God made our bodies with an already highly sophisticated built-in detox system, working 24/7 against toxins, toxicants and pathogens. We often hear the term “detox” being thrown around irresponsibly, usually by marketing schemes. Schemes such as green juices, coffee enemas, restrictive diets, herbal teas or shakes. We aren’t saying that there isn’t a need to be mindful of exposures or that we don’t need to worry about what we put in our bodies, that would also be irresponsible but what we want to hopefully achieve by our readers looking at this article is that our bodies are working extra hard for you and the best thing we can do in return is to nourish and support the systems already in place.
In this article, we’ll go through your body’s six key detoxification organs. The liver, kidneys, colon, skin and lungs- showing you what each one does, what it detoxifies and how to support it through your everyday nutrition and lifestyle. No gimmicks or selling points. Just real, practical ways to help your body do what it was divinely designed to do.
What is detoxification?
You can define detoxification as your body’s way of eliminating waste and harmful substances. This includes- toxicants (from man-made sources), toxins (from biological sources), excess hormones, bodies byproducts from metabolism (ammonia or carbon dioxide), pollutants, alcohol, medications and sources from foods.
The skin
The largest organ in our body, and known as our body’s first line of defence. The skin is responsible for activating your immune system when harm does pass through, but it also helps our body expel toxins from your body from the inside out, in addition to keeping the beneficial chemicals in.
Detoxes
- Sweat contains urea, salt, ammonia and heavy metals (interestingly, research has shown that sweating through dynamic exercise leads to significantly high excretion of heavy metals such as nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), copper (Cu) and arsenic (As)).
- Toxins and old skin cells.
How it works
The skin helps remove waste through sweat glands, which release a fluid called sweat. Sweat is mostly water with some salts and waste products, and it plays a key role in helping the body cool down and get rid of small amounts of excess salts and fluids.
How to support your skin
- Stay hydrated
- Avoid overuse of harsh skincare products
- Be mindful of the sun and UV rays (wear sunscreen)
- Collagen, vitamin c and zinc help support skin repair and strength
- Regular movement and gentle sweating (exercise or sauna)
The lungs
We don’t often think of our lungs as part of the detoxification system, however they play a really vital role in removing waste. And they work very hard—exchanging about 6L of air per minute.
Detoxes
- Carbon dioxide
- Airborne toxins, pollutants and microbes
How it works
With every exhale, the lungs release waste gases and help filter out harmful airborne substances. The bloodstream picks up toxins and transports them to the lungs, where they reach the alveolar sacs (tiny air sacs at the base of the lungs). Waste gases like carbon dioxide are expelled, and more “stubborn” toxins can be trapped and later removed through coughing or phlegm.
How to support your lungs
- Avoid smoking and minimise environmental pollutants as much as possible (certain candles, fragrances, pollution and cleaning products)
- Regular exercise (to help strength and restoration of the lungs)
- Hydrate for healthier mucous production
- Increase antioxidant-rich foods- vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E. Include more dark green vegetables and dark red/purple/blue fruits such as berries
- Ventilate your living areas, remember to open the windows occasionally for fresh air
The kidneys
These important bean-shaped organs are one of the main organs in the detoxification system. Filtering half a cup of blood a minute! And all your blood in 30 minutes.
Detoxes
- Urea (protein) and uric acid
- Electrolytes (sodium, chloride etc)
- Alcohol
- Medication
- Excess water
How it works
Kidneys can be explained simply as “sophisticated sieves”. Blood enters the kidneys through an artery from the heart. Each kidney contains up to a million tiny units called nephrons, which work to filter and clean your blood. After the kidneys remove waste, the cleaned blood returns to your body, while the waste, now in the form of urine, moves into the bladder.
How to support your kidneys
- Ensure to hydrate sufficiently
- Aim to have healthy blood pressure to prevent kidney damage
- Being active and doing the recommended amount of exercise weekly is important in keeping a healthy blood pressure
- Manage your blood sugar levels, this is also incredibly important because when your body’s cells can’t use the glucose (sugar) in your blood, your kidneys are forced to work extra hard to filter your blood
- Stop smoking (cigarettes and vaping) as smoking damages your body’s blood vessels (slower blood flow) to your kidneys
- Monitor your salt intake and processed foods
The liver
The human liver is the primary detox organ, and not only performs over 500 functions but also filters and processes toxins.
