We all face the threat of environmental toxins. These are toxic compounds that are present in our life thanks to the air we breathe, the food we eat, our drinking water, and our daily use products like antiperspirants and cleaning agents. Environmental toxins are responsible for a host of illnesses that are preventable through the use of natural products and chemically free cleansers and products. Yet, most of us live with environmental toxins and our health suffers the consequences.

According to the EPA and other sources, there are more than 1,000 brand new environmental toxins introduced into our environment annually. Environmental toxins are responsible for more than 95% of diagnosed cancers. More than 3,000 environmental toxins are found in food and drinking water. Processed foods contain at least 9,000 varieties of toxic substances in the form of preservatives, chemically based solvents, and emulsifiers, which is not well digested or eliminated by the body.

 

A healthy American can have at least 400 various chemically based environmental toxins stored in their fat cells. Some Americans can have as many as 800 versions of toxic elements stored in their fat cells. These numbers are staggering considering that it was only about 50 years ago when most Americans had less than 300 toxins stored in their fat cells.

The biggest health problems that come with such toxic storage in the fat cells include everything from neurological disorders to obesity to reproductive disorders. Cancer, asthma, allergies, and metabolic issues can all be traced back to environmental toxins.

So how do you avoid these toxic environmental issues? For starters, change the foods you eat. Processed foods have a very high percentage of carcinogens in the form of chemicals. Cooking does not decrease the level of toxins found in processed foods, and thus sticking with natural raw and whole foods is much healthier than eating foods that are made from a box.

Organic foods help to eliminate a large percentage of environmental toxins. Pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides are found on at a minimum of 50% of food in North America. Some tests have revealed numbers as high as 95%. The chemically treated fruits, vegetables, and meats can hold onto the residue and become ingested despite washing before eating.

Just because it looks healthy doesn’t mean that it doesn’t house environmental toxins. Organic foods are at least 75% organically grown, eliminating a huge chunk of pesticides and other contaminants. Foods that are certified 100% organic are at least 99.5% organically grown. This means that you can eliminate one of the biggest sources of potentially deadly carcinogens from your daily consumption.

All farm raised salmon should be avoided. Farm raised salmon tends to hold a percentage of the contaminant known as polychlorinated biphenyls, which is a substance that is highly toxic to human health. The use of the substance has been outlawed but can still be found in many of the natural environments that are home to the fish that become meal to farm raised salmon.

When the salmon eat the fish meal, the PCB remains in their tissue and then remains in your when you eat the salmon. Only wild caught salmon should be considered, although many fish oils are much healthier than eating fish.

Daily use cleansers, antiperspirants, and even fabric softeners can hold heavy metals and other contaminants. Fortunately, the industries have caught onto the idea of selling plant based organic materials that are found in nature and have no heavy metals or other contaminants.

By using these products, you can reduce your daily contact with potentially dangerous environmental toxins by as much as 50%. If you also alter your diet to include only organically grown foods, you can further eliminate your risk exposure by another 30%. These two major changes can reduce your risk exposure by 80% as compared to daily exposure that most people face by simply eating processed foods and using daily products that are loaded with carcinogens.

There are some environmental toxins that are out of our individual control but can be changed through mass efforts. Buildings loaded with molds, asbestos, and other contaminants are still in existence and still threaten our general health. The contaminated air we breathe thanks to high emission production factories and high emission vehicles are still threatening our daily health.

A combination of personal responsibility and concerted public efforts can help decrease these threats through stricter regulation and reduced use. With a dedicated effort to reduce the output of environmental toxins, we can all band together to improve our health while helping the planet live a longer, healthier natural life.