Reducing Environmental Toxins
You are now aware that the environment contains a plethora of environmental toxins,
many of which can affect weight. So, the question is ‘what can you do about it?’
First Things First: Reduce Your Exposure to Environmental Toxins
- Choosing organic foods makes a difference, as non-organic produce is laden with herbicides and pesticides that are known EDCs. Check the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen for the most important food to buy organic.
- For those who eat meat and animal products, be mindful of where they are sourced from. Animals are also exposed to chemicals known as persistent organic pollutants or ‘POPs’ as these chemicals exist in both water and soil. Choose grass fed, pasture raised and organic meats where possible.
- Stop eating Mercury. Avoid large fish such as flake (shark), tuna, swordfish.
- Avoid amalgam dental fillings and consider a safe removal of prior fillings.
- Filter your water. Use carbon or reverse osmosis filter to clear contaminants from tap water. Don’t drink bottled water stored in plastic.
- Avoid plastic containers and drink bottles. Instead, opt for glass, ceramic or stainless steel. Many plastics contain bisphenol A (BPA), S (BPS) and/or F(BPF) which are all known EDCS with similar hormone disrupting effects (so being labelled ‘BPA-free’ does not mean it’s ok). Specifically avoid microwaving anything in a plastic container as EDCs and other chemicals can leach out of the plastic into the food within.
- Swap any chemical-based cleaning. Clean instead with bicarb soda (baking soda), white vinegar, water and cloths.
- Swap personal care products and make up for more natural alternatives. Check https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ for preferable alternatives.
- Avoid synthetic air fresheners and instead make your own with natural essential oils.
Secondly: Support Your Body’s Natural Detoxification Processes
This is of particular importance for those in professions that have ongoing chemical
exposure such as hairdressers, painters, cleaners, miners, metal workers and
mechanics; however, everyone can benefit from the following detox tips:
- Increase your exercise intensity - get your blood pumping to promote elimination of toxins via sweating.
- Drink 2 L of water daily, more if exercising.
- Adopt daily dry skin brushing. This boosts the circulation of lymphatic fluid, which is key to eliminating tissue-based toxins. Dry skin brushing also removes dead skin cells, which increases your body’s ability to eliminate toxins via the skin more effectively.
- Book in for regular spa treatments (yes, you say!) - saunas, skin wraps and massage all encourage toxin removal from your body.
- Ensure you have regular easy to pass bowel motions. Elimination is the third phase of detoxification and is of utmost importance. If this is an issue for you consider our constipation protocol.
- Increase foods that help you detox such as cruciferous vegetables, broccoli, kale, Brussel sprouts, and garlic, onions, ginger and turmeric.
Many environmental toxins are stored within fat cells in the body, so as you lose fat these are released and need to be removed from your body. Toxicity can be a reason behind weight loss plateaus (if that occurs), or feelings of fatigue and/or ‘brain fog’, amongst other symptoms. To learn more about supporting healthy detoxification and whether toxicity may be impacting your healthy weight journey, complete the detox quiz
and see if a program might work for you either now or in the future.
