Why should we tolerate a diet of weak poisons, a home in insipid surroundings, a circle of acquaintances who are not quite our enemies, the noise of motors with just enough relief to prevent insanity? Who would want to live in a world which is just not quite fatal? ― Rachel Carson, Silent Spring
Extreme fatigue? ● Brain fog? ● Puffiness? ● Headaches? ● Muscle pain?
● Tingling feet or fingers? ● Unexplained weight gain? ● Mood swings?
● Trouble sleeping? ● Digestive discomfort?
These could be symptoms of toxicity in the body.
We are exposed to thousands of chemicals and toxins with unknown health impacts and side effects. Some chemicals have been removed from the market after they were discovered to cause cancer. Examples include flame retardants that were added to children’s pajamas, and the pesticide DDT, an insecticide for agricultural crops. But today we are discovering that some newer toxins may also play a role in the increasing prevalence of serious conditions such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and autoimmune diseases. The cumulative effect of toxins may create a significant toxic load on the body without your awareness. Removing exposure to these compounds and reducing toxic load is a crucial step toward a healthier life. Equally important is cleaning the toxins out of your body.
A toxin is a substance that when ingested, inhaled, or it permeates the skin, causes a reaction from the immune system because it is seen by our amazing bodies as foreign and dangerous. These toxic substances also cause direct damage to cells and place a huge strain on your liver, one of the primary organs in charge of removing toxins out of the body. Examples of toxins include:
Dry cleaning solvents
Gasoline
Auto fumes
Tobacco smoke
Resins
Glue
Paint
Stain remover
Heavy metals such as mercury, lead, arsenic, and cadmium
Mold (a fungus)
Chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), of which dioxins are the most well known
Pesticides
Toxic compounds found in plastics, such as bisphenol A (better known as BPA)
Some trace minerals, such as silica and iodine, which are good for us in small amounts but make us sick when we are exposed to them in large quantities
Drinking water that has become contaminated with elevated levels of prescription medications
A group of compounds called xenobiotics, which include chemicals and compounds in the environment that act like estrogen in your body
Toxins released by harmful bacteria, yeast, or parasites living in your gut
“Toxic load” refers to the measurement of the total amount of all the distinct kinds of toxins inside your cells and tissues. As the term implies, certain toxins are difficult for your cells and liver to manage and for your body to process and remove. Your toxic load measures both how long and how high your exposure has been. The higher the load, the greater the chance it is negatively affecting your health.
Your liver, your body’s main detoxifying organ, does a heroic job every day trying to protect you from the bombardment of chemicals and toxins in the foods you eat, the air you breathe, and the water you drink. Think of the liver like the strainer used in the sink to drain pasta. A strainer has numerous little holes so when you pour the water and pasta into it, the water flows right through, leaving the pasta behind. Your liver oversees filtering all your blood, which trickles through tiny vessels in the liver, where the liver cells grab the toxins. Next those cells transform the toxins so they are less dangerous, and then either sends them out of the body through your bile system, or into your bloodstream to be filtered out through your kidneys. If you are exposed to too many toxins for too long, the liver becomes clogged.
Healthy and beneficial nutrients found in food and supplements assist your liver by grabbing hold of toxins and flushing them out of your system. The higher your toxic load, the harder it is to complete this process. As a result, more nutrients from foods are needed, especially nutrients from vegetables.
There are a variety of environmental toxins to become aware of. These heavy metals have long been associated with autoimmune diseases. Here are a few:
Mercury: Found in silver dental fillings, cosmetics, and pesticides. Mercury is also a pollutant released into the air from certain factories, especially those that burn coal. It settles in the soil and the bottom of oceans, lakes, and rivers. From there, it accumulates up the food chain, with the biggest fish, such as tuna and swordfish, having the highest levels. (Wild king salmon are the most immune to mercury because these fish are vegetarians; one reason this type of salmon is such a reliable source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.)
Arsenic: Can cause cancer in humans and contaminate drinking water. While no longer used to treat lumber, it is still in antimicrobials for animal and poultry feed.
