Obviously there’s a surefire way to avoid a hangover this holiday season—but who wants to do that? So let’s just assume that you might imbibe this month to celebrate the end of a long, hard year of great running milestones, terrific friends and wonderful personal bests achieved at your races. (Isn’t that why all of us drink?) If you’re going to have a few pops, there’s a great product from Genuine Health called Detox, which does just that: in addition to other benefits, it helps your system mitigate booze. The product development manager at Genuine Health is Lauren Hauswirth, and we got her on the phone to better understand how, after our crew end-of-the-year party, we can make our long run the next day.
iRun: Why do we need to Detox?!
Lauren Hauswirth: Today, we are constantly ingesting toxins into our body. Things that are a part of our daily lives often contain harmful substances, and we may not even realize it! Chemicals in the air, in water, exposures at work and lifestyle factors (like alcohol and cosmetics). Many systems and organs in our bodies can be impacted by toxins including: kidney, liver, lungs, nervous system, and even our blood and when liver detoxification isn’t working properly, it can lead to toxic overload.
iRun: Yikes. What does that mean?
LH: That the toxins we’re ingesting are not being excreted properly and are building up within the body. When these toxins build up, they can cause symptoms such as: hormone imbalances, infertility, breast pain, menstrual disturbances, increase risk of cancer, mood swings, increase blood pressure, irritability, depression, fatigue, and poor concentration.
iRun: So how do we detox and how does detoxification work?
LH: Liver detoxification includes more than just the liver, it also includes the kidneys, skin, bowels, and lymphatic system. There are two distinct phases of liver detoxification: Phase 1 and Phase 2.
iRun: OK.
LH: Phase 1 involves enzymes responsible for breaking down fat-soluble toxins. Phase 2 involves enzymes responsible for breaking down the fat-soluble compounds that are a result of phase 1, into water-soluble compounds. These are safer for the kidneys to excrete! With the Western diet, we often have plenty of nutrients from the diet to support phase 1 detoxification; however, we often do not consume enough nutrients to support phase 2 very well. What can then occur is that our body cannot fully process these harmful substances in phase 2, and a lot of metabolites get stuck in between the phases.
iRun: That sounds awful.
LH: Compounds that leave phase 1 detoxification are still VERY harmful to our bodies. This is why it’s very important to focus on phase 1 and 2 equally to ensure we’re supporting the full cycle, and that all the harmful toxins are excreted safely.
iRun: For your Detox line, what are you leaning on as your hero ingredients?
LH: It’s important to know that our hero ingredients support both phase 1 and phase 2 detox. Phase 1: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Citrus Bioflavonoids, Broccoli Seed Extract. Phase 2: Molybdenum, Dandelion Root Powder, L-Glutamine, N-acetyl-cysteine, Glycine.
iRun: It’s interesting to see you use Vitamin C.
LH: Vitamin C has been found to promote phase 1 detoxification of several harmful metabolites.
iRun: So let’s get into it: what is your Greens+ Daily detox product?
LH: A greens powder to support your foundational nutrition, plus a specially formulated detoxifying blend to support phase I and II liver detoxification. These ingredients support NATURAL detoxification of the body, something that happens naturally—but your body could always use extra support! Our body has multiple natural defences against harmful toxins that we’re exposed to daily and these natural systems are strong, however, sometimes they could use some extra support (Like Greens+ Daily Detox!)
iRun: What does the Daily Detox do?
LH: Helps to support the function of the liver, an organ involved in detoxification, and comes in a delicious green apple flavour! It’s really important to note that our body is detoxing ALL THE TIME! Detoxing is getting rid of waste, which occurs everyday, but our body sometimes just needs extra support to make sure it’s functioning properly, which Greens+ Daily Detox supports.
iRun: Here’s the million dollar question—as we move towards the holiday season, how can Genuine Health Detox products help with alcohol consumption?
LH: Take your Greens+ Daily Detox every day during the holidays to support both phase 1 and phase 2 detoxification.
iRun: What happens to the body when we drink and how can we counteract some of our less good decisions?
LH: Drinking alcohol can be taxing on liver detoxification, so during times of heavier consumption, taking a detox supporting product can help support your liver.
iRun: How would you prescribe taking your Detox product around holiday drinks?
LH: Take one scoop of Greens+ Daily detox every day, with or without a meal, and make sure you hydrate—have a safe and happy holiday.
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