Most of us are aware that we are surrounded by toxins - in our air, our water, soil, food, and products we use - to name a few. But were you also aware that many of these toxins are absorbed into our bodies and really hard to get rid of? We have natural processes that help cleanse our bodies - through our lungs, kidneys, skin and liver, but we can also take steps to help rid ourselves of toxins that otherwise get stored inside us. Many of these toxins are linked to long term damage within us and can cause various types of cancer, high blood pressure, immune dysfunction, premature aging and other issues. In fact, when we are overexposed to toxins, our bodies actually do their best to protect us by wrapping many toxins in mucous and storing them in fat cells. Kind of disgusting when you think about it. It's also a big reason why many people have problems burning fat no matter how much they exercise, eat well or manage stress. This stubborn fat needs to get rid of the toxins before we can get rid of the fat.
Below are a few ways to help your body get rid of the toxins it has been exposed to, as well as minimize future exposure:
1) Take part in a detox. There are a number of different cleanses or detoxes in the market, but make sure the one you take part in is something that will be effective for YOU. That means it should be something that you can complete in it's entirety and isn't so strict that you'll be left starving and cranky all the time -- only to lead to binge eating later on and reversing all of the so called positive effects in the first place!
2) Buy organic whenever you can. I know that this can get expensive, but the pesticides, herbicides and antibiotics used in conventionally grown produce and animal products is downright scary. When we eat these things, our bodies absorb these harmful chemicals. If you can't buy everything organic, at least stay away from the Dirty Dozen (see full list here: https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php) and buy from the Clean 15 list (https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean-fifteen.php).
3) Be cognizant of the products you use in your home and on your body. Many everyday home cleaning products contain harmful chemicals that have long lasting serious health effects. You can replace a lot of these harmful products with things like vinegar (for cleaning floors and counters) as well as lemon juice. Additionally, beauty products, lotions, makeup and shampoos have a ton of added chemicals that get absorbed directly into your skin. Look for brands that use natural ingredients instead (a favorite of mine is 100% Pure - www.100percentpure.com).
4) Eat as many fresh, whole foods as possible and eliminate processed and chemicalized (junk) food. The cleaner we eat, the less chemicals we absorb into our blood stream.
We do live in a beautiful world and we should be grateful for all the natural beauty that surrounds us. But it's also important to protect ourselves where we can to live the healthiest, happiest life possible.