Environmental Toxins: Get them out, part II
May 5, 2017
Chemistry can get confusing; the take-home is this: if you do your part to minimize toxins – solvents, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, heavy metals, and plastics – within your home and your diet, your body’s detoxification pathways will be better equipped to handle the toxins that you do come in contact with that you can’t possibly avoid 100%.
You are what you eat
Decreasing exposure is the most important step in cleaning toxins from your system. Since food pesticides are a major source of toxicity, buy organic produce, whenever possible. Use the Environmental Working Group’s annual list of Clean Fifteen/ Dirty Dozen foods to make educated choices and to determine a priority in organic buying.
If you buy conventionally grown fruits or vegetables (maybe they’re the only local option), detoxify by either peeling or washing in acid (distilled vinegar in water) for 10-25 minutes and scrubbing for one minute. For fruits or vegetables that cannot easily be scrubbed (think grapes, cherries, etc.), soak in an acid wash for an hour or so and rinsed well.
Choose organic meat and dairy products, because most pesticides are fat-soluble; what better place to accumulate than in high-fat dairy and animal tissue? Use the National Resource Defense Council’s Mercury Guide to help make educated choices.
More ways to limit exposure to toxins
- How you treat that food matters; use glass and/or stainless steel beverage and food containers (vs. plastic).
- NEVER microwave in plastic!
- Consider organic gardening and pest management.
- Use non-toxic household cleaners that are plant-based with essential oils.
- Explore non-toxic hair dyes, colors, and cosmetics! Use ‘Skin Deep‘ database as a resource to find out how toxic your products are and to find better options.
- If your products rank higher than you feel comfortable with, check out Beautycounter for safer personal care products (skincare, haircare, make-up, sunscreen).
Releasing stored environmental toxins
Once decreasing your toxic exposure is a priority, begin to focus on minimizing your body burden by releasing stored toxins. To encourage your body to do this:
- Alkalinize your urine (with lemon or lime juice or raw apple cider vinegar)
- Optimize your liver function
- Bind toxins
- Move bowels and lymphatics
- Sweat regularly
- Breathe deeply
The simplified take-home summary for “I’m full of what?!?!…. GET IT OUT!”:
- Minimize your toxin exposure in food, pesticides, and home products
- Cleanse: whole food, high fiber diet to encourage metabolism & excretion
- Emphasize dark-colored fruits, vegetables, & quality proteins
put your home on a toxin diet (cleaners, pesticides, etc.) - Focus on caring for yourself
- Add liver, digestion supporting supplements
If you need some help in detoxifying your body, call the office or schedule online!