Lead: A severe neurotoxin that is absorbed easily from the gastrointestinal tract. It also accumulates in bones, where it can be stored for many years, only to be released into the blood after menopause, when bones increase their breaking-down/building-up cycles. Drinking water from the tap can cause lead exposure if the pipes that bring the water to the tap from under the streets contain lead. Finally, 75% of brand-name lipsticks contain lead.[1]
Plastics: Researchers worry about the health hazards of something that many of us do every day: we use plastics to heat and store food. Studies show that a complex mixture of chemicals leach from plastic food containers when they are heated or exposed to UV light. In laboratory studies these chemical mixtures mimic estrogen, with unknown consequences for human health. Other reasons for concern: Manufacturers use hormone-disrupting phthalates to soften PVC plastic and add fire retardants to plastic electronic items. BPA, once common in plastic water bottles and baby bottles, is still used in the linings of most metal food cans and can act like estrogen in the body. And perfluorinated chemicals are widely used to create a greaseproof layer in fast food packaging and food containers such as pizza boxes and candy bar wrappers. [2] Thankfully, we can lower the amount of plastic-related chemicals in our bodies, our homes, and the environment – as well as the risks they pose – by simply using fewer plastics in our daily lives. This does not, however, change the fact the low-level exposures are unavoidable because the chemicals found in plastics are widespread in the environment. Unfortunately, exposures begin in the womb.
Prescription Medications: The medication intended to heal us could also have a harmful effect. Active drug compounds are in our soil, water systems and food sources. The results of a study conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey found that of the 139 streams tested, 80% had detectable chemicals. [3] What’s more, these included active pharmaceutical compounds that were contaminating aquatic life. Chemicals also get into the water from the drugs we use. Our bodies metabolize only a fraction of most drugs swallowed. Much of the remainder is excreted in urine or feces (some are sweated out) and therefore gets into wastewater.
Xenoestrogens: There is evidence that environmental chemicals, such as pesticides and industrial chemicals, can cause hormone-like effects. When these chemicals mimic the effects of estrogen in the body, they are called xenoestrogens, and they are in food, soil, air, water, and household products. Some of these toxins are stored in body fat, so, for example, when dieting they are released, which often causes feelings of sluggishness. Symptoms in women include tender breasts, heavier and more painful periods, bloating, and water retention. In men, symptoms are greater breast tissue and lower sex drives. Xenoestrogens are found in plastics, detergents, pesticides, and industrial chemicals. They are also found in conventional dairy and meat because animals are treated with hormones for faster growth.
The first step in addressing the body’s toxic burden is to clean up your environment and remove the xenoestrogens and other toxins that surround you. The next step is to help your liver do a better job removing toxins.
How to optimize liver function
Boosting liver enzymes will help clear toxins out and open the “filter” to unclog the liver. When you give liver enzymes what they need, you turn on the engine, and the toxins sitting in cells all over your body start to move into your liver, where they are transformed into a less harmful compound and eventually excreted.
Glutathione is the most important antioxidant. It is in every cell in your body, and it’s found in the highest concentrations in the liver. Not only does glutathione clean up heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, and arsenic, but it also aids in protecting the body from pesticides, solvents, and plastic residues such as BPA. It has a natural role in mopping up everyday end products associated with your body’s metabolism, called free radicals. If you do not have enough glutathione, you can have trouble removing certain chemicals, which can build, harm your cells, and cause autoimmune diseases. You can get past this roadblock by removing as many toxins as possible from your body and environment, then use strategies and supplements to boost glutathione levels. (Note that Glutathione is made from three amino acids: cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine. Of the three, cysteine is the more important because it contains sulfur, which is the component that grabs on to and binds mercury. Food sources of cysteine include poultry, yogurt, egg yolks, red peppers, garlic, onions, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, oats, and wheat germ. )
Because we have significant exposure to heavy metals from our environment, especially lead and mercury, it is important to eat and live in a way that is protective. There are a number of simple options to enhance your body’s ability to excrete metals.
