Tips to Take Down Your Toxic Load

Let’s face it, toxins are everywhere. We are dealing with levels of toxins in our environment that our ancestors just did not have to contend with. This is not to scare but to empower. You see, you are the only one who can really watch out for YOU. No one else will.

And we have a lot to watch out for.

Many toxins come from our surrounding environment. The air we breathe is full of pollutants and harmful airborne chemicals. In America, much of our food is filled with dyes, colorings, preservatives, and pesticides. And our water is full of pathogens, parasites, chlorine, and fluoride (a neurotoxin), amongst other things.

There is also an accumulation of toxins that can happen inside our very own homes from basic everyday items that you wouldn’t normally think of as being “toxic” to your health. Including items such as laundry detergent, cleaning products, and personal care products. However, the truth is that we are exposed to hundreds of chemicals on a daily basis, even before we leave the comfort of our own homes.

These toxins build up in our bodies. Eventually, this accumulation will start to fill the toxic bucket that each one of us has. Once your toxic bucket is full, it will begin to overflow, and that is when problems start to surface.

How Could It Be Affecting You?

We notice that over time, carrying a toxic burden will undoubtedly begin to affect your daily living.

I am a Holistic Health Practitioner with a specialty in toxicity and detoxification. I once had a client who came to see me for two reasons. The first was that she was extremely overweight, and the second was that she suffered from extreme exhaustion and fatigue. She tried everything she could think of to help herself lose weight and stabilize her energy. But absolutely nothing she tried worked.

She decided to reach out for help. After a few sessions, we were able to determine she was having a severe reaction to the bleach that was being used in her home and around her physical body, every single day. When she decided to discontinue using bleach and cleaned up a few other toxic sources in her environment, her symptoms started to clear up, too.

I encourage you to become more aware of hidden dangers lurking in your life that could be affecting your vitality and overall wellness.

Please keep reading for 8 ways you can avoid harmful chemicals in your environment and in your life:

1. Organic,Whole Foods
   
   Organic food is an option for many of us. Yes, it can be slightly more expensive than conventionally grown food, but I look at it like this. Either way, you will pay more out of pocket, or you will pay more through health issues and possibly dis-ease, so it’s a pay now or pay later kind of thing. Organic food allows you to avoid pesticides, GMO-grown items, some sources of MSG, and chemical additives that could affect your overall health and wellness.
   
   I encourage you to learn to read labels if you don’t already know how. This is not about calories and protein amounts. I mean to understand the actual ingredients listed on the package of the food you buy. The EWG (Environmental Working Group) has a quick shoppers’ guide called The Dirty Dozen & Clean Fifteen. This is an easy-to-use, current list that helps you determine when it is safe to consume conventional produce and when you should stick with organic.
   
   Whole food is really the best. That is what we were designed to eat. Not all of this is packaged and ultra-processed “food”. That is really where you will get many food toxins. Through the chemicals allowed in our food supply, such as colorings and synthetic additives. Our bodies just don’t know how to process.
2. Food Storage & Kitchen Ware
   
   Avoid plastic food storage containers and plastic water bottles. These types of plastic are unstable and leach chemicals into your food or water. Especially when heated by the sun or by a microwave. Instead, consider glass storage containers and glass or stainless steel water bottles.
   
   Canned foods, aluminum cookware, or non-stick coating. Certain foods do better in cans than others. But all foods have the potential to leach from a can. Especially tomatoes. The PH makes it one of the most dangerous to have out of a can (a little food for thought:).
   
   Aluminum cookware has been found to leach into food when heated. It has also been identified that the non-stick coating in cookware can cause problems when the coating becomes scratched. The remnants have also been found in food. Consider replacing with stainless steel or cast iron.
3. Filtered Water
   
   Use a quality filtration system for the water that you drink and cook with. It is crucial to good health to consume enough quality filtered water. We are a large percentage of water. If you drink contaminated water, you contaminate yourself. Being properly hydrated is a critical part of healthy living, and making that so with fresh, clean water is key. When you regularly ingest poor-quality or tap water, those unfiltered toxins can, over time, create health issues for you.
   
   When clients come to see me, whether it is their first or fifth time, I always check both hydration and water quality. I make suggestions accordingly. You can balance a lot in your body by just increasing the amount of water you drink and adjusting the quality to match.
   
4. Your Body Care & Cleaning Products
   
   When we say to use “clean” body care and cleaning products. We mean products that have all ingredients listed, and we understand and recognize them. These are items made from materials that we can pronounce and that are not made in a laboratory.
   
   Our society loves easy and convenient. We prefer things to work fast and with little effort. That is not how things always were. This came about later. I recommend going back to the basics and starting with the simple things, like what we put on our bodies, that beautiful vessel of yours. And what we use to clean our precious palace or environment with.
   
   When I went back to the basics, there weren’t many options. I had to figure it out on my own. Today, things are quite different. There are many options for cleaner body care and cleaning products.
   
5. Breathe Fresh Air
   
   Get outside often and breathe in fresh air whenever possible. Try for a little bit every day (weather permitting). When you are not outside, consider opening windows or doors to circulate fresh air. Yes, sometimes in heavily polluted areas or during extreme circumstances such as fire, that is not possible. That is why I recommend having a quality air purifier in your home.
   
6. Movement
   
   Regular movement is absolutely one of the best ways to keep your toxic load low. Actually, sweating is key. We release many toxins through sweat. You can achieve this through sweating in a sauna. Get your sweat on! Move your body or use an infrared sauna to encourage daily sweating.
   
7. Shoes Of
   
   I suggest that people take off their shoes inside. That is an easy and effective way to lower the toxins in your home. You may not realize what actually accumulates on the soles of your shoes. That you then bring into your home. This is your sanctuary, your safe space… why even run the risk? Just take your shoes off and make it a new rule. Be a no-shoe household.
   
8. Daily Elimination
   
   We release toxins through our bowel movements. Having regular elimination is crucial in order to release much of the environmental toxins that our bodies accumulate. Many of the things I have mentioned will, in turn, help with this. Movement, hydration, and, of course, eating certain whole foods that help to regulate your bowels. Foods such as chia seeds (high in fiber and omega fatty acids). Dates, prunes, and apples are also really helpful.
   
   *Special tip: Gentle Liver Support
   
   Gently supporting your liver during any type of shift in the level of toxins you are exposed to is a very helpful idea to consider. Your liver is the organ doing the most work while trying to deal with any level of toxic burden you may be experiencing. Including artichokes, asparagus, citrus fruits, blueberries, cranberries, beets, broccoli, and cauliflower in your diet will be an immense support to this process.
   
   Using all or some of these suggestions will lower your toxic load. Even just a little will make a very large difference in your health. This is especially true if you are already compromised with other health issues…

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-environmental-toxins-can-impact-your-health

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4247328

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9540824

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-food-additives-banned-europe-making-americans-sick-expert-says

Photo by Anna Shvets