Reversing Chronic Illness
Reversing Chronic Illness
Learn To Thrive, Not Just Survive: Revitalize Your Body & Mind By Removing Your Toxic Burden
Imagine for a moment, that we live in a world where the #1 cause of death is not something largely preventable like heart disease (cause right now it is). Things like obesity, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune conditions, or even Alzheimer’s aren’t as prevalent. And instead of these types of conditions becoming more and more common, they are actually considered to be quite rare.
What if we take this idea a step further? Imagine a place where everyone is all in pretty good shape. Where good sleep is had by all and we age well with our memories intact and a sharp, sound mind. The “new normal” is living to the ripe old age of 100 on average, and with all of our mental faculties intact. Physically and mentally healthy until the end, able to enjoy all that life has to offer while passing on the knowledge we accumulated to the next generation. Oh, that reminds me, fertility and the ability to have children is also a non-issue. Everyone is able to have children if they so choose, because our bodies are functioning as they should be.
Seems strange, but this is the way it was for thousands of years before the introduction of the modern diet and lifestyle. The above mentioned health conditions were not common at all, and certainly were not the widespread epidemic they have become in today’s day and age. Diet and lifestyle have a lot to do with the widespread development of disease, and toxic burden is right up there as being perhaps the largest contributing factor to them all.
It just so happens that the top symptoms of toxicity are:
Digestive issues
Fatigue or low energy
Headaches and brain fog
Skin rash or irritation
And Immune system dysfunction
Symptoms that are all far too common. Just think of your favorite drug commercial and start rattling off all the side effects. That will give you a pretty good idea about toxicity and if you have any of those symptoms, I’d argue it’s important to understand where they are coming from and how to get rid of them.
In this article we are going to look at two of the most important factors when it comes to toxicity, and what you can do to reduce your toxic burden. It is meant to be an introduction to these concepts, because each one you could write a book about. So, let’s hit the highlights and a good jump start on ridding ourselves of toxicity.
Ready? Let’s go!
Silent Killers: Unmasking the Hidden Toxins in Your Food
So, what is a toxin to begin with? Simply stated, a toxin is anything that can cause disease or damage to the body tissues. As the old saying goes, even “too much of a good thing” can be harmful to your health. Even water in high doses is not good for the body and could be considered a toxin, which is why it’s important to have balance. After all, “everything in moderation”, right Oscar Wilde?! But enough with old sayings and cliches, what’s really going on here?
Most of us think about pesticides and preservatives when it comes to toxins in our food. These are important considerations, but let’s take a closer look at the actual food itself that has polarized and shaped the majority of our “SAD” standard American diet.
Think of your gut as a garden that is teeming with life. Instead of plants, you have grown wonderful, healthy bacteria and microorganisms that help you digest food, breakdown nutrients, and even remove the toxins from your body in order to stay healthy and strong. What if, however, you were to start sneaking in some toxins that acted like “weed killer” to that beautiful garden. Well, that’s exactly what is happening with a lot of the foods that are mainstream out there.
Some of the biggest culprits for toxicity these days are:
Ultra processed foods (including grains and refined flours)
Sugar (there are more than 80 names for sweetener and sugars hiding in food today!)
Cooking oils (like corn, vegetable, or soybean oils)
There are others too, but these are arguably the top 3 when it comes to toxins that are in high demand for the modern diet. Back in the day, our ancestors didn’t have most of these foods available to eat at all excluding basic sugars (which was a good thing).
The problem with the introduction of these foods is that they are damaging . . . period. Eating these foods has been linked to increased intestinal permeability, which has become widely known as “leaky gut”. In simple terms, when the cells lining the gut become damaged due to these toxins, the gut lining itself becomes compromised and the tight junctions (in intestinal epithelial cells) are no longer able to maintain a tight seal. This allows unwanted molecules to enter the bloodstream, triggering an immune response. Your body sees these molecules as foreign, so it mounts an attack!
These inflammatory foods have been responsible for the development of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, inflammatory bowel syndrome & inflammatory bowel disease, increased allergies, rheumatoid arthritis, and various cancers, etc. There have been many research studies done at this point that also links increased intestinal permeability to autoimmune and celiac disease.
Now, most of us understand that we aren’t going to get sick from eating small amounts of sugar, or having fast food every once in a while. However, when it becomes the bulk of what we eat during the week, it does present some major problems in the development of disease.
Think back to what your grandmother or great grandmother had available to eat, and you would notice that the highly processed foods and most industrial seed oils weren’t anywhere to be found. As a good rule of thumb, it’s good to avoid foods with names you can’t pronounce. If it’s made with some crazy long futuristic sci-fi name that seems made up, it probably is. It’s best to skip those types of ingredients and stick to whole foods with names of things you actually recognize.
Other foods best to avoid:
Soybean oils - used in lots of fast food or anything cooked in restaurants using oil, as well as packaged snacks, chips, grains, etc.. Unfortunately, it’s in a lot of processed foods, and it is toxic and highly inflammatory.
High fructose corn syrup - as well as artificial sweeteners.