Chlorella. A green algae that has been a nutritional food in Japan for decades because it contains proteins, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. There are numerous studies showing positive health benefits from adding chlorella to your diet. It is useful in removing toxins such as dioxins, cadmium, lead, and mercury.
Cilantro. A great antioxidant that boosts glutathione levels which, as mentioned previously, helps address heavy metal toxicity.
Fiber. There are two kinds of fiber. Insoluble fiber is the kind that does not dissolve or get digested; it helps with constipation by providing bulky stools that get pushed along more easily by your intestines. Insoluble fiber is found in all whole grains, nuts, barley, zucchini, celery, broccoli, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, dark leafy vegetables, all fruit, and root vegetable skins.
Soluble fiber dissolves easily in water or in the liquid environment of your stomach and intestines. From there, soluble fiber binds to various compounds and keeps them in the stool for elimination. Soluble fiber’s ability to bind to cholesterol and stop it from getting reabsorbed by the intestines is one way this nutrient helps lower cholesterol. Soluble fiber is found in oats, lentils, apples, organs, pears, strawberries, nuts, flaxseeds, beans, dried peas, blueberries, psyllium, cucumbers, celery, and carrots. Most Americans get 10-15 grams of fiber per day in their diets; you should aim for more like 25 grams. Don’t worry about what kind of fiber you’re getting. Instead, focus on eating a varied diet, rich in healthy foods.
Chelation. Chelating agents are compounds that bind to toxins and pull them out of the body. It is important to use a chelating agent only under the guidance of a medical provider. One of the most common medical treatments for heavy metal poisoning/toxicity is DMSA (dimercaptosuccinic acid), which has a long history of safe use, and it can be given by mouth. It also does not cause a redistribution of metals from one organ to another. Because chelating agents are imperfect and don’t always get into every cell or grab every metal, approaches are being studied where one takes multiple agents at the same time. Regardless, one of the side effects involves pulling out important (good) minerals such as copper, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc, when you pull out the heavy metals. These minerals need to be replaced on days when chelation is not being done.
Your liver loves fruits and vegetables. They provide much-needed antioxidants, B vitamins, and minerals. The fact that these foods help improve detoxification partially explains why vegetables and fruits protect against many cancers. The following are especially potent: cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, watercress, and cabbage. This is also where kale, Swiss chard, and collard greens shine, all potent detox boosters. Others include garlic, onions, grapes, berries, soy, green and black teas, and herbs, and spices such as rosemary, basil, turmeric, cumin, poppy seeds, black pepper, and cilantro.
The reason to start a detox program is because you have symptoms caused by too many toxins in your system. I personally experienced many of the side effects referenced at the start of this post, then learned I had levels of mold and other environmental toxins that were burdening my body and making me sick. (I also have chronic Lyme disease and the two - Lyme and toxicity - often go hand-in-hand.)
While genetics play a part in our liver’s inability to adequately process toxins, our environment, including skincare, cleaning products, and the foods we eat, play the more significant part. If you are concerned that the symptoms you're experiencing may have something to do with toxicity, please consider visiting a functional medical provider. These individuals are uniquely skilled at diagnosing toxicity levels and facilitating a detox program, if needed.
One final note: A detox should be considered a lifestyle change and never a quick fix. A proper detox program will include food guidance, nutrients, and herbs that can support your body's natural detoxification system. It requires patience and perseverance . . . but hey, aren’t you and your life worth it?
[1] Lipstick Contaminated with Lead?; Michael Greger M.D. FACLM March 23, 2023
[2] Dangerous PFAS Chemicals Are in Your Food Packaging, Consumer Reports, March 24, 2022 [3] Pharmaceuticals in Water, USGS and Water Science School, June 6, 2018
Mary Daniel is a Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach dedicated to the pursuit of good health for everyone. Through her business, Your One Precious Life, she partners with clients and communities and in the spirit of collaboration, paves the way for health transformations.
Interested in a free health consultation? Visit: www.youronepreciouslife.com or email mary@youronepreciouslife.com.
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