Natural Detoxification Supporting our body’s

I’m Nikki Harris a Nutritional Therapist & I specialise in women’s hormone health ranging from hormonal imbalances such as PMS, PCOS, Endometriosis and women who are going through perimenopause, menopause and beyond.

I also help with gut health, energy, weight loss and stress as everything is interconnected and an imbalance doesn’t just happen in isolation.

It is that time of year many of us reach out to do a “spring clean” or detox looking to shake off the sluggish feeling of winter and get ready to step into spring and feel lighter and a general sense of wellbeing.

Sadly, we live in a world where we are exposed to so many toxins and chemicals that our liver has to work harder to process them to eliminate them safely from our body. However, we can do our best to support our body and mitigate some of the symptoms by choosing to give it what it needs so it can function optimally = you feel so much better as a result.

What can an ‘overloaded’ detoxification system look like:

Symptoms can present as fatigue, headaches, brain fog, constipation, acne, rosacea, eczema, nausea, cravings, mood swings, irritability, bad breath, white coated tongue, weight gain and much more! These may all be signs of potential toxic exposure.

What is a toxin?

A substance that upsets metabolism (chemical changes that occur in our body’s that maintain life) that can result in chronic disease.

What are some of the main sources of toxins?

• The air we breathe

• The beverages we drink

• The food we eat

What are some of the conditions that can be linked to toxin exposure?

• Obesity

• Type 2 Diabetes

• Cancer

• COPD

• Asthma

• Anaemia

• Parkinson disease

• Lupus

• Atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries)

• Hypertension (high blood pressure)

• Chronic kidney disease

• Atopic dermatitis

• Infertility

• Endometriosis

Are there toxins lurking in your beauty routine?

I feel it is necessary to bring awareness that you are forearmed. We all have a choice of what we “put in and on our body” but if you are not already aware of the toxins that may have an affect on you and your body I feel I would like to bring this to your attention.

What are Endocrine or Hormone Disrupting Chemicals (HDCs)?

They are chemicals that interfere with hormone action. They do this by mimicking naturally-occurring hormones or by activating or blocking hormone receptors or hormone production. Phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), and parabens are common chemicals used in many products.

The main targets appear to be the thyroid and adrenal as well as testes and ovaries that seem to be most affected but this is not limited to, as each organ may also be affected.

Recent evidence shows that HDCs may disrupt and alter the number and size of our fat cells reducing basal metabolic rate and changing the regulation of appetite and satiety.

Studies show that phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) may be involved in the onset of endometriosis and may affect fertility.

What are the main sources of detoxification in our body?

We expel toxins through the:

• Liver

• Bowel

• Kidney

• Skin

• Lung

Our body needs specific nutrients to be able to remove harmful chemicals and make them water soluble via a process in the liver called phase 1 and phase 2 detoxification, to be excreted safely from the body systems listed above. Making sure we are getting a diverse range of colourful fruits and vegetables and choosing foods that actually nourish us with the nutrients we need is paramount for our detoxification pathways to be working optimally. Some of the nutrient we need are:

• B vitamins - B12, B6, B2, B3

• Folate

• Flavonoids (a type of antioxidant from plant foods)

• Magnesium

• Choline

• Glutathione (potent antioxidant)

• Vitamin C to name a few

So how can we mitigate our toxic load and exposure to these chemicals? I have listed some of my top lifestyle tips to help reduce your toxic load are:

• Gentle exercise daily

• Aim to get a regular massage and sauna

• Take an Epsom salt bath

• Try daily body brushing - upwards towards the heart

• Daily relaxation (mindful meditation, breathwork, yoga, take a walk especially in nature)

• Make getting a good night’s sleep a top priority

• Drink plenty of fresh filtered water daily (1.5 – 2 litres)

• Add fibre to your diet (fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, wholegrains, psyllium fibre)

• Add plants to your home & work place; they help to purify the air- if you have pets be aware as some plants can be poisonous

• Buy soy candles with essential oils and avoid synthetic home fragrances

• Buy organic, free range & GMO-free food where possible

• Avoid burnt foods

• Avoid drinking from plastic bottles and food storage (use glass instead)

• Choose natural & non-toxic cosmetics, toiletries & household cleaning products

I also recommend that you buy organic foods where possible, that includes meats/poultry, eggs, wild salmon and organic fruit and vegetables where possible and budget allows, but why should you eat organic?

Certified organic means:

• Organic produce is more phytonutrient dense

• No cross contamination

• No pesticides

• No chemical residue

• Processed and packaged organically

Finally to close, how fibre can be supportive

Making sure we are getting plenty of fibre from the foods listed below on a daily basis is key. We ideally need to be aiming for >30g of fibre per day. Fibre helps to pull and remove toxins, used up hormones, cholesterol from the body so this is an excellent way to reduce your toxic load by having regular daily bowel movements.

Your stool should be formed and resemble the consistency of peanut butter (sorry!) and loose and runny stools and “rabbit pellets” type of stools are a sign that digestion and gut health is not as optimal as it could be.

Soluble fibre helps to bulk out the stool and make it easier to pass and insoluble fibre are the parts of fruits and vegetables that we cannot digest and this increases the bowel transit time and sweeps the bowel as it moves through the gastrointestinal tract.

Soluble:

Legumes, rice, oat bran, fruits (berries, banana, plum, pear, apple) vegetables (broccoli, squash, beet, carrot, Jerusalem artichoke), and psyllium seed.

Insoluble:

Whole grains, vegetables (green beans, cauliflower, celery, peppers, leeks, greens, onion, cabbage, tomato, courgette) fruit (banana, cherry, melon, peach, avocado) nuts, flax seeds, beans, and lentils.

If you would like to learn more about how I work and how I can support you on your health journey please get in touch nikki@nikkiharris.co.uk I would love to hear from you.