Anything with additives, preservatives, or dyes.
Highly processed foods in general, whether it’s fast food or at the grocery store.
Foods made with more than 5 or so ingredients, especially when the ingredients are not basic and recognizable.
If it looks like a rather large list of foods to avoid, that’s because it is! I know it can seem overwhelming, but there are some tools you can use that will help you out while you are learning and at the store. It’s important to find healthy substitutions for the foods you enjoy and slowly begin making it a habit to eat healthier. One tool you can use is the Yuka app. It will scan food labels and give you a rating. It can let you know more about why a particular food is unhealthy and at least give you some guidance as to what might be healthier options. That being said it isn’t perfect and you should still use your best judgment when grocery shopping, but it can be a huge help!
With diet and nutrition it is more important than ever to be aware of the toxins that are lurking around in everyday foods. With a little effort, it’s definitely something you can learn and you will be better off for the rest of your life when you do. Do the best you can to eat healthy whole foods that are nutrient dense whenever possible.
Next, we are going to shift focus to our environment and see what we can do to limit our toxin exposure there.
Generation Toxin: Why Our Children Are More at Risk Than Ever
You’re right, it is impossible to avoid all the environmental toxins that we are exposed to in the world today. Great! You might say, “that’s not very encouraging”. So, should we be worried about them? The answer is a solid maybe. Wait, what? Yep, the fact of the matter is, your body is well equipped to deal with toxins in a number of ways. Your body can deal with ingested toxins by neutralizing and eliminating them (as long as your gut health is doing great). Environmental toxins also create free radicals in your body that cause oxidative stress, which can cause damage to your DNA and increase your risk of cancer. But yeah, your body can actually deal with those free radicals when we eat good healthy whole foods full of antioxidants. Your body can sweat out toxins and filter others through your liver and kidneys. Truthfully, the body is incredible at dealing with toxicity, but we are also faced with an unprecedented amount of toxins in this day and age. So, with that in mind, let’s identify the major ones and see what we can do to limit our exposure to some and eliminate others as best we can.
There are quite a number of toxins that we are exposed to in everyday life. Here’s a short list of a few more common ones:
Pesticides
Chemicals and chemical compounds (some found throughout our house)
Makeup and other personal care products
Mold
Industrial pollutants
Heavy metals
Smoke
Plastic utensils or other toxins on our cookware
Going for a swim these days can also expose us to quite a few toxins. Did you know that the Tennessee river ranks as one of the highest for concentration of microplastics in the world? The world! We found that out after one of us got an infection that warranted a doctor’s visit and one of the first things they asked was, “have you been swimming in the river?”. I know other parents that have reported their kids getting pink eye after getting in the water. Not exciting news to say the least, and we find other places to get in the water when the weather gets hot around here after that whole experience. Live and learn, but that was an important piece of information and by going somewhere else we are limiting our toxic exposure to microplastics (among other things) that are found in the TN river.
Again, you do the best you can.
That also goes for these other toxins on the list. When it comes to household items, for example, replace them with better options. You know, some of the things we use on a regular basis can have quite a few toxins.
In the house, these are some to look out for:
Laundry detergent, fabric softener, and laundry sheets (especially heavily scented ones - best to use free and clear products)
Air fresheners, candles, and other smell-good products (wall plug-ins are horrible for you, stop using them)
Plastic storage containers - please don’t heat things up in plastic then eat it, or heat plastic at all and be around it. . . in fact just avoid plastic when you can.
Household cleaning products
If you are concerned about exposure to mold or heavy metals, there are some great tests for that. Testing has become very specific and increasingly accurate, which is amazing. If you need help, get a hold of us, we would be happy to help you figure it out.
It’s important to note that everyone’s susceptibility to various toxins is different. The way you might present symptomatically compared to someone else can also be very different. Genetics do play a part in all of this, and some people can cope with mold exposure without noticing symptoms at all, while others become very sick.
Becoming more aware of your environment and the toxins you are exposed to is a huge first step. Next, it’s about managing what is within your power to control while minimizing the damage done by the rest.
In Conclusion
So, there you have it. A crash course in toxicity, the silent (and sometimes not so silent) saboteur of our health. It's a lot to take in, right? But remember, your body is a freaking superhero in disguise. It's got built-in detoxifying powerhouses like your liver and kidneys, so let’s do the best we can to help it out.
It's all about balance. You can't avoid every single toxin out there, but you can make smart choices. Swap the processed junk for healthy whole foods, ditch the sugar for some fresh berries, and do your due diligence to learn about all the ways food companies like to hide all that unhealthy nonsense in our food (or at least get the app that tells you what’s what). Every little step counts, remember it’s about manageable changes you can sustain. It takes time, and that’s OK.
So, take charge of your health! Embrace the detox revolution, one toxin-free swap at a time. Who knows, you might just unlock that next level in your health journey and live healthier and happier than ever! And hey, if you stumble along the way, don't worry. We're all in this together, nobody’s perfect. Cheers to a less toxic, more awesome you!
