A toxin by Latin/Greek definition is a poison or a substance with an inherent property that tends to destroy life or impair health. Something harmful or pernicious, as to happiness or well-being.
It is impossible to live in our world and not be exposed to toxins. Even those vigilant in avoiding toxins cannot avoid them entirely. Newborn umbilical cord blood has tested positive for more than 200 toxins, and that is before a baby even takes their first breath!
Toxins come from many different sources including the air we breathe, our food, and what we drink (including water). Think about pesticides and herbicides on produce, meat, and dairy products as well as other foods and food dyes, preservatives, and other additives. Toxins penetrate our skin when we use skin care products like soaps, shampoos, cosmetics, and moisturizers. It is estimated that women use more than 100 toxic ingredients on their bodies before leaving the house every day! There are toxins in most workplaces— farms, factories, healthcare clinics, hair salons and office buildings to name a few. Toxins come in the form of relationships as well. Drugs, both prescribed and recreational, and vaccines can also be toxic.
Detrimental effects from toxins include weight gain, because when the body is overwhelmed by toxins, it tries to compensate by diluting toxins by increasing fat cells! Toxins are stored in fat. Other problems can include neurological/psychological symptoms of brain fog, depression, anxiety, bipolar tendencies, attention problems, hyperactivity, and developmental delays. Inflammation and swelling are, in part, from toxin exposure. Medical conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, and cancers can be blamed, in part, on toxins, too.
The first step to de-toxing our bodies is to recognize and remove the toxins (start reading those labels!). A great resource to learn more about toxins including what ingredients are in your foods and products is the Environmental Working Group’s website: EWG.org.
Once the toxins are removed, there are several things that can be done to start healing our bodies, minds, spirits, and relationships. A non-toxic, organic, non-GMO diet and plenty of fresh clean water is a great place to start. Sometimes other nutritional support or herbals may be needed to support our liver detox pathways and to assist our kidneys, and intestines as they eliminate the toxins from our bodies. Exercise, massage, and lymph drainage are helpful. Sweating is a great way to eliminate toxins, and full spectrum infrared sauna use is useful for this. Heavy metal toxicities respond well to chelation (a type of treatment that uses an organic substance like a nutrient to bind to the metal so it can be excreted).
Please contact Julian Healthcare so we can assess your toxin burden together and create a plan for improved health!