DETOX YOUR BODY
We live in a toxic world. Whether you live next to an oil refinery or on a pristine mountaintop in the Rockies, you carry environmental toxins in your tissues. From heavy metals like arsenic, lead, mercury, and cadmium, emitted from smokestacks and vehicle exhaust, to pesticides, fertilizers, and PCB's released into rivers and soil, and phthalates that off-gas from household plastic products, we are all swimming in a soup of toxic chemicals.
THE DETAILS: Environmental toxins affect all bodily systems, and have been linked to the development of endocrine, immune, reproductive, metabolic, cardiovascular, cognitive, and behavioral disorders. The nervous system is especially vulnerable to toxic exposure. The brain is made up primarily of lipids. And because most environmental toxins are lipid-soluble—that is, they dissolve easily in lipids—brain tissue is particularly sensitive to them. A number of neurodegenerative ailments have been linked to toxin exposure, including Parkinson's disease, ALS, learning disabilities, conduct disorders, and certain dementias. Many neurological symptoms of toxic exposure are common and not linked to a specific disease, including headaches, fatigue, impaired concentration and memory, and insomnia.
Those are sobering facts, but there are ways to protect yourself. Two primary strategies to reduce the impact of environmental toxins on your health are:
1) minimize exposure and absorption in the first place, and
2) develop a routine to detoxify your body on a regular basis.
Here are some strategies for supporting healthy detoxification:
1. Eat mostly organic food, especially foods that support detoxification, including cruciferous vegetables, garlic and onions. A healthy, balanced diet is a key to efficient de-toxification. The lighter the toxic load on your body, the better it can handle those toxins that get through your defenses.
2. Engage in regular vigorous exercise. Increased respiration, circulation, and perspiration all support healthy detoxification.
3. Hop in the sauna frequently. Perspiring is one of your body's best ways of releasing toxins.
4. Drink at least 64 ounces of fresh, pure water each day. The combination of good hydration and frequent perspiration helps to flush your system of toxins.
5. Stay regular. Elimination once or twice a day helps to decrease absorption of toxins. Consistent exercise, hydration, and fiber will help to keep you regular.
6. If you are trying to lose weight, make sure to engage in the detox practices described above. As you shed fat, toxins held in fat cells are released. It is essential to cleanse those toxins from your body, rather than reabsorb them, which can cause illness.
7. Use antioxidants. Antioxidants such as alpha-lipoic acid, N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine, and the B vitamins help with detoxification. The best detoxification regimen for you depends on your unique genetic makeup, as well as the particular toxins you are dealing with. Consult with an integrative physician or naturopathic doctor, who can evaluate you to determine the best combination of diet and supplements for you. The American College for Advancement in Medicine and the Institute for Functional Medicine maintain national listings of integrative and naturopathic physicians.
