Make sure you eat adequate protein at all meals and snacks (if you read my previous blog posts – Breakfast cereals are junk food – you will see that most days eating meat and nuts, eggs and occasional yoghurt for breakfast you will be on the right road to consuming adequate protein). This is essential as your liver’s phase 2 detoxification pathways run on amino acids. There are 6 phase 2 pathways – the predominant one being glutathione conjugation. Glutathione requires the amino acids glatamic acid, glycine and cysteine – all found in protein containing foods. Meat also contains a host of B vitamins (you only get B12 from meat) that run another of the phase 2 pathways – methylation. What happens during phase 2 detoxification is that the oestrogen is chemically bound to a conjugate (an amino acid, sulphur etc…) to make it less toxic and water soluble. This conjugate acts as an escort to carry the processed oestrogen out of the body in the stool.
The next goal should be to fill up on cruciferous vegetables, which contain indoles and sulphurophane that are other power phase 2 inducers in the liver. Watercress and broccoli are particularly good sources. These nutrients are also rich in sulphur that powers another of the phase 2 pathways – sulphation. It is best to lightly steam these vegetables as well as other vegetables such as onions and leeks so that the nutrients in the foods are not destroyed in the cooking process. Research has shown that microwaving and boiling vegetables almost completely destroys the nutrients in the vegetables.
Once these nutrients have been processed by the liver they are excreted in to the bowel through the bile. In the bowel adequate fibre and water are needed for regular bowel movements to eliminate these toxins. It is also imperative to have good levels of friendly bacteria in the gut as these bacteria inhibit an enzyme called beta glucuronidase. What beta glucuronidase can do is cleave the chemical bond between the processed oestrogen and it escort (be it an amino acid, B vitamins or sulpur) leaving the oestrogen to reabsorbed in to circulation where it can cause damage. Women who have taken the pill or who have yeast infections have higher levels of beta glucuronidase, as will people who have taken antibiotics. So it is important to re-inoculate the bowel after taking either the pill or antibiotics and to adopt habits that promote good gut bacteria such as eating some fermented foods and taking a probiotic supplement.
Tomorrow i’ll discuss oestrogen metabolism in the liver more closely.