What is a detox without proper functioning of the emunctory organs? Well, if you are thinking to yourself ‘I don’t know’….it’s totally okay. Let me give you an idea of the answer in order to help you to get a general understanding. Let’s just say you can equate the answer to a car with a tank full of gas but all four tires are flat. If you get the picture that this particular car is not going anywhere then you basically have your answer to a detox with poor emunctory organ function.
So what’s the reason for the mention of emunctory organs?
An emunctory is any tissue that is capable of allowing excretions to exit the body. Emunctory organs are the organs that release and eliminate waste in the body. There are five primary emunctory organs which are the liver, intestines, kidney, skin, and lungs.
Liver- This is the largest internal organ of the body. It is involved in hundreds of chemical reactions and is known as the main organ involved in detoxification. The liver recognizes harmful substances that have been metabolized and converts them into harmless matter that can be released and eliminated.
Intestines- The main function of the small intestine is digestion and absorption of nutrients from food molecules. The main function of the large intestine is to collect undigested food while reabsorbing water back into the body. The large intestine serves as a temporary storage for the digestive wastes before their discharge out of the body. (responsible for creating stool)
Kidneys- The kidneys are known as the purification plant of the body. They perform a surplus of jobs including purification of blood and removal of waste. These natural filters are responsible for purifying the blood and making it free from all the waste substances that it has collected from every individual cell. (responsible for creating urine)
Skin- The skin is largest organ in the body. It is comprised of three layers and provides protection to internal body parts. The skin is also responsible for excretion of waste products via the surface of the skin. (responsible for creating sweat and shedding)
Lungs- The lungs are the major organs of the respiratory system. A vital function of the lung is to provide oxygen to the all organs of the body and get rid of carbon dioxide which is a waste product of respiration.
With the constant exposure to man-made chemicals and toxic substances, a healthy body with normal physiological function of emunctory organs is capable of eliminating the toxic substances generated by its normal functioning (endogenous waste) and imposed on it by an unnatural life style (exogenous waste) because the human body possesses self-regulatory mechanisms which are self-healing. If the production of toxic metabolites (endogenous waste) and the ingestion of toxic substances(exogenous waste) overwhelm the organs of detoxification and excretion, the body stores these substances and will eventually reach a state where it is incapable of removing all the wastes.
Identifying the importance of emunctory organs and evaluating the function of those organs is essential to the efficacy of any detox, body cleansing or drainage process. For more information on how to support your emunctories contact Balance Healing of Jacksonville.
Elena Alisma, ND
