7 Food Toxins to Begin Avoiding Today!

We have so many toxins that our bodies are fighting every day. The human body has not changed that much since our ancestors, but we have a lot more coming at us than they did. Our body is not designed to fight off all these complex chemicals. We have natural protection via our amazing filtration system, yes, but we cannot fight off all these human-made chemicals that are exposed to us daily. We are exposed to more food toxins now than we have ever been.

 *Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are our own. As an Amazon Associate, this post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.“

They are in our food, our water, in the air we breathe, inside and outside of your home. This is being looked at as one of the bases of why we have the diseases we do today. We do not have control over some of the things we are exposed to, but shouldn’t we limit the things that we do have control over? In this article, we will explore 7 toxins in our food that we can begin avoiding today.

Pesticides

First up on the food toxin list, pesticides! We need to start taking this seriously. Studies show that farming with agricultural pesticides can be linked to a slew of conditions. Autoimmune diseases are at the top of the list, linking directly to Rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. The damage done can be at the cellular level, causing a boatload of other conditions, including cancer!

GMOs

I know you have heard about GMOs and how they are terrible for us, but not everyone understands what this is. The term GMO stands for genetically modified organisms. So what does this mean exactly? Basically, scientists alter the genetic makeup of crops by inserting genes into cells in a laboratory. So what makes this such a horrible thing? There are a few reasons. First, GMOs contain a higher amount of pesticides than non-GMO foods. This is because farmers use GMOs to alter their crops, to be able to use more herbicides without killing the crop itself.

Next, some GMOs are created to produce their own insecticide. What does this mean for us? Evidence is showing that this can lead to damage to the intestines. This leads to a condition called leaky gut, causing your immune system to be suppressed and leading to disease and puts individuals at a higher risk for autoimmune diseases. Other chronic issues include inflammation, bacteria overgrowth, bone density issues.

Glyphosate

I kept this separate from pesticides and GMO’s, even though it fits into this category, because it is heavily used, and quite problematic. Glyphosate is the main ingredient found in round up. This chemical has a profound effect on the balance of our microbiome, as well as damaging our intestinal lining, causing it to be more permeable. This leads to inflammation and conditions such as leaky gut and SIBO, in addition to a number of other conditions and diseases. It is also used to mix into wheat to make breads here in America. If you travel to Europe and perhaps notice that you don’t react to bread the same way as you do here in the states, well, there’s a good reason for that. The bread here is highly adulterated. Glyphosate is completely man-made and will contribute to not only your health, but also to weight gain and fatigue.

Refined Sugars

Refined sugars are now considered toxins. Scientists have found that they can be so toxic to the body, causing damage to tissues, leading to disease and worsening certain conditions, such as Chrohn’s disease, thyroid disorders, and cancer. Additionally, refined sugars will cause blood sugar levels to spike high very quickly. A blood sugar roller coaster of excessive highs and loads leads to a higher risk of not only diabetes but also weight loss resistance, fatigue, hormone imbalances, and more. There is no nutritional value in refined sugars, so a healthy diet should consist of natural sugars consumed in a whole food diet.

Dairy and Gluten

 I know this seems harsh to place these on a food toxicity list; however, these two types of foods are a common cause of inflammation, which leads to toxic effects in the body. Furthermore, the substances used to produce dairy and gluten are of great concern and have damaging effects on our bodies.

Dairy

This is a food that is being mass-produced, and the need for the production of dairy is becoming greater. Dairy contains steroidal hormones such as prolactin, estrogens, progesterone, corticoids, and androgens (4). These hormones can cause hormonal disruptions in the body, as well as cause autoimmune diseases.

We also have to be concerned with the hormones injected into the cows for increased milk production. Typically, they are injected with a growth hormone called bovine somatotropins. Additionally, the mass production of milk often causes infection to the cow, and an antibiotic will then be used. We will discuss this issue further later in the article.

Yet, with the consumption of dairy is the protein called casein which is another health concern. Our bodies may not recognize this protein, and many times will begin to attack it as a foreign intruder to our system. This can cause an autoimmune reaction or sensitivity that can go unnoticed. Those who react in this way may experience hives, poor food absorption, rashes, vomiting, stomach pain, fatigue, brain fog, wheezing, and other breathing problems.

Gluten

What is gluten exactly? Grains, such as wheat, rye, spelt, and barley contain this protein. For many, gluten becomes recognized as a foreign invader in the body, and an immune reaction can occur. Most of the time, it is in the form of inflammation, and often individuals don’t even realize it’s an issue. You could feel tired, bloated, and in a brain fog. Folks walk around this way, just thinking it’s their “norm.” When you can eliminate it and give your gut time to heal and then reintroduce gluten, you may find that this doesn’t make you feel great.

Gluten acts as a gluey substance, similar to bread dough, and is directly linked to coeliac disease. This is an autoimmune disease, which can often be difficult to diagnose. Many people who have it do not even know they do. Irritable bowel syndrome is another condition that could be exacerbated by gluten. The symptoms associated with an intolerance or sensitivity to gluten are; digestive discomfort, tissue damage in the small intestines, stomachaches, gas, bloating and diarrhea or constipation, headache, tiredness, skin rashes, depression, unexplained weight loss or gain, and foul-smelling feces (5).

Mass Food Production and Factory Farming

In order to keep up with the growing population, this method of farming is being increasingly used. There are several reasons why factory farming is not sustainable and bad for the public’s overall health. I will concentrate on the food toxicity aspect in this article, but I urge readers to do their own research on the subject.

