One of the most important factors in overall health is detoxification. Two of the essential organs involved in this process are the liver, gallbladder and the lymphatic system. These systems, along with the gastrointestinal system, help to remove toxins stored in your tissues and blood from your body. Products that contribute to toxic load include alcohol, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, chemicals from household and hygiene products, and metabolic waste byproducts such as excess hormones.
The liver handles the metabolic processes of transformation, called Phase 1 and Phase 2 detoxification. These processes transform volatile compounds into compounds that are able to be eliminated by the digestive system. There are many nutritional needs of the liver and its specific metabolic processes, along with the requirement of a lot of energy production. Additionally, bile from the gallbladder is essential for the elimination process. Those without gallbladders are in need of extra detoxification support!
A precursor to detoxification and the desired elimination of toxins is opening the path to the liver. This requires a healthy circulatory and lymphatic system. Think of detoxification as a journey from the tissues to outside the body. Toxins must travel from the tissues to the liver via lymphatic vessels, which is then packaged and removed via stool.