Lightbulb moment!

My husband and I have always noticed that when we don't give our boys grapefruit seed extract (GSE) they respond negatively, almost immediately.  When we had their last stool test done, it showed encouraging results of no yeast or bad bacteria.  Now, we know that yeast can be systemic and may not be in the GI tract, so we never really questioned it beyond that, but I must say, we were slightly perplexed by the fact that they needed the GSE so frequently.  In further reading, I came across some information that made the lightbulb in my dusty brain flicker!

Let me start by edumacating you.

Our natural detox system is broken down in phases in the liver.  The Phase 1 pathway is dependant on many enzymes in our body and is responsible for breaking down toxins for easy transport, but in that process, they actually become more toxic so it's very important for the Phase 2 pathway to step up and remove those toxins from the body, and fast.  If these two phases aren't working together, a toxic bottle-neck occurs.

Here is the layman's picture.  You take your garbage out to the curb for pick-up weekly to keep the house clean (Phase 1).  Let's just say the garbage truck (Phase 2) starts coming less frequently, but you are still putting the garbage out.  It starts to pile up!  It becomes more stinky, toxic!  Now imagine that going on in your blood...

Many people who are mercury toxic have slower Phase 2 cycles, causing the toxins to sit around poisoning the body.  Now more interesting news....GSE slows down Phase 1 liver function.  And even more importantly, methylators like MB-12 and DMG, taurine, glycine and epsom salt baths (sulfation), speed up Phase 2!  Another important part of Phase 2 is....GLUTATHIONE!  Helloooo, mercury toxic and chronically ill people are low in glutathione!  While it's not beneficial to try to take glutathione in the form of a supplement, there are ways to increase your own.  You can take certain supplements like NAC and you can eat foods like avocado, etc.  Click on the link above to learn more about glutathione.

I have always known that the liver phase pathways determine our ability to detox, I never really boiled it down to why the supplements we give the kids effect this process!  (ding, ding, ding)

There is a test that will look at your DNA to determine how your liver is detoxing and because it uses DNA, it is a test that only needs to be done once in a lifetime!  The test by Genova Diagnostics is called DetoxGenomic Profile.  It requires blood work, so you will have to get your doctor involved in this order, but WELL worth knowing!!  I would hate to be giving our children supplements that could slow something down that doesn't need slowing down, especially when it involves our natural detox mechanism.  I know that Grayson is a slow methylator from an organic acid test we have done in the past, so this will inevitably effect his phase 2 pathway.

I love when things make more sense.  This is why I read endlessly.  It creates a deeper understanding to why I work so tirelessly at helping our family get healthy.  It also makes it easier to know when to tweak things as healing occurs.  I wish it was as easy as popping a single pill and moving on with life, but it just isn't that easy.  Recovering from chronic health issues requires a deep understanding of how our bodies work and then years of helping them get back to that healthy place.