You’ve reached that time in your life when you feel financially secure and the time is right to start a family, or add to your family. So of course you want to get started right away. Then you do some research and read about the importance of preparing your body and decide to get that detox product raved about on socials and buy a folate supplement. That should do it. Right? Wrong!
Sadly this scenario is so common and what I often see in my clinic. After the above, many women [sometimes a man will come along too] come in for support because “it’s just not happening”. But after explaining that we need to actually test to see what’s going on inside their body so we can support their very unique needs, their timeline comes to the fore. “But we don’t want to wait”. “We’ve been trying for 6 months and want to fall pregnant now”. I get it. But I also know the outcomes of poor preparation using cleverly marketed quick detox protocols that can result in lasting damage. Believe me when I repeatedly stress the advice to consult a qualified naturopath with fertility training.
Why quick detox can be a problem
Understanding what our body does with toxins helps to clarify how detoxification needs to be approached. Our body stores toxins – which can be heavy metals, environmental chemicals, herbicides, pesticides – strategically in tissues such as bones, fat cells, or organs. In order for these to be safely removed from our body they have to be completely eliminated, not redistributed.
Many synthetic chelators and some ‘natural’ ones too simply mobilise and redistribute toxins often resulting in greater damage. Research into two commonly used synthetic chelators identified how mercury was redistributed into nerve tissue causing permanent neurological damage. However, we also need to be aware that some commonly used natural chelators only mobilise but don’t actually bind and remove toxins. Some other natural binders are themselves laden with heavy metals so purity is key.
How toxic am I?
The gold standard of testing for longer term exposure of toxic chemicals is with a Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis or HTMA. Using a reputable laboratory which uses the same validated testing methods as hospital toxicology is the key here. The HTMA not only provides valuable information on toxins but, perhaps more importantly, also provides information on nutritional levels of minerals which are essential in supporting any detoxification process. Blood pathology won’t reveal toxic chemicals as it is designed to be a snapshot in time and will only reveal acute toxicity. Hair accumulates toxins over time and is less invasive, therefore for chronic bioaccumulation, hair is superior.
Our body has been designed to remove toxins provided it has the nutrients needed. Therefore, your practitioner will always begin with assessing your nutrient levels and how your organs are functioning. Especially important here are the adrenal glands, thyroid function and ensuring that all elimination pathways are clear and working optimally. These organs include liver, kidneys, lungs, lymphatics, circulation and intestines.
Chances are you have some toxins in your body. With nearly 10,000 people monitored global evidence shows a wide distribution for occupational and environmental toxicity. We are all affected to some degree.
And, yes, our body is programmed to detox. As mentioned above, this can only happen if we have all the nutrients required. Add to this the importance of daily quality sleep, which is when most clearance takes place. Further, we are exposed to such a wide variety of chemicals on a daily basis, that our body just can’t keep so many toxins accumulate over time.
Take the personal assessment test in my book – you may be surprised at just how many chemicals our body is exposed to on a daily basis.
Bottom line
A clinical detox can take time – it’s taken many months perhaps years for the toxins to accumulate in your body; these have been deposited in various tissues including bones, fat, organs and can’t just be mobilised, but need to be removed safely. In order to do that your body, adrenal and thyroid function, and elimination pathways must be clear and functioning efficiently. Once your nutrient and most importantly, mineral levels, are replete, then your body is able to detox. To assess your situation, we need to test – everyone is different.
The outcome of the detox is not determined by a protocol, but by your body’s capacity to remove the toxins.
If you want to have a baby now, consider giving your body a few months to get ready. Consider that some people prepare for a wedding or plan a holiday for up to two years in advance. These are short-term events. Having a baby is creating a new life for up to or over 80 years.
If you are thinking of starting a family some time in the future, then you have the added luxury of really preparing yourselves [as this applies to both the mum and dad, whether conceiving naturally, with the help of IVF or considering freezing eggs or sperm].
So get a copy of my book to read up on all this and much more. Then consult your local qualified naturopath. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me.
