In this article, we\u2019ll be uncovering:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Detox is quite a popular word these days and commonly attached to the word \u201ccleanse\u201d. We\u2019ve all seen the ads online with detox claims such as \u201celiminating toxins from the body\u201d and \u201cboosting fast results after a few days\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, unfortunately, human biology is a lot more complex than that. This is why nutrition professionals mustn’t exaggerate or misrepresent the physiological effects of a nutritional plan, food or drink product, or supplement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, if you want to polish your communication with clients regarding all things detox, read on!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Human detoxification occurs 24\/7, all day long, non-stop to keep us alive. This is a vital process that every one of your clients can benefit from learning more about. However, far too many health professionals don\u2019t know enough about the long-established scientific fields of toxicology and detoxification to provide adequate guidance to their clients who need it the most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s where the Detox Specialist\u2122 Certification<\/a> at The Health Sciences Academy can help you make a difference. This science-based certification teaches you everything you need to know about the fields of toxicology and detoxification so that you can help your clients in a safe and personalised way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To help you get started, let\u2019s discuss some important fundamentals about the long-established fields of toxicology and detoxification, including several professional opportunities you could explore when you acquire the expertise to support clients in relation to nutritional detoxification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When we think about \u2018toxins\u2019, harmful substances come to mind. However, toxicity is a lot more complicated than this, and seemingly benevolent substances can become toxic too. Although it may come as a surprise, everything that we ingest, come into contact with, or absorb can be toxic. Even nutrients that are essential to survival, such as vitamin A, water, and oxygen, have toxicity potential. Think of hypervitaminosis A, water toxaemia, and hyperoxia\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What is it that makes a substance toxic, then?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Its dose or amount. Paracelsus (1493-1541), the father of toxicology, elucidated that: \u201cEverything is a poison. There is poison in everything. Only the dose<\/strong> makes a thing not<\/strong> a poison\u201d. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n What Paracelsus meant is that we can say that any substance, natural or synthetic, when taken, inhaled, or ingested in sufficiently large amounts, can cause harm. Some of them require kilograms or litres to achieve a toxic dose, whereas others can be toxic (or even lethal) after just a few nano-grams or nano-millilitres.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, toxicity is a sliding scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What are some common toxins around us?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Some substances have the potential of being more harmful at lower doses, which is why we usually see regulations around them. Some of the major types of toxins include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking at the list above, it is clear that toxic substances are around us and can be found everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many would argue that one way to reduce our toxic load is to stick to natural substances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a common misconception that all-natural substances are always better for us or not harmful. But this isn\u2019t always the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Natural doesn\u2019t mean toxin-free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, heavy metals like cadmium and lead are natural compounds. However, they\u2019re capable of causing acute poisoning and even death. What\u2019s more, many of them are known carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) and neurotoxins (causing brain cell death).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, some plants, seeds and pits have toxic levels of cyanide and other harmful compounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even seemingly harmless supplements using natural plant-food substances may pose a toxicity risk. An example is berberine extract, which is likely neurotoxic <\/strong>at certain doses and cardiotoxic <\/strong>when taking antibiotics or other medicines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, does this mean that our existence is lethal? Should we just put on hazmat suits and lock ourselves away from the rest of the world? Not quite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes and no. The fundamental truth is that we are surrounded by environmental compounds that are harmful in tiny doses (traces). Sadly, they\u2019re inevitable. Toxicologists argue that our world has always been toxic. Yet, we thrived and evolved as a species. This is because our innate detoxification systems and antioxidant protection mechanisms are remarkable and continue to evolve day after day to keep us alive!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Extremely persistent manmade substances are a huge problem. They are artificially-generated molecules that don’t degrade. An example is the carcinogen PFOA (or C8) manufactured by companies like 3M and Dupont. Chemists add 8 carbons to a molecule, making it almost indestructible. Think construction materials, paints, stain-resistant carpets, carpet cleaning liquids, medical equipment, medical wear, microwavable bags, and non-stick pans. Female workers in these factories decades ago had deformed babies and miscarriages, and nearby populations had higher cancer rates from environmental exposure in water and surroundings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because manmade materials like PFOA are persistent, the body cannot chemically destroy them or neutralise them. So these carcinogenic molecules bioaccumulate in blood, cells and tissue, and even passed on to future generations during pregnancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our innate detoxification systems and antioxidant protection mechanisms are remarkable and continue to evolve day after day to keep us alive!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Human detoxification occurs 24\/7, all day long, non-stop, and this detoxification process can be mechanical or biochemical, or both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The various human detoxification mechanisms include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n A multitude of mechanical and biochemical detoxification pathways work alongside each other every second. Let\u2019s take a closer look at how.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Under ordinary circumstances, here are the following ways the body handles toxins that can be very harmful in smaller doses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Working with your lungs, skin, kidneys, and intestines, a healthy liver mechanically and biochemically detoxifies many harmful substances and eliminates them without contaminating the bloodstream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, certain foods or compounds found in the foods we eat can support and (in some instances) even enhance our body\u2019s detoxification process. For example, a number of phytochemical compounds, which are chemicals from plants, have been heavily investigated for their role in detoxification at a cellular level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n But guess what? Phytochemical compounds are mildly toxic and as a result of this mild toxicity, our cells \u201coverreact\u201d and trigger a number of beneficial epigenetic responses, such as switching on detoxification genes, longevity genes, and tumour-protective genes, or switching off oncogenes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nutritional detoxification can be facilitated in several ways, such as using food and its components to help modulate metabolic detoxification pathways. There are thousands of studies demonstrating the impact of food, drinks, and bioactive compounds on detoxification systems, including the modulation of the following