One of these statements is false. Guess which one.
A) Over one billion pesticides are used in one product or another every year in the US. Source
B) Out of 84,000 chemicals on the market today, many of which are in objects that people come into contact with on a daily basis, only 50% have been studied for safety. Source
C) The average newborn baby, according to the Environmental Working Group, has 287 known toxins in his or her umbilical cord blood. Source
If you click on the sources you will quickly figure out which one is false, but I’ll save you some time and give you the answer. If you don’t believe me you can go back and read the article.
The false statement is B.
Only 1% of the 84 chemicals on the market today have been tested for safety, not 50%!
Are you horrified? Me too.
If a newborn baby, sheltered in her mother’s womb for nine months, has 287 toxins in his/her umbilical cord, imagine how many toxins a full grown adult is exposed to daily from food, water, air, plants, solvents, pesticides, herbicides, toxic metals, cleaning and body care products, exhaust fumes, etc.
Over-toxicity has been linked to a myriad of disorders. Here is a list provided by Dr Hyman on his website.
- Parkinson’s disease
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Dementia
- Autism
- Attention deficit disorder
- severe pms and cramps
- Depression and other mood disorders
- Insomnia
- Heart disease
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Cancer
- Autoimmune disease
- Food allergies
- Arthritis
- Digestive diseases like Crohn’s disease, ulcers, and colitis
We are exposed to more toxins than our liver and kidneys can handle on a regular basis. Although replacing your cleaning supplies and body care products with less toxic substitutes, eating organic, etc, are very important changes that will ease the burden, it is not enough. Actively detoxing our bodies is absolutely vital for our health and well being.
There are many great detox programs out there, but they require you to take some time off and refocus your energy towards healing your body. I highly recommend doing a lot of research, not only before you purchase some green detox powder with miraculous health claims, but also before you embark on a legitimate detox journey. There are risks that should be understood, like releasing toxins lodged in your fat cells straight into your blood stream too fast and overburdening your liver and kidneys.
My Favorite Gentle Cleanse
Before you embark in some complicated liver cleanse or six day fasting spree, I encourage you to try hydrotherapy. A gentle detox that you can do in the comfort of your home without overburdening your body. It consists of using hot and cold water in a couple different ways to stimulate circulation and increase blood flow to various tissues in the body.
Although there are a number of ways to use hydrotherapy as a detox, my favorite way is very simple and accessible. Get in the shower and alternate between hot and cold water. I confess it takes a little bit of courage for me to shock my system like this, but it feels very invigorating and gives you a natural high when you are
What does it actually do, you might ask? Dr Krohn explains in her book ” Natural Detoxification”:
The primary reaction of the body to heat is relaxation, and its secondary reaction is depression, sedation and atony (lack of muscle tone). The secondary heat effect causes rapid pulse, decreased perspiration, mental tiredness, drowsiness, and muscular weakness. Heat stimulates the immune system and causes the white blood cells to migrate from the blood vessels into the tissues, cleaning up toxins, including bacteria and viruses, and eliminating waste. It soothes and relaxes the body, and through reflex action affects every organ and system in the body.
The primary reaction of the body to cold is stimulation, and its secondary reaction is invigorating, restorative, and tonic (improves muscle tone). This secondary cold effect causes smooth, soft skin, a sensation of warmth, slowed pulse, easy respiration, warmth of skin, and perspiration. Cold reduces inflammation by vasoconstriction, also reducing inflammatory agents by making the blood vessels less permeable. Page 265
Alternate between hot and cold water two, three, or four times – however much you are comfortable with. The water can be hot but not scalding, and its best not to run the cold water for more than 30 seconds. Take deep breaths while the water is running and intentionally imagine all the toxins being washed out of you.
Although I have taken hot/cold showers before, what I recently learned is how important it is to dry off quickly and then lie down in your bed under nice warm covers for thirty minutes. This will allow your body to focus completely on the detoxification process without any hindrances. You can amplify your bodies cleansing processes by doubling up with other strategies – I drink a glass of lemon water before and after I jump in the shower. Read here to see why lemon water is another great gentle detox. I try to preform this hydrotherapy once a week after I have washed my hair and soaped up with Dr Bronners a clean, chemically free body/hair wash.
I urge you to take detoxing your body on a regular basis very seriously, as the number of our environmental toxins are continuing to be on the rise. Detoxing your body in simple ways like hydrotherapy and drinking lemon water are both manageable and allow toxins to be flushed slowly and steadily. Some other gentle ways you can detox are infrared saunas, dry brushing, rebounding, meditation, and yoga. Try them all, and see which ones work best with your lifestyle and will actually get done. And don’t forget to let me know!
P.S.I highly recommend getting a filter for your shower head, to avoid having toxins like chlorine being absorbed through your skin just as you are trying to detox! This is the one we own.