POSITIVE HEALTH ISSUES

NUTRITION WITH A DIFFERENCE - THE MORNING AFTER MOP-UP

When alcohol is taken, it is directly absorbed from the stomach into the blood stream. It does not need to go to the lower intestines to be digested. It is directly taken to the liver via the blood stream. That is why alcohol takes effect so fast.

The liver works through about one drink per hour. One drink is for example one shot (30ml), a glass of table wine (150ml) or a pint of beer (400ml). If more than that is consumed during one hour, our systems enter a toxic state that becomes more serious as more alcohol is consumed. We need to help the over-burdened liver to cope with this state and to curb further damage.

The products available in the market, for example Essentiale, Prohep, Verve, Guronsan C and Res-Q have a number of ingredients in common, especially Vitamins B and C, but they differ in their efficiency. They are more effective when taken a day or two before, as well as after.

By eating and drinking the right things during the recovery period, especially the next day, we can assist our systems to detoxify. (There is no need to tell a person to re-hydrate, because nature takes care of that.) The following serves as a checklist of the most essential nutrients to take during the day after:

The hangover cocktail. (Mix and strain)
1 large can tomato juice juice of 1-2 lemons 4 slices onion
3 tablespoons sugar 4 stalks celery, chopped salt and pepper
3 drops Tabasco sauce

DETOXIFICATION

What is detoxification?
Detoxification is the elimination of potentially harmful substances in the body.

Why do we need detoxification?
Our bodies have a natural, regulatory capability to get rid of the normal daily load of potentially harmful substances. It sometimes happens that our systems are over-burdened and we need additional detoxification.

What comprises the body's natural detoxification capability?
The liver (with its gall bladder), kidneys, digestive system, lungs, pancreas and lymph all play their part in detoxification. The liver plays a vital and primary role and its role will be discussed later on in this article.

How can the system become over-loaded with toxins?
Three of many reasons are given below:
1. Eating fatty and/or low-quality food, meaning foods that are artificially flavoured, coloured and preserved. These artificial substances are often incompatible with our natural systems and the body has to get rid of them. A common example of artificial flavouring is MSG (Mono sodium glutamate). It is found in almost all savoury snacks (chips, whirls, curls and twirls), sprinkle salts, soup and gravy powders (except brown soup powder that come in boxes and tinned soup). MSG often causes intense digestive discomfort, migraines and hyper-activity in children.
2. Excessive drinking of artificially coloured and flavoured drinks and alcohol.
3. Breathing polluted air. (Question: is smoke polluted air?)

Some traditional ways of detoxification
The concept of purification is very old and some of the popular methods are:

1. To fast for a period of time to give the body time to rest and work out impurities before anything is taken in again.
(Warning: This can be a dangerous practice for people with medical conditions like blood sugar problems. Also, if the fast excludes water, it is dangerous and potentially harmful to the kidneys.)

2. To flush the body out with water, by drinking excessive amounts of water. Some practices include drinking sea water to bring on vomiting.
(Warning: Important minerals are flushed out and can cause a serious mineral imbalance. Furthermore, the kidneys are over-burdened with high concentrations of salt in sea-water.)

3. To empty the bowels by drinking strong laxatives.
(Warning: Again, important minerals are flushed out and can cause a serious mineral imbalance. Harsh laxatives, regularly taken, can cause dependence, because the intestines become lazy.)

Understanding detoxification
Detoxification happens in two phases, both heavily reliant on the liver and the gall. The by-products of phase one are passed on to phase two. Phase two can be over-burdened by the amount of by-products handed over to it by phase one. For the first phase the body relies mainly on digestive enzymes that are present in our bodies. In some cases, phase two functions improperly due to inadequate intake of important nutrients.

What we can do to help detoxification ?

One can detoxify for a day up to a week - or better even, adopt a pure lifestyle.

1. Drink 1,5 to 2 litres water per day. It assists the kidneys as well as the bowels to function properly, it serves as a solvent of the water-soluble toxins which can then be flushed out. Green tea is also known for detoxification.

2. Exercise till you sweat.

3. For the period of detoxification, do not take in animal fat. If you need to use oil, use olive oil during the detoxification. Eat lean meat, nuts and soy products as proteins for the detoxification period.

4. If you have a problem of constipation, assist bowel movement with something natural and soft like fig syrup, senna, steamed prunes or prune syrup.

5. Eat only unrefined grains during the detoxification, that is whole-wheat bread and cereals, whole potato, brown rice and oats.

6. Eat lots of raw fruits and vegetables. Grate apples and carrots, because no amount of chewing can break open the cells as effectively as grating these raw foods. Liquidising is also effective, but the most value is gained by sipping it very slowly, so that every sip can be taken up properly.

7. Eat natural foods - do not eat anything with artificial flavours, colours or preservatives for the detoxification period.

8. If possible, abstain from alcohol completely for the detoxification period. If not possible, do not drink more than three alcoholic servings per 48 hours - more than that keeps phase one very busy and over-loads phase two.

9. Eat dark green vegetables more than any other vegetable during this time. Examples are broccoli, outer cabbage leaves, green beans and spinach.

10. Take a reputable multi-vitamin and mineral supplement. Grape-seeds, milk-thistle, dandelion root, garlic and turmeric are also beneficial.

Please e-mail Alan at alanh@ainet.co.za if you have a contribution for this page.