My Black is NOT Cracking.

We have all heard the noise about detox: detox diets, detox drinks, body detox programs, detox skincare and on and on. The internet is full of conflicting opinions and contradictory information about detoxing. While some people vouch for the immense benefits of detoxification, others, including professionals claim it’s a scam or a waste of time or money! It’s no wonder so many of us are confused and do not fully understand the basic concepts of detoxing and clean living.

Medical professionals tell us that our body’s natural processes are enough even though many have incomplete training in terms of how the body works with regard to detoxification. (or nutrition…..let’s just wait until you get sick so you can take this toxic drug and we can have that five minute disclaimer during the commercial telling you how it will help one thing and cause harm elsewhere! Don’t get me started.)

To reap the benefits of whole-body detoxification, it’s very important to understand what detoxification is and why you need to detox. And, the kind of toxins we are trying to eliminate, how these toxins affect our body and mind, and how these toxins accumulated in the first place.

Under normal circumstances (and things haven’t been normal in quite some time) the body could do it’s job and rid itself of toxins.  But we screwed that all up!

Toxins of the modern world

Accumulation of toxins in the body is mostly a modern phenomenon and a result of our increasingly synthetic world. In ancient times, detox was a way of life. Living in peace with the environment was not a choice, but the only way of living. Everything people used came directly from nature. Women used natural oils and fruit-butters for skincare instead of today’s expensive “natural” (NOT) anti-aging creams that are anything but natural. Dietary restrictions (every once in a while) were a part of life. For example, it was a common practice for Indians to cleanse their digestive systems once every month. On this day, people avoided solid food and consumed for the most part, liquids – fruit juices, nutritious lentils, vegetable soups, buttermilk, lemonade, and loads of water. Body massage was a daily practice to expel the metabolic waste accumulated in neuromuscular junctions. There wasn’t as much need for detoxing the mind, as stress and mental disorders were not as common as they are now.

Well, Toto, we are no longer in Oz. The constant search for “convenience” and “fast results,” and pretty much “instant everything” has brought us to a point where we lace ourselves up daily with loads of chemicals. And it’s not just the processed food, junk food and chemical laden beverages that so many consume. Cosmetics, perfumes, household items, even the cleaning products are unfortunately, not very clean. it’s only natural (or not natural!) for toxins to build up in our bodies over time and sadly, it is more than the body can eliminate without a little help from a cleanse.  (As well as working to eliminate exposure altogether!) Our bodies need assistance with cleaning and detoxing.

Why clean living?

We constantly consume, absorb, and inhale all kinds of harmful and dangerous chemicals.  These range from the dangerous heavy metals and pesticides in the food chain, or parabens and phthalates found in personal care products. The list is overwhelming. Our children are born with chemicals already in their bodies as a result of the exposure of the mother!

In a 2005 study, as many as 287 environmental toxins were found in the umbilical cord blood of 10 newborn babies. A subsequent study in 2009 found 232 industrial chemicals in 10 babies born between 2007-08. Many of these chemicals were the ones commonly used in skincare products, shampoos, household cleaners, detergents, preservatives, and food packagings. These findings indicate the number of toxins that mothers are exposed to in just those nine months of pregnancy! (In addition to residual toxins built up in her organs and bloodstream.) Scary.  Our children and grandchildren are inheriting toxins. (Not quite the type of inheritance any of us intended to leave for them.)

Aging only compounds the body’s burden (a term used to define the toxin buildup in the body). Researchers have time and again pointed out that the accumulation of synthetic chemicals in the body is a huge factor in the growing number of neurodegenerative disorders (dementia), auto-immune diseases, infertility, and metabolic disturbances. Apart from serious health conditions, toxin buildup is also known to affect physical and mental wellbeing in many ways.

It’s all about hormones!

Shampoos, soaps, detergents, conditioners, lipsticks, moisturizers, synthetic fragrance, and many other daily-use products contain some endocrine-disrupting chemicals. (EDCs) The endocrine system is the network of glands and organs that secrete and regulate hormones.  EDCs interfere with the whole process. And since hormones are responsible for so many physiological functions, EDCs have been associated with a number of issues, including mood swings, behavioral disorders, sleep loss, menstrual irregularity, worsening of PMS, menopausal symptoms, lack of sexual desire, and even cancer.

