What Are the Main Causes of Toxins in Your Body?

Toxins affect us all.  They are in our environment and within us.  From the air we breathe to the food we eat, we are exposed to toxins.  Yet we can better protect our health by reducing exposure to these toxins and taking care to cleanse our body of them before they have a chance to do harm.  Of course, it's necessary to understand what types of toxins we are at risk for and how we can avoid them.

Lack of Water

The healthiest diets won't do much good without plenty of water.  Water is essential for life and all the functions of our body.  Water is also important for flushing out our systems of all unwanted materials including toxins.  When there isn't enough water in our systems to generate a healthy flow, the toxins in our system can back up.  Over time, these toxins can affect organs and other parts of our body.  Drinking plenty of water each day can eliminate this toxic back-up and improve the way a person feels.   

The Wrong Food

A poor diet is a source of toxins for our systems.  Low fiber foods and food that has few nutritional qualities can lead to toxin pile-ups.  A diet rich in fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, reduces our toxic intake and enhances health.  Try to include as much organic and non-processed food in your diet as you can to avoid excessive exposure to toxins in food.  Also, wash all fruits and vegetables well in case they were exposed to chemical pesticides which our toxic to our bodies.

Air Quality

For allergy sufferers pollen and mold can be toxic to the body.  Pollution, of course, affects everyone--while cities.  While it's not convenient to wear a face mask (available from drug stores) every day, you can wear them on particularly hazy days when the air quality is especially bad.  Use a HEPA filter in your home and leave the air conditioning on to minimize these elements from overly affecting the air quality of your home.

Behavior

The things we do can lead to the presence of increased toxins in our bodies.  Smoking, of course, is a major pollutant for our bodies, but even using paraffin candles instead of soy can negatively impact the air quality of the home.  Allowing stress and conditions like constipation can allow toxins to wreak havoc on the body.  Eating late at night before bed as a habit can induce a toxin pile-up.  Failing to exercise is also associated with increased toxins; exercise stimulates circulation and helps keep our systems going and flowing so that toxins are moved out.

While we can't avoid toxins altogether, we can certainly decrease our exposure to them.  Moreover, by periodically cleansing the body through some form of natural detox, we can remove harmful build-ups before they can trigger health problems.  If you're feeling sluggish for no particular reason, try a detox along.  You can also be more mindful about eliminating toxin exposure.  Chances are your body will feel much better as a result of your efforts!

For more information, check out this infographic on why you should cleanse and detox your body.

Homemade Clay Toothpaste Recipe

Commercial toothpaste has poisonous fluoride in it, along with other ingredients you don't want to put in your body including:

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: a toxic skin irritant used in degreasers and gives toothpaste the foaming action

Triclosan: A chemical used for its antibacterial properties. The EPA has registered it as a dangerous pesticide.

FD&C Color Dyes: These dyes are harmful to humans and have repeatedly come under scrutiny.

So what do you do? Besides using my detox foot pads to get rid of the chemicals and toxins floating around in your body, You make your own toothpaste!

There are so many options to make your own natural toothpaste. The basic baking soda and peroxide (or just plain baking soda) recipe has been met with claims that it is too abrasive for your teeth and wears down the enamel.

I made a coconut oil, baking soda, stevia and peppermint oil toothpaste and used that for a while, but I agree, it just didn't suit me like I wanted it to.

I used activated charcoal powder for awhile but it didn't leave my mouth tasting fresh like I wanted. It sure got them white, though! And I still use it to whiten my teeth every so often.

I have found a bentonite clay toothpaste recipe that I love. It doesn't foam, it has a texture that you have to get used to, but by golly, it works!


Homemade Clay Toothpaste Recipe

• 1/2 cup bentonite clay (I get mine at Mountain Rose Herbs)
• about 1 cup boiling hot water (You may need a little more or a little less depending on the desired consistency.
• 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt (or other real sea salt)
• Peppermint oil to taste (I usually do more than 25 drops)
• Stevia powder (I use the "Better Stevia Now Organic" brand in its concentrated form and don't measure, maybe about 1/2 teaspoon? You also can use liquid stevia or even xylitol if you have some handy....) you can add it until you like the taste

Instructions:

1. Mix the clay and salt into a bowl.
2. Add boiling water and mix well with a fork.
3. Add Stevia and Peppermint oil to taste.

4. Mix well. You want a somewhat thick consistency but not too thick. Too runny and it won't hold up on your toothbrush.

I put my toothpaste in a pint sized wide mouth canning jar with a plastic screw lid. I keep it in my bathroom and dip my toothbrush in it. Since I am the only one using it in my household, I don't mind if I "double dip" my toothbrush. If I were making it for multiple members of my house hold I would probably have some type of plastic spoon to use to scoop a little out and onto my toothbrush to prevent cross contamination (our mouths are dirty and germy, and so are our toothbrushes!).

Have you tried making this clay toothpaste? How do you like it? Do you do it a little differently? What do you use to brush your teeth? Post in the comments below.

Turmeric, Dysmenorrhea, and Toxins

The first two words in the title are definitely not common words used in everyday language, but if I said, an Indian spice, and painful menstrual cramps, you'd know what I am talking about. Let’s talk about how these three things are related…

Recently I received a review from a lady who said that after using our Detox Pads two days before her menstrual cycle, she had almost no discomfort.

“I decided to try the detoxifyingfoot pads to see if I would notice any positive results after one night. At the time I was fighting off a cold and my voice sounded pretty deep. After using the pads for one night I noticed a reduction in swelling in my lymph glands behind my ears and my voice was back to normal. A pleasant but also unexpected result after two days of using them, and having no idea my cycle was right around the corner, was that my cramps were practically non-existent! I had no discomfort for the duration of the period. That was a great surprise!”  Lynn, Utah, USA

Why didn’t she experience dysmenorrhea or painful cramps? How are removing toxins and menstrual cramps related? We know from our last post that reflexology can dramatically improve premenstrual symptoms, so let’s keep up the good news and help either yourself or a loved one have less pain during that familiar cramping week.

Several articles online mention how environmental factors affect the female reproductive system negatively¹ . One article listed a few things that would be helpful to avoid² :

-Stress

-Toxic cosmetics or cleaning products

-Plastics, canned food (most cans are lined with BPA), etc.

-Toxic tampons and pads (Many people say their cramps went away after using a menstrual cup)

By limiting the use of harmful products, and removing toxins with the foot pads, it’s no wonder that Lynn had “practically non-existent” cramps. Another tool for relieving pain in many areas of the body including the abdominal area is turmeric³ . It is native to India and has amazing properties. 

“Turmeric has been found to have many useful therapeutic qualities, including: anti-oxidant, anti-tumoral, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-hepatotoxic, anti-hyperlipidemic, and insect repellent effects.

Much recent research has been devoted to the beneficial qualities of Turmeric. It has been shown to 

have more DNA protective qualities than the antioxidants beta carotene and vitamin E.

Traditional Chinese Medicine has found Turmeric useful for pains in the abdomen, liver, stomach, and 

chest.”

There are many recipes for how to incorporate turmeric in your everyday diet online. As always, research for yourself anything new that you feel might help your situation and consult with people you trust.

Here’s to less monthly pain!

As always, visit my website at www.purifyyourbody.com to learn more about my detox foot pads!

1 . http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(98)00253-2/abstract 

2. http://www.thankyourbody.com/menstrual-cramp-remedies-natural/

3. http://blog.tattvasherbs.com/tag/cumin/