How To Detox Effectively From Our Daily Chemical Assault

Detoxification is the process of clearing toxins from the body or neutralizing or transforming them, as well as clearing excess mucus and congestion. Before it was co-opted in the recent craze, the word "detox" referred mainly to a medical procedure that rids the body of dangerous, often life-threatening, levels of alcohol, drugs, or poisons. Many health problems in our society come from excessive use of food and drugs.

The term toxin is basically any substance that creates irritating and /or harmful effects in the body undermining its health or stressing the biochemical or organ functions, or actually damaging tissues and organs.

Abuses and addictions touch almost every person’s life. Common addictions include sugar, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and various drugs (both pharmaceutical and recreational). Toxicity through electropollution is also one that is not often though of but affects us all – TVs, cellphones, computers, microwaves, cellular towers, medical testing, travelling by airplane and other devices that expose us to electrical vibration.

Toxicity occurs on two basic levels – external and internal

We can acquire toxins from our environment by breathing them, ingesting them, or through physical contact with them.

Industrial chemicals contaminate, as well as interact with life. Many pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, and preservatives, from poor farming practices, can cause liver disease, cancer and death. Food, water and air are the main ways which they get into our bodies.

Many chemicals are present in food as both additives and contaminates. Contaminates accidentally get into food as residues of fertilizers, pesticides, or pollutants in the water or air (including some organic produce). Additives are deliberately added to food, both in processing and as ingredients to improve flavour, colour, or shelf life. By law only those additives mixed into the food, need to be listed on the label.

Many researchers consider a number of food additives and artificial food colorings found in prepared foods to be nerve toxins. In lab studies, aspartame has been linked to seizures, hydrolyzed vegetable protein showed signs of brain-damaging properties, and MSG (monosodium glutamate) to brain tumors and brain lesions in lab animals.

Chemical damage is mainly due to the generation of free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can cause irritation and breakdown of the tissues unless they are countered by antioxidants in the body.

Much degenerative disease, comes from stagnation in the body (in the organs, tissues, circulation, lymph and cells), and luckily this congestion/stagnation state can be cleared from the body through cleansing and detoxification.

Toxins at home and the office

Despite all the outdoor chemical pollution, mentioned above, it is possible that indoor chemical pollution is a bigger concern. To name a few, some sources in the home include gas ranges, insulation, carpets and carpet padding, adhesives, aerosols like hairspray and deodorants, insect spray, clothes detergent, dryer sheets, body creams, cosmetics, deodorants, perfumes, cleaners and disinfectants, synthetic drapes and clothes…and the list goes on and on. If we want to reduce chemical exposure, the home is a great place to begin.

Also, depending on the type of job and industry, the work environment can have a much wider range of potential pollutants. Pollution in the work environment can be caused by the manufacture of specific goods as well as by chemicals in the furniture, carpeting, insulation and industrial chemical cleaners – to name just a few.

Symptoms of toxicity

We are exposed through 3 main routes – ingestants, inhalants, and contactants.

Ingestants include food, drink and drugs that can all create toxic reactions and take effort for the body to metabolize and eliminate. Inhalants are transported by the air – dust for example can carry all things of things like mites to molds and contactants, which include cosmetics and cleaning supplies commonly cause skin rashes on contact.

Though these 3 routes our exposure is limitless. There are many symptoms of chemical toxicity, affecting nearly every system of the body. Some of these symptoms are headache, fatigue, behaviour changes, mood swings, nervousness, confusion, depression, loss of sex drive, skin rashes, coughing, wheezing, anorexia, nausea and edema.

Simple solutions to prevent chemical contact

What is the solution? We need to allocate more effort and money toward cleaning up our contaminated environment, homes, workplaces, and bodies.

Here are a few things to keep note when trying to detox and remove chemicals and pollutants from our everyday life.

1. Water – is probably our biggest area of concern regarding chemical pollution. When our farmers dump 850 million pounds of pesticides on our food crops, a good bit ends up in our ground-water. So, it shouldn’t be surprising that 95% of municipal water supplies contain traces of these compounds. Drinking a natural spring water is your best source of getting a clean source of water.

2. Air – there are numerous studies documentation the relationship between air pollution and weakened immunity, increased infection and increased risk of cancer. A great first step is an air filtering device for your home and avoid aerosol sprays like deodorants, hairspray and cleaners.

3. Food – almost anything in the soil can get into food while it’s growing, plants absorb chemicals and minerals from the soil. I recommend growing your own food as much as possible, this ensures you know exactly where it has come from. Alternatively, always choose foods that are GMO free and organically grown, meaning pesticide free and grown without synthetic fertilizers.

Who should detox?

Almost everyone needs to detox, cleanse themselves, and reset their body functions at times. If you have any symptom of disease or toxicity and congestion, you will likely benefit more from detoxification practices – think of it like a vacation for the body and the digestive tract.

Poor digestion, colon sluggishness and dysfunction, reduced liver function, and poor elimination through the kidneys, respiratory tract, and skin all add to increased toxicity.

Environmental pollutants and other toxins are stored in fat cells, during weight loss these fat cells breakdown and toxins are discharged into the bloodstream, causing negative effects on your health.

The proper level of elimination of toxins is essential to health. A normal functioning body is able to handle certain level of toxins; the concern is with excess intake or production, or a reduction in the process of elimination. Detoxification is part of a transformational medicine that instills change on many levels. Change and evolution are keys to healing.

How to detox

We detox and cleanse for health, vitality and rejuvenation – to clear symptoms, treat disease and prevent future problems. A cleansing program is an ideal way to help us re-evaluate our lives, make changes, or clear abuses and addictions.

I have already touched on a few ways to detox, by reducing chemical contact from our environment like eating organic and non-GMO, drinking natural spring water, using air filtration systems and removing chemical cleaners from our homes. I have also listed some natural therapies that also aid with detoxification and keeping our elimination pathways cleared: acupuncture, massage, chiropractic care, cupping, saunas, Epson salt baths and dry brushing are a few of my personal favourites.

If you find yourself suffering from any of the toxicity symptoms listed above, are recently on a weight loss plan or are interested in discussing a detox plan, please email me at NicoleNugentWellness@gmail.com, or click contact me and send me a message.