Defending your family’s health has become a ‘thing’. If you fail to defend it, you very likely will be robbed of it. There is so much to learn, but much you can do TODAY!
Disease is very often a result of toxicity of some kind, and we live in a toxic soup. We do. We either become overloaded with toxins or our body has become inefficient at detoxifying the toxins we are exposed to.
If we pay attention, we can begin to connect exposures with symptoms, in many cases, and then avoid the exposure. Sometimes symptoms are not so easily connected, but the contributing factors may still be in your control.
Addressing any chronic illness or defending good health should begin with awareness of toxin exposure and an effort to reduce it. And, there is practically NO downside to reducing toxin exposure or improving your bodies detoxification capability.
Following are some areas where I have made some changes for my family and where your efforts can make a difference for your family too!
Food
Make it GMO Free – Altering the genetic makeup of our food results in new proteins and may result in undesirable health effects for some. Most genetically modified food has been altered to create built-in insecticides. If it explodes in bug bellies, what does it do to our own?
Choose Organic – Most genetically modified food has been altered to withstand chemical herbicides, so choose ‘organic’ to avoid pesticides and herbicides on food. Herbicides are also used to dry certain crops before harvest, so even if is not GMO, it can still be covered. My own health has been much improved since avoiding GMOs and selecting organic options when I have a choice.
Minimize Exposure to Food Packaging and Processing Aids – There are some nasty chemicals used in food packaging and to aid in processing food which can contribute to toxic load. So, minimizing use of convenience foods and to-go containers is a must, especially if you use them often. I get food away from home, probably more than most, and this is something I need to work on personally.
Replace Toxic Food Storage Containers and Cooking Pots and Pans – Choose glass, ceramic, or stainless steel as they leach chemicals and metals into food the least. I made the change several years ago and I never microwave in anything other than glass or ceramic.
Water
Choose High-Quality Bottled Water – I choose only spring water or alkaline water when I drink bottled because it is the closest to what nature intended. Bottles used for water can leach, so make sure to keep them from heat.
Filter at the Source – Install shower filters, a filter on your kitchen sink, use filtered water to make ice… and then don’t forget to change them! Tap water can be nasty for so many reasons, so get it tested before you assume it is clean.
Use a Filtering Vessel for Tap Water – Both pitchers and counter top vessels can filter out the good stuff (minerals), so you may have to add them back in with a mineral supplement or mineral salt. We used to use the ZERO, but after I discovered that ‘dead’ water is nearly as bad as unfiltered, we stopped.
Install a Whole-house Water Filtration System – The ultimate solution, but the most expensive. When we move into our next house, this is the route we are going. However, given how educated people are becoming on the toxic soup we live in, perhaps whole-home filtered water would be a selling point!
Air
Use Room Air Purifiers and Salt Lamps – Filter out the bad stuff or bind it up, because indoor air is some of the most toxic air we are exposed to.
Avoid or Minimize the Off-Gassers in your Home – New carpet, flooring, paint, textiles, and furniture all off gas chemicals which can increase a family member’s toxic load. I have avoided replacing old off-gassers because, as nice as it would be to have new things, I just don’t feel it is in my family’s best health interest.
Avoid Toxic Cleaning Products– Fragrance is the new ‘second hand smoke’ and the industry is notoriously horrendous in disclosing chemicals, their (lack of) safety testing and distorting the science surrounding their products. I have found that some ‘green’ and ‘clean’ products may still have toxins, so go homemade when you can!
Avoid or Minimize Pesticides – When and where you can, choose natural pesticides and other strategies for eliminating pests in and around your home. I believe pesticide exposure may turn out to be one of the most significant contributing factors to ill health.
Test for Mold – Toxic mold can do major damage to health if not properly identified and professionally removed. Find a reputable and certified mold specialist to test. You can also order a home test and do it yourself. But, do not handle mold on your own. Always use a certified and knowledgeable professional. Disturbing it without the proper care can make the problem significantly worse. Testing for mold is on my ‘to do’ list for this year.
Personal Environment
Always Wash New Clothes and Textiles – I know it is easy to wear right off the rack, but DON’T DO IT. New clothes and textiles are often covered in antimicrobials for shipment and storage and chemicals from manufacuring. Wash them twice before wearing or using to minimize toxins.
Minimize use of Medicine (Both OTC and Prescription), Vaccines, and Nutritional Supplements – Limit use to that where you have determined the benefits outweigh the risks with your trusted health care provider. Read labels and inserts, ask questions, and know side effects which may occur. Research the condition being treated or prevented, corroborate medical opinions, and make the final decision from knowledge and NOT fear. My health took a HUGE turn for the better when I began to ask questions and got educated on what I was taking and why.
Minimize use of Personal Care Products or Clean up your Choices – Use the greenest you can afford or just cut them out of the routine. Toxins in personal care products are rampant and allowed because we do not have a proper system in place for safety testing and regulation in the U.S. I have cut out most personal care products because I feel I just don’t need them. Personally, I would rather smell like a human than a cologne factory and I so appreciate people who have gotten on board the fragrance-free train!
When the question is ‘Is it genes or is it environment?’ that cause ill health, the answer is nearly always BOTH. You may not be able to change your genes, but you can make changes in your environment. 23 and Me and few others offer genomic testing and analysis where you can get important information on your genetic susceptibility to disease or impaired detoxification. From there, you can ramp up your efforts to reduce toxins or minimize risky lifestyle factors.
So, you do have some degree of control in this toxic soup we live in. Here are some links for useful information….
Women’s Voices for the Earth on Toxic Chemicals
What are you going to work on?
What have you done to protect your family?
Share in the comments below
