What is Low Tox and Why Should It Matter to You?
Hello my lovely friends! I am coming to you from a very fickle March in Southwest Virginia. One day it’s freezing and snowing and two days later it’s in the 80’s and my allergies are going nuts! I can’t say I love the drastic fluctuations, but I do like the big fluffy snow we get in March and I love the promise of spring and starting to see the flowers and trees begin to bloom. I’m starting to feel more energized and ready to start new projects! I’m getting ready to do a functional medicine liver detox to help my body gently get rid of excess toxins that I’ve accumulated over the winter, both from internal and external sources. My super supportive husband often joins me when I do one of these detoxes and we both usually feel a lot better afterwards. But, before we talk about liver detoxes, let’s discuss where our biggest exposure to toxins come from and why a person might think about doing a detox in the first place.
If you are at all in the health world on the internet and social media, you have probably seen references to “Low Tox” or “Lower Tox” lifestyle or swaps. This simply refers to low(er) toxins in your home and on your body. Some times people can get a little carried away with trying to make everything in their world have zero toxins, which as I discussed in last weeks blog post, that is impossible in the world we live in and probably is just adding to your stress, which is also toxic in it’s own way. The word “toxic” in itself has become a bit of a buzz word lately and that is kind of annoying. So, first off, let’s define what a toxin is…
Toxin - this word, although commonly used to refer to chemicals, actually is in reference specifically to poisonous, naturally occurring substances, such as what might be produced by a bacteria or plant or animal.
Toxicant - this is the technical term for what people are referring to when they talk about products that are created from man made chemicals that are poisonous to our bodies and brains.
Why does it matter?
We are living in a world with over 100,000 man made chemicals circulating in our environment at any given time! While our bodies (our liver specifically, but we have many body parts that work on detoxing all day everyday) might be able to cope with a handful of these chemicals and efficiently purge them from our system, expecting them to be unphased by the onslaught of chemicals these days is just asking for trouble. These chemicals are present in our water, air, body products, food, cleaning supplies, etc. They can contribute to a miriad of physical, mental, and emotional health problems. Many people find that once they remove some of these ever present chemicals from their environment, they have less skin rash, headaches, allergies, and some have even more dramatic improvements. Many of these chemicals have been studied and are known to contribute to infertility and other hormone imbalances, chronic respiratory problems, affecting the central nervous system and even leading to certain types of cancer!
Some of us do have an extreme reaction to certain chemical exposure. You may have someone in your life that has chemical sensitivies. But, just because you don’t have an obvious, intense reaction when you get in a room with someone wearing perfume or when somebody’s clothing is off gassing laundry detergent fumes in your general direction, do not be fooled into thinking that you and your family members are not being effected by these powerful toxicants inside your own bodies! I cannot be adamant enough on that point! Some of us are the canaries in the coalmine, so to speak…we feel it most intensely and sooner than others. But, remember that these chemicals have been studied and proven to be dangerous, toxic substances and the fact that we are surrounded by them on a daily basis means that they add up and take their toll eventually. This is not to panic or shame anyone, we are all doing the best we can with the knowledge we have. And, when we KNOW more…we DO more.
What to do about it?
While we can’t control the world around us and we don’t want to become too paranoid to enjoy our lives and our time with friends, we can take control of our own environments and make some key shifts that will drastically decrease our exposure to chemical toxicants. This really matters if we want to raise healthy children, keep our pets with us for as long as possible, and keep our own energy, vitality, and wellness long term. But, the thought of overhauling your world may seem just a bit…daunting! That’s why it’s a good idea to take baby steps and follow along with my future posts as I guide you through which products to change out, how, and why. I’ll also share as many money saving ideas as I can, since I know many of you have avoided making these changes because they seem too costly. I promise, there is a lot that can be done within a reasonable budget and maybe you’ll even save money on the things you realize you don’t need to buy anymore!
Some of you who are followers of my Instagram account may recognize this information, as I did a series on reducing toxins over there. And I’m excited to expand on that and fill in more details in this longer format.
Where to start?
Coming up, I’ll be writing posts on how to clean up your water, air, cleaning supplies, body products, laundry, and food. And you are very likely going to find something that works for you no matter your situation. Look forward to having less rashes, breathing easier, having less brain fog, and a more positive mood from cleaning up your own personal environment! What is an area that you would like to make less toxic in your environment? Let me know in the comments.
