11/07/2022
Eliminating toxins completely is impossible, but one major toxin contributor that we can control is the food we eat and the water we drink.
Eating with proper nutrition and avoiding toxic and inflammatory foods can help our bodies function at their best, can help us avoid chronic illness and disease, and can even help our bodies to heal themselves.
Common toxins to avoid are:
🔸Pesticides - linked to birth defects and cancers. Be sure to rinse product thoroughly and choose organic whenever possible to lessen the load.
🔸BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole) & BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) - possible human carcinogens and hormone disruptors. BHA and BHT are found in packaging materials, cereals, sausage, hot dogs, meat patties, chewing gum, potato chips, beer, butter, vegetable oils, cosmetics, and animal feed.
🔸Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH/rBST) - fed to cows to increase milk production. Possible increased risk of breast cancer in women and colon cancer in men. Choose organic or hormone-free dairy products.
🔸Dioxins - Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds (DCLs) accumulate in food, including meat, dairy, and fish. Dioxins are damaging to the environment and human health. Exposure to dioxins may lead to adverse health effects including reproductive and developmental problems, cardiovascular disease, increased diabetes, and increased cancer.
🔸Bisphenol-A (BPA) - found in food and beverage packaging, plastics, cookware, baby bottles, toys, dental sealants, and many more. May promote breast and prostate cancer, reproductive and behavioral problems, obesity, and diabetes. Choose glass or stainless steel containers when possible and avoid plastic packaging labeled with the number 7. Don't put plastic food containers in the microwave as its chemicals can leech when heated.
🔸Sodium Nitrite/Nitrate - used in deli and processed meats. Have been linked to cancer. Also a contaminant in drinking water. Limit your intake of processed meats and choose a high-quality filter for drinking water.
🔸Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) & Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs) - form when coal and gasoline is burned, and we can consume them when we eat grilled or charred foods. Linked to cancer in mammals.
🔸Acrylamide - a chemical found in fried, starchy foods like french fries and potato chips as well as grains that have been cooked at high temperatures. Avoid fried foods.
🔸Artificial Food Coloring and Dyes - linked to neurological disorders like ADHD and possibly autism.
🔸Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) - corn, soy, cottonseed, and canola grown in the US are sprayed with chemical pesticides known to negatively affect human health.