In today’s toxic world where we are exposed to thousands of chemicals in our air, food and water, the need for detoxification is higher than ever. Rates of chronic disease, cancer, autoimmune disease and heart disease/high blood pressure are commonplace; chances are you have a close friend, coworker or family member who is dealing with a disease. Our chronic toxic exposure puts us at risk so it is prudent to be vigilant about such matters. We all have toxic chemicals in our body.The average person contains 91 toxic chemicals (this was an American study but we can ‘guesstimate’ that Canadians would have similar profiles). Chemicals that cannot be properly disposed of in the body are stored in our fat because the body does not know how else to deal with them. Some of the channels for toxic elimination include the liver, kidneys, bowel, lungs, and skin. The body needs to be able to convert the toxin into a form that is capable of being excreted. Various food substances can help with this and I will name them later in my blog. First of all we need to reduce entry into the body in the first place.
Reducing toxic substances coming into the body requires vigilance. Start with your household exposure – household cleaning supplies carry many different carcinogens and are likely your biggest exposure around your home. Switch to eco friendly cleaners which are safe for your home and body. I use shaklee cleaners (shaklee.com) and no, I don’t sell them. They are cost effective and work well to get your house clean. Leave your shoes at the door when you step in your house. Tracking debris through your house will up your exposure to chemicals, doubly so if you work on a farm or work in an environment where you are exposed to chemicals (chemical plants, mechanics, hairdressers, office workers, etc). Toss air fresheners that are marketed on tv and magazines and instead fill a container with water and add drops of essential oil like lavender or sage to scent your air safely. Sensitive to people? Bathe in a bath of 1/2 cup sea salt, 1/2 cup baking soda and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. This will clear your energy field of residue from your day.
Buy organic produce especially when you buy the dirty dozen> spinach, kale, peaches, peppers, apples, lettuce, carrots, celery, cherries, grapes, pears, nectarines, and strawberries. These are the highest in pesticides (the average peach contains 32 pesticide residues). If nothing else, decide to purchase these vegetables only if organic. The cleanest nonorganic produce (lowest in pesticides) are asparagus, onions, avocados, cabbage, eggplant, kiwi, mango, papaya, pineapple, sweet corn, sweet peas, and watermelon. These are the safest produce to buy if you are considered about the cost. They should still be washed though. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the skin off of fruits and vegetables. A pesticide wash solution you can use is > 1 cup water, 1 cup white vinegar, 1 tbsp baking soda and 1/2 lemon (juice). Mix together and put in a spray bottle. Spray it on your produce and let it sit for 5 minutes before rinsing off with water. Use an acid wash on apples, celery and bell peppers. Fill a large container with water, add a cup of vinegar and let soak for 30 minutes; then scrub with a vegetable brush. Soak grapes and cherries for one hour.
Avoid farmed salmon which contain PCB’s, dioxins and other chlorinated contaminants at all costs and buy wild salmon instead. Avoid tuna, swordfish, shark, lobster, halibut, bass, snapper, orange roughy, and mackerel which are high in mercury. For more information on toxins in fish and our food supply in general, check out Clean, Green & Lean by Dr. Walter Crinnion. To be continued…