What does toxicity mean? It means an increased toxin burden in your body as toxins are all around us.
Sounds intimidating, but simply put, it means you are taking on more toxins than you are eliminating. There are 2 main concepts when looking at reducing your toxicity:
Reduce your exposure to toxins
Support your body’s detoxification processes
Toxins are present in our environment, in our water, our air, our food and our personal products. Again, your strategy to reduce toxins: reduce exposure and cleanse!
Signs of an increased toxic body burden:
- Unexplained fatigue. You are tired, even with enough sleep. You may also notice that you are more tired hours after intense exercise, or the next day.
- Foggy brain or impaired memory.
- Poor balance. Many toxins affect the brain and can impair balance. Think of the effects of too much alcohol. Other solvents can have similar effects!
- Mood disruption such as depression or anxiety and mood swings
- Neurological symptoms such as burning and tingling
- ADHD, Autism and OCD and Tic Disorders
- Neurologic disease such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinsons
- Chemical Sensitivity. Scents really bother you and you have a nose like a blood hound. You have already switched to unscented products in your home because they bother you.
- Difficulty losing weight. Toxins create inflammation in our tissues which can cause water retention and retention of adipose tissue.
Testing for Total Toxic Body Burden:
- Complete Blood Count – RBC, WBC, Platelets
- Liver enzymes especially a GGT > 20
- Urine Toxic Metal Testing
- Mold and Mycotoxin Testing
- Toxin Panels (PCBs, Pesticides, Phthalates, Solvents)
Toxins, Toxins Everywhere!
There are 2 Categories of Toxins:
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPS) : POPS store in our fat, bones and tissues and the body has difficulty clearing them. Professional guidance is needed to remove these toxins.
- Toxic Metals: Mercury – large fish, amalgams/fillings, old thermometers. Lead – fuel, sanding old paint, bullets, smoking, protein powders. Cadmium – smoking, shrimp. Aluminum – antiperspirants, cans, aluminum foil
- PCBs: Farmed Fish and non-organic butter (since PCBs concentrate in the fat of dairy products)
- Xenoestrogens: Plastics, Cosmetics (parabens),
- Chlorinated Pesticides
- Mycotoxins: Water damaged buildings, Some foods (corn, peanuts, apple juice, some grains), house plants
Non-persistent Pollutants: The body can effectively remove these toxins in 2 weeks, simply by avoiding exposure.
Solvents: Alcohol, Gasoline, Paints, Scented cleaning products and cosmetics… anything with a smell!
Organophosphate Pesticides: Non-organic produce, pesticides in the garden
Tips for Avoiding Toxins:
The Dirty Dozen have the most pesticides Always BUY ORGANIC Peaches, Apples, Bell Peppers, Celery, Pears, Blueberries, Kale, Nectarines, Strawberries, Cherries, Grapes, Spinach, Lettuce, Potatoes. Peel non-organic produce or soak in ½ cup vinegar in a sink of water for 30 minutes to remove pesticide residues if not organic.
Freely eat the Clean 15 LEAST toxic produce Onions, Avocado, Sweet corn, Pineapples, Mango, Asparagus, Sweet peas, Kiwi, Cabbage, Eggplant, Cantaloupe, Watermelon, Grapefruit, Sweet potato, Honeydew melon.
AVOID FARMED or ATLANTIC salmon – this is the most toxic food you can eat. If it just says “Salmon” it is Atlantic. Always buy organic butter & most dairy products. Look for free-range and grass-fed eggs and meats, which are more cost effective than organic.
How the Body Removes Toxins
I sometimes describe the body as a river and the toxins flow down the river and out! It is important to support all stages of the detoxification process. Much like a dam in a river, if there is a blockage or dysfunction in one of the steps, toxins can back up into the body.
The river looks like this. The LYMPHATICS drain the cells and extracellular matrix and dump the toxins into the bloodstream at the left thoracic duct (near the heart). The blood brings toxins through the LIVER for filtration. The toxins are then sent to the EMUNCTORIES (colon and kidneys) for removal from the body.
Tips for supporting Lymphatics:
Stimulate circulation and sweat it out!
Dry Skin Brushing: Use a skin brush or loofah. Gently, with very little pressure, brush your skin in small circular movements starting at your extremities and moving in the direction of the heart. This moves lymphatic fluid from your tissues, and helps dump toxins into your blood stream for elimination.
Contrast Showers and Cold Plunges: Activate your circulation with contrast showers and get toxins on the move. Start with 3 minutes of hot water followed by 30 seconds of cold. Repeat 3 times. Always finish with cold. Invigorating! Easy cold plunge? Keep your bath full of cold water and dunk yourself after a hot shower. What a great way to start the day!
Infrared Sauna: Sweating is essential for detoxification. Sweating can release stubborn toxins stored in your cells and adipose tissue. Since saunas can also stir up these toxins and increase the toxic load in your blood stream, it is essential that your liver and emunctories are ready! Otherwise, you will feel worse. The advantage to infrared saunas are benefits at lower temperatures, so we can stay in longer. Sauna for 15 minutes and cool shower after. Repeat 4 times. 1 hour of sauna per day for 100 days releases over 90% of stored toxins.
Exercise: Exercise increases circulation and sweating, both essential for detoxification. Shrinking fat cells also will cause the release of toxins, a side benefit of improving body composition. Hence, a cleanse is an essential part of any body composition plan!
Tips for supporting the Liver:
The liver filters and detoxifies toxins. Eat these foods DAILY to love your liver.
- Hot Lemon Water or Lemon Water Soak
- 1 – 2 cups of Brassicas per day (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, arugula, chard, collards, Brussels sprouts
- Organic Green Tea 1-3 cups per day
- Bitter Leafy greens such as dandelion and radicchio, endive, mustard greens
- Sulphur-containing Onions and Garlic
Castor Oil packs: increase circulation through the liver, encouraging detoxification. Soak a cotton cloth in castor oil. Place over the liver (on the right rib cage). Cover with plastic wrap (castor oil will stain fabrics) and a hot water bottle or heat pack. Perform at least once per week for 1 hour, up to daily.
Tips for supporting the Emunctories:
The emunctories are the routes of elimination out of the body: the bowels/colon and kidneys. We must eat fibre and drink clean water! Fibre fuels the microbiome and sweeps toxins from the gut. Quick guide to fibre: Veggies, Veggies, Veggies! Skin on for root veggies. Fruit: skin on apples, pears. Seeds: Flax, Chia, Hemp. Whole grains: Brown rice, wild rice, whole oats, buckwheat, quinoa Beans and lentils.
Water with lemon – 2L or 8 cups per day Filter with a carbon filter or reverse osmosis. Lemon Water Soak Soak sliced organic lemons in water overnight to super-charge the detox power of your water!
Colon Hydrotherapy or Colonics help eliminate toxins from the gut and can improve colon tone. Colonics can also cause the liver and gallbladder to release bile. Toxins such as PCBs and toxic metals have been found in this bile release! During a cleanse, complete 4 colonics in 2 weeks.
Got Herx?
A Herxheimer reaction can occur when toxins are released from the tissues faster than your body can detoxify them. Symptoms can include headache, flu-like symptoms, joint pain, fatigue, foggy brain, irritability, nausea or diarrhea. Your naturopathic doctor can help you safely manage a Herxheimer reaction. Always be in touch with your ND if you are experiencing these symptoms while cleansing.
Talk to a Naturopathic Doctor if you have concerns about toxic body burden. My favorite time to start a cleanse is the spring… let’s start planning now!
Join us in our water challenge… start your day with at least 2 cups of water before you even leave your bedroom. You’ll find the 8-cup goal much easier.
