Detox Defenders: Polyphenols, Minerals, and the Hidden Battle Against Toxic Burden with Liza Twohill

What if the root of stubborn chronic illness isn’t just poor lifestyle choices, but an invisible toxic burden quietly overwhelming the body?

In this compelling episode, naturopath and mentor Liza Twohill shares insights from her 25+ years of clinical experience helping patients in regional Australia navigate the hidden impact of agricultural chemicals, mining exposures, heavy metals, and everyday pollutants. From her grassroots beginnings in Dubbo to her current role as NHAA Board Director and Adjunct Professional Fellow at Southern Cross University, Liza has honed a practical, step-by-step framework for guiding patients safely through detoxification.

You’ll learn why trace minerals like zinc, iodine, and molybdenum are foundational to detox, how polyphenols and antioxidants can dial down chronic inflammation and support mitochondria, and why jumping straight into “heroic” detox protocols often backfires. Instead, Liza maps out her six-stage process - assessing exposures, reducing body burden, calming the nervous system, addressing inflammation, optimising drainage, and finally implementing targeted detox strategies.

Whether you’re a clinician seeking clarity on environmental medicine or someone struggling with complex health issues, this episode offers a refreshing perspective: detox isn’t about quick fixes, but about restoring the body’s natural resilience with patience, precision, and respect for individual biochemistry.

Connect with Liza: www.lizatwohill.com

Shownotes and references are available on the Designs for Health website


Register as a Designs for Health Practitioner and discover quality practitioner- only supplements at www.designsforhealth.com.au

Follow us on Socials

Instagram: Designsforhealthaus

Facebook: Designsforhealthaus

DISCLAIMER: The Information provided in the Wellness by Designs podcast is for educational purposes only; the information presented is not intended to be used as medical advice; please seek the advice of a qualified healthcare professional if what you have heard here today raises questions or concerns relating to your health

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:11):
This is Wellness by Designs, and I'm your host, amy
Skilton, and joining us today isLiza Tuhill, a naturopath who
is very passionate aboutempowering clinicians to tackle
complex chronic diseases, andher approach really looks at
addressing the hidden toxicburden within the context of a

(00:32):
naturopathic care model, and I'mreally excited to be chatting
with her today because she has avery interesting legacy and a
really interesting patientdemographic which we can all
learn from.
But a little bit about Lizabefore I bring her on.
She is a respected naturopath,mentor and research clinician
with over 25 years of clinicalpractice and, as I said before,

(00:55):
her expertise lies in supportingindividuals with really complex
and chronic health conditions.
Now Liza actually lives andworks in regional and remote
Australia and this has reallyshaped her practice and her as a
clinician, allowing her torefine grassroots naturopathic
approach through food asmedicine, herbal and lifestyle
therapies, as well asenvironmental medicine and

(01:18):
really practical interpretationsof pathology results.
Now Liza is a passionateadvocate for complementary
medicine being integrated intoprimary health care and her
clinical experience is matchedby her commitment to mentoring
other practitioners.
So we will absolutely touch onthat today if you're interested
in learning from her.

(01:39):
And lastly, in addition to herclinical and mentoring roles.
Liza is an adjunct ProfessionalFellow at the National Centre
for Naturopathic Medicine atSouthern Cross University and a
current Board Director of theNaturopath and Herbalist
Association of Australia, alsoknown as NHA.
Liza, thank you so much forjoining us today.

(02:01):
Thank you, it's an honour, anabsolute pleasure.
Well, look, before we dive intothe juicy topic we're going to
be chatting about today, I'dlove to hear more about how you
got started in complementarymedicine, where being located in
remote and regional parts ofAustralia came into this, and
also your role on the NHAAAboard and through Southern Cross

(02:24):
University, like how you'rereally, I guess, injecting your
passion and love into thelandscape of our profession.

Speaker 2 (02:31):
Yeah, okay, there's lots of questions there.
So my journey I'm located inDubbo, new South Wales, and I've
been here since the late, late2003.
And I was at that stage inearly career naturopath I was in
, I think.
Four years out I came, werelocated for work, for my
husband's work, and I was prettydevastated actually at the time

(02:54):
, thinking that my professionwould be over.
I didn't think that I would beable to to earn a living as a
naturopath out here becausethere wasn't really anyone out
here.
I wasn't sure about what Icould do and, as I've learned in
the last 20 something years,it's quite different and I have

(03:15):
a passion in chronic health,environmental health and just
complex chronic health disease.
My journey into naturopathy I'veactually been exposed to
naturopathic lifestyle since Iwas about three.
So my parents got into it whenI was a toddler, along with my
large family, and so I've alwayshad that background, I suppose,

(03:39):
in holistic care and lifestylemedicine, food as medicine.
And when I was in my mid Ithink I was 23, I decided I
wanted to learn.
I was very interested in themental health aspects and the
gut microbiome and how itimpacted, and I decided to study
naturopathy back then.
So I went to Sydney and spent afair bit of time there doing

(04:02):
that.
So that's.