Toxins are all around us. Whether it's the car fumes you inhale, the frozen dinner you eat, or the negative thoughts you have at work, toxins are everywhere. Our bodies are designed to handle daily toxic exposures through our detoxification and elimination organs, such as the liver, colon and kidneys, which do a pretty good job keeping us healthy. That being said, the things that we consume on a regular basis often raise the biggest concerns because of toxic accumulation. Anything that enters our bodies through direct contact with our mucosal membranes, inhaled into our lungs or touches our skin for long periods of time has the highest chance of entering our blood stream and influencing our health, for good or bad.
On a regular basis you eat, you drink and you are merry. You are also putting toxic substances into your body and leading your merry self to poor health and a sad lifestyle when you are older. Consuming foods and drinks that are unhealthy or toxic will definitely put stress on your body, cause disease that you don’t really want to experience, and make life seem sluggish and full of complications.
There are at least ten named toxins that we put into our bodies on a regular basis. Some we might even not think of as toxic and dangerous to health.
Caffeine
Do you use your caffeinated coffee as an energy drink? It is a great way to stay awake, be energetic for a couple of hours and maintain your attention when in meetings or trying to slog through difficult paperwork. Caffeine sends blood sugar and adrenaline levels soaring. If you continue to drink caffeine, coffees, colas or teas, you will force your adrenal glands to work hard. These glands become exhausted and will continual ask for another caffeine fix. You think that you are only going to sip one cup or can a day and then substitute with green tea caffeine, but you are really poisoning your body. Take care of your adrenal glands or that triangular shaped gland that lies above the kidneys. These little glands secrete the steroid hormones that synthesize glucocorticoids, mineralocorticids and some gonadocorticoids or sex steroid hormones. You need your adrenals to be healthy to maintain water balances and electrolytes and reabsorption. If you want to control stress and the use of carbohydrates, fats and proteins do think twice when you head off and consume large amounts of caffeine.
Carbs or eating breads constantly
You love breads in the morning, noon and night. Who thinks about what breads can do to your body? If you eat too many types of bread you may find that toxins from wheat can enter your blood stream and build up intolerances that will cause headaches, indigestion, fatigue, bad skin and depression. Too much yeast contained in processed breads will upset the bacteria balance in your gut and cause infections. Cut down on breads and eat whole grains to keep your fiber count up and your digestive system working properly.
Colas
Colas are yummy with a pastrami sandwich. When you think about it, however, what is the actual appeal in these cold and bubbly drinks? They are full of sugar that rots your teeth and makes your blood glucose levels go through the ceiling. The energy levels are great and the highs okay, but if you come down after a sugar high you will have a headache.
You claim that you drink diet colas to avoid the sugars. Great, but you are really drinking embalming fluid. The aspertaine in diet drinks break down into the same properties as embalming fluid. Yuck. If you have to have a fizzy drink, try carbonated water. These however, will lower stomach acid production if you drink too near your mealtimes and your foods will not be completely digested.
Pastries and Pie
Do you love pie? How toxic can a fruit pie be? You are getting the properties of fruit, but really you are eating empty calories that are full of saturated fats and sugars. These put a huge strain on livers and actually do make your sugars levels raise. Enjoy Danish or a piece of apple pie, but only as a treat once in a blue moon.
Canned Foods
Canned foods are convenient and great when you are one the run. Not so. The metal in canned foods does get into your system. Acidic foods like fruits in a can break down the metal and fatty foods like oily tuna will definitely absorb toxic residues from cans. Your liver cannot detoxify metals and these elements start to interfere with the absorption of good minerals. Often you need to heat canned foods which causes the nutrition properties in canned foods to cook away. Try eating organic or fresh foods; they do taste much better.
Processed Meat
Yum, processed deli meats in a convenience, easy to open bag. However, there is so much salt in processed meats that these toxins upset your fluid balance. Increased fluids cause the loss of magnesium and other minerals that are important to keep the chemical reactions in your body regulated. High salt intake in processed food leads to high blood pressure, bloating and kidney problems. There high saturated fats and chemicals plus hormones and antibiotics in processed foods. Sounds good, but these substances are highly toxic to your body. Buy lean and unprocessed meats. Do try not to eat any type of meat more than three times a week.
Cheese
It is so sad to know that when you eat cheese you are eating fermented milk products that contribute to yeast overgrowth. Cheeses are very acidic and hard for the body to digest. Mature or aged cheese is to be very mucus forming and this mucus can trigger nasal problems, skin issues, and allergies. Stick to goat’s cheese. It is not so acidic and is lower in lactose.
Snacks
Yes, toxins are in everything you love to snack on. Raw and natural unsalted nuts are great for heath. But if you roast these nuts, the good fats change into unhealthy fats. Chestnuts roasted on an open fire sounds romantic, but they are toxic. Eat the raw types of nuts and live a healthy life; eat toasted nuts you may encourage fat gain.
Now we are hitting on the most comforting foods on the planet. Fried foods. The long-term effect that frying your food has on your body is awful. Frying destabilizes oil molecules and produces highly toxic free radicals or the damaging molecules that run around your body and attack your cells. Cell damage results from too many free radicals and you will find premature wrinkling, cancers, and horrible constipation or diarrheas in your body instead of fun and healthy cells.
Steam or bake your foods and if you absolutely must fry use a wok and refined peanut, oleic sunflower or avocado oils.
Alcohol
Drinking is fun and makes you merry plus gives you hangovers, headaches and upset stomachs. Alcohol depletes nutrients and particularly B vitamins that are needed for metabolism and memory. Ever wonder why you can’t remember the binge the night before or the fact that your scales are inching higher? Alcohol makes your blood sugar levels raise, your liver fat, and you cannot detox your system.
This is not a total downer to partying or enjoying a good bout of drinking. Do be smart however. Moderation, taking vitamin C before and after will help protect you liver. Drink plenty of water to counteract dehydration and keep your body functioning. If you want to keep drinking all night that of course is up to you, but remember that tomorrow you may want to consider you waistline. There are definitely more than ten deadly toxins that can ruin your body. But avoiding or using in moderation, alcohol, coffee and tea, caffeine, canned foods, yeasty white breads, roasted nuts and fried foods, processed meats and foods as well as cheeses will keep the free radicals away from your body and your result will be a healthy lifestyle with less wrinkles.
