Throughout life we are exposed to various toxins that can take a toll on our health.
Toxins can be found in the food we eat, the water we drink, the environment we are exposed to daily, household cleaning products and the personal care products we use every day!
Yes….I know our body has the ability to naturally detoxify but these processes can become overwhelmed and can eventually breakdown.
As we are continuously exposed to toxins over the years, they affect the way that the body normally functions. When the body doesn’t function correctly disease or illness sets in as our immunity starts to decrease.
Symptoms of toxic overload:
- Skin Issues
- Brain Fog (confusion, memory loss, inability to concentrate)
- Constipation from eating too many processed foods with preservatives, colorants and artificial flavoring
- Unusual body odor despite good hygiene habits
- Physical aches and pains
- Low energy or chronic fatigue
One thing to keep in mind is that we all have our own biological individuality. Biological individuality is the fact that we all have our own unique genetic and chemical make up and no two people are the same.
Why is this important?
It’s important because our individual make up affects how each of us responds to all the stressors we are exposed to throughout life. This is how you can have two people with the same condition be given the same treatment but they both have a different health outcome.
For this reasoning, we must take the initiative to be health conscious and do what we can to limit our exposure to substances that may adversely affect our health. Just because someone you know has certain habits and they are “just fine” it doesn’t mean you should do the same thing because you never know how your body will respond.
So, you are probably wondering what you can do to help limit the amount of toxins you are exposed to. The following are a few things you can do to reduce your exposure:
Food
- Eat organic foods that contain no added hormones, grown without pesticides and have no added artificial flavors or sweeteners.
- Avoid fish with high levels of mercury.
- Drink plenty of water about 2.7 liters (91 ounces).
- Avoid sugary beverages with added flavors and sweeteners.
Home Environment
- Use glass containers, plates and cups.
- Don’t store or reheat food in plastic containers. If you must use plastic be sure it is labeled as BPA Free (synthetic product in plastic that leaches into food/liquids. BPA has been linked to health issues).
- Change air filters on a regular basis and keep air vents clean.
- Choose paint, carpet underlay and flooring with low volatile compounds (VOCS). VOCS are compounds that easily become vapor or gas and can be harmful when inhaled.
- Cook with stainless steel or cast-iron skillets versus non-stick. Non-stick agents can leach into food when heated and cause health problems over time.
- Use a water filtration system and avoid drinking or cooking with tap water.
Household and Personal Care Items
- Use natural cleaning products that are labeled green certified cleaners. You can also learn to make your own products.
- Use natural air fresheners that have low VOCS. You can also learn to make your own.
- Use natural/organic make-up, nail polish, hair and skin products that are free of harsh chemicals.
Lifestyle Habits
- Exercise more and hit the sauna! Sweating is one of the major ways that the body helps to detoxify itself.
- Get into the habit of reading all labels! Food, drink and any products you use at home for cleaning or personal care.
In summary, is it possible to completely eliminate your exposure to harmful toxins? No, it is not. But you can make a conscious decision to reduce your exposure to harmful substance by incorporating some of the suggestions above. It’s important to not try to change everything at once but choose a few things to implement each month and eventually you will have transitioned to a healthier way of living.
I must mention that just because your parents or family used certain things all of the time and you seemed to turn out fine, you never know what health repercussions you may experience in the future from years of being exposed to toxins. As I stated before, we all have different biological make ups so we will all not respond the same.
Let’s give our children a head start and reduce the chances of them experiencing adverse health issues due to toxic exposure. When you know better, you do better!!
“It is only when the total body burden of mental and physical stressors has been sufficiently reduced that the body is able to reverse damages from years of overload and heal. The lower the total toxic load, the higher your total health.” Sherry Rogers, M.D
Find Health in Every Day!
Dr. Lindsay