Feeling Toxic? It’s Time to Assess Your Picture

Ask yourself these questions:

• Are you often tired or lethargic?
• Are you having trouble losing weight?
• Do you regularly suffer from bloating, diarrhoea, constipation or other digestive disturbances?
• Do you get recurrent headaches?
• Do you regularly suffer from muscle aches and pains?
• Does poor short-term memory and concentration affect your ability to function at work?
• Do you have allergies or sensitivities?
• Do you suffer from depression, anxiety and/or mood swings?

If you answered ‘Yes’ to one or more of these questions, your body may be overburdened by toxicity.

For optimal health, it is best to avoid unwanted or unnecessary exposure to chemicals, pollutants and other harmful substances. A great detox program can help to detoxify your internal environment, however, it is also equally important to review your lifestyle habits and consider the external environment around you, including your home, work space and even your car.

FOOD AND COOKING

• Minimise packaged food
• Eat organic; buy organic flowers
• Eat more (washed) vegetables
• Eat less meat and dairy (animal fat stores toxins)
• Avoid charred meat
• Minimise consumption of certain fish and shellfish
• Drink lots of purified or spring water
• Use Bisphenol-A(BPA) -free water bottles and BPA-free canned food
• Use polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (code 1) products (water bottles etc.) once only
• Don’t overheat empty ‘non-stick’ cookware

DRUGS, MEDICATION AND PERSONAL CARE

• Avoid recreational drugs, including cigarettes
• Drink alcohol and coffee in moderation
• Keep pharmaceuticals to a minimum
• Use non-toxic cleaning agents; chemical free dry-cleaners
• Use natural personal care products free of phthalates and parabens
• Avoid synthetic fragrances

HOUSEHOLD

• Use non-toxic/low VOC (volatile organic compounds) building materials, paints, furnishings and carpets
• Avoid herbicide/pesticide use around the home
• Clean indoor air with indoor plants and ionizers
• Remove shoes at home (leave the outside, outside)

LIFESTYLE

• Wash hands regularly
• Practice dry skin brushing and/or lymphatic drainage massage regularly
• Enjoy regular exercise and saunas (sweat more)
• Reduce stress, sleep and rest well.

Following these tips can not only decrease your toxin load, but it can also improve your health on multiple levels. The fewer toxins you expose yourself to, the less energy your body wastes on neutralising and eliminating it = the more energy you have to live.

Speak to our team of Naturopaths and Nutritionists if you have any questions, or you want to explore this further.