Toxic load reduction is widely recognized as essential for the restoration of well being. Although the problem of toxicity has received considerable attention from holistic health advocates, it is only recently that the process and mechanisms of detoxification have been well understood.
When healthy the body has a remarkable capacity to neutralize and excrete toxins. Upon exposure to a harmful substance, numerous enzymes and other molecules rally to prevent damage to cells and tissues which come in contact. A variety of mechanisms exist to de- activate, chemically alter, and eliminate foreign substances.
However, when the body is stressed due to fatigue, a recent infection, mental and emotional trauma, or recurrent exposure to quantities of toxins, or if the toxin is particularly noxious, these natural defenses become overloaded. They may be preoccupied in eliminating a microorganism, or the quantity of the toxins may simply overwhelm the capacity of the body to detoxify. When this happens, toxic substances tend to accumulate in and around the cells, causing problems both directly (by poisoning the cells) and indirectly ( by accumulating in the extra-cellular fluid), thereby slowing down uptake and release of cell metabolites and interfering with the intracellular communication process.
The majority of detoxification is carried out by four systems in the body
Respiratory. Digestive. Urinary. Dermal.
These are supported by the diffuse communication/transportation networks of the circulatory and lymphatic systems. How effectively all these systems work to detoxify the body both depends on and determines the body’s overall state of health. Ideally, all toxins must be rapidly and completely removed from the body.