I’ve written quite a lot on how everyday exposures to toxins in our environment affect our health. The reason for my focus on this is that once we are aware, we can take action. We can support our body’s ability to detoxify and eliminate these chemicals and substances that may be causing or contributing to health challenges.
The 2010’s CDC ‘s (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) Fourth National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals provided us with 529 page “summary” of how environmental chemicals can harm us. They did this by assessing the blood and urine samples in a sample population. It was found that the average volunteer had over 200 chemicals in their blood and urine samples. 75 of these had never been seen in prior studies.
Furthermore, since this report’s release, the CDC issued a 2013 update listing even more chemicals found in our world. It seems that no one is immune to the 100,000+ chemicals being used in the commercial industry today. Of these, an estimated 25,000 (25%) reported to be hazardous to human health.
From the explosion of genetically-probed and pesticide-ridden-foods, chemicals and pharmaceuticals found in our water, and the off-gassing of our mattress, carpets, and cars, to own communication devices now being found to zap our brains with free radicals, the concept of a safe and happy earth is no longer a reality. In fact, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) dedicated a whole site to facts on this entitled, “Body Burden”.
One powerful way to limit our exposure and to decrease the overload on our five organs of elimination (liver, colon, lungs, kidney, and skin), is to use natural, organic, and safe personal care and cleaning products.
I have written five easy tips for you to implement right away to empower your wellness and am about to report on a sixth way below. Here’s a review:
1. Eat Organic to avoid pesticides, herbicides, and GMOs.
2. Use a filtered water system.
3. Diffuse and use therapeutic Young Living Essential Oils which help neutralize and kill airborne toxins as well as increase oxygenation to our brain.
You can learn more about using these oils at our upcoming workshop on December 12th or on the teleseminar on December 16th.
You can also learn more and order these oils here for your holiday wellness-giving treats.
4. Use safe and organic personal care products and household Items. Our Living Well Healing Arts Center & Spa uses only non-toxic and natural personal care in our services.
You can read more about the Top 12 Hormone Disruptors and How to Avoid Them on my Saratoga.com blog.
5. Work with your wellness practitioner to find the nutrients you need to support your body’s detoxification, elimination, and immune systems. Examples of nutrients include: amino acids from healthy protein sources, antioxidants such as coQ10, fiber, probiotics, and vitamins and minerals (such as vitamin C, E, B, magnesium, and selenium).
And now…… lucky number
6. Sweat!!
That’s right, I remember learning about the power of sweat and sauna therapy for detoxification in naturopathic school and again during the detoxification module for functional medicine. The review in the Townsend Letter made me realize I need to not just tell people to move their booties more in order to improve brain function, circulatory health, lymph drainage, stress release, but also to excrete harmful substances found trapped in our body from our environment.
Read more about sweating out toxins here.
References:
Klotter, J. Shorts. Townsend Letter. November 2013.
Environmental Working Group. Dirty Dozen List of Endocrine Disruptors:12 Hormone-Altering Chemicals and How to Avoid Them. ewg.org. October 28, 2013.
Genuis SJ, Beesoon S, Lobo RA, Birkholz D. Human elimination of phthalate compounds: Blood, Urine, and Sweat (BUS) study. Sci World J. 2012. Available at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3504417.
Genuis SJ, Birkholz D, Rodushkin I, Beesoon S. Blood, urine, and sweat (BUS) study: monitoring and elimination of bioaccumulated toxic elements [abstract]. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol. August 2011;61(2):344–357. Available at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21057782.
Sears ME, Kerr KJ, Bray RI. Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury in sweat: a systematic review. J Environ Public Health. 2012. Available at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC 3312275.
