Time to spring clean your body?

This time of year as the weather turns warmer, people often have a spring clean, changing their winter wardrobe, clearing the clutter from their house and having a body detox before the summer starts. But without the right information, having a “detox” can actually do more harm than good.

Our bodies carry out detoxification processes every day so is actually always in a state of detox and practically every organ and body system is involved in this process, the main focus being on the liver which has three different phases of detoxification:

• Phase one makes the toxic water soluble so that it can be excreted by the body.
• Phase two conjugates this toxin for excretion through the kidneys or bowels.
• Phase three pumps the toxin out of the cells.  

There are various nutrients and factors which can either speed up or slow down these pathways. Speeding up one and not another can result in the body reabsorbing the toxins before they have a chance to be transported out of the body.

These toxins can include excess hormones such as oestrogen which can lead to hormonal imbalances if it is then reabsorbed back into the body. These symptoms can include premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms, infertility, depression and weight gain.

There are many good practices that you can do to support the body in its detoxification process such as avoiding alcohol, processed foods and refined sugar and drinking plenty of water or herbal teas and including supportive foods such as green leafy vegetables.

If you feel you would like support in this area, it is best to get the advice from a qualified nutritionist who can assess your current lifestyle and see where support could be provided.