For years, I thought I was doing everything right when it came to taking care of my health.
Like many of you, I was eating super healthy and exercising, but little did I know I was exposing my body to harmful chemicals Every.Single.Day!
Environmental toxins can enter the body through the skin, hair, mouth and nose and they can affect hormonal balance, cause inflammation, infertility, affect gut health and increase our risk of developing cancer.
The reality is we can’t scape toxins altogether – unless you live in a bubble or move to a different planet!
The good news is we can choose to stay on planet earth and do something about reducing our exposure to harmful chemicals.
So let’s get right into the needy greedy!
Here are 6 simple ways to reduce toxins in your body:
Tip #1 – Buy organic whenever possible
This doesn’t mean you have to buy everything organic. A great tool to help you decide what produce to buy organic and help you stay within budget is the Dirty Dozen Clean Fifteen list created by the Environmental Working Group.
In case you aren’t familiar with the EWG – it’s a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting human health and the environment and it’s mission is to empower people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment.
Every year, the EWG releases the Dirty Dozen Clean Fifteen list. – It’s a snapshot of pesticides used in America.
The EWG analyzes the amount of pesticides on fruits and vegetables and compiles all this info into a list easy for us to use.
The list provides helpful suggestions for those of us looking to avoid pesticides, which are now present in nearly 70% of produce sold in the U.S.
Download the Dirty 12 & Clean 15 list HERE
Tip #2 –Use ceramic pots and pans
Most of the the cookware sold in America is nonstick – the majority made of Teflon.
Non-stick is an ideal option for many because it requires less cleaning, but here’s the problem:
When overheated, the coating on non-stick pans and pots may begin to break down, and toxic particles and gases, some of them carcinogenic, are released and leached into your foods.
A better option is ceramic cookware, which is becoming more available and affordable.
Tip #3 – Choose safer personal care & beauty products
Do you know what’s in your shampoo, lipstick, lotion or even in the products your kids use? – If you have no clue, you aren’t alone. Barely anybody knows.
Fragrance, parabens, Phthalates, Triclosan and many more toxic ingredients are used freely in the beauty and personal care industry with little or no regulations. – How is that possible???
Here’s the thing, the laws that regulate what goes into our personal care products haven’t been updated since 1938! – crazy, right?
Companies can use labels such as “organic”, “natural”, “clean”, “dermatologist-approved” for marketing purposes with no control on the safety of their ingredients.
A great tool to find out how safe your products really are is the EWG’s Skin Deep Data Base or the Healthy Living app. Every ingredient is analyzed and given a score from 1-10. The lower the number the safer your products are.
Ideally choose products that are rated 4 or lower.
And if you’re looking for safer and high performing beauty products check out Beautycounter. – Your skin will fall in love with this brand. They go above and beyond to create skincare products free of carcinogens, hormone disruptors and contaminants.
Use code YFT to get 10% off for a limited time!
Tip #4 – Use non-toxic cleaning products
Many manufacturers of household cleaners don’t disclose all ingredients. Which makes it virtually impossible for us to choose safer products.
Many of the toxic ingredients used in cleaning products enter the body via mouth, nose and skin.
As a rule of thumb, avoid these cleaning products:
- Antibacterial cleaners: They contain pesticides and since they enter the bloodstream in a matter of seconds, constant exposure to antibacterial products can affect your gut health and immune system.
- Air fresheners: can contain many undisclosed ingredients that affect breathing pathways, cause allergies and worsen asthma symptoms.
In this Guide to Healthy Cleaning created by the EWG, you’ll find practical tips to help you minimize your exposure to harmful ingredients in your cleaning supply.
Tip #5 – Avoid receipts
You may have heard of BPA in plastic containers and canned foods, but turns out the three-foot long piece of paper you get every time you go grocery shopping is also coated with BPA.
Bisphenols or BPA are well-known endocrine disruptors that mimic hormones and cause mayhem in your endocrine and overall health.
According to John Warner, PhD and president of the Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry, “There’s more BPA in a single thermal paper receipt than the total amount that would leach out from a water bottle used for many years.”
And check this out, when the skin is exposed to BPA, the body continues absorbing the chemical long after you’ve thrown away the receipt.
So next time you’re at the grocery store and the friendly cashier hands you your receipt, just tell her to keep it or choose the digital option whenever possible.
Tip #6 – Sweat it off
The body is always detoxifying itself via urine, breathing, sweat, bowel movements and the lymph system.
The lymph system is made up of nodes. These nodes act as filters and collect unwanted bacteria and other harmful materials.
The lymph system is very similar to the circulatory system, the difference is it doesn’t have a “pump” to help the lymph fluids flow though the body. It depends solely on the body’s movement for circulation.
Exercise helps the body’s elimination systems function more efficiently.
Moving the body helps circulate both blood and lymph. The more they circulate, the more the liver and lymph nodes can do their job of cleansing and detoxing the body.
We’re meant to move! Do you your best to exercise 20-30 minutes every day. You’ll help your body eliminate toxins and also boost your energy and happiness levels!
Even though we live in a world filled with toxins, we can still do so much to protect our health.
Stay inform, become curious and do what you can with what you have because even small changes lead to great results.
If you’d like to learn more about safer skincare, click HERE to join my safer beauty list for exclusive contents, freebies and learn more about why I choose Beautycounter for me and my family.
As always, I’m here for you if you have questions. Thank you so much for dropping by.
With love and gratitude,
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