This type of farming uses antibiotics to prevent the disease from occurring to the animals due to the dirty, very crowded conditions. An astounding 70-80% of the antibiotics used in the U.S. are for agricultural use (1). Why is this an important piece? We have an antibiotic resistance problem here in the states. As a registered nurse, I can attest to the multiple “superbugs” that have popped up over the past few decades. These are bacteria strains that are resistant to any antibiotic treatments. You may have heard of a few common ones, such as MRSA, VRE, C. Auris, CRE, and Cdiff, to name a few.

These conditions can cause serious illness in individuals. This has been going on since the 1970s, and the FDA has known about the misusing of antibiotics in animal farming; however, it has not put a halt to this dangerous practice. The use of antibiotics is a concern for these “superbugs” becoming more widespread and other conditions such as autoimmune diseases and cancer. Why is this? These antibiotics disrupt our microbiome. We need a healthy microbiome for a healthy immune system. When we disrupt this, over time, it can lead to autoimmune responses and cellular damage.

Meat Production

The demand for meat production has increased and will continue to increase. These upticks are due to the trends toward meat and dairy intensive diets, so this practice doesn’t look like it’s going to end. The prediction is that by 2050, we will need to produce 50-100% more food to keep up with the demand(2). This will undoubtedly lead to more inhumane ways of farming while increasing the risk of disease. Additionally, much of the pesticides that we are bringing into our bodies are coming from animal protein from the fed diets.

Meat is not the only factor to consider with the mass production of food. Grains are also a concern. Again, with the growing population, mass production of certain crops relies on heavy use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Synthetic fertilizers are causing an increase in nitrogen and phosphate at an alarming rate. This will cause a reaction to our hemoglobin in the bloodstream (3). Say what? This is definitely concerning on so many levels, relating to our health.  We have learned what pesticides can do, and both this and the synthetic fertilizers make the consumption of corn, wheat, and rice toxic to our bodies.

To avoid these risks, consuming a whole-food, plant-based diet is best, but for many, this may not be the most desirable diet. While whole organic food is a must to decrease your risk, if you are insistent in consuming animal proteins, choosing meat that is grass-fed and antibiotic and steroid-free is imperative. In addition, choosing sources that are treating the raised animals humanely is best for the consumer’s health and wellness. A great place to start is trying meat from a service called Butcher Box. While the meat is of very high quality, you can’t beat having the convenience of shipping right to your doorstep.

What Can We Do to Limit Food Toxin Exposure?

We are exposed to so many toxins every day. Some we have control over, and some we don’t. Therefore, it’s important to focus on what you can change to experience optimal health and wellness. One of the best things you can do for yourself and your well-being is to limit the number of toxins you bring into your body through your diet. A great place to start is by performing a detox to cleanse the body of the toxins that you might have built up. Once you have performed a detoxing cleanse, your body has had some time to heal, and you can start being more mindful of what you eat and drink and develop a maintenance diet to eat more clean. To do this, it’s important to start counting chemicals.

This may be more important than counting calories. It will not only help keep you healthier, but it will also help shed those unwanted pounds and help you to feel more energized and alert. A whole food diet can be a game-changer in your journey to better health.

How Can We Remove Toxin Build Up?

To summarize, we are exposed to so many toxins daily. Our bodies are designed to eliminate foreign toxins from our body, naturally. However, it is not equipped to do so with the abundance to which these everyday toxins are coming at us. It just can’t handle the overload! They end up in our cell membranes, causing damage at a cellular level, and are stored in our fat cells. Our bodies will release these toxins from the fat cells, into our bloodstream, during stress responses, literally corroding and damaging your body from the inside out.

These toxins travel through your bloodstream and then get into your lymph system. This disrupts the assimilation and filtering of the good nutrients that we might be bringing in. The more damage caused by toxins, the less ability your body has in absorbing the good stuff you might be bringing in. This is because of the dysfunction and damage that toxins and a poor diet have caused.

A great place to start is with a cleanse and detox. The aim is to remove the toxins from the body, to avoid the overload that occurs. We are also allowing healing to occur in the gut to start assimilating those beneficial nutrients again. This becomes very important. When you complete a cleanse, you will be able to develop a maintenance diet to keep the damage from reoccurring. You may also find that you may want to make cleansing part of your regular health routine and practice it every few months.

How Do You Know That You Are in Toxic Overload?

Most of us are in toxic overload, but we are so used to feeling some of these symptoms every day that we adopt the notion that it’s our “norm.” I know I felt this way. It just isn’t so. You don’t have to feel crummy all of the time. Here is a list of some Toxic overload symptoms:

• Constipation
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• belly bloating
• frequent gas and belching
• painful gas
• muscle and joint pain
• cramps
• itchy skin
• acne
• warts
• not being able to concentrate
• irritability
• brain fog
• mood swings
• depression
• heart palpitations
• weight gain or loss
• fatigue
• insomnia
• lethargy
• flu-like symptoms
• an array of allergy-like symptoms (coughing, sneezing, mucous watery eyes)

 I know this is a huge list, and you may have been living with some or many of these for quite some time. Well, I have some good news, you don’t have to live with these symptoms. Find out if it’s time to detox with this article here.

There are several ways in which you can cleanse and all kinds of different protocols. Some include long-time fasting, while others include a bunch of herbs and supplements. These all can work well, but some may be hard for people to follow through on, especially if it’s your first or second-time cleanser. Sometimes a less extreme, more gentle approach will lead to bigger long-lasting results.

If you’re someone who has been trying to adopt a healthier diet and lifestyle, detoxing is a perfect way to “reset” your body and start with a clean slate. If you are ready to feel more energetic, more focused, lose a few pounds, and feel better, then this is a great place to start! Book a FREE Discovery Call today!

Here’s to feeling great! Be Well!

Tess