You’ve probably heard the term “toxins” many times. It’s often used as a general term to describe things that may be harmful to your body, but how much damage can they actually do? They can actually do extensive damage to your body depending on what the toxin is, how much of it you’re exposed to and how often, and your genetic makeup that may make you more sensitive to certain toxins and health conditions. Let’s take a more in-depth look at how toxins can damage and alter organs and bodily functions.
What are Toxins?
The word “toxins” is used to refer to many different substances that are known or suspected to be harmful to human health. This includes known and suspected carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, mold, most chemicals, preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, heavy metals, pesticides, and countless other substances. Everyone also has what is called a “toxic load” or “toxic burden” which refers to the amount of toxins your body is currently dealing with, and everyone’s toxic burden is a little different. If you work around chemicals every day in a factory or hair salon, your toxic burden will likely be higher than the average person’s due to the chemicals you are around every day. Chronic exposure to chemicals and other toxins is often the most dangerous because they can accumulate in your body, and your body doesn’t get a chance to get them out when it is continually being exposed.
Dangers of Toxins
The dangers of toxins should not be overlooked. Toxins can wreak havoc on different parts of your body, and have been found to contribute to the development of many serious health issues such as heart disease, autoimmune disorders, neurological disorders, and certain types of cancers. Daily exposure to toxins is essentially a slow, gradual poisoning of the body, which is one reason why many symptoms worsen over time, and often don’t develop into full-blown diseases until later in life. However, symptoms are often noticeable beginning in the teenage years and even younger.
One common issue we see in our patients is hormonal imbalances. Issues like low testosterone, low progesterone, high estrogen, and low DHEA are incredibly common problems. Toxins play a role in these imbalances by mimicking hormones like estrogen which can lead to estrogen dominance, or blocking hormone receptors in the body which can contribute to thyroid problems and other health issues. Certain toxins can also damage DNA and organs and bodily systems like the liver, heart, kidneys, and digestive system. Some of these organs play a large role in the body’s detoxification systems, and when they are damaged it can make it even harder for your body to rid itself of these toxins.
What Can I Do?
There are many ways to reduce your toxic burden, but it takes time and consistency. The first step is reducing the amount of toxins you are exposed to as much as possible. This means drinking filtered water, switching to all-natural cosmetics, soaps, and household cleaning products, and cutting out processed, chemical-laden food and replacing it with whole, organic foods. The next step is to work on building the nutrients in your body back up so the body has what it needs to detoxify efficiently. Eating plenty of organic fruits and vegetables, eating good fats like coconut oil and olive oil, and drinking plenty of filtered water every day is a great way to do this. You should also add in a high-quality multivitamin, fish oil supplement, and probiotic. Once you have “built” enough, you can try some detox protocols like a candida cleanse or heavy metals cleanse.
A few products we recommend are:
- Lipotropic Detox – Contains taurine, choline, milk thistle extract, and other ingredients that may help improve liver function and detoxification.
- HM Complex – Contains selenium, chlorella, alpha lipoic acid, and several other ingredients that may help to bind up and reduce heavy metals in the body.
- Para-Shield – Contains Pau’ D’Arco, black walnut , garlic extract, and other ingredients that may help reduce parasites and candida in the body.
- NAC – Stands for N-acetyl-cysteine and may help increase the body’s production of glutathione which is a very powerful antioxidant.
So, switch to all-natural products wherever possible, cut out processed foods, eat more organic fruits and vegetables, and consider starting a supplement regimen, especially if you do not eat a varied diet. There are many things you can do to reduce your toxic burden and help your body detoxify, but it will take time. It probably took years for those toxins to build up in your body, so it won’t be fixed overnight, but each little choice adds up.