Toxic Soup
Toxins have been abundant since the Industrial Revolution; they have become ubiquitous, but our bodies have not evolved to cope with them, leaving us to suffer the negative effects.
Many people are familiar with the more well-known toxins in the form of heavy metals, pesticides, plastics, and air pollution, but we can be blissfully unaware that our bodies are absorbing hormone-disrupting chemicals too. These can be from the hairspray and perfume we spray onto our bodies, or from the household cleaning products we use, and the scented candles we breathe in our homes.
Effects Of Social Media
In today’s world, social media, news coverage and negative relationships can also have a toxic effect on our mental health, often leading us to seek out relief in the form of poor food and lifestyle choices. Along with electric magnetic fields (EMFs), which are invisibly emitted from our phones, laptops and tablets, we are surrounded, but it is not all doom and gloom.
We have our own incredible built-in detoxification tools in the form of our liver and kidneys, and we should provide these vital organs with the nutrients they need.
We need to tip the metaphoric scales in our favour by putting more of the good stuff into our bodies through nutrition and reducing the amount of the bad stuff surrounding us. B vitamins support our natural detoxification process with fibre and fluids, optimising our bowel function and allowing us to excrete toxins through our stools. Salmon, chicken, tofu, green leafy vegetables, eggs and lentils all contain a good array of B vitamins, so ensure you include these into your diet.
Ideally, we should buy organic food, but many of us steer away and buy cheaper alternatives. The “Dirty Dozen” and the “Clean Fifteen” are, however, cost-effective ways to shop organically.
The “Dirty Dozen” is a handy list of the worst offenders, setting out the most likely food to contain two or more pesticides, while the “Clean Fifteen” lists food produce where pesticide residues are at their lowest.
There are some great smartphone apps now available too, such as Yuka. These allow you to scan the bar code of your everyday items, such as personal care and household cleaning products, uncovering hidden toxins and suggesting healthier alternatives.
Making small changes to reduce your toxin exposure will accumulatively make a difference. This can only be a good thing when it comes to protecting ourselves.