In general, women are exposed to more synthetic chemicals than men because we have to look good! We slather ourselves in so-called age-defying chemicals so that we can look better, smell better and feel better about ourselves, but it is truly making us anything but better.  In fact, those living in close contact (such as our spouses, significant others and children) are also affected. According to a recent study published in May 2020, paraben and many other EDCs in cosmetic products are associated with female infertility. This study was conducted on U.S. women of the reproductive age group of 18-45 years. Here are a few harmful chemicals commonly found in every home.

Parabens: Parabens are added to makeup and cosmetic products as preservatives to prevent the growth of bacteria and mold. Exposure to parabens has been linked with hormonal disturbances, mostly related to reproductive health and sex hormones.

Phthalates: Used in hair sprays, nail polish, and baby products.

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS): Used in shampoos, detergents, and house-cleaning liquids.

Toxins are hiding in everything!  And that’s not to scare the hell out of you.  Many are just unavoidable unless you want to live in a bubble and even then, the damn bubble is plastic! 

I grew up in Palmyra NJ.  I swear it’s the mosquito capital of the world!  I don’t recall how often it was and any, was too often, but the mosquito truck would come through our neighborhoods spraying toxic and poisonous chemicals to kill the mosquitoes.  We would still be outside playing and would end up surrounded by a fog of poison!  That truck was literally cruising slowly through our hood, poisoning us.  Who knew? (Actually they had to know!)

Toxic chemicals are hiding everywhere. Here are a few that I, and many of you use daily! (weekly, and monthly!)

Plug-in air fresheners and room sprays (Screws with your lungs and your liver! Two-fer)

Dryer sheets

Detergents

Hair Dye

Perfumes

Pharmaceuticals (over the counter and prescription)

Foods laced with pesticides, fungicides, herbicides

Lawn treatments at home or in a park (Ever see that warning sign after the grass has been treated at the park?)

Plastic (Think you got rid of all the plastic?  Have PVC pipes by chance?)

Sat on your plastic beach chair lately after a “spray tan?”  That’s another two-fer!

And unless you are walking around naked, even your clothing is laced with chemicals!

All of those toxins end up in your organs (specifically the liver which I was saving for wine!) killing healthy cells. 

Feeling your best

Aiding your natural blood purification process and internal cleansing of digestive organs can give a great boost to your overall health. A good detox can provide a much needed  boost to your metabolism, improve nutrient absorption from food, regularize waste elimination, curb food cravings, reduce fatigue and lethargy, and as a result, indirectly assist in weight loss. The results can include improved immune function, well-nourished tissues, better sleep, enhanced focus, and increased energy levels. Blood purification can also reduce inflammation in the body and improve the health of vital organs.

Regular detoxification by way of lifestyle habits is essential for mental and emotional wellbeing as well. Researchers have suggested that environmental toxins can affect the working of our central nervous system, worsening any symptoms of anxiety or depression. Brain fog, reduced ability to concentrate, mental fatigue, and confusion are some of the other signs that your body needs attention. And as we age, we don’t need anything fogging our brains!  (I already can’t find my keys! EVER.) A conscious lifestyle that includes clean living practices and detox support, can be a solution to many of these issues.

While living completely without toxins is not possible, (neither necessary) we all need to work on reducing and if possible, eliminating them from our lives. Even the slightest change in lifestyle and habits can make a huge difference in the long run. Changes can be as simple as replacing your hand cream with a nourishing homemade lotion or plain shea butter. Or it can be about choosing fiber-rich foods over processed carbs to cleanse the bowel naturally and prevent any accumulation of digestive waste.

In our chemical filled world, detoxing should be a way of life. It’s all about making informed, conscious choices in your daily life. Time to clean up your act!

Stay tuned for parts two and three of this detox series!  In Part Two, I will dig deeper into environmental toxins, where they hide and what affect they have on us. Evidence is increasing to support the fact that autoimmune diseases such as MS may in part be caused by toxins in the body. (Something that if you read my previous posts, you know that this one hit home for me!) But, it is not just MS. There are other autoimmune and neurological diseases of the brain that may also be a result of prolonged exposure to toxins. In part two and three I will also offer up some detox suggestions (with research to back it up) as well as a list of references where you can find more information, specific detox suggestions and recipes to try!

Until then!

Vibrant Blue Oils Thrive Kit™ contains three powerful oils – Parasympathetic®, Lymph™ and Adrenal® – that when used in combination with healthy lifestyle changes, help support the brain’s ability to detoxify and heal.

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