Let’s face it: toxins are everywhere.
Almost all of us are overloaded with toxins. We are constantly exposed to potentially dangerous toxins through the food we eat (toxic soils and oceans), the air we breathe (industrial pollution), and the water we drink (traces of drugs, pesticides, chlorine and fluoride in tap water). Not to mention some toxic habits like cigarettes, OTC drugs, and car exhaust.
An optimally functioning detoxification system is necessary for preventing disease and providing good health.
Some toxin sources are obvious, but some are pretty hard to catch.
A friend of mine was recently reminded of this fact. She maintains a healthy diet, educates herself about natural health and green living, and does everything she can to avoid toxins. She even reads food labels and makes her own green cleaning products.
She’s the epitome of a “health-conscious” person.
So you can imagine her surprise when she brought home a new couch and noticed the following label on the bottom of it…
Now couches cause cancer too?
Sadly, the answer is yes.
The Environmental Science & Technology Journal found that 85% of couches are pumped full of toxic flame retardants.[1]
These chemicals (phosphate esters, or chlorinated phosphorous compounds) have been linked to everything from infertility and cancer to autism and obesity.
And chances are that your house is full of them—unless you’ve already done some pretty painstaking furniture shopping.
But maybe there’s nothing to worry about…
It’s not like we go around eating our couches, right? Maybe all those nasty chemicals never even make it into our bodies?
Unfortunately, this wishful thinking couldn’t be further from the truth.
These noxious substances have been detected in high levels in children and adults alike. Certain areas of the U.S. (California in particular) have more stringent requirements for flame retardants (which, by the way, don’t even prevent fires very well at all).
The more strict the regulations, the higher the flame retardant content. And consequently, California children carry some of the highest levels of these chemicals in their bodies.[2]
We absorb these toxins into our bodies whenever we use our furniture, and even through breathing in the dust in our house.
And “toxic furniture” is just one example of an unexpected toxin source. Electronics, cosmetics, cleaning products, tap water, and many other household comforts can all be culprits.
So here’s the moral of the story: protecting yourself from environmental toxins is easier said than done. Just trying to avoid them is not sufficient.
After all, you can’t just live inside a non-toxic bubble.
Even if you replace all of your furniture with non-toxic, flame-retardant-free alternatives, you’ll probably still have friends who haven’t yet followed suit. What are you going to do while visiting them…refuse to sit on their couches?
Help your body rid itself of toxins
In our industrialized world, toxins accumulate at an alarming rate. Your body cannot keep ahead of this, and at some point the triggers (toxins) will break through your thresholds (your resilience, your capacity). When a person feels enough discomfort or pain, they usually seek relief.
You must strive to live a detoxifying lifestyle, so that you can always stay one step ahead of energy-sapping, health-destroying toxins.
Here’s a list of practices that will get you started on the right path.
Exercise. In case you needed one more reason to exercise on a regular basis, here it is. Engaging in physically strenuous activity that gets your blood pumping will encourage your body to sweat out toxins. Relaxing in a sauna (as a reward after your exercise, of course) will also do the trick.
Sweating is one of the body’s most effective built-in detox mechanisms…use it!
If you wear antiperspirant deodorants, make sure to give your body a break from them, especially during exercise (or ideally, stop using them altogether). This kind of deodorant closes your pores and discourages your body from sweating—which means that all those nasty toxins stay trapped inside your body.
Drink plenty of (purified) water. Nothing keeps the body’s natural detox system flowing like clean, abundant water. While studies have led to varying recommendations about how much water we should drink on a daily basis, there’s some easy rules of thumb you can follow: try to drink water consistently throughout the day, and if your urine isn’t fairly clear, increase your water intake.
It’s also incredibly important that you invest in a good water filtration system (future: purified water), and that you take in enough minerals and electrolytes. Adding a pinch of pink Himalayan salt to your water will enrich your body with 84 beneficial trace minerals, and it’s incredibly healing for the adrenals, which aid in detoxification.
Eat detoxifying foods. Maybe you’ve already integrated lots of healthy, wholesome foods into your diet. But are you routinely eating foods that actively cleanse the body of toxins?
Make sure to consume foods that are excellent sources of antioxidants, like raw cacao, acai, blueberries, vanilla, oregano. You’ll find that all of these functional foods have lots of other benefits (and they’re delicious too).
Foods that contain high levels of chlorophyll are also excellent detoxifiers, because they bind to toxins and ensure that they are excreted from the body. Spirulina and chlorella are your best options.
Supplements that eliminate toxins. Eliminating industrial toxins is really important. They disrupt nearly every function at the cellular level.
Zeolite Binds and Removes Heavy Metals
Zeolite is naturally occurring mineral that contains within itself a structure that is effective for binding and excreting lead, mercury, cadmium, cesium, and other heavy metals. It maintains a negative charge both on the surface and within its lattice structure, so it attracts and holds those toxins like a magnet. It effectively binds them (including heavy metals) and safely removes them from your system.
Zeolite detoxifies your system of many electro-positive pollutants, including lead, mercury, pesticides, herbicides, volatile organic compounds, radioactive elements and others without removing beneficial minerals (calcium, magnesium, etc.).
Effects of Zeolite Detoxification…
- Improve your general state of health
- Strengthen your immune system
- Remineralize your body
- Reduce free-radicals, reducing speed of aging
- Block tumor formation
- Powerful anti-inflammatory
- Higher energy levels
- Reduce allergy symptoms
- Improve your moods
- Balance your body’s pH
- Boost your energy
- Increase your absorption of vitamins & minerals
- Safe for long-term use
- Easy to take – no taste or smell
Be empowered, not paranoid
Always remember: this is about awareness, not fear.
You shouldn’t spend all your time worrying about the encroaching toxicity of your surroundings, nor should you stick your head in the sand and pretend that everything is fine.
By integrating this knowledge and awareness into your everyday life, you’ll take your health and vitality to the next level.
You’ll be less burdened by toxins and illness, lighter and more energized, and empowered by your ability to take charge of your own health.
References
[1] http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es303471d
[2] http://www.nrdc.org/health/flame-retardants/toxic-couch.asp