detoxification pathways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n A large number of nutritional compounds and food substances exist to support the body with carrying out the various detoxification processes beyond just essential micronutrients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By learning about the fundamentals of toxicology, you would be able to better evaluate someone\u2019s likely exposure to harmful toxins, including potential signs, and help them reduce their exposure risk while referring them to a medical doctor if symptoms are acute or regular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, as you gain in-depth knowledge about food substances involved in detoxification, you could make nutritional recommendations that can substantially impact a client’s health and wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Detox Specialist\u2122 Certification<\/a> equips you with the knowledge and expertise that you need to help your clients through nutritional detoxification while mitigating toxicity exposures. You would discover how to work with clients to identify (and reduce exposure to) certain food and environmental toxic chemicals, decrease their burden, and strengthen eliminative organs by applying scientifically proven and personalised nutritional strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Who would be your clients, and what are some professional opportunities<\/strong> you can explore once you complete the Detox Specialist\u2122 Certification? Let\u2019s explore some of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n WEIGHT LOSS CLIENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When you acquire the expertise to develop effective detoxification-supporting meals, you can help your clients with their weight loss goals by addressing environmental detractors such as obesogens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Obesogens are a type of endocrine-disrupting chemicals associated with more fat mass in animal and human studies. They stimulate fat storage by altering fat tissue biology or by disrupting metabolic regulation and energy balance. They include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n By helping your clients evaluate and reduce exposure to these and other obesogens, you can help optimise their weight management outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n HIGH TOXICITY RISK WORKERS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You can deliver workshops and health safety programs for high toxicity risk workers about existing toxins in the following sectors once you have acquired the knowledge and expertise to do so via our Detox specialist certification:<\/p>\n\n\n\n And many other high-hazard sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n FOOD\/DRINK FORMULATION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Is gastronomy or product formulation your thing? You could help with the formulation of detoxification-supporting products like phytochemical-rich, precursor-rich, probiotic-rich, or fibre-rich foods, drinks (e.g. smoothies), and supplements (e.g. extracts with bioactive compounds).<\/p>\n\n\n\n FOOD INDUSTRY CLIENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You could also help with developing food and drinks that support the body\u2019s need for essential micronutrients, precursors, and compounds involved in biochemical (e.g. sulphuric compounds involved in the sulfation pathway) and mechanical (e.g. probiotics\u2019 heavy-metal binding isotherms) detoxification processes (as shown in both in vitro and in vivo research).<\/p>\n\n\n\n You could get involved with the ethical commercialisation<\/strong> of products that do not promote \u2018miracle\u2019 claims and ethical production and packaging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n MEAL PREPARATION, MENU DESIGN AND MEAL DELIVERY SERVICES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Have a love for cooking? As you discover the process of detoxification-supporting nutrients, you could incorporate these into meal planning. You could design personalised detoxification-supporting meals for the workforce and professionals and also prepare these meals for home or office delivery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n FERTILITY CLIENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When you acquire the expertise to run effective detoxification programs, you would be able to help your fertility clients increase their fertility odds. Reproductive toxicants and endocrine disruptors can significantly reduce your clients’ fertility odds and increase their risk for reproductive disturbances, acceleration of reproductive ageing, and diseases like PCOS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mutagenic action from toxicants like PFOA can also increase disease risk in the offspring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SLEEP CLIENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Do you have clients complaining about poor sleep? Then they may be at risk for neurodegenerative disorders, traumatic brain injury and stroke. This is because brain detoxification and waste clearance through the recently discovered glymphatic system are triggered and sustained by adequate, quality sleep. The brain’s glymphatic system<\/strong> functions mainly during sleep and is largely disengaged during wakefulness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So insufficient and poor sleep compromises this waste clearance and increases their risk of these diseases. Accumulation of neurotoxic waste and by-products of brain metabolism is detrimental to the brain and cognition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By equipping yourself with the right strategies, you can help your clients overcome this challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n BRAIN HEALTH CLIENTS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you have acquired the expertise to do so, you can help your clients reduce their exposure to heavy metals and exposure to other neurotoxins that increase brain disease risk, like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n NGOs AND GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If making an impact on a large scale is something you have considered, you could run environmental initiatives that help with the production of exposure reports, safety policies, implementation of toxicity risk reduction tasks, developing toxicology surveys and research once you have acquired the knowledge to do so through the Detox Specialist certification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also be involved with raising awareness and prompting the government to take responsibility and help change our exposure to harmful or persistent manmade chemicals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to learn how to support your clients\u2019 detoxification goals effectively, the Detox Specialist\u2122 certification<\/a> will walk you through every step. Explore this specialisation inside our free 360\u00b0 Detox Academic Tour today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \ud83d\udc49 Take the tour of the Detox Specialist\u2122 Certification here \u2192<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Want to know more about running personalised nutritional detoxification programs and how to expand your client practice?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out our CPD certified webinar on Nutritional Detoxification Strategies<\/a>, in which Alex Ruani, UCL researcher and our Chief Science Educator, will help you understand the science behind human toxicology and nutritional detoxification PLUS share proven, actionable insights and strategies for you to instantly apply in your client sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat qualifies as a \u2018toxin\u2019?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
But are natural chemicals always safe?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Should we fear our modern environmental load?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The human body is a detox powerhouse<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How does the human body handle toxins?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How can you acquire the expertise to safely support your clients with mitigating their toxic load?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Now, how can you maximise your professional opportunities in the detox space?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nYour Next Steps\u2026.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n