In today’s world you are exposed to an ever-increasing amount of chemicals and toxins day in and day out. On average, you interact every day with over 200 different industrial-produced chemicals in an ever expanding sea of over 80,000 synthetic chemicals. While it was once thought you were protected from these chemicals before birth, testing shows hundreds of these chemicals in a newborn’s bloodstream. Your body came designed with some excellent systems and organs for detoxification including your liver, lungs, kidneys, and skin, but it is common for these organs to become overwhelmed and backlogged with processing the toxins. Those toxins which your body is unable to process due to overload are stored in your fat cells, in turn, causing them to swell and enlarge. This toxicity can lead to a variety of symptoms including chronic fatigue, digestive disturbances, weight loss problems, emotional imbalances, hormone imbalances, and immune system imbalances. The stage is now set for heightened allergies, autoimmune disease and even certain cancers. Many of these toxins contribute to developmental and childhood disorders as well as may be a factor behind some birth defects. Uncovering this toxicity is often overlooked and can be a very frustrating process chasing symptoms. Unchecked, this could lead to a serious and life-threatening situation.
Common Toxins To Be Aware Of
If you are not making a conscious effort to steer clear of these toxins, you are most likely being bombarded with them. Common sources of toxins include cosmetics, personal hygiene products, artificial fragrances and air fresheners, non-organic produce grown with conventional herbicides and pesticides, tap water, medications, canned foods (with BPA lined cans), artificial colors and sweeteners in food, cleaning products, anti-microbial soaps, non-stick cookware, plastic cookware. You can see we are immersed in a sea of toxins that is ever-growing.
How Do You Get Rid Of These Toxins?
The first step is to identify what sources of these toxins you are being exposed to and eliminate those sources, both at home and at work. Your second step is to support those organs involved in detoxification and elimination, primarily your liver and digestive system respectively. There are many cleansing and fasting programs available, although these may not be a safe or comfortable way of getting rid of these stored toxins. Some people actually become sicker doing these programs due to the increased stress on the body that is already weak and vulnerable. I recommend taking steps to continually support detoxification and elimination, as these should be an on-going effort. Making healthy lifestyle changes along with providing your body with the essential nutrients to keep up the pace with our modern society will help ensure you don’t drown in this sea of toxins. The following steps will have you on your way to not only feeling and looking better, but may prevent or reduce the likelihood of a catastrophic, chronic illness.
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Fiber-an essential component for the elimination aspect of detoxification, optimal sources include fresh vegetables and fruit, legumes, and raw nuts and seeds.
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Avoid processed foods-steer clear of these to avoid artificial ingredients and colors, additives, and refined carbohydrates.
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Purified water-be sure to get plenty of purified water to help flush the system. How much? Divide your body weight in half, and that’s how many ounces per day you need.
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Cruciferous vegetables-this category of vegetables has certain nutrients that help the liver to process toxins more efficiently. Some of the more common vegetables in this category include broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage and collard greens.
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Liver-friendly herbs-Milk Thistle, Dandelion, Rosemary, and Schisandra are some of the more common herbs that not only help to protect the liver, but help the liver break down toxins more efficiently. These can be used in teas or supplements.
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Vitamins and Minerals-when your body has an excessive load of toxins to process and eliminate there is a higher demand of certain nutrients that are required to carry out these tasks. Vitamin C, B Complex, and Magnesium are some of the more vital nutrients to increase either through the foods you eat or high-quality supplements.
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Super Greens-Chlorella, spirulina, and young barley greens, probably not things you had on your dinner plate last night. These algae and plants are true super foods when it comes to detoxification. Not only do they provide important nutrients for detox, but they are also known to bind with heavy metals and remove them from your body. The easiest way to obtain these super foods is through a greens-based powder that can be added to smoothies or protein drinks.
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Green Tea-a rich source of antioxidants, including the powerful EGCG, this beverage provides protection for the liver and helps promote purification and detoxification through out the body. Try to get at least 3 cups of fresh-brewed green tea every day.
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Exercise-movement is essential to promote circulation in your lymphatic system, which collects debris to be filtered and removed from the body. Sweating is also an additional means by which the body gets rid of toxins through your skin.
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