What are toxins?
Toxins are poisonous substances that are produced by the living cells in our body. The term “toxin” comes from an original Greek word called “toxikon”.
Toxins are small minute molecules, proteins or peptides that are potent enough to cause disease in a living organism. Once toxins come in contact with living body cells or tissues and get absorbed in the process, they interact with the biological macromolecules like cellular receptors and enzymes causing adverse effects.
Toxins generally vary to a large extent based on how severe they are by nature. Toxins can be minor ones or of acute nature to even fatal deadly toxins that can cause death even at the very first interaction. An example of an acute toxin is the common bee sting and botulinum toxin is an example of a deadly toxin that can prove to be fatal.
What is toxin accumulation?
Several complicated biochemical reactions continue taking place within our body and the various body systems. These processes often lead to the production of waste materials which start accumulating in the body in the form of toxins. This process of accumulation of waste products is termed as “toxin accumulation”.
Once such toxins start accumulating in the body it becomes more than necessary to remove these harmful elements from the body for a healthy physical condition. So, all of you need to detoxify your body through a sound process of body detoxification.
Other than the biochemical reactions in the body, there are several other environmental factors as well that contribute to the accumulation of toxins within the body. As we breathe, inhale exhale and swallow atmospheric air, various kinds of toxic substances and dirt enter our body that get accumulated in the form of toxins.
Even the medicines that you consume, though at an apparent stage help you, but it is necessary to cleanse your body of these toxins. If they are not removed from the system as soon as possible they will likely lead to toxin accumulation in no time causing a serious threat. Hence what becomes necessary is the process of body detoxification.
How to prevent Toxin Accumulation?
One of the most effective ways of preventing toxin accumulation is to carry out a vivid body detoxification process. But doctors suggest that before sending an individual on a natural body detox or detoxification diet it is necessary to build on his or her energy level in the first place. This is necessary as often a body detoxification can lead a person to a state over the edge that becomes hard to deal with.
Body detoxification is carried out by particular enzymes that are produced from meticulous genetic details stored in each of our genes. There are several genes involved in the overall process of detoxifying your body. However, the basic processes of body detoxification can be divided into two phases. Here’s a detail of both.
Phase I> The enzymes in the first phase of body detoxification are termed “activators”. The activators are supposed to transform the chemicals in your body that need to be removed through the addition of oxygen molecules and single nitrogen atoms. Though this is a rather small process the activation is necessary as it makes it easier for Phase II to achieve the expected result.
Phase II> Enzymes that become active in Phase II of the body detoxification process are termed “excretors” The excretors take over from the activators. The excretory does the job of binding the transformed chemicals to a smaller substance called glutathione. The excretors make it possible for the body to carry out a natural body detox by removing the substances as they get soluble in water.
In Phase II of the body detoxification process which aims at removing all the toxins from your body, diet plays a very significant and indispensable role. The detoxification diets that you need to follow to detoxify your body may comprise the following,
- Eat cruciferous vegetables: As far as your detoxification diets are concerned, you need to include at least a single serving of cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, kale, radish, rutabagas, turnip, sprouts, Brussels, cabbage and watercress in your diet.
- Need to consume onions and garlic regularly: While you are trying to cleanse your body and carry out natural body detox, you need to make it a habit to eat onions and garlic regularly as a part of your detoxification diet. These can be consumed in the raw form as sandwich filling or in the form of garnishing for the main dishes. These two vegetables are also referred to as the “allium” vegetables which can help increase the actions of the enzymes that take the main role in the Phase II of the body detoxification process. They help in flushing out the toxins a lot faster from the body. Some of the other allium vegetables that may also help while you detoxify your body are leeks, chives, shallots and spring onion.