What are the Seven Channels of Detoxification?

The body has its own remarkable machinery for routine cleansing and detoxification. Specifically, there are five organs and two fluids involved in collecting, filtering and helping to eliminate the toxins that perpetually accumulate within each of us. Together, they are called the Seven Channels of Detoxification, and each must work together in harmony to ensure the maximum benefits of cleansing and detoxification.

• Lungs: The lungs dispense toxins every time you exhale, and one of the most common of those toxins is carbon dioxide, a byproduct of respiration. In addition, the muscular contractions involved in breathing help to transport lymph and blood, which also convey toxins. The lining of mucus and cilia (small hairs that capture airborne particles) found in the lungs help prevent toxins from entering the body.
• Liver: Health researchers believe that the added burden on our liver caused by toxins contributes to chronic fatigue, high cholesterol, irritable bowel syndrome, cognitive difficulties and high blood pressure. Because of its significant involvement in the process of elimination, the liver is considered the manager of the body’s entire detoxification process.
• Colon: The colon serves as the final destination for waste (food residue) before it is eliminated from the body. It is critical that bowel elimination happens daily.
• Kidneys: Water-soluble waste from the blood flows into the kidneys from the liver, and this waste is then stored in the bladder before elimination by way of the urine.
• Skin: The skin creates a protective covering that prevents toxins from entering the body. Simultaneously, because of its size and area, the skin actually eliminates more cellular waste than the colon and kidneys combined.
• Blood: The key transportation system in the body, the blood moves through the cardiovascular system to bring nutrients and oxygen to the cells and flush away waste products and toxins.
• Lymph: A clear fluid filled with immune cells (called lymphocytes), lymph moves throughout the body in a series of vessels that parallel the paths of the veins. In addition to delivering nutrients, lymph also collects cellular waste and helps destroy pathogens.