Have you ever wondered how the body detoxifies?

One of the primary function of the liver is to detoxify the body of waste products within its Phase I and Phase II detoxification pathways.

Phase I and II detoxification

Phase I detoxification takes waste products and converts them into less harmful chemicals through cytochrome P-450 enzyme reactions.

Phase II detoxification then takes these less harmful, water-soluble, chemicals and uses one of its 6 pathways to further process and excrete this waste from the body.

Glucuronidation is one of these 6 pathways that is responsible for the conjugation of sex hormones (especially estrogen) and drugs such as paracetamol, NSAIDs, and Benzodiazepines. Issues within this glucuronidation pathway, such as seen in Gilbert’s Syndrome, decreases the effectiveness of this pathway.

What nutrients and foods support this pathway? 

• Calcium-D-Glucarate found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, mustard greens, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower
• Zinc found in oysters & animal products
• Curcumin found in turmeric
• Fish Oil
• Vitamin B complex (many foods!)

Another big component that acts toward the success of this pathway (and all detoxification pathways!) is the health of our gut and its residing microbiome 😃 So load up on fermented veggies and avoid processed foods and sugar to keep your microbiome happy. If you have compromised digestion or suffer from frequent bloating, it is a good idea to start taking good quality prebiotics and probiotics when needed.