Why Should I Even Care About Reducing Toxins?

Why Should I Even Care About Reducing Toxins? Is my daily life toxic?

Isn’t it good enough to buy products with labWels that say “Clean”?

Isn’t it good enough to disinfect my home with bleach every day/week?

Why Should I Even Care About Reducing Toxins? To Avoid Health Risks.

Believe it or not, many of the very same products that say “Clean” or “Disinfecting” are the VERY products that pose risks to our health. Toxins in products can lead to some of these health problems: 

Asthma and allergies

Breast cancer

Infertility

Birth defects

Digestive disruptions

Sleep disorders

Mental fog

Emotional upset

Toxins exist in most settings of our everyday life. We hear about toxins so often, that we can become calloused to worrying about it. However, just hearing a lot about toxins does not lessen the threat. 

Toxins interact with our body’s physiology in a way that irritates our systems. It can often take decades of research before the toxic effects of a new chemical are discovered. By that time, the toxins have been added to many everyday products – products that we smear on our skin, brush on our gums, eat and drink. 

My Story:

I remember when I was a child, I got to play with Mercury that came from a broken thermometer. Mercury was so silvery, and I was so curious about its cohesive behavior. I rolled it around in my hand with such joy. Mom warned me to avoid touching my mouth. I had to wash with soap when I finished playing. It now horrifies me that I was holding that toxic chemical. Mercury poisoning is a real threat, and we didn’t consider it back then. 

Let’s Look At 7 Ways Toxins Can Damage Our Health

1. Toxins can poison enzymes, so they don’t work properly. Our entire body depends on enzymes to maintain our various systems. These enzymes produce molecules, energy, and cells. When toxins damage enzymes, our bodies fail to work at their prime ability. Hemoglobin production is reduced. Free radicals aren’t controlled as well, which can increase aging. 
2. Toxins displace calcium and minerals. This causes bones to become weaker. These weaker bones release EVEN MORE toxins, that circulate through the body. That’s double the toxins.
3. Toxins damage our organs. The main “detox” organs are the digestive system, kidneys, and liver. If toxins cause enough damage to these three organs, they cannot do their job. So at that point, toxins are unfiltered and circulating where they should be going. Even something as simple as sunscreen can bring toxins into our bodies. Read About Toxic Sunscreen here
4. Toxins damage DNA and allows faster aging. Pesticides, phthalates, and estrogens contain benzene. Benzene damages DNA.
5. Toxins alter gene expression. Genes turn “on” and “off” according to what our body needs at the moment. This is how our body adapts to the environmental demands. Many toxins activate or suppress our genes in a way that doesn’t allow adaptation. 
6. Toxins damage cell membranes. When this happens the cell membrane doesn’t respond properly to signals requiring action. One example of this kind of signal is the cell’s production of insulin in response to blood sugar. 
7. Toxins mess up the hormones, leading to imbalances. Toxins can induce, mimic, and block hormones. For instance, Arsenic can block the thyroid hormone receptors. So the body may fail to get the message to rev up the system. In this case, the person would feel extremely exhausted. 

The Biggie In Reducing Toxins Is THIS

Toxins prevent your body from detoxifying. This is the worst possible problem on the list. When you are toxic, that is when you MOST need to detoxify. And that is precisely what your body cannot do, because it is too toxic. Yikes! The body is so overwhelmed, it can’t begin to filter out the toxic nasties.  

The Summary In Reducing Toxins Is THIS

So the big summary is this – lower your exposure to toxins, so your body can continue to filter out toxins. 

Let’s be honest

We can do all the right things to reduce toxins. Yet we will still be in environments where we continue to endure exposure. It is impossible to completely eradicate all toxins from our lives. 

Even when we strive for reduction of toxins, there will continue to be negative threats in food, water, soil, and the air. Yet every step we take to reduce toxins can assist our bodies in meeting those other environmental threats.

Is Reducing Toxins Difficult? I’m not ready for big change.

“I don’t want to have to figure out new routines. But I on catching on that these toxins can be dangerous.”

The truth is that starting any new routine is somewhat challenging. But it depends on the outlook we take in doing new things. We can either push hard to force it. Or we can choose to make it an exciting quest.

So shall we wave the white flag of surrender?

Shall we give up and let the toxins flood our body systems?

Will we cower at the idea that toxins are attacking us and making us sick?

I think you can guess the correct answer. 

No.

We do not surrender, allowing known toxins to attack our bodies. Getting rid of some will definitely make a positive impact upon our health.

We will not cower in fear over all the potential toxins out there. The Chemical Minimalist’s approach means selecting the known toxins that we eliminate or reduce from our lifestyle.

Just knowing we are doing the best that we can do builds up the confident attitude we need to boost our health

My Advice To You In Beginning This Quest

Please don’t freak out about reducing toxins. All we need to do is make a few key lifestyle adjustments to help our bodies.  Just pick one area or task you want to clean up. THAT ALONE will help improve your health in big ways. If you aren’t ready to give up a specific cleaning chemical, then pick what you ARE ready to change.

Research Shows Encouraging News About Reducing Toxins – a short game and a long game

The news about the short game is quite encouraging! A 2016 study looked at the toxins in health and hygiene products. Patients showed a turn around (improvement) in reducing toxins within 3 days. The toxins they eliminated were fragrance, parabens, phthalates, and benzophenone-3. 

Now for the long game – some studies prove that pesticide exposure levels were reduced dramatically when patients ate organic produce. The levels of toxic pesticides went lower over extended periods of time. 

The greatest of follies is to sacrifice health for any other kind of happiness.

Arthur Schopenhauer

Why Should I Even Care About Reducing Toxins?

Your body is a precious treasure. If you wear it out before it’s proper time, the consequences are tragic.

If you think like me, it is better to work a bit harder now, in comparison to looking back with regrets.

Choosing to limit our exposure to toxins allows us to fully enjoy all that God brings into our lives.

I want that for you. Do you want that enjoyment for yourself?

It’s my hope today’s article helps you to Enjoy Your Healthy Life!

Pam Schmidt

Chemical Minimalist

Mindfulness Mentor

Find more articles about reducing toxins or to become a member…. https://ChemicalMinimalist.com

P.S. Get the support you need to get things rearranged and reduce the chemicals in your home, food, cleaning supplies, and healthy supplements. Request a private consultation with me.