Staying Healthy In A Toxic World
Toxic environment?
Living in the 21st century - Our Toxic World
Like it or not, toxins are everywhere. In the air you breathe, the water you drink, the food you eat, and in the personal care and household products you use every day. There is no doubt that staying healthy can be a real challenge every day.
Being exposed to toxins on a daily basis was one of the main reasons I got sick - I spent the majority of my working life up to my elbows in nasty chemicals as a cleaner. The more I learnt about toxins and the impact chemicals were having on my health, the more I noticed them everywhere.
Every year, new chemicals are put into our environment, our food and water supply, and it’s simply impossible to avoid them all.
According to a report by the World Health Organisation, there are several chemicals that have been shown to negatively impact our health and risk of chronic illness.
“Close to 800 chemicals are known or suspected to be capable of interfering with hormone receptors, hormone synthesis and hormone conversion. The UN study highlights some associations between exposure to chemicals and health problems including the potential for such chemicals to contribute to the development of non-descended testes in young males, breast cancer in women, prostate cancer in men, developmental effects on the nervous system in children, attention deficit /hyperactivity in children and thyroid cancer.” says a WHO report on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs).
Your Genes Drive Your Body’s Ability to Detoxify Chemicals
With increased exposure to chemicals, our bodies detoxification abilities are constantly put under pressure. Add in nutrient deficiencies and ageing; the impact can have long term health effects.
Depending on your genes, you could either be very good at eliminating toxins, or you may have a reduced ability to process heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, and persistent organic pollutants, causing toxic accumulation in your body.
If your genetic variations impact your body’s ability to detoxify chemicals, it means you will be more at risk of toxin accumulation leading to adverse health effects compared to someone that doesn’t have these gene variants.
Your liver gets overloaded and just can’t get rid of the toxins, so they build up. It’s like trying to send an email but the network has been disconnected, the message won’t get through, it get’s stuck in your inbox. So it’s really about your toxic load, reducing your exposure as much as you can.
When your body has become overloaded by chemicals and toxins, it can affect the ability of your body to function optimally, leading to signs and symptoms that lead to chronic illness. My ability to detoxify was seriously compromised by my detox gene variations, so it was any wonder my long-term exposure to chemicals made me sick.
And whether we like it or not women are more at risk. Why?
It comes down to our daily use of popular personal care products. Did you know you could be exposing yourself daily to over 168 toxic chemicals? That's a big toxic load going into your body via your skin, every. single. day.
But here’s the good news…
Every one of those toxic products has a healthy alternative.
Here’s 7 of my favourite natural brands you can replace the toxic ones with…
Dr Bronner’s - soap, shampoo, lip balm, toothpaste, shaving soap, hand and body lotion, baby soap and baby balm
Sukin - skin care, hair care
Ecostore - toothpaste, mouthwash, shampoo, conditioner and body wash
Australian Organic Biologika - shampoo, conditioner, deodorant
Red Seal - toothpaste and mouthwash
Nude by Nature – makeup which is great for sensitive skin
LaVanilla or Black Chicken Remedies - natural perfumes
If you’re looking for a one stop shop for natural personal products check out Nourished Life.
Making the swap may be a challenge, but your body and your health are worth it!
What Else Can You Do To Stay Healthy?
Your Home is your castle, right? Here’s 5 places toxins could be hiding, and you don’t even know it…
1. THE AIR - modern homes are air conditioned, but how often do you clean the filter? Filters collect dust and mould spores that are toxic to your body.
TIP- I recommend that you clean it monthly, and maybe open your windows and let the fresh air as much as you can.
2. WATER – tap water is treated with fluoride, however fluoride is classified by the EU as a neurotoxin.
TIP- Do yourself a favour and get a good quality water filter to reduce your exposure.
3. FOOD - Fresh produce, unless organically grown, may contain pesticide residues and packaged food contains preservatives and additives that are bad for your gut bugs.
TIP- wash all your fruits and vegetables before eating and avoid pre-packaged foods.
4. PLASTICS- of the largest exposures is drinking water from plastic water bottles. Unfortunately even Bisphenol A free water bottles still contain other types of Bisphenol substitutes that have the same health impact as BPA.
Tip- Switch to either a stainless-steel or glass water bottle.
5. HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS – Everything from washing liquid to dishwasher tablets increase your toxic load.
TIP - There are some low-cost natural cleaning and laundry on the market now, or why not try to make your own. It’s easy, fun and really cheap.
I challenge you to make your home the healthiest “castle” on the street!
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT- the ancient wisdom of Hippocrates
There is no doubt that food is vital for health, it gives your body the fuel for the millions of daily biochemical functions that keep you healthy and slow down ageing. If you think of your car, it needs fuel to run. If you put in bad (or dirty) fuel, it will break down, and the same goes for your body.
But there is so much confusing information around, making it hard to know which ‘diet’ is best for you.
Is low fat, low carb, keto, paleo or raw diet best for you? Or maybe you have food allergies or even coeliac disease, so you are avoiding dairy, gluten, soy and nightshades.
I hate the word diet, it triggers negative reactions in many people (mostly women), due to what a ‘diet’ means- restricting food to lose weight.
A whole-food way of eating is what is best for everyone, because it’s about healthy eating for life. So here are my tips-
Real food doesn’t come in a box or packet
‘Eat the rainbow’ of fresh fruit and vegetables- organic where possible
Eat the 5/2 way- 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit a day
Include protein, carbohydrates and healthy fat with every meal
Include nuts, seeds, and whole grains daily
Beans, legumes and chickpeas are great vegetarian sources of protein
Drink 2-3 litres of clean, filtered water a day
If you follow these recommendations, you’re doing the best for your body. You only get one body, so you need to look after it, so it can look after you!
Environmental toxins can cause serious health complications when exposure is high for a long period of time, especially if you have genetic variations that impact your ability to detoxify. While it is impossible to completely eliminate your toxic exposure, just taking these simple steps will go a long way towards reducing your ‘toxic load’.
When you truly understand that when you combine your genetic susceptibility with a healthy, whole-food diet, you really have the key ensuring you have a long, healthy life.
Want to find out more about genes, detoxification and your health, you can book a FREE 30-minute Health Consultation HERE.
*References available on request
