Just How Much Toxic Exposure Do Really Endure Daily?
There are chemicals in our food, our water, the air we breathe, the clothing we wear, the carpet we walk on, and the plastics that surround us.
A new infographic called the Chemical Ape discussed just some of these chemicals and the impact they have. The United States is likely the most toxic with an estimated 70,000 such chemicals in commercial use, many of which are untested on humans so we don’t even know the effects.
Modest estimates have suggested that we are exposed to more than 700,000 different toxic chemicals on a daily basis, and this doesn’t include the crazy poisons that GMO companies are pumping into the food supply. According to Global Healing Center, it isn’t abnormal to be exposed to 2,100,000 toxins each and every day.
Even research from the University of California shows how the average person is being exposed to cancerous levels of toxins like arsenic, dioxins, and DDE. These toxins aren’t only made available to our body, organs, blood, and cells when we eat and drink them, but also when we breathe them or simply come in contact with them.
Scientists are now realizing the chemicals found in a wide array of household goods are more toxic than previously thought. Since health and wellness is not simply about diet and exercise, but also about limiting exposure to toxic things, it’s a good idea to become aware of these items and take action steps to remove them wherever possible.
Daily Toxin Exposure
Perfumes & Colognes: Toxic chemicals like benzaldehyde, camphor, ethyl acetate, benzyl acetate, linalool, acetone and methylene chloride can cause cumulative damage to internal organs.
Matresses: Most non-organic mattresses have high levels of PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ether. These chemicals don’t break down and remain in active our environment (air, water, soil and food). Health problems associated with PBDEs include brain damage, reproductive damage, decreased sperm quality and thyroid problems. PBDEs have been banned in Canada.
Cleaning Products: Typical household cleaning and laundry products are loaded with toxic chemicals that we inhale. Chlorine Bleach is among the worst along with Ammonia. EWG lists the most harmful cleaning products used in your home: X-14 and 2000 Flushes toilet bowl cleaners, Lysol Disinfectant Cleaner, Glade air freshener, AirWick air freshener, Spot Shot carpet stain remover, Ajax laundry detergent, Dynamo laundry detergent, Fab laundry detergent, Tarn-X tarnish remover, Hagerty jewelry cleaner, Spic and Span multi surface and floor cleaner, Scrubbing Bubbles – bathroom cleaner, Mop & Glo floor cleaner, DampRid mildew Stain Remover, Easy-Off Fume Free Oven Cleaner (guess it’s not so ‘Fume Free’ afterall),
Air Fresheners: a study by the University of California at Berkeley found that when used excessively or in unventilated area they release toxic levels of pollutants.
Plastic Food Containers: Many plastic containers are made from chemicals such as phthalates, which can interfere with the body’s endocrine (hormone) system. Placing these containers in a microwave releases these toxic chemicals. Even if you don’t use a microwave, the plastic breaks down over time and can still release these dangerous chemicals into your food. The end result can be adverse developmental problems in children, reproductive problems in adults and neurological effects in humans. Switch to glass containers wherever possible.
Plastic Water Bottles: Although many water bottles tout being BPA-free. BPA is not the only harmful chemical found in plastic water bottles. In a recent study by German researchers, nearly 25,000 chemicals were found lurking in a single bottle of water. Switch to a stainless steel or glass water bottle.
Cosmetics: Most cosmetics contain carcinogenic and endocrine (hormone) disrupting chemicals in them. Look for mineral based and organic cosmetics. EWG has a great list of the safest cosmetics.
Antiperspirants: Most antiperspirants contain aluminum. Aluminum has been linked with both Alzheimer’s disease and breast cancer.
Fabric Softeners: Softeners coat your clothes with a thin layer of quantenary ammonium salts, found to be toxic. Use white vinegar in your laundry in place of fabric softener. It works great and you won’t smell it on your clothing. The bonus is…it’s by far cheaper than fabric softener.
Non-stick cookware: Non-stick cookware containes polytetrafluoroethylene that is released at high temperatures and gives off a toxic gas. This gas is so poisonous that it has been known to kill pet birds, whose cages are located by the kitchen or in the kitchen. This chemical is also linked to reproductive problems and cancer in humans.
Shower curtains: Phthalates are sometimes used to soften the plastic that goes in shower curtains. Phthalates has been associated with causing harmful effects in children and impacting brain functions, like learning and memory.
Bug Sprays: Bug killers should be avoided inside (and ideally outside) of your house, as researchers have linked the insecticides to neurological damage in children. There are many books on the market that will teach you how to rid your home of ‘creepy crawlies’ naturally. Be careful of exterminators that advertise they are green and chemical free. I’ve found the vast majority of them to be deceptive and untrue.
Canned food: Bisphenol A (BPA), found in most canned food containers, is a hormone-disrupting chemical linked to male infertility, heart disease and diabetes.
Corn and Soybeans: These crops are heavily sprayed with the herbicide Roundup. Roundup affects defensive enzymes our bodies use to keep us healthy and Roundup Ready Crops (RR Crops) are genetically engineered crops that have their DNA altered to allow them to withstand the herbicide–therefore they should be avoided. You can avoid this by eating these organic.
Dry-cleaned clothes: The cleaning chemical used is usually perchloroethylene (known as PCE). It is classified as a probable carcinogen and has been linked to liver, kidney, and central nervous system damage.
Cell Phones: There has been a surge in radiofrequency (RF) exposure from wireless devices over the last decade, which has led to a huge increase in reports of hypersensitivity and diseases related to electromagnetic field and RF exposure. RF exposure has been linked with a wide variety of diseases such as cancer, immune dysfunction, neurological disease and reproductive disorders. Always place an EMF protector on your smartphone to protect yourself from exposure.
