Most people immediately think of
toxins as things coming from outside the body, like pesticides and prescription
drugs. But the truth is most of our toxic load comes from the body itself.
Normal healthy metabolism produces lots of metabolic waste products, just as a
factory will produce industrial waste. Abnormal
metabolism produces even more toxins. In fact detoxification is the biggest
single item in our biochemical budget, not only to handle outside toxins, but
to get rid of metabolic products like used hormones and neurotransmitters.
Otherwise, these can build up in the body and cause cellular malfunction and
disease.
At some point, we have to get rid
of nearly every molecule that the body encounters. To do this, our detoxification
system involves a complex process to render a molecule inactive. This system is
entirely dependent on the foods we eat for the raw materials it needs.
Our detoxification systems are
designed to keep us in good health. Problems occur when we eat poor diets and
fail to supply the system with what it needs, or if we overload the system
beyond its capacity with too many toxins. In today's world, virtually every
American is in some degree of toxic overload.
To achieve optimal health we have
to nutritionally support the detox systems, and reduce their load to a manageable
level. The first step in learning how to reduce our toxic load is to recognize
that the tens of thousands of man-made chemicals, that make our every day
living possible, are not harmless. Many of these chemicals are invisible,
odorless, and tasteless so we may not even be aware of their presence. We are
exposed to toxic man-made chemicals come from everyday items like magazines,
newspapers, carpets, pillows, mattresses, clothes, cosmetics, toothpaste, and
processed foods.
Toxic chemicals are responsible for
many of our 20th century disease problems and especially the new syndromes that
mystify our doctors. Fatigue, headaches, digestive upsets, flu-like symptoms,
aching joints can all be caused by environmental chemicals. High blood pressure
and even fatal cardiac arrhythmias can be caused by chemicals ranging from
solvents to pesticides. People who wake up feeling sluggish may not realize
that the cause is right under their nose, the polyester chemicals coming off
their pillow.
Short of going back to living in
mud huts, what can we do to protect our health? The answer is a lot! We can
minimize our toxic loads. We can supply our body's detoxification systems with
the raw materials they need to operate efficiently. This means eating a varied
diet of fresh, whole organic foods, avoiding processed foods, and foods with
known high toxic contents like meat and dairy. We can supplement our diet with
high quality nutrients like folic acid, vitamin B6, magnesium, essential fatty
acids, vitamin B12, methionine, reduced glutathione, alpha ketoglutarate,
dietary fiber, and vitamin C. Minimize toxic loads by avoiding pesticides,
prescription drugs, tap water, and packaged foods with their additives and packaging
chemicals. Don't breath the fumes when putting gasoline in the car. Buy
clothes, furniture, carpets, bedding, and personal care products made from all
natural materials.
By getting adequate nutrition and
avoiding toxins, the average person can reduce their toxic load to where their
body can handle it, thereby pushing their personal equation toward health.
