Environmental Toxins: You can fight back, here’s what to do?

Most of us know about free-radicals, those unstable atoms that can cause damage to our cells. But are you protecting yourself from environmental toxins? You don’t have to live next to a nuclear power plant like Homer Simpson to worry about them. They’re pretty everywhere and include naturally occurring compounds like mercury and formaldehyde as well as man-made chemicals like BPA and phthalates. This is bad news as they can interfere you’re your endocrine system and can cause a laundry list of health concerns. Think hormonal imbalances, obesity, fertility problems, breast and even hormone-dependent cancers like prostate and breast cancer. Can we get an “eek!”

When we said they’re hard to avoid, we weren’t kidding. For example, if you’re eating fish, chances are you’re ingesting mercury. Formaldehyde is often used in hair straightening treatments and can still be found in many nail polishes. Plastic bottles are often a source of BPA and phthalates can be found in toys, cosmetics, perfumes, detergents and even food packaging.

So, what’s a human to do about environmental toxins?

Exposure to too much mercury can be minimised if you stick to eating seafood on the low end of the metal scale. These include salmon, sardines, cod, tilapia, shrimp, oysters, scallops and crab.

BPA and phthalates, however, are harder to avoid. Still, there are things you can do to mitigate their effect. For one, if you are buying anything plastic, be it a toy or a piece of Tupperware, chose those that state they’re BPA and phthalate-free. You can also opt for glass over plastic where possible. You should also become more aware of what’s in the cosmetics you’re buying by scanning the ingredients list before you pop them in your trolley. Visiting sites like Safe Cosmetics will help you learn more about which ingredients to avoid. You can also chat with a highly-skilled skincare therapist who can point you in the direction of medical-grade skincare products that will rejuvenate your skin as opposed to harm it.  

Now let’s talk about your liver!

Like we said, completely avoiding toxins is a tricky business. Happily, your body has a great built-in detoxification system and that’s your liver. Being incredibly clever, it filters everything you consume and knows which nutrients to store as well as which to flush. Keeping your liver in good shape is vital because it’s one of few organs that can’t be propped up artificially. For example, if your lungs collapsed you could go on a ventilator. Need a new liver? Well, you’d be looking at a transplant.

To ensure your liver remains in good nick, you’re going to want to eat a healthy, balanced diet; drink a lot of water and get enough exercise. You can also take a supplement specially designed to support your liver and help it do its best work, something like Renewal Institute Liver S Plus. Its ingredients include milk thistle, alpha lipoic acid (ALA), N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) and antioxidant green tea.

A brilliant blend

Milk thistle has a rep for being something to reach for when you’ve got a hangover. Thing is, your liver will always appreciate it, regardless of what you drank the night before, thanks to its silymarin content. Despite its “silly” name, silymarin means business when it comes to detoxification. Studies have shown it can help regenerate liver tissues, reduce inflammation and act as an antioxidant.

As far as ALA and NAC go, they’re required to create glutathione, your body’s master antioxidant. Aside from fighting off cancer-causing free-radicals, it helps your liver eliminate toxins by binding to the baddies. This makes them easier to identify and expel. Annoyingly, your body’s natural glutathione stash depletes as you get older. This is why it’s a good idea to bump up your supply with a supplement such as Health Renewal Pro-Pheroid Glutathione. It’s been specially formulated in a way that makes it very easy to absorb, so you’ll get more detoxifying bang for your buck.

Ultimately, environmental toxins are just about everywhere, but with the right supplements, you can most certainly fight back!