One of the greatest factors impacting your overall health is your environment. For most of us, our environment is loaded with toxic chemicals which wreak havoc on our bodies. Cancer, heart disease, dementia and much more are the result of this toxic damage. Autism spectrum and infertility can also be environmentally caused.
But the good news is , remove the toxins and we’re well on our way to optimal health.
There are simple changes we can make to our diet and lifestyle to reduce our exposure to environmental toxins. Here’s what we recommend:
Food and Water
- Only eat organic foods to avoid pesticides and GMOs.
- Eat grass-fed/grass-finished meats and pastured poultry.
- Don’t consume dairy products (unless you do raw dairy).
- Eat wild seafood (never farm-raised), and eat smaller fish that are less likely to have mercury and other contaminants.
- Get rid of your microwave. Totally useless in a healthy home.
- Avoid canned products. If you eat from cans, make sure BPA-free.
- Store leftovers in glass containers – never use plastic.
- Drink half your body weight in ounces of quality water every day.
- Install a quality in home water purification system. Here’s what we use.
- Use a stainless-steel water bottle instead of drinking water from plastic bottles.
- Don’t fry food. Steam or boil when possible. If you fry, use animal fat or coconut oil.
- Avoid alcohol. If you must drink, drink only organic and gluten-free spirits.
- Open your windows often.
- Don’t use air fresheners or plug-ins. Most are very toxic. Use an essential oil with a diffuser.
- Use non-toxic paint for your walls. Older paint contains lead and conventional paints can emit toxins for years. Find one that says zero VOC.
- Install bamboo or other non-toxic flooring. Skip the carpet.
- Sleep on an organic mattress and use organic bedding. Check out the Samina Sleep system or LifeKind.com.
- Get rid of your exterminator and use natural pest control solutions.
- Remove your shoes at your door to decrease the amount of pesticides tracked into your home.
- Choose natural cleaning products. Buy natural cleaning products from companies that fully disclose their ingredients. You can also make your own using non-toxic ingredients like baking soda and vinegar.
- Avoid plastics. There’s lots of chemicals in plastic off-gassing into our air that make us sick. Buy a used car and use an organic cloth shower curtain.
- Buy less stuff. The less you bring into your home, the less likely you are to contaminate your household environment.
- Use an indoor air purifier. Indoor air can be five times worse than outdoor air. Here’s the air purification system we use.
- Keep plants inside your home. They help detoxify the air.
- Buy non-toxic furniture. Most conventional furniture has been treated with highly toxic fire-retardant chemicals. Check out this
- Switch to incandescent bulbs, especially in the bedroom.
- Use only organic personal care products. Anything from Eminence is a good start.
- Use only organic, toxin-free perfumes and colognes. Essential oils are all the rage for good reason.
- Be active. Movement helps your body eliminate toxins.
- Get outside in the sun. The more skin, the better.
- Avoid prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Use natural remedies and keep your immune system healthy.
- Get eight hours of quality sleep every night.
- Practice dry brushing. Use a dry, natural bristle brush to remove the top layer of dead skin cells. About 1/3 of the body’s toxins are eliminated through the skin. Dry brushing opens pores and stimulates detoxification.
- Sauna regularly. Find one with minimal outgassing. We like Heavenly Heat.
- Take nutritional supplements to support good health and to help eliminate toxins. There are five foundational supplements we all should take. Find them here.
- Get adjusted regularly by a chiropractor.
- You MUST move your bowels daily. If not, you may need nightly magnesium.
Don’t be intimidated by this guide. Do what you can. A journey to health begins with a single step.