That’s toxic!
How everyday things may harm your health
“That’s toxic!” Nowadays, people relate this word to situations, people, cultures, and environments that they feel are damaging to their mental or emotional health. But there are also toxic things that are damaging to your physical health. Unfortunately, you may be living, breathing, and consuming them without ever knowing it.
The word toxic comes from the Latin word toxicus, which means poisoned. According to clinical environmental medicine expert and dermatologist Dr. Kurt
E. Muller, MD, toxins are divided into external toxins (coming from the environment) and internal toxins (coming from the body’s physiological processes).
External toxins are everywhere— coming from the food you eat, the water you drink, the air you breathe, and yes, even where you live.
• The food you eat. Food has changed in the last century as new innovations to processing were introduced. Along with it is the ingestion of harmful chemicals that can damage one’s health over time. Examples mentioned by Dr. Muller include manufacturing chemicals such as dioxin, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), PCB, and dichloro-diphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). He also mentioned harmful cancer-causing Bisphenol A (BPA), as well as Teflon and heavy chemicals like aluminum, lead, and arsenic.
• The water you drink. Water may also have traces of harmful chemicals. Dr. Muller warns that these get into water sources, especially when environmental wastes are coming from nearby factories, power plants, and even the things that you dispose. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), these can be physical (sediments), chemical (metals, pesticides, human, or animal drugs), biological (bacteria), and radiological (plutonium, uranium).
• The air you breathe. Air is not toxin-free as well. The most hazardous air toxins are found anywhere—even in rural areas. In fact, air pollution takes more lives than car accidents, says Dr. Muller. The EPA sites examples like carbon monoxide, lead, and nitrogen oxide, among others.
• The home you live in. Where you stay most of the time may not be safe too, health-wise. From pillows and carpets to the daily items that you use, Dr. Muller says that these may all be carrying toxic substances as well. Examples are aluminum in deodorants, parabens in makeup, and formaldehyde in sofas and mattresses, which are all causes of silent inflammation.
Meanwhile, the buildup of these toxins in the body from constant exposure can also wreak havoc in the body’s internal processes. The body’s detoxification process combines this with internal waste products. Dr. Muller says that proper detoxification may be impaired if one has deficiencies in vitamins, minerals and amino acids, excess body fat, and chemical toxic overload, among others.
So what can one do? Detoxify by slowly eliminating these harmful chemicals from your environment. Dr. Simpson suggests several, but you can start the with what follows.
• The food you eat. Start eating clean, and this means avoiding processed and fast food. Along with exercise and supplementation, Dr. Muller says that this will help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, which is also important to control silent inflammation.
• The water you drink. Make sure that your water is filtered or you have one at home. Dr. Muller also recommends drinking more alkaline water and green tea over others.
• The air you breathe. Having plants athomecan help eliminate toxins from the air. Use air purifiers and allow natural ventilation at home. Also, hang your washed clothes to dry.
• The home you live in. Check the ingredients of the household items that you use regularly, from shampoos and household cleaners to detergents and change them to safer alternatives.
Toxins are all around us. While it seems like there are no safe, toxic-free places to live in, remember that you have the power to control most of these toxins from harming your health. Start slowly and start small. Sometimes, it is difficult to change your habits, but these tips can save your health in the long run. Strive to live toxic-free!
Detoxify by slowly eliminating these harmful chemicals from your environment