Detoxes
- Alcohol
- Medications and drugs
- Hormones
- Metabolic waste
How it works
The liver will receive blood from the digestive tract through the portal vein to the liver, carrying nutrients, medication and also toxic substances. Once they reach the liver, these substances are processed, altered, detoxified and either stored or passed back into the blood. Others are mixed into bile, which the liver produces and releases into the bowel, helping to eliminate waste through the digestive system.
How to support your liver
- Avoid excessive alcohol intake.
- Also avoid unnecessary medications and drugs.
- Aim to include more mono- and poly-unsaturated (omega 3) fats to reduce inflammation .
- Research has also shown that just a 5% weight loss can reduce the fat that can accumulate in your liver.
- Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and brussels sprouts contain special compounds that turn into helpful substances, like sulforaphane, which support the liver by boosting the production of enzymes that break down and remove harmful toxins.
- Bitter greens such as rocket or mustard greens, can stimulate bile production. The bitter compounds in these greens activate the liver and gallbladder, encouraging the secretion of bile, which helps with digestion and the removal of toxins from the body.
The gastro intestinal tract (GIT)
The intestinal tract runs from the mouth to the colon and anus. Its not all about digestion, but also the elimination (detoxification) of toxins as well.
Detoxes
- Toxins from food and the environment
- Used-up hormones, especially excess oestrogen
- Waste from digestion
- By-products from gut bacteria
- Microbes or pathogens that shouldn’t be there
How it works
Binds all waste, toxins, excess hormones (oestrogen and cholesterol!) to fibre so that they can be eliminated out with stool. The “good” bacteria in your gut help break down harmful substances.
How to support your intestinal tract
- Instead of going on a juice cleanse for 2 weeks (and they don’t have any fibre- which the gut really needs to be healthy) give it attention and care with increased diversity of vegetables, fibre and probiotics
- Include more probiotic rich foods like fermented milks, sauerkraut or kimchi and prebiotic foods such as onions, garlic, spring onions etc
- Water helps move everything along your digestive tract and keeps bowel movements regular
- Stress affects digestion and gut lining integrity
- Help your gut by reducing the toxins it has to deal with in the first place (ultra processed foods, alcohol and excess sugar)
- A healthy gut lining helps prevent toxin reabsorption (try adding collagen, bone broths or glutamine to repair your gut lining)
The lymphatic system
The lymphatic system is a network of vessels, lymph nodes and organs (like the spleen and thymus) that helps your body remove waste, balance fluid levels and transport white blood cells for immune defence.
Detoxes
- Cellular waste
- Toxins and environmental chemicals
- Pathogens (viruses, bacteria)
- Dead or damaged cells
- Excess fluid
How it works
Lymph vessels collect waste from your tissues. This fluid (lymph) is carried through lymph nodes, where it’s filtered. Cleaned lymph is then returned to your bloodstream for final waste removal via kidneys, liver, skin and colon.
How to support your intestinal tract
- Stay hydrated as lymph is mostly water, without enough, it becomes “sluggish”
- Exercise and increase your activity if you are sedentary as the lymphatic system is stimulated by moving your muscles and getting your heart rate up
- See a professional for lymph massage
- Focus on an anti-inflammatory diet rich in nutrients and low in fast foods and refined carbohydrates
After seeing how hard our body works to naturally detox, it’s clear why commercial detoxes that are low in fibre and nutrients can be risky. These detoxes don’t support the body’s natural processes and can actually do more harm than good. The idea of a “detox” can be great because it brings awareness to one’s eating habits and choices. So instead of relying on restrictive or fad detoxes, focus on nourishing your body with whole foods, fibre, exercise and movement, reducing alcohol and increasing nutrients that support our bodies natural detoxification processes, in a sustainable way.
