by Dr. Richard Powers
Toxic substances are now ubiquitous.
They permeate our air, water, food, clothing, personal and household products, our lawns and yards, and virtually every aspect of our environment. Insecticides, herbicides, plasticizers (like BPA, BPS, and phthalates), solvents (like within cleaning products), toxic metals (like mercury, arsenic, and lead), flame retardants (like antimony), inhalants (like particulate matter), mold toxins (like aflatoxin), bacterial toxins (like from an unhealthy gut), excessive alcohol, medication, recreational drugs, artificial color/sweetener/flavoring, preservatives, just to name a few, are all very toxic and especially so when combined.
These toxic substances surround us and now exist within all of us, which is problematic as they accelerate aging, immune dysfunction, and hormone imbalances as well as promote disease.
Evidence clearly shows that these toxic substances accumulate in our body, particularly in our fat tissue. Lowering toxicity levels in our bodies has been frequently correlated with restored health and a decrease in body fat.
To keep your body as healthy and whole as you can, it is helpful to make sure that your body is avoiding as many of these harmful substances as possible—without creating more stress in the process!—while also implementing safe and effective measures to reduce your body’s toxic burden.
MINIMIZE TOXIC EXPOSURE:
Here are some wholesome tips on how to minimize your toxic exposure:
- SKINCARE: Use toxic-free skincare and sunscreen products.
- PESTICIDES: Minimize the use of and/or exposure to insecticides, herbicides, and other pesticides (such as at home, work, the golf course, or in your yard).
- CLEANERS AND PERSONAL HYGIENE: Avoid chemicals and scented products unless solely contain organic or wild-crafted essential oils. Harmful, synthetic chemicals are often used as fragrances in air fresheners, bath and personal hygiene products, laundry detergent, dish and bath soap, and household cleaning products, among others.
- PLASTIC: Limit the use of plastic containers for bottled water whether purchased or stored within. Most plastic containers and bottles contain hormone-disrupting BPA, phthalates, and other toxic substances.
- COOKWEAR: Avoid the use of aluminum and nonstick cookware and utensils such as Teflon.
- WATER: Drink plenty of water, preferably purified water via reverse osmosis.
- AIR: Try an air purifier to help rid your home of particulate matter, mold, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with a quality air purifier; for example, AirDoctor.
REDUCE YOUR TOXIC BODY BURDEN:
Below is a summary of several safe and effective actions steps you can take to help detoxify your body, listed in order of priority:
- DIET & LIFESTYLE: First and foremost, support detoxification by giving your body more of what it requires to detoxify – eat well, move often, sleep soundly, and think right! Implement 2 or 3 diet and lifestyle guidelines that promote detoxification (as detailed in Dr. Powers’ book, Foundations for Creating Optimal Health.
- DAILY DETOX SUPPLEMENTATION: Safely and gently facilitate detoxification with the gut and detoxification support included in each of my Foundational Formulas. (Have questions? FAQs here.)
- HEALTHY BOWEL MOVEMENTS: Ensure you are having at least one healthy, full, and strain-free bowel movement every day, as many toxins are eliminated through your gut. If you are not, then eat more vegetables, drink more water, move more, and if still necessary, try PaleoFiber (a mix of soluble and insoluble fiber that adds “bulk” when stools are infrequent) and/or MagCitrate powder (magnesium citrate adds “water” when stools are “hard”).
- 6-DAY DETOX: Gently yet powerfully provides your liver and colon (and whole body!) detox support. Consider this cleanse every few months and/or to kick-start some new diet or exercise commitments! (Kit includes a digital booklet with associated diet and lifestyle guidance during your 6-day Detox! Have questions? FAQs here.)
- FASTING: Intentionally not eating for periods of time promotes “cellular” detoxification and helps you feel younger and age more elegantly. (Learn more about beneficial fasting approaches that I recommend.)
- INFRARED SAUNA: Through a combination of heat and infrared light, you slowly yet effectively promote the detoxification of both chemical and heavy metal toxins. This is accomplished through sweating as well as the mobilization of toxins via the lymphatic system. I recommend Sunlighten infrared sauna therapy, which utilizes the safest and most effective technology and construction materials available. (To receive a discount and learn more about Sunlighten saunas, contact Alaina Scott at ascott@sunlighten.com.)
Alert! Supporting detoxification is an ongoing, daily process, and can be safely facilitated (as noted above). However, attempts to “force” the process should be avoided as doing so may result in unintended and unwelcome outcomes.
So, use caution before implementing an “advertised” detoxification product or fast as they may do more harm than good (like potentially mobilizing toxins and redepositing them in more vulnerable tissues, like the brain).
That said, you can be sure that the detoxification recommendations I share (as noted in this article) are safe and beneficial (when performed as directed).
Implement Key Diet & Lifestyle Guidelines that fundamentally promote detoxification, health, and healing within Dr. Powers’ guidebook, Foundations for Creating Optimal Health.
Get on one of Dr. Powers’ Foundational Formulas. Take the 4-question quiz.
Consider a 6-day Detox, inclusive of 4 detoxification products
and a digital detox diet and lifestyle guidebook.
Learn more about the benefits and types of fasting.
More Questions? FAQs here.
