Tag: toxic

Alcohol and the body.

Todays post is about how our body, or more specifically the liver, deals with alcohol.

Many of us indulge in an alcoholic beverage on a regular basis. Some people indulge more regularly and in greater quantities than others. Most of us know the basics of what happens in our bodies when we drink alcohol.

Scott has recently covered this subject in his studies and I thought it was interesting. I decided to learn more details and share this information.

How the alcohol is initially absorbed.

Alcohol absorption begins in the stomach. However, it is absorbed much more rapidly in the small intestine due to the larger surface area. So, the longer the alcohol remains in the stomach, the slower the rise in the blood alcohol level. Fatty acids slow down the movement of food through the stomach. Therefore the consumption of foods higher in fats will slow the rise of blood alcohol. This will also give time for the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) to start breaking down the alcohol.

Alcohol dehydrogenase is our primary defence against alcohol, a toxic molecule that compromises the function of our nervous system. The high levels of alcohol dehydrogenase in our liver and stomach detoxify about one drink (10grams of alcohol) each hour.

Once the alcohol enters the blood stream, it goes directly from the digestive tract to the liver.

The science

In the liver there is more alcohol dehydrogenase to break down ethanol in the blood. The alcohol dehydrogenase breaks alcohol down into another compound, acetaldehyde. Next, another enzyme, called aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) breaks it down further into acetate, another metabolite.

This can then be converted to Acetyl coenzyme A, (acetyl-CoA), an important molecule used in metabolic processes. It is primarily used by the body for energy production and is an essential component in balancing carbohydrate and fat metabolism

 What does this mean?

On those occasions when we consume alcoholic beverages while eating pizza and deep fried foods, followed by cake and ice cream, the body deals with the alcohol first.

This is because the liver recognises the alcohol as the most toxic substance in the body at the time.

So while the liver is dealing with the alcohol, the fats and sugars are getting pushed into the blood stream to wait. This also means that the liver will first break down the alcoholic beverage into its main components and then dealing with the alcohol first.

The liver requires certain essential nutrients from the body to do its job. It also works through the toxins in 2 phases. If there are not enough nutrients available for the liver to do its job, this causes the by-products to hang around for a lot longer in between the phases. This can then cause other issues.

 Supporting the liver

It is possible to provide support to the liver so that it can metabolise alcohol more effectively, therefore reducing long-term damage.

The 2 phases of detoxification require different nutrients.

Phase 1 requires B group vitamins, Folic acid, Glutathione, Antioxidants, Carotenoids, vitamins E and vitamin C.

Phase 2 requires Amino Acids (Glutamine, Glycine, Taurine & Cystine) and sulphurated phytochemicals found in garlic and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage & Brussels sprouts)

There are also certain compounds available that may be helpful.

  • Grape seed extract is a well-known antioxidant that assists liver function.
  • Grapefruit seed extract increases gastric protection
  • Vitamin C
  • Zinc
  • Curcumin (found in Turmeric)

Current Australian health guidelines state “For healthy men and women, drinking no more than two standard drinks on any day reduces the lifetime risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury.” (NHMRC 2009) Sources – Principles of Anatomy & Physiology by Gerard J Totora/Bryan Derrickson, https://en.wikipedia.org, https://pdb101.rcsb.org

With this in mind, a good diet consisting of whole, unprocessed foods goes a long way in supporting the liver. Many of the nutrients essential for optimal liver function are found in fresh fruit and vegetables.

I hope you found this information interesting.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper

Nails, are yours absorbing toxic chemicals?

Today I’m going to write about nails. I was talking with a work colleague this week about Acrylic manicures and whether they were ‘toxic’.

For 20 years I used to get acrylic coatings on my nails. I didn’t mind that over time this process made my nails thin and weak, because that is how they are naturally.

It is only in recent years that I stopped this practice. I became more aware of the damage that some chemicals can do to our body.

Not many people are aware that our nails are in fact porous and that water can pass through more easily than normal skin. Any moisture that collects underneath the surface of the nail would ordinarily evaporate, passing through the porous structure of the nail. The presence of an artificial nail or a polish impedes that.

With these facts in mind I was concerned that any of the chemicals used in the acrylic manicure could be absorbed through the nail.

The research…..

I have done a lot of research online to clarify this, but have found so much conflicting information.

One study I found did reveal that some chemicals used in some nail polishes are absorbed into the body.

“Duke University researchers and a non-profit organisation called the Environmental Working Group, conducted the study.

The study found evidence of a nail polish chemical in the bodies of women who used popular nail polish brands. The researchers discovered traces of triphenyl phosphate, or TPHP in all of the study’s participants just 10 to 14 hours after they painted their nails.

TPHP has been linked to changes in hormone levels including endocrine disruption. In addition, previous studies in animals have found connections between the chemical and adverse developmental and reproductive problems.

The group’s research found that not only did TPHP exist in many popular nail polish brands, also that several polishes did not list the chemical in their ingredients.” (Source http://www.dukechronicle.com/)

What to do…

So, after all this I still am unsure about acrylic & gel. I am however convinced that we absorb some chemicals through our nails as the Duke University study revealed. With this in mind I probably won’t go back to using acrylic. However, I do use a nail polish that is free of triphenyl phosphate and other chemicals such as – toluene, formaldehyde and DBP (dibutyl phthalate).

We all make choices that contribute to our health and this is just another way for me to minimise my exposure to unnecessary chemicals.

Till the next post,

Live Clean n Prosper

Toxic build up

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Today I thought that I would share why we changed the products that we use in our home.

In my first post I mentioned toxic chemicals or chemicals that can be absorbed by the body. A build up of these chemicals over time can cause an adverse effect on our health. This is what many health practitioners, nutritionists and dieticians call ‘toxic build-up’.

Through attending a health seminar we also learned that what we put on our skin, could also contribute to this ‘toxic build-up’ making us unwell.

Our skin is our body’s largest organ

and is vital to your health, yet many of us fail to take good care of it. The skin is a semi-permeable membrane. This means it has the ability to absorb much of what you put on it. So informed choices are critical to optimise your health. You should give your skin the same thoughtful care you give your diet, because much of what goes ON you ends up going IN you.

Dr Mercola.com summarises this best; ‘Putting chemicals on your skin or scalp, such as getting a hair dye, may actually be worse than eating them. When you eat something, the enzymes in your saliva and stomach help to break it down and flush it out of your body. However, when you put these chemicals on your skin, they are absorbed straight into your bloodstream without filtering of any kind, going directly to your delicate organs. Once these chemicals find their way into your body, they tend to accumulate over time because you typically lack the necessary enzymes to break them down. There are literally thousands of chemicals used in personal care products.’

‘Many of the same poisons that pollute your environment are also lurking in the jars and bottles that line your bathroom shelves. We all risk becoming a toxic waste dump from the products we use, the foods we eat, and the environment in which we live.’

We also did a bit of our own research and found that in Australia there are several different regulatory standards. Depending on how the product is classified. The one common standard in Australia, the US and the EU that we could find is ‘cosmetics must have a list of ingredients on the label, regardless of whether it is toxic or not.’ There are still many chemicals being included in our personal care products that can ‘build up’ in our bodies. These chemicals can contribute to health issues down the track. You just have to do the research to find a company that that leave these ingredients out of their products.

So, after making some changes we have had some notable results.

The occasional war with Dandruff ended along with a reoccurring skin irritation.

Once we noticed these improvements we decided to make other changes.

So in the pursuit of better overall health we decided to avoid as many added, unnecessary chemicals as possible; from our household and personal care products to the food we eat.

Till the next post,

Live Clean and Prosper

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