As a naturopath treating all kinds of conditions in people, I find that a lot of conditions are connected to how many toxins and heavy metals we carry in our bodies — especially neurological conditions.
We have to look at our environment. It is such a disposable and plastic world, and it is not only affecting us as humans but our wildlife, our oceans and our animals in the wild.
It is a hard problem to address, but there are many things you can do to make changes in your home. And if we can make the changes in the home, you will see the difference in your body — and you will also have the right mindset to be addressing things in our wider environment.
What is a Toxic Load?
Toxins can take the form of heavy metals (such as mercury, lead, cadmium and aluminium), herbicides, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other persistent organic pollutants (POPs) including phthalates, parabens and bisphenol A (BPA) — all now identified as having significant impact on our health.
Toxic load can also include what we wear on our bodies (chemical dyes, synthetic fabrics), the home we live in and surround ourselves with — giving off gases from paint, furniture and carpets — as well as products we use daily such as shampoos, deodorant, toothpaste, skincare and makeup.
Our bodies process toxins through our liver and kidneys and eliminate them through skin, faeces and urine. Toxin build-up can lead to many conditions that affect how your body functions — it can affect your hormonal system, increase sensitivities to allergens and weaken the immune system. There is also a lot of research on neurological conditions being affected by heavy metals, with a massive increase in our society of Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and ALS.
While you may not be able to avoid toxins altogether, there are certainly ways you can reduce your exposure and reduce your toxic load.
How to Make the Changes for Your Body
- Transition all cleaning, personal care and makeup products to natural equivalents. There are great apps out there to make this easy — the one I use and love is called Yuka (it has a carrot on the front).
- Avoid walking or exercising along main roads. Always look for parks, rivers or the beach as great alternatives — it is not good to be breathing in exhaust from cars.
- Install a water filter. This reduces exposure to chlorine and fluoride, which can both negatively impact your thyroid and many other organs.
- Store and heat all food in glass or stainless steel containers. I have also got rid of my plastic cooking spoons — not good for you! Plastic containers still contain bisphenol compounds (such as BPE or BPS) which transfer into foods especially when heated, making their avoidance a powerful step in reducing EDC intake.
- Use natural air fresheners and perfumes. Synthetic scents contain phthalates — a known EDC group — with manufacturers only required to list these chemicals as ‘fragrance’ or ‘parfum’ on labels, making it very easy to not know what is in the product you are using.
- Use organic meats and produce when possible. Reducing the chemical load in our food can be the most important way to clean our bodies.
- Incorporate plants inside your home. Not only do they consume carbon dioxide, indoor plants also absorb and reduce levels of air pollution and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from indoor furniture, paints, aerosols and adhesives. Plants such as the Peace Lily, Boston Fern, Aloe Vera and Bamboo all offer this fantastic protective effect.
Ways to Increase the Excretion of Toxins from Your Body
- Exercise — This promotes the circulation of the blood and lymph system, enhancing the elimination of waste from the body. It also increases the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to your organs and muscles for optimal repair and functioning.
- Dry Skin Brushing — As your skin is a major organ of elimination, removing any build-up of dead skin cells increases your body’s capacity to detoxify and eliminate toxins effectively.
- Spa Treatments — Sauna and massage are another great way to detoxify — and a very enjoyable one!
I have put the majority of all these suggestions in place in my own life and have noticed the difference in my body, skin and my environment. I am hoping you will try to put some of these in place in your own lives.
Good luck, and if you have any questions on how to follow these suggestions please contact me at lee@naturopathperth.net.au