When exposed to these many chemical toxins, the body does what it can to eliminate them, but many are known to remain in us for 50 years (DDT). Although it is impossible to steer clear of all chemicals in our environment, we can reduce a large amount that we come in contact with.
Your diet can minimize the impact of these toxins on your body. It can also help your body eliminate them. Detoxing from contaminants can be aided with foods like:
- Apples
- Beets
- Parsley
- Green, leafy vegetables
- Green tea
- Flax seed
Detoxing Your Body Naturally – 3 Simple Solutions
As much as we would like to believe otherwise, avoiding toxins in today’s environment is near-impossible. In a 2005 study, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found 60 toxic compounds in over 2,000 people across America. These toxins included dioxins and uranium, not to mention mercury from fish, pesticides from conventionally grown produce, and various off-gassed chemicals from plastic shower curtains and new cars. This is why it’s important to know of simple ways for detoxing your body – and to do so regularly.
Remember to detox at your own, healthy pace and inquire with a holistic physician, especially if you’re attempting your first detox diet. The good news about all three of these detox methods is that you can do small amounts of it every day or go all-out for three. Keep in touch with your body; you know it best.
For centuries people have used baths for much more than just getting clean. The bath is a great place to relax, meditate, and even improve your health. The practice of hydrotherapy is the use of water in the prevention of illness and disease, detoxification, and a general health booster. But, before you go buy that blue box of chemical crystals to color and scent your bath water, here is a better idea – take a detox bath.
DETOX BATH
A detox bath is something you can create at home with ingredients you probably already have. Unlike commercial bubble baths, oils, and salts, this isn’t just designed to make your skin soft and smell good—it’s made to actually help rid the body of toxins, alleviate pain, improve tissue health, and help you relax.
Use this bath a few days a week to help remove toxins from your skin and to encourage general health. This is especially useful if you are fasting or doing another internal detox, as it is a gentle way to slowly and safely encourage daily pollutants and toxins out of the body.
There are a few different DIY detox bath recipe options. Follow the basic recipe and then make changes as you see fit. If at all possible, use the most filtered water you can, whether it come from a shower filter or whole house filtration device.
Basic Recipe (mix the following together) :
- 2 cups of Epsom Salts
- 2 cups of Sea Salts (any kind will work, but those especially suited for healing properties are best)
- 2 cups of Baking Soda
(Store these ingredients in a clean jar with a tight fitting lid and add 1 C. of mixture into running bath water)
Additional Options (Add these at bath time):
- Several drops of essential oils to scent the bath. We like sandalwood, chamomile, peppermint or lavender if you want something calming. Try sweet orange or another citrusy scent if you want an energizing bath.
- 10 drops ginger essential oil: to increase circulation and add scent
- 1 cup of apple cider vinegar: adds probiotics to your skin.
The salts in your bath will decrease inflammation and draw toxins from the skin. They can also work to heal wounds and blemishes. Baking soda will refresh the skin and balance the ph levels in your tissues.
JUICING
Juicing isn’t just a trendy way to lose weight or consume more greens—it’s a powerful tool for detoxing your body. Juicing isn’t part of the esteemed Gerson cancer therapy for nothing. This is also one great way for how to detox your body naturally using healing foods. Check out our article on juicing for more tips.
DRINK LEMON WATER
Squeeze the juice of 1 fresh lemon and drink on empty stomach (without diluting), every morning. This is a tremendous way to support the liver and gallbladder. It will also breakdown gallstones and prevent your bile from becoming thick and sludgy (a recipe for ending up with a gallbladder attack, also known as- cholecystitis).
If this seems too unpalatable, you can begin every day with a glass of lemon water; also a natural liver cleansing drink (with a little less potency), Your liver is a major players in the body’s detoxification process. (It even fights fat and boosts your immune system.)
Sourced through Scoop.it from: naturalsociety.com
LIMIT YOUR TOXIN EXPOSURE AND REDUCE YOUR RISK FOR CHRONIC DISEASE
Although we can’t live in a bubble and avoid toxins completely, it’s certainly within our power to decrease the amount of toxins we come in contact with, daily. Start by dumping all of your toxic household cleaners. You can substitute the following ways:
Eliminate Air Fresheners – Instead use Essential Oils to freshen the air. Essential oils have a wide variety of health benefits and they smell wonderful. You can pick up an inexpensive diffuser on amazon. I personally use BriteLeafs Ultrasonic Aromatherapy Diffuser.
Ditch Bleach – Instead use Non-Chlorine Bleach. 7th generation puts this out. It is made from 35% hydrogen peroxide. I have found it to be equally as effective as bleach – without the toxicity…and the bonus is…it can be used on colored clothing too.
Eliminate Windex – Instead use White Vinegar and Water. Purchase an inexpensive spray bottle and fill with a 50:50 mixture
Get Rid of ALL the toxic bathroom and countertop cleaners – Instead use 3% Hydrogen Peroxide. This can be purchased at Sam’s, Costco or any grocery or pharmacy. You can mix it 50:50 with filtered water (only) but I prefer to put it in a spray bottle and use it at full concentration. It’s antibacterial and antiviral. If you’re having problems with mold or mildew in the shower, add a few drops of tea tree oil to the concentration.
These are just a few suggestions that you can start with, but I promise you they will have a huge impact on your life and your wallet. You will save a bundle by going natural.
To learn more visit: https://nervedoctor.info/blog/
or contact: The San Antonio Neuropathy Center at 210-492-0111
Highly educative and informative. Thanks for sharing