Do you need to DETOX your brain?

 

Did you know that studies of newborn baby umbilical cords have shown hundreds of toxins in their little systems before they are even born? Over two hundred are toxic to the brain and nervous system.

 

Mercury, lead, PCBs, BPA, phthalates, and more are included in with these toxins. As I found, when I tested my two-year-old Ethan in 2000, after a series of physical and emotional issues, (sensory processing disorder/failure to thrive/possible Autism Spectrum) he was loaded with toxins, heavy metals, and chemicals that were poisoning his brain.

We went through a series of detoxification protocols that lasted a year. After retesting at the University of Michigan, he did not test positive for any of the mentioned diagnosis. At the time we assumed that was it. All was good. Detox over. Success.

Unfortunately, we did not continue to detoxify while life filled him with more toxins.

 

It was not until a month after Ethan’s death by suicide at eighteen when my research began on depression that I was overcome with the studies showing toxicity damages the brain. I knew without even testing Ethan that he had a build-up of toxins plaguing his brain again. His outcome was death.

It is the repetitive, accumulation of these chemicals and toxins in our lives that leads to our brain becoming dysfunctional and literally broken.

The epidemic of disorders like autism, depression, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease we see in our country today is preventable at best, minimized at the least. Yet the rates of people diagnosed with these conditions continues to grow.

So what can we do to change this, we need to ask ourselves.

We now know that the brain has its own internal detox system that turns on when we are asleep. This brain detox organ is called The Glymphatic System; it is a drainage system much like the lymphatic system.

The cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) circulates inside the spinal canal and throughout the brain. Washing the waste into pathways and then later cleared via the cervical lymphatic vessels. The GS uses the cells’ mitochondria (your cell’s battery) to remove cellular waste from the brain.

Happy mitochondria equal optimal brain function.

If your brain’s primary detox organ relies heavily on the mitochondria – then you should work towards optimizing mitochondria.

Right?

 

Yes! We need to work hard at keeping our mitochondria happy since the brains detox organ the Glymphatic system relies on the mitochondria.

I know this is a brain-load of information so let me simplify.

 

If you want to improve the brain’s potential to detox; we’ve got to improve mitochondrial function by optimizing nutrient intake and support our body make more of a molecule called glutathione.

Glutathione is the most important detoxifier, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

 

Here is what we NEED to do:

• Eat a low toxin diet. Trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, and toxic drugs like sugar, caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine need to be eliminated. Yes, I called sugar a drug. It is.

• Eat organic when you can and avoid fish like tuna and swordfish which contain high levels of Mercury.

• Eat detoxifying foods, such as kale, watercress, artichokes, pomegranates, and cilantro.

• Use detoxifying herbs and plants and such as milk thistle, seaweed (we use Chlorella), and the nutrients selenium and zinc ( We use Young Livings Super B containing both Selenium, Zinc, magnesium and, manganese) which boost detoxification and glutathione.

 

 

• Use Young Livings JuvaTONE which contains Methionine which also helps recycle glutathione.

• Take Methylation Nutrients (Vitamins B6, B9, B12, and biotin), Supplement with Super B and Young Living K and B.

In addition to supporting Mitochondrial function we also need to keep the CFS circulating.

The Glymphatic system uses cerebrospinal fluid to purge the brain of toxins.

The efficiency of the Glymphatic system is dependent upon cerebrospinal fluid flow. Stimulating the spine (think Chiropractor) and maintaining its alignment ( posture and standing) and movement (exercise) are essential for brain detoxification.

If seeing your Chiropractor is not an option to support CSF flow consider the following Glymphatic system supports for optimal function.

• Yoga, I do 15 minutes of morning Yoga each day to get my CSF moving.
• Intermittent Fast- helps the body repair and rebuild cells.
• Stand more than sit.
• Breathing Exercises when you can not move from your seat
• Massage – Especially  lymphatic massage
• Drink more lemon water- lemon is a natural detoxifier, our body is made up of 50-65% water
• Exercise – Rebounding or jumping

 

These are all very achievable ways to detox your brain on a regular basis. With all of the external toxins we are introduced to on a daily basis I feel that Brain Detoxification is a must. In hindsight, I would have started my children on a brain detox protocol at birth and it would have been a detox that was never ended. Just as we teach our children to brush their teeth each day and night detoxification would have been an ongoing lesson.

 

The bottom line is that we live life with HOPE. You have just read how to make a change.

 

Cheers to a life well lived.