One of 2014’s realities is that they have been exposed to harmful toxins when a kid is born. The proof is in umbilical cords, which have been found to contain pesticides, debris from coal and gasoline combustion, and rubbish. Even if you do everything perfectly (eat organic, purchase natural products, live in a cottage in the woods, etc.), you will never be able to avoid all of the chemicals that have become ubiquitous.
Bruce Lourie and Rick Smith investigated the prevalence of these chemicals while writing their first book, Slow Death by Rubber Duck: How the Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Life Affects Our Health (2009), which examined the toxins found in everyday items such as canned food, pajamas, Tupperware, and rubber ducks. Their readers assaulted them with a simple question: How do we get rid of all this garbage that’s inside us?
Thus, armed with Smith’s Ph.D. in biology and decades of combined experience in the environmental area (Smith is executive director of the Broadbent Institute, and Lourie is president of the Ivey Foundation), the two writers set out to find what truly worked to eliminate pollutants from the body. They take readers on a journey through Toxin Toxout: Getting Harmful Chemicals Out of Our Bodies and Our World through self-designed experiments on themselves and others.
Not all chemicals are harmful to us, Laurie explained, and individuals have varying levels of tolerance for toxins (though you may find that out the hard way). Moreover, as we become more aware of their risks, certain chemicals are being phased out of our lives (DDT, dioxin, lead). “I occasionally joke that I’m a worrier, and I carry a worry list around with me,” Smith explained. “In the book, we attempted to create a concise list of concerns.” The list includes phthalates, BPA, pesticides, methylparaben, triclosan, sodium lauryl sulphatel, and metals such as aluminum, tin, and mercury that can be dangerous when accumulated. While that remains a lengthy (and perplexing) list, there are some straightforward approaches to prevent or remove them.
Chemicals enter our systems through various routes, including what we put on our skin, the furniture we sit on, and the air we breathe. Smith monitored his pee before and after eight hours of merely sitting and breathing in a new Chevy Tahoe for the book’s reporting. This had increased his body’s levels of four substances on the concern list. Therefore, shop wisely (and roll down the windows when driving). “Whenever you make a purchase, whether it’s a cosmetic, a shampoo, or a new sofa, ask yourself, ‘Is this the most natural item I could possibly buy?'” As Lourie stated. Take a look at the ingredient list and check up on any words you don’t recognize. Conduct a study and verify eco-certifications before making large purchases such as couches or automobiles to determine which are built with dangerous chemicals, such as the Tahoe.
Recent research, notably one from Stanford that determined organic vegetables does not contain additional nutrients, Smith and Lourie say, has overlooked the intended advantage of becoming organic. Organic farming is not always intended to produce more nutrient-dense food. Instead, it is meant to produce pesticide-free food. (Yes, it may contain pesticide residues, as practically everything does. (Do you recall the umbilical cords?) Smith and Laurie recruited nine children who had never eaten organic previously to follow a five-day all-organic diet while providing urine samples. Urine tests revealed that the transition resulted in a significant decrease in pesticide levels. “Once consumers begin eating organic food, pesticide levels drop within hours,” Smith explained.
One of the simplest things you can do to help your body eliminate toxins is to drink more water. Another is to consume less animal fat and more fruits and vegetables (ideally organic). However, is a four-day juice detox the best method to do this? Smith and Laurie believe that is unlikely. “‘Cleanse’ conveys an air of exclusivity,” Lourie explained. “If you’re increasing your vegetable intake and drinking plenty of water, adding veggies to the water is a fantastic idea. Simply do not believe that by doing so four days a year, you would be detoxifying your body – this is not the case.” It is preferable to include fruits, vegetables, and water in your regular diet.
Toxins enter your body via food, air, and touch, and they exit via breath, digested food and drink, and sweat. While inhaling and urinating are pretty non-negotiable, many fight a losing battle with perspiration. “We’re completely perplexed about what clean smells like,” eco-blogger Jessa Blades tells the book’s writers. Smith explained that antiperspirants and sure deodorants prevent us from sweating off pollutants while also utilizing hazardous metals to hold the sweat in. This is a “double toxic punch.” Lourie has even acknowledged discontinuing his use of deodorant. However, even if you modify or discontinue your antiperspirant, you should make an effort to increase your sweating. This may be accomplished by increasing physical activity or by utilizing saunas to “detox via intense sweating,” Lourie explained. Additionally, you’ll drink more water, which aids in the elimination of pollutants.
Fat retains poisons, so pesticides like DDT persist in our bodies. Therefore, if you consume a lot of animal fat, you are also destroying the compounds that animal fat contains. Additionally, you’re gaining weight and thus adding fat to your body, which will retain those chemicals. “It’s a self-perpetuating positive feedback loop,” Lourie explained. So, if you’re concerned about toxins and are overweight, the first step in reducing toxins in your body should be to lose the excess body fat.
“Being a more conscientious consumer is only half of the solution to this problem,” Smith explained. ‘The other component is to become a more active citizen.’ For example, remember when people discovered that Subway bread had a chemical found in yoga mats and flocked to social media to demand that the chemical be removed? “Never in business history has a corporation capitulated so rapidly,” Smith added. As a result, making your voice heard is now easier than ever.
