There are hundreds of toxins we are exposed to everyday in our environment. Toxins are in what we eat, wear, the mattresses we sleep on, the soap we use, household chemicals for cleaning and gardening, not to mention the air we breathe. These toxins have to be broken down by our liver, which can get overwhelmed and the toxins can end up being stored in the fatty tissues in the body. Some toxins mimic hormones or can cause inflammatory disorders and cancer. There are safer alternatives to our everyday household products and making small changes in your environment can make big differences in your body.
Most common household cleaners that you can get at your supermarket, contain toxic, caustic and non-biodegradable chemicals. It has been shown that it takes 26 seconds after exposure for these chemicals to show up in your body. Some people have reactions to this exposure, such as burning, itchy, watery eyes, trouble breathing or burning in the throat and lungs, gagging, nausea, migraines, headaches, and achy joints. Reactions are the body’s signal of overload and really telling you to “get away!” To prevent disease the body must manage the burden by eliminating the toxin. If the load is excessive, symptoms occur as a response to the disturbance of the body’s immune and detoxification functions. Everyone varies on the amount their body can handle based on overall health and genetics.
We humans have created a toxic world, but awareness can make a big difference. It is the accumulation of toxins over time that leads to an overwhelmed and toxic body. Studies have shown asthma rates in children have increased 118% from 1980 to 1993, as well as lung cancer in adults. Since World War II over 75,000 new synthetic chemicals have been developed and released into the environment; fewer than half have been tested for their potential toxicity on humans and even less have been tested for their toxicity on children. However times are changing, the American Environmental Health Foundation has published research and is educating physicians, politicians and others about these issues and we are learning just how crucial it is to take care of our environment and make the changes to protect our health.
There are some steps you can take to decrease your body’s exposure to unnecessary toxins.
- Do not use herbicides, pesticides, fungicides or fertilizers. Pesticides are neurotoxins, which mean the effect the central nervous system. Pesticides do not know the difference between the pest and you. Neurotoxins can cause short-term memory loss, loss of circulation, imbalance, and flu like symptoms, depression, and changes in mood, fatigue. A healthy alternative to those pests would be diatomatious earth, boric acid, and nematodes. You can get these at health food stores.
- Eat organic foods. These foods are grown without any use of pesticides etc. Avoid processed foods (foods with colors and dyes, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup). Avoid aspartame. Aspartame breaks down in the body as formic acid and methanol.
- Avoid storing food in plastic or drinking water from plastic bottles. Use glass jars/bottles. In 2002 the FDA named plastics “indirect food additives”, chemicals in the plastic do infiltrate food. It is hard to completely avoid all plastics, since most food comes packaged in plastic. The key here is to cut down.
- Use natural, biodegradable cleaning products. Get rid of those toxic chemicals sitting under your kitchen sink. The best thing to do is to find out the safe and proper disposal of these products and get them out of your home. There are many eco-friendly products at health food stores and even now at most grocery stores. White vinegar and water or dissolved baking soda makes a great alternative to ammonia-based cleansers. Baking soda or Bon Ami on a damp cloth is an effective abrasive cleaner that is good for you and the environment. 60ml of baking soda and 125 ml of vinegar mixed together makes an effective drain cleaner. For finished wood polish use 3 parts olive oil to one part white vinegar. Mineral oil works great for unfinished wood.
- Same goes for natural, nontoxic personal care products. Cosmetics are full of chemicals. Avoid parabens, urea, sodium laurel sulfate, propylene glycol and fragrance. “Avalon Organics” is a brand that makes shampoo, lotion, soaps etc. It is inexpensive and safe to use.
- Open your windows as much as possible. Even in the most polluted cities, the air outside has been found less toxic than indoor air.
- Certain houseplants have been found to detoxify the air. Philodendrons, spider plants, aloe Vera, English ivy, golden pothos. Plant mint around your house to keep mosquitoes away.
- Use safe cookware. Avoid Teflon; it is made out of chemicals. The best alternatives are glass, stainless steel or cast iron.
- Limit installation of new carpets, plywood, wallboard and adhesives. All contain chemicals that will gas out in your home for a long period of time.
- Participate in guided detoxification for your body at least once a year. The simplest way to detoxify is to do an elimination diet. It only requires eliminating common food allergens (such as wheat, dairy, corn, sugar and processed food) that allows the body to get out of its inflammatory state and release stored toxins. Exercise, sweating, drinking plenty of pure water, and getting good nutritional support assists your body in detoxifying.
Take care! In love and light, Namaste.
