one of the main intentions is supporting optimal hydration. By providing the body with enough water, extra ions, sugars, and waste materials can properly diffuse from the blood into the kidneys and be urinated out. The kidneys provide an essential route for toxin excretion and are a vital component in healthy detoxification processes.

The lymphatic system is another integral part of detoxification in the body. It too has a role in fluid balance, and through its complex network of vessels, nodes, capillaries, and immune cells it is integral to waste management and toxin clearance. The spleen is also the largest lymphatic organ, and filters blood in much the same way that our lymph nodes filter the lymph.

The lymphatic system doesn’t have a pump like the circulatory system; therefore, it relies on movement and stimulation. Whether through massage, yoga/stretching, dry brushing, rebounding or general light exercise. Optimal hydration and quality nutrients from whole foods are also integral to supporting the lymphatic system – all of which are included in any holistic cleansing approach.

The lymphatic system lies just below our skin and generally covers our entire body. Through cleansing we can notice tangible changes in the ability and efficiency of the lymph as we might notice fluid retention and tissue swelling reduction, particularly in certain areas of the body such as the face, neck, and ankles. Since the lymphatic system is also integral to immune defence and response, reducing the burden of toxins and chemicals from dietary and lifestyle factors, will also naturally support immune system resilience and the healthy production and transportation of lymphocytes (white blood cells) around the body.

When it comes to detoxification, the liver is the powerhouse. There are so many intricate functions the liver carries out to keep detoxification pathways functioning in harmony. To describe the liver’s main role a little more succinctly, it basically filters out and transforms toxic substances in the body into more water-soluble substances that can be excreted via the urine or stool. The two-step process that is carried out to ensure the transformation of undesirable toxins is known as phase 1 and phase 2 liver detoxification. It does this on autopilot following exposure to any food, medication, air pollutant, volatile compound, or any other toxin you encounter.

The liver is like a storehouse, manufacturing hub and processing plant all in one. It also is a filtration system for the blood, with the hepatic artery delivering blood from the heart, and the hepatic portal vein bringing it from the intestine. It is also responsible for the secretion and synthesis of bile, which is like a vehicle carrying many toxins and by-products out for eventual elimination. Bile is this wonderful green-yellow liquid that is released by the liver, stored in the gallbladder, and eventually trickled into the intestines, helping breakdown fats, destroy microbes, transport waste, and neutralise excess acids.

The liver is incredibly efficient at its job when moving healthy – until it becomes overloaded, and this is an all-too-common phenomenon in our modern lives. When we think about our liver pathways as roads, its easy to see how quickly these roads become backlogged from ongoing poor dietary and lifestyle choices. Rather than there being a nice flow of substances along these roads in the right direction, unwanted and partially metabolised compounds can be released back into the bloodstream where they are eventually stored in our tissues, body fat and even microbiome. Overtime, as the liver is continuously burdened, we create an unhealthy environment for increased reactive species (or free radicals) that lead to oxidative stress, potential chronic disease, inflammation, and ageing.

Through cleansing protocols, both dietary and environmentally, we reduce the overall burden of compounds the liver needs to filter through each day. Therefore, creating more space to process stored and stagnant toxins and chemicals and ensure their safe elimination from the body. There is an array of key nutrients, fibre, proteins, and antioxidants that the liver and its various pathways and enzymes require at every stage of metabolism. It is essential then, that these are taken in through the diet, and healthy, unburdened digestive processes support the breakdown and assimilation of these nutrients. The liver is also further supported in its other essential jobs of manufacturing cholesterol (to help make hormones), producing blood plasma proteins, supporting Vitamin D synthesis and synthesising substances to support digestion.

For a long time, the brain has been thought to lack its own lymphatic drainage and cleansing system. Overtime, emerging science has introduced us to the brain's own detoxification processes via the Glymphatic System. Essentially it is a waste clearance system utilising unique channels, astroglial cells and vessels to promote the removal of metabolites and other waste from the central nervous system. It is dependent on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interchanges with the fluid surrounding the brain cells (interstitial fluid).

The glymphatic system is also most active during sleep, with the brain attempting to clear itself of neurotoxic waste products that have been gathered during wakefulness. It’s no surprise then, that optimising our sleep routine and getting enough good quality sleep is an integral addition to any cleanse